Hi all:
I've been gifted a few items to get me on my way to making my first proper Arduino rover/robot.
I have made a very basic robot before but using low power motors directly connected to my Arduino. I'm really keen to take it up a level and integrate a motor driver, how to supply power in more advanced ways and learn how that all comes together.
I have the following bits in my inventory to try to make this work:
Arduino Uno, Rechargeable AA and AAA batteries, lego technic, wires etc.
Motor drivers:
2x L298N driver
2x Maker Drive: Simplifying H-Bridge Motor Driver
1x Adafruit DRV8833 DC/Stepper Motor Driver Breakout Board
Motors:
1x Basic TT Motor - 200RPM
1x 12V DC Motor 25D - 100RPM
1x TT Motor All-Metal Gearbox - 1:90 Gear Ratio
1x NEMA 17 Stepper Motor
4x 28BYJ-48 Stepper Motors
Design goal:
Make a rover style robot with the above components to automate (i) driving and (ii) steering the robot but crucially learn how to properly integrate motor drivers. I'm good with the autonomous driving bit as my first robot had distance sensors and coded up how to avoid obstacles.
My first thoughts on how to do it:
I was going to use one motor with lego components with differentials to drive the wheels and use one stepper motor to control steering.
Is the stepper motor approach to steering on lego a good approach?
Motor Driver Power Combo 1 (12v option):
1x 12V DC Motor 25D - 100RPM (0.23A rated current, I cannot find peak current)
1x 12V DC NEMA 17 Stepper Motor (0.25A rated current, again cannot find peak current)
1x L298N Motor driver (Hoping it can handle the peak/stall current of the motors but unsure)
9x 1.5 AA rechargeable batteries to make a 13.5v supply which when accounting for the voltage drop of the L298N should get close to 12v for the motors.
I am hoping I paired up the components properly or will I blow it up?!
I am also wondering how to power the Arduino, I think recommended is up to 12v but limits are higher so I can connect it up to the 13.5v battery pack direct?
Motor Driver Power Combo 2 (5/6V option):
1x 3-6V DC TT Motor All-Metal Gearbox (rated 0.1A @ 6v with 1A peak)
1x 5V DC 28BYJ-48 Stepper Motor (hard to find currents but forums suggest it runs at 0.1A)
1x Maker Drive: Simplifying H-Bridge Motor Driver
4x 1.5 AA rechargeable batteries to make a 6v supply but unsure about voltage drop as nothing is stated on the specs of the driver.
In this case can I use resistors to support the stepper motor?
Otherwise will this work ok?
Other remarks:
I've never used voltage regulators or current protection, but do I need those for the above?
As you can tell I am trying to learn a lot here but could do with someone more experienced giving me guidance.
Thanks v much in advance for helping
P