Basic power question for arduino + servos

Using Arduino Project Guidance
1

Hi all,

I'm brand new to Arduino and looking to make a specific sort of timer-based controller to push a physical button at specific times of day. Touch screen will be a cool way to set it and get feedback :slight_smile:

At a glance, it seems like my shopping list is this:

I'm also 3d printing a thing to use the servos to drive the shaft which pushes the button... we can ignore that part for now.

Here's my questions:

  • What kind of wire do I get to extend from the breadboard to the servo(s) so that they can sit at a distance away from it? Preferably something from that same site (I'm in Israel)
  • Does the MB102 power both the Arduino and the servos?
  • If so - is it safe to just slap everything on the breadboard, or should the servers be connected to the MB102 from the pins somehow (not sure if it even does that...)
  • If not - am I correct that I'd wire the servos through the breadboard, and then have some other power supply like this 9V converter and keep the arduino totally separate?

Thanks!

2

What kind of wire do I get to extend from the breadboard to the servo(s) so that they can sit at a distance away from it?

Copper.

The diameter of the wire hardly matters, since the control pin carries almost no current, and the ground wire only needs to carry that amount of current back. The power supply for the servo will be near the servo, so the wires that comes on the servo should easily reach the power supply.

Does the MB102 power both the Arduino and the servos?

You are the one designing the system. You need to answer that question. We could help with "Can the MB102...". The answer to that is yes.

If so - is it safe to just slap everything on the breadboard, or should the servers be connected to the MB102 from the pins somehow (not sure if it even does that...)

No. It is never safe to slap things together. Pay attention and work carefully. Less smoke gets lost that way.

3

Thanks! I'll try to frame my questions a bit better :slight_smile:

Can you explain what what the comparitive disadvantages/advantages between these two approaches might be?

Approach #1: Single breadboard with MB102 powering the Arduino Mega and 2x SG90 servo motors

Approach #2: Two separate breadboards: one with Arduino getting its own power supply, and the other with the MB102 and motors

In both cases, power supply would be 9V 1A power adapter (i.e. one for the MB102, and potentially a separate for arduino)

Could also be 9V battery adapter for mobility