I've been successful in running 2 x 12v motors at variable speed using a L298N H bridge, but now need to up the stakes running 2 x 180v Dc worm gear motors using the same principal if possible.
The motors are 180v, 1.2A max, 10Nm torque. Max output speed from the gearbox is 65RPM.
I've looked everywhere for an equivalent of the L2948N that can be used with higher voltages but without any luck. I don't want to go down the road of designing a home-brew with mosfets etc - because I think it's just too dangerous
Can anybody point to me a tried and tested circuit that can handle this, or even a ready made box off the shelf?
I don't have an answer, but I'm having the same problem, wanting to control two 1/8 HP motors with PWM while controlling direction as well. I have not selected the motors yet but am looking at 24-36V.
I don't have an answer, but I'm having the same problem, wanting to control two 1/8 HP motors with PWM while controlling direction as well. I have not selected the motors yet but am looking at 24-36V.
If you don't need to control the direction then you don't strictly need an h-bridge - just a current controller. At lower voltages I would have suggest using a FET. However, the ones I know about and that are commonly available I don't think would handle that voltage. Maybe there are others available that will.
Can you double/tripple check that it is really 180V DC? That seems like an extraordinarily high DC voltage to me. Where is it coming from?
Yes the motors are definitely 180v. There is a pic of one attached (from China), and I have the same available from Parvalux in the UK (at a different price of course).
There may be a requirement moving forwards for direction change, and that is why I was opting for the bridge (which also gave me braking), but those options seem to be the least of my problems at the moment if I can't control simple speed with an Arduino.
I've looked at a home-brew FET option, but having seen so many melting and smoking I would only want to go down that road if I could find a tried and tested circuit to build (which I've been unable to do despite days searching on Google).
It seems like such a basic thing finally, controlling a mains power motor via an Arduino, and I'm struggling to understand why I'm having so much trouble finding a solution. The entire world doesn't run on 6v motors!!!!
What's your best shot at a quick fix solution? I'm desperate enough at the moment to put a dimmer switch on it
A dimmer would probably use a zero-crossing triac so won't be any help here.
The other mains switching solutions will also rely on zero-crossing triacs. No good for DC - you could turn them on but would have no way to turn them off.
I don't have any experience of switching DC at those voltages and I can only suggest you search for a FET or similar with a high enough voltage and current rating. I know that you can get MOSFETs good for hundreds of volts so presumably something suitable does exist, but I don't know of a suitable one to recommend to you.
That looks a good choice if it turns out to be the only solution available to get all this working with PWM via an Arduino. There are of course dozens of 180v dc motor controllers available on eBay that will do the job for under $20, but they use physical pots, and that entirely defeats the object of getting and elegant Arduino involved in the first instance. 8)
Rather than go down a trial and error scenario involving much smoke and fire with MOSFETS I may look to see if I can replace the speed pot on one of those devices by an Arduino input in the first instance. An additional complication I have with this device is that the user can (and probably will) physically turn the motor shaft when it's working, potentially converting it into a sizeable generator, so adequate circuity needs to be provided for that too.
I'm really beginning to wonder why I always say "yes" when friends ask me to do them a quick favour !
You need a 180V DC Power Supply which rectifies AC and filters it with large Electrolytic caps. What is the mains voltage in your country? You can make your own PS or buy a 200V DC PS. That would be your 180V source for the motor supply. You should probably concider using IGBT's
Fought the same problem for some time now (on and off for years). Finally I broke down and decided to use mosfets and mosfet drivers. I am only controlling speed but there are circuits for a mosfet h-bridge is very simple but study the example circuit you use to see if it is using two different types of mosfet (n and p) or if is just uses one type (I like to use both it seems to simplify things). Just make sure you use a driver that matches the mosfet and try to use n and p channel mosfets (with proper drivers) that match very closely. And if you want to do multiple direction DO NOT put a fly back a diode across the load but keep in mind that the mosfets are going to get hot so you will need a heat sink and most mosfet tabs are not isolated so either isolate them or use individual heat sinks (for long runs at log speeds you may even need fans). Also unless the user is going to be turning the motor very fast you wont have to worry about the feed back voltage as it will not bother the mosfets.
@Last poster,
Do you have a handle ? There is no member name displayed where your handle should be . Is that intentional ? Can you pick a handle so we can address you by handle if we need to ?
