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Ardumoto - Motor Driver Shield Retail
This kit is the same product as the Ardumoto Shield but it also includes headers and screw terminals. The board and parts come in fancy clamshell packaging meant for our distributors that need it. Regular customers are welcome to order, but we want to limit the amount of extra packaging finding its way into the trash heap.
This is a motor shield for Arduino that will control two DC motors. Based on the L298 H-bridge, the Ardumoto can drive up to 2 amps per channel. The board takes its power from the same Vin line as the Arduino board, includes blue and yellow LEDs to indicate active direction, and all driver lines are diode protected from back EMF.
Control for motor attached to OUT1/2 is connected to digital line 12 (direction A) and digital line 3 (PWM A). Control for motor attached to OUT3/4 is connected to digital line 13 (direction B) and digital line 11 (PWM B).
- Schematic
- [Eagle Files](http://www.sparkfun.com/datasheets/DevTools/Arduino/Ardumoto v13.zip)
- L298 H Bridge data sheet
- Example Arduino sketch
- Hookup Guide
Ardumoto - Motor Driver Shield Retail Product Help and Resources
Core Skill: Soldering
This skill defines how difficult the soldering is on a particular product. It might be a couple simple solder joints, or require special reflow tools.
Skill Level: Rookie - The number of pins increases, and you will have to determine polarity of components and some of the components might be a bit trickier or close together. You might need solder wick or flux.
See all skill levels
Core Skill: Robotics
This skill concerns mechanical and robotics knowledge. You may need to know how mechanical parts interact, how motors work, or how to use motor drivers and controllers.
Skill Level: Rookie - You will be required to know some basics about motors, basic motor drivers and how simple robotic motion can be accomplished.
See all skill levels
Core Skill: Programming
If a board needs code or communicates somehow, you're going to need to know how to program or interface with it. The programming skill is all about communication and code.
Skill Level: Rookie - You will need a better fundamental understand of what code is, and how it works. You will be using beginner-level software and development tools like Arduino. You will be dealing directly with code, but numerous examples and libraries are available. Sensors or shields will communicate with serial or TTL.
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Core Skill: Electrical Prototyping
If it requires power, you need to know how much, what all the pins do, and how to hook it up. You may need to reference datasheets, schematics, and know the ins and outs of electronics.
Skill Level: Rookie - You may be required to know a bit more about the component, such as orientation, or how to hook it up, in addition to power requirements. You will need to understand polarized components.
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Customer Reviews
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The schematic link is broken
can i use it to drive the tamiya gearbox?
and, can i use a voltage lower than arduino Vin?
Another nube in need of help: I'm trying to adapt the example code provided by Sparkfun to use human controls, but I can't seem to get any response to the potentiometer or the direction switch. I've looked all over the internet for sample code to use with a motor driver shield and come up with zip. Can anyone help?
Hey Member #568376, did you ever get any help with that code? I had the same problem. All of the open source code is for little toys and the code that is offered with the motor driver is just for demonstration and isn't much help. I came up with some code that worked for me. I'm pretty much a nube too so it's probably not the best but it worked. Ultimately, I gave up on it because I couldn't get the xbees to work and I opted to use a R C transmitter and receiver. Way simpler if you're looking to cop out like me, look into it. Let me know if you want that code. I'll forward it to you. I'd also like to know if you got your camera to work because I had the same experience with that too.
A concern I have is that with the option to power the motor shield directly from the Arduino board through the VIN connection, the amount of current that the motor shield can draw (4A+) is greater than the current rating on each of the header pins (3A). This could cause problems over time if the shield is being pushed to its limits. It seems highly advisable to power this shield directly which in turn will supply power to the Arduino board through the VIN pin, since the Arduino board will draw less current.
I used one of these to drive an antenna rotor motor at 24V, and it worked great. I had to modify the board so that the LEDs were disabled and the Vin trace from the terminal blocks didn't go to the Vin pin of the Arduino. The chip on this board is identical to the one on the official Arduino R3 shield, but this one doesn't have braking control. I don't miss the current sense, but having braking control would be very nice. I know why it isn't on the board -- it saves two digital pins. Maybe a solder jumper to enable/disable the feature, like on the R3 board?
Nice board, some very minor feature additions would be nice.
Can I connect more then 1 shield to Arduino?
As long as two shields don't use the same pins on the Arduino, then yes.
I made a video of myself making this product and have posted it on YouTube you can find the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGcYL2yuseA
Is it common that this shield doesn't fit around the USB and DC adapter ports on the Arduino Uno? ...rather annoying considering that the device is built specifically for the Arduino. Regardless, the bigger problem is that only one of the two pairs of output pins (to the motor) appears to be working. This is the case with both of the shields that I purchased. Any advice, anyone?
Sparkfun should sell official arduino ones
does it support the ROB-10846 Motor on this shield?
The Ardumoto shield is designed to drive DC motors, not stepper motors. Take a look at the EasyDriver Motor Driver Board if you need something for that specific motor.
Please fix the schematic link
Heloo all
I have a question, maybe some none could help me iv bought this Ardumoto and an other shield, the Joystick Shield
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9895 , this one but not the retail version.
My question is:
Can use them both at once on my Duemilanove??
TKS
okay i am a littel confused here.
i have the ardumoto bord sitting on top of my Arduino uno and to 12v motors on the 1, 2 and the 3 ,4 pin. The hole thing get its power from a 12v 2amp supply that is conectet to the Arduino
i can massure 11.94v on the + and - pin on the ardumoto bord but i can only massure 8.67v on the motor out pin (1, 2 and 3, 4 pin) when the pwm pins gets the full 255 anlog out from the Arduino. Isent it supposed to supply the motors the full 12v ( or my 11.94V) when its is going at full speed?
thanks in advance.
minihak
How would you go about revising the example Arduino sketch to allow it to be controlled by the serial port. I want to eventully be able to pop an Xbee shield on and run without the USB cable.
Thanks
HStaub
Clicking on "Schematic" returns a error 404