Powering a 28BYJ-48 Stepper Motor?

Using Arduino Motors, Mechanics, Power and CNC
1

Hi there!

I am trying to control a 5v 28BYJ-48 stepper motor using my Arduino Uno and an Adafruit Motor sheild. The motor also comes with a small breakout board, so I'm not sure if I will actually need to use my shield.

I have heard that it is recommended to use different power sources for the Arduino and the motor, and I am wondering what the best power source for the motor might be and how I would connect it. I am planning on powering the Arduino via USB. Is there a certain kind of battery pack I could order online to power the motor? I won't need a ton of torque, but I'll need it to be able to run for at least an hour. I've had problems with stepper motors draining 9v batteries very quickly before.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

2

If the motor looks like this:

640×640 25.3 KB

then the little board is the "shield" and motor driver.

It is always a good idea to power a motor or servo separately from the Arduino, as they can damage it or cause malfunction.

To determine what capacity battery pack to order, you will have to measure the average current (in mA) consumed while your Arduino+motor is in operation. The battery capacity (which is measured in mAh) must be larger than the average current in mA times the number of hours of operation required. A factor of two larger is good, because manufacturers and advertisers exaggerate.