BTS7960 / IBT-2 stops after 1–2 minutes in SMC3 sine test

Hello,

I am testing a DIY motion simulator setup using an Arduino UNO with SMC3, DC motors, potentiometer feedback, and BTS7960 / IBT-2 motor driver modules.

At the moment, I am testing one motor only, without connecting it to the final simulator mechanism. The power supply is a Mean Well SDR-960-24, 24VDC, 40A, 960W.

When I use SMC3Utils and try to make the motor follow a sine wave signal, the system works for about 1-2 minutes, but then the motor driver seems to stop working. The driver also becomes very hot during the test. After this happens, it only starts working again after I restart the system.

Does anyone know what could cause the BTS7960 / IBT-2 driver to stop after a short time? Could it be thermal shutdown, overcurrent protection, regenerative voltage spikes, PID settings, wiring, or something else?

Any advice on what to check, how to test it safely, or how to reduce the load on the driver would be very helpful.

Thank you.

It's thermal shutdown of the IBT-2 to protect itself. I ran into the same problem.

Mount a fan that blows directly over the heatsinks and that will help immensely. You can grab any fan for a quick test to see for yourself.

But even though they are rated for 24VDC, the higher voltage equates to more current and heat build up in the IBT's.

I'm using 24VDC wheel chair motors and have the power supplies turned down to 17VDC and it still has enough torque to jump the platform.

Subject: Will a 24V battery bank protect my dual IBT-2 setup from high Back-EMF? (Need advice)

Hi everyone,

I am building a 2-DOF motion simulator here in Turkey, but due to recent customs/import regulations, it is currently impossible for me to source a Sabertooth motor driver or any other high-end smart drivers from abroad. I have to stick with what I can find locally.

Here is my planned hardware setup:

• Motors: 2x 24V Electric Wheelchair Motors
• Drivers: 2x IBT-2 (BTS7960) drivers (one for each motor)
• Power Supplies: 2x 24V 40A switching power supplies (PSUs)

Since these wheelchair motors will generate massive Back-EMF during sudden direction changes or heavy braking (especially under the simulator's payload), I am terrified of frying my IBT-2 drivers and tripping or destroying my PSUs.

As a local workaround, I am planning to create a 24V battery bank by connecting two 12V lead-acid (UPS/AGV) batteries in series.

My plan is to wire both 24V 40A PSUs in parallel to this 24V battery bank to keep it constantly charged. Then, I will wire the power inputs (B+ and B-) of both IBT-2 drivers directly to the same battery bank. In short, the battery bank will act as a massive buffer between my power supplies and my drivers.

My questions to the community:

1. Will this 24V battery buffer successfully absorb the sudden Back-EMF spikes and fully protect both my PSUs and IBT-2 drivers when the simulator acts aggressively?
2. Do I need to place any additional diodes or braking resistors in this specific parallel setup, or will the battery bank alone be enough to swallow the spikes?

I will be using standard Arduino software (like SMC3) without modifying the PWM output logic, so I really need this hardware-level protection to be bulletproof.

Thanks in advance for your help and suggestions!

Subject: Will a 24V battery bank protect my dual IBT-2 setup from high Back-EMF? (Need advice)

Hi everyone,

I am building a 2-DOF motion simulator here in Turkey, but due to recent customs/import regulations, it is currently impossible for me to source a Sabertooth motor driver or any other high-end smart drivers from abroad. I have to stick with what I can find locally.

Here is my planned hardware setup:

• Motors: 2x 24V Electric Wheelchair Motors
• Drivers: 2x IBT-2 (BTS7960) drivers (one for each motor)
• Power Supplies: 2x 24V 40A switching power supplies (PSUs)

Since these wheelchair motors will generate massive Back-EMF during sudden direction changes or heavy braking (especially under the simulator's payload), I am terrified of frying my IBT-2 drivers and tripping or destroying my PSUs.

As a local workaround, I am planning to create a 24V battery bank by connecting two 12V lead-acid (UPS/AGV) batteries in series.

My plan is to wire both 24V 40A PSUs in parallel to this 24V battery bank to keep it constantly charged. Then, I will wire the power inputs (B+ and B-) of both IBT-2 drivers directly to the same battery bank. In short, the battery bank will act as a massive buffer between my power supplies and my drivers.

My questions to the community:

1. Will this 24V battery buffer successfully absorb the sudden Back-EMF spikes and fully protect both my PSUs and IBT-2 drivers when the simulator acts aggressively?
2. Do I need to place any additional diodes or braking resistors in this specific parallel setup, or will the battery bank alone be enough to swallow the spikes?

