Hello everyone. This is my first post but not my first visit here.
Here is what I am trying to do. I have a project car which has aftermarket big brakes installed but does not have a parking brake. I have got a pair of electronic parking brake calipers from a Tesla and would like to use them. The calipers have a 12v DC worm gear type motor on them.
What I am after is some way of controlling both of them either with one button in the car (one push on then one push release) or 2 buttons or something like that. But then it needs to know when to stop squeezing the brake rotor. When I apply 12volts across the motor one way the piston closes. Once it hits the brake rotor and builds pressure the current spikes to about 30amps. I disconnect the power and the caliper holds. When I reverse polarity the piston releases.
So my question is what degree of difficulty am I looking at here? I have been creeping the forums here to try and learn a thing or two but it has been years since I have done anything like this. I know I will need an H bridge to reverse polarity to open and close the caliper but can I put the motors in parallel and just use one bridge or do i need 2? How can I use the spike in current to cut power? Is it possible to do all this in a nice little package for a clean install?
If anyone can help guide me in the right direction in terms of what I need or a simpler way to accomplish what I am after, any help is greatly appreciated.
Or if anybody is looking to make some money and can put this together for me I am ok with that to but I do not mind getting my hands dirty I just need some guidance.
The Sparkfun Monster motor driver should be perfect for this. It has current feedback and drives 2 motors independently. 30A is its upper limit.
Be aware that the analog filtering on the current feedback pin is not sufficient for the standard Arduino PWM frequency. You probably don't need PWM so you will be OK.
Robin2:
Is your automobile insurer happy for you to mess with your car's braking system?
...R
I appreciate your concern haha. It is a track use car. Having a parking brake allows me to stop using the transmission or wood blocks to to keep the car in place when im parked or stopped or loading it on a trailer. This is just a little project to keep myself busy haha
MorganS:
The Sparkfun Monster motor driver should be perfect for this. It has current feedback and drives 2 motors independently. 30A is its upper limit.
Be aware that the analog filtering on the current feedback pin is not sufficient for the standard Arduino PWM frequency. You probably don't need PWM so you will be OK.
How did you make out in this? I just built a controller for friends car that does the same function. I also added a connection to the reverse lockout so he can't apply the ebrake while at high speed. Don't need any h bridge drivers. Just a unl2003, 3 relays and a .1 ohm redistor to measure current.
DblTrbl:
I just built a controller for friends car that does the same function. I also added a connection to the reverse lockout so he can't apply the ebrake while at high speed. Don't need any h bridge drivers. Just a unl2003, 3 relays and a .1 ohm redistor to measure current.
I'm trying to put together the same setup as the OP and yourself are describing. Can you make one for me? Cost?