Hello,
i want to driving some hdd motors on a wall - and slowly.
Actually i using 12 A ESC from SimonK but i didn‘t get it slow enough.
Some disks have 4 wire pins and i only using 3 wire esc, so maybe it would driving better with 4 wires.
Anybody knows which esc is the best or what should i do, to driving hdds slowly?
I already looking for 4 wire esc but i think 30A is too much.
Regards, Webfeger
Hi,
Can you post a picture of your HDD motors please?
Do they have any numbers printed on them?
Thanks.. Tom.. 
You can't drive motors arbitrarilt slowly with standard ESCs, they rely on back EMF for commutation and slow
speed means the back EMF signal fades into the switching noise.
Since HDD motors are usually 4-wire Y connected, it might be simpler to drive them unipolar, as if a 3-phase
stepper. 3 channels from an ULN2003 or ULN2803 might be suitable if the current isn't too great.
Hello there,
Thanks for reply. i didn't got any mail notifications. but is was already activated. :-\
Actually i using two different hdd motors. (see attachment for more details and actual wiring)
I tested it at first with PM°DM motor and connected the three right pins with ESC.
Thats my sketch:
#include <Servo.h>
Servo myservo;
int potpin = 0;
int val;
void setup()
{
Serial.begin(9600);
myservo.attach(9);
int speed;
// Starting up spin
for(speed = 100; speed <= 500; speed += 100) {
setspeed(speed);
delay(1000);
}
}
void loop()
{
val = analogRead(potpin);
Serial.print(val);
Serial.print('\n');
setspeed(0);
delay(3000);
int speed;
//prevent stopping and leave disk spinning
for(speed = 100; speed <= 400; speed += 100) {
setspeed(speed);
delay(500);
}
//setspeed (100);
// delay(2000);
}
void setspeed(int throttle)
{
val = map(throttle, 1, 1023, 1, 180);
myservo.write(val);
}
I Want to control 9 hhd motors with one arduino so a ESC is required otherwise i need more pins, if i build an own esc?
Any ideas if it is possible with this motors?
Hi,
Have you googled arduino hdd motor control
Tom..
yes, but i didn‘t found the right site for my solution. i though the esc would solve my problem.
do you can recommend some sites?
Hi,
How slow is slowly?
These motors are designed/optimised to run at 1000's RPM to spin the platen.
Why not use these cheap geared steppers?
Tom...
i want to run it slowly like this one:
I would use the existing hdd motors.. dont want to buy new steppers for this art project
Hi,
Did you look at the sight the video linked to?
Tom...
Yes, its a great solution but hard to work for me.. and i need this solution for 9 HDDs.
There aren‘t an easier method to solvie this?
Hi Webfeger, did you make any progress with running the HDD motors slowly, I'm interested in variable speed control and slow like the reference video.
Webfeger:
Hello,
i want to driving some hdd motors on a wall - and slowly.
Actually i using 12 A ESC from SimonK but i didn‘t get it slow enough.
Yes, I can imagine, ESCs for sensorless brushless motors cannot go slowly!
Some disks have 4 wire pins and i only using 3 wire esc, so maybe it would driving better with 4 wires.
Anybody knows which esc is the best or what should i do, to driving hdds slowly?
I already looking for 4 wire esc but i think 30A is too much.Regards, Webfeger
4-wire is easy, just use 3 channels from a driver such as a ULN2803, the common wire goes to V+.
Sequence 100, 010, 001, or for more slowly, 110, 010, 011, 001, 101, 100
You should measure the winding resistance and check what current level is involved and ensure any
driver you use can handle that current comfortably.
Note the ULN2803/ULN2003 are good choices as they have free-wheel diodes built in which are required
always when driving motors and other inductive loads. Other more modern MOSFET based drivers
are available, remember to ensure there are free-wheel diodes.