I will be using standard Arduino software (like SMC3) without modifying the PWM output logic, so I really need this hardware-level protection to be bulletproof.

Thanks in advance for your help and suggestions!

Hi everyone,

I am currently working on my 2-DOF motion simulator project and need some hardware advice.

To give you some context on my cooling setup, I am using 220V industrial fans for both intake and exhaust inside my electronics enclosure. It cools my IBT-2 drivers incredibly well. However, my main fear during gameplay is damaging these IBT-2 drivers due to high Back-EMF spikes.

Initially, I considered using 12V automotive wiper motors, but since they have plastic gears, they are simply not durable enough for long-term use. Instead, I chose heavy-duty 24V electric wheelchair motors, which come with steel gears and robust gearboxes.

My biggest hurdle right now is sourcing a Sabertooth motor driver. Due to strict customs and import regulations here in Turkey, it is almost impossible for me to buy one from abroad.

At this point, I see two possible paths forward and would love to get your recommendations:

1. The Battery Buffer Method: Connect two 12V lead-acid (UPS) batteries in series to create a 24V bank. From this bank, I will run separate power lines (2 positive and 2 negative wires) directly to the power inputs of my two separate IBT-2 drivers to absorb the Back-EMF.
2. Finding a Sabertooth Alternative: Is there an industrial or AGV dual-motor driver available globally that acts like a Sabertooth (with built-in regenerative braking/protection) that might be easier to find through industrial automation suppliers?

What would you recommend in my situation? If you think the 24V battery setup with dual IBT-2s is reliable enough for heavy wheelchair motors, please let me know.

Thanks in advance for your support!

You can also use bridge rectifiers to prevent flyback, they are cheap.

Connect the +/- leads from the IBT-2 to the DC inputs of the rectifier. Connect the positive motor lead to the +AC side of the rectifier.

Regarding the back-EMF and power supply protection issue, instead of a traditional bridge rectifier, I found a solar panel anti-reverse irrigation protection module (an Ideal Diode controller) rated for DC 9-80V and 50A.

I am planning to connect this module directly to the output of my power supply to block any reverse current coming from the IBT-2 drivers and motors. Since it operates as an ideal diode, it has an extremely low internal resistance and generates almost no heat compared to standard rectifiers, while fully isolating the power supply from voltage spikes.

What do you think about using this 50A ideal diode module for back-EMF protection in this setup?"

Following up on the back-EMF protection topic; to prevent the blocked reverse current from damaging my IBT-2 drivers, I am planning to create a hybrid power/protection system.

Here is my plan: I will place the 50A Ideal Diode module right after my main power supply to fully isolate it. Then, on the output side (between the ideal diode and the IBT-2 drivers), I will connect two 12V Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) dry batteries in series to create a 24V battery bank parallel to the power line.

This way, the ideal diode will block any reverse current from reaching the power supply, and the 24V battery bank will act as a massive buffer to safely absorb all the back-EMF spikes generated by the wheelchair motors.

What are your thoughts on this hybrid ideal diode + battery backup circuit layout? Do you see any risks or have any optimization tips for this specific setup?"

Here are some update photos from my custom plexiglass control box design (1000109597.jpg, 1000109598.jpg)! I am finalizing the component layout and want to share how I am structuring the power management and cooling system.

To protect the system after the power supply, I am integrating 80A automotive relays to safely handle high-current switching and isolate the lines. For real-time monitoring, the front panel will feature Ammeter and Voltmeter displays so I can track voltage stability and the exact current drawn by the motors under load.

The logic and lower-power shifting will be managed by a 2-channel relay board connected to the microcontrollers.

Since the IBT-2 drivers can get warm under intense force feedback sessions, cooling is a top priority. I am installing two heavy-duty 220V AC fans (one for intake on the side, one for exhaust on the top panel) to keep the internal temperatures ice-cold.

What do you think of this layout and the safety/cooling approach for a high-torque 2DOF setup?"

As close as possible, they get warm fast. Keeping them cool is key to good performance.

I chose a slightly different path regarding the automotive relays compared to some setups where pins 85 and 86 are left unused.

I am using a 2-channel relay module as an intermediate driver. Since an Arduino pin cannot supply enough current to trigger the internal coil (pins 85 and 86) of a heavy-duty automotive relay directly, the 2-channel relay board allows the Arduino to safely control them. This gives me smart features like automated power-ups, emergency shutdown commands from SMC3, and proper line isolation.

Additionally, as seen in the diagram, I have integrated a shunt resistor connection right before the main distribution. This allows my digital Ammeter/Voltmeter panel to read and display the accurate real-time current and voltage drawn by the entire system under load. It's a complete automated and monitored solution!"