Controlling six brushless motors using dpdt relays help [Solved]

Using Arduino Motors, Mechanics, Power and CNC
#1

I am making a subersible robot and i am using six brushless motors to control all directions.
This is not a code question.

I need directional control on the motors but the ESCs only go in one direction.
I an thinking of using a 8 dpdt relay board to reverse 2 of the 3 wires going to each motor.
Relay Board: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00LWYD6RC/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1411952487&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40#productDescription_secondary_view_pageState_1411953899246

It looks like each relay uses 5v and draw 35ma according to the description.

I am familiar with how to hook up the relay.
I need help though on how i will connect my arduino mega to this board.

In short:

  1. Did I interpret the description correctly?
  2. Will my arduino be able to power the board?
  3. How do i hook up the board so i can control the board?
#2

Did you not see fhe schematic with the "IN-1" signal name on the input resistor of the darlington transistor ?
Be sure to connect the GND to the arduino GND.

#3

Sorry I'm still learning schematics.

So I need to connect a 5v source to VDD and and each of my arduino pins will be connected to each "IN".
I set a pin to high and that activates the transistor to power the relay.

And I connect ground to my arduino.
Do I have it all correct? I just don't want to fry my arduino.

#4

Yes . That's correct. If you truly don't want to fry your arduino you might want to consider learning electronics. It is a little hard to use an arduino without having to deal with it.

#5

The important point with a relay is to keep the coil side of things separate from the
contacts - they are already isolated, don't lose that protection. Thus motor and ESC
stuff only to the contact terminals, Arduino control only to the relay driver connections.

[ Oh yes, the other thing, if you switch the relays while the ESCs are still powering
the motors, bad things will probably happen, so sequence stuff carefully. In particular
don't kill the Arduino / relay driver power while motors are running. The underlying
problem is that an ESC connected to a motor by two wires only (even for a very short
space of time) may conduct far too much current and burn something out. ]

#6

Thanks for the help.

#7

Have you actually tried reversing two of the three wires between the ESC and motor to see if the motor runs in reverse? If so, two of the three wires could be switched with a relay like below. The 35ma relay coil current might be a little high for an arduino pin to directly supply.

#8

Its a brushless motor with three phases, not a DC motor.

#9