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chip SOP8

单通道直流马达驱动器

and more

design rules

  • add proper pull-up or pull-down resistors to the input pins of the motor driver ICs to ensure stable operation and prevent floating inputs. - resistor-dat
  • both IN1 and IN2 pull up or down in the same time to prevent the motor driver from entering an undefined state.

Chip function lists

  • overcurrent / thermal shutdown protection / microstepping / precise motor control

advanced control

Comparison

TB6612FNG vs. L298N

Feature TB6612FNG L298N
Motor Voltage Range 2.5V – 13.5V 5V – 46V
Logic Voltage Range 2.7V – 5.5V 5V – 7V
Continuous Current / ch ~1.2A 2A
Peak Current / ch 3.2A (short bursts) 3A (non-repetitive)
Efficiency High (CMOS) Low (Bipolar)
Voltage Drop ~0.2V ~1.8V – 3V
Heat Output Low High
PWM Frequency Support Up to 100 kHz <25 kHz
Size Small, modern Large, bulky
Cost Moderate Low

more options

Chip/Module Voltage Range Continuous Current PWM Freq. pros Features & Notes
TB6612FNG 2.5V – 13.5V 1.2A/ch (3.2A peak) Up to 100kHz easy to use Efficient CMOS, low heat, great for small robots
DRV8833 2.7V – 10.8V 1.5A/ch (2A peak) Up to 250kHz low volts, high efficiencies Compact, efficient, built-in protection, ideal for small DC motors
DRV8871 6.5V – 45V 3.6A (6A peak) ~100kHz Single-channel, robust, good for mid-power motors
DRV8876 4.5V – 37V 3.5A (5A peak) ~100kHz Smart current regulation, overtemp/short protection
MC33926 5V – 28V 3A (5A peak) Up to 20kHz Automotive-grade, robust with fault reporting
VNH5019 5.5V – 24V 12A (30A peak) ~20kHz High-power, onboard protection, great for large motors
BTN7960B 5.5V – 27V 43A (55A peak) ~25kHz High-current half-bridge, excellent for industrial/heavy-duty applications

Relay-Based H-Bridge

you can control a high current DC motor using relays to switch it ON/OFF and to control clockwise (CW) and counter-clockwise (CCW) rotation by reversing the polarity with an H-Bridge made from relays.

How It Works: Relay-Based H-Bridge

A DC motor reverses direction by reversing the polarity of the voltage applied to its terminals. An H-Bridge uses 4 relays to achieve this.

Relay-Based H-Bridge Configuration (4-Relay Method)

Components

  • 4 relays (DPST or SPST) rated for motor voltage and stall current
  • Flyback diodes across relay coils
  • Flyback diodes across motor terminals (recommended)
  • Control logic (manual switches or microcontroller)

Operation Modes

Relay 1 Relay 2 Relay 3 Relay 4 Motor Direction
ON OFF ON OFF Clockwise
OFF ON OFF ON Counter-Clockwise
OFF OFF OFF OFF Motor OFF

Important: Never activate relays that create a short circuit (e.g., Relay 1 and Relay 2 ON simultaneously). Use interlock logic.

Important Considerations

  1. Relay Ratings: Must handle the motor's voltage and stall current (stall current can be 5–10× running current).
  2. Flyback Diodes: Required across relay coils and motor terminals to protect from voltage spikes.
  3. Logic Interlock: Ensure relays cannot be activated in conflicting states.
  4. Switching Delay: Turn OFF all relays briefly before changing direction to avoid shorts and damage.

High Current DC Motors (CW/CCW + ON/OFF)

🔋 1. Solid-State H-Bridge Using Power MOSFETs or IGBTs

✅ Best for:

  • High current (10A–100A+)
  • Fast and frequent switching (PWM)
  • Compact, efficient control

📦 Components:

  • 4 N-channel power MOSFETs (e.g., IRF1404, IRF3205)
  • Gate driver ICs (e.g., IR2104, HIP4081)
  • Microcontroller (Arduino, STM32, etc.)
  • Heat sinks or cooling fans
  • Protection: flyback diodes, current sensors

🟢 Pros:

  • Very fast switching (PWM possible)
  • Silent, no moving parts
  • Low power loss
  • Scalable

