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Tutorial Monster Moto Shield acts as a single motor driver = more power!

Discussion in 'DIY Motion Simulator Building Q&A / FAQ' started by Pit, May 9, 2014.

  1. Pit

    Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gold Contributor

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    The Monster Moto (MM) from Sparkfun or dx.com (Hummer Driver) uses the VNH2SP30-E motor driver, these bridges will be used as a high power full (double) bridge driver normally. If someone is using strong motors like winches (as the mines) you need more powerful h-bridges: The VNH2SP30 can be used as a half-bridge. The famous jrks12v12s works great but are expensive (~100$ one sample). The Monster Motos are cheap (one bridge about 17$ at Aliexpress.com) and easy to use with an Arduino as a controller (17$).

    VNH2SP_diagramm.jpg

    The VNH2SP30 has a maximum current rating of 30 A and a continuous current of 14 A. As a half bridge (using two VNH2SP30 for one motor) you "double" the power of your h-bridge. That means, if more "Ampere" is needed, the MM can handle it. "Volt" is being left unchanged.

    This tutorial is an addition to the SMC3 Arduino 3DOF Motor Driver and Windows Utilities code. Not tested but probably working the Arduino UNO/Duemilanove 2dof firmware (caution notice: different wirings to the Arduino needed!!).

    To get one Monster Moto working you have to wire the two boards described as follows:

    MotoMonsterSetup_single-motor-driver_final.jpg
    Remark: The wiring meets the specifications of the MM. This is important to prevent any short circuit.

    SMC3 code can access up to 3 motors using one Arduino. If you want to connect 3 MM please wire described as follows:

    Arduino -------- Monster Moto
    2 (Motor 1 H-Bridge ENA) ---------------7 and 8 (INA1 and INB1)
    3 (Motor 1 H-Bridge ENB)----------------4 and 9 (INA2 and INB2)
    9 (Motor 1 PWM) --------------------------5 and 6 (PWM1 and PWM2)

    Arduino -------- Monster Moto 2
    4 (Motor 2 H-Bridge ENA) ---------------7 and 8 (INA1 and INB1)
    5 (Motor 2 H-Bridge ENB)----------------4 and 9 (INA2 and INB2)
    10 (Motor 2 PWM) --------------------------5 and 6 (PWM1 and PWM2)

    Arduino -------- Monster Moto 3
    6 (Motor 1 H-Bridge ENA) ---------------7 and 8 (INA1 and INB1)
    7 (Motor 1 H-Bridge ENB)----------------4 and 9 (INA2 and INB2)
    11 (Motor 1 PWM) --------------------------5 and 6 (PWM1 and PWM2)

    The outputs:
    A1 and B1 will have the SAME polarity
    A2 and B2 will have the SAME polarity, too.

    FAQ - PLEASE READ

    - To be sure before connecting a motor to the h-bridge use a power meter to check the polarity of A1/B1 and A2/B2 separately if all is wired correctly!
    - Use any coolers. You could (and will) damage the bridge in despite of the thermal shutdown.
    - All other postings with different wirings in this thread are obsolete.

    All on your own responsibility!

    All Credit belongs to @RufusDufus :) He helped a lot and without him I would be helpless and nowhere.



    Update 6/11/2014

    PS: If you need still more power, here you go: http://www.xsimulator.net/community...bridge-60a-continuous-and-120a-peak-12v.6537/
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    Last edited: May 19, 2015
  2. BlazinH

    BlazinH Well-Known Member

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    You may be able to hook it up like this to turn it into a single driver but the moto monster does use a different chipset than the Pololu dual vnh5019 shown here so who knows!

    0J3766.600.jpg
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  3. Pit

    Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gold Contributor

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    No risk no fun this afternoon we will be wiser :)
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  4. telfel

    telfel Active Member

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    Hi @Pit
    As these drivers are designed to drive two wheel robots, you might want to check the output polarity for each H bridge.
    regards Terry
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  5. Pit

    Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gold Contributor

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    hi @telfel I will test it using two power meters on each output before the winches will wired to the monster moto.
  6. Pit

    Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gold Contributor

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    it works...stunning. tested only with powermeter do not know how it works when the winches are connected. I'll see tomorrow...


    The next questions would be if I can use one Arduino with two monster motos.
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  7. Historiker

    Historiker Dramamine Adict Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    I would suppose that it would...you are only using one PWM and Direction pin per Moto Monster correct?
  8. Pit

    Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gold Contributor

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    Yes only one pin. If it works the moto monster would be a great deal in comparison with the jrks. Unfortunately at the moment the moto monster is sold out at dx. com. At ebay I found two vendors who sell at low cost. More info later.
  9. RacingMat

    RacingMat Well-Known Member Gold Contributor

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  10. Scratch

    Scratch Active Member

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    I also ordered Moto Monster from DX, but yesterday got an email about cancelled order. I also tried Ebay, but failed to find them yet. Trying again.

    Edit. OK, seems that there are plenty...
    Last edited: May 10, 2014
  11. BlazinH

    BlazinH Well-Known Member

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    Cool beans!

    http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=cool beans

    btw @bsft, I think you will find this link entertaining!
    Last edited: May 11, 2014
  12. RufusDufus

    RufusDufus Well-Known Member

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    What you need to be careful about is if one h-bridge switches faster than the other you could end up with +12V connected directly to GND for brief periods of time.
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  13. NjMotion

    NjMotion Active Member Gold Contributor

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  14. Pit

    Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gold Contributor

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    to avoid a short circuit occurring on an output channel during operation I will use car fuses. @merchan-e thanks for the link.
  15. RufusDufus

    RufusDufus Well-Known Member

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    After looking more closely at the diagram posted by BlazinH the shorting shouldn't be a problem.

    Note that the two drivers aren't connected in parallel (which I had initially thought) but each one is used as one half of the H-Bridge. This looks good and should be possible with SMC3 MODE1 as is.
  16. Pit

    Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gold Contributor

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    Today I will start a trial run. If everything works out I will test the maximum load. (kp=500 and PWMmax=255). I'm really looking forward to the results :popcorn
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  17. Pit

    Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gold Contributor

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    0939 AM: connected the A1 <-> A2 and B1 <-> B2. Ampere/power meter test success!
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  18. RufusDufus

    RufusDufus Well-Known Member

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    That is not the way it is done in the diagram? The way you have done it you do need to worry about shorting outputs... I would recommend the method used in the diagram in post 2.
  19. Pit

    Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gold Contributor

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    I see but the power meter says the opposite - and the live test now went well. Video follows in a few minutes.
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  20. Pit

    Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gold Contributor

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    My Motion Simulator:
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    et violà:

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