🔴 Cons:

  • More complex (requires driver circuitry)
  • Thermal design required

🧱 2. Prebuilt H-Bridge Driver Modules (MOSFET or IGBT-based)

✅ Best for:

  • Medium to high current (15A–75A)
  • Fast setup and integration

Examples:

  • BTS7960 (43A/channel) - BTS7960-dat
  • VNH2SP30 (30A motor driver) - VNH2SP30-dat - sdr1070-dat
  • Sabertooth motor drivers (robust, configurable)
  • IGBT driver modules (for large motors)

🟢 Pros:

  • Built-in protections (thermal, overcurrent)
  • Logic-level control (PWM + direction)
  • Compact and reliable

🔴 Cons:

  • May be more expensive
  • Power limits based on model

🔌 3. High-Power DC Contactor + Polarity Reversing Circuit

✅ Best for:

  • Very high current motors (100A+)
  • Infrequent switching (e.g., industrial/vehicle systems)

Setup:

  • 2 contactors for direction (polarity reversal)
  • 1 contactor for ON/OFF
  • Optional soft-start or precharge circuit

🟢 Pros:

  • Very robust and durable
  • Handles surge current well
  • Galvanic isolation

🔴 Cons:

  • Bulky and expensive
  • Mechanical wear
  • Slower switching

🏆 Summary Table

Use Case Recommended Method
Compact, efficient motor control MOSFET H-Bridge with gate drivers
Easy integration, plug-and-play BTS7960 or Sabertooth driver module
Extreme current (100A+), rugged use DC contactor with polarity control
PWM speed control + direction Solid-state H-Bridge
Low-speed control, basic CW/CCW Relay-based H-Bridge (least recommended)

⚠️ Tips and Safety

  • ✅ Use flyback diodes (or body diodes in MOSFETs).
  • ✅ Include gate resistors and dead-time logic to avoid shoot-through.
  • ✅ Add current sensing (e.g., Hall sensors) for protection.
  • ✅ Ensure good thermal design (heatsinks, fans, or active cooling).

more driving chips

✅ Quick Comparison Table

Chip/Module Current Voltage Type Notes
BTS7960-dat 43A peak ~24V Half-Bridge Needs 2 for full H-Bridge
VNH2SP30-dat 14A/30A peak 5.5–16V Full H-Bridge Compact, good protection
MC33932-dat 5A/8A peak 5–28V Dual H-Bridge Diagnostics and protection
DRV84x2-dat 6–12A Up to 50V Dual H-Bridge High-efficiency PWM
L298N-dat 2A Up to 46V Dual H-Bridge NOT for high current
Sabertooth Up to 120A 6–30V Dual H-Bridge Best for industrial/robotics
Cytron MD30C 30A 5–30V Single H-Bridge Reliable and simple
IBT-2 43A 6–27V Full H-Bridge BTS7960 module variant
AMC8832 15A+ Up to 50V Full H-Bridge Advanced high-efficiency

power rail for servo

If you find your ESP32 keeps restarting when the servos move, try these fixes:

Separate the Power Rails: Use the 18650 to power the servos directly (if they can handle the raw 3.7V–4.2V range, which most SG90s can, though they'll be slightly slower) and use the boost converter only for the ESP32.

Add a Large Capacitor: Place a large electrolytic capacitor (e.g., 1000µF or higher) across the 5V and GND rails near the servos. This acts as a "buffer" to handle the initial current spike when the motors start.

Other Tech

common wiring

you can absolutely connect L_EN (Left Enable) and R_EN (Right Enable) together and tie them directly to 5V.

This is a very common trick to save microcontroller pins, reducing the required pins from 4 down to 2. Here is exactly how it changes things and what you need to keep in mind:

How it Works

The BTS7960-dat driver chip requires the Enable pins to be HIGH (5V) for the internal H-bridge MOSFETs to operate.

By tying them permanently to 5V, the motor driver is always enabled and ready to receive control signals.

You then only need 2 PWM pins from your microcontroller connected to L_PWM and R_PWM to control the speed and direction.

build

mosfet driver

apps

ref

Table of Contents

https://www.electrodragon.com