Tronic's AMC motor motion-controller with pwm/servo output

As a precaution I attached a 80mm computer case fan on the RN-VN2 controller to blow air on the alluminium coolers that I placed on the chip heat dissipation path. I assume that the RN-vN2 chips will heat up when having to deliver the 15amp that wiper motors draw in load.

The nice part is that you can use the second pair of power connector that exists on the RN-VN2 to power the fan with the 12v it needs!!

And from what I've seen during a short circuit of the test table motor leads it can reach fast up to 100 degrees of Celsius. Luckily when this was happened the RN-VN2 has shut itself down. I was working on 6volt battery/motor conbination then. But now I want to move to 12volt 100Ah car battery, and I fear that a stall of the motor will pass to the motors lots of current that can burn up the motor or kill the RN-VN2 if high temperature is reached. Anyway it better to take measures before something bad happens. I will attach an thermometer with LCD display on the RN-VN2 to see how it heats up during play and I suggest to do the same if you have one.

I tried to unsolder the black clip connectors for the motors connections and place other connectors with screw lead but it was impossible to do so. They seem to have solder on the upper side too! Damn... So I atleast changed the screw clip part with a better quality green ones that I found localy. I hope that will have better contact behavior than the old ones...


Regards, Thanos

I updated the PCB layouts of the AVR controller v1.5.

Added numbers to distinguish the clear from the filled plane PCB type and to be easier to order it to an etching service.

AVRmotionsimulatorcontroller1_5_a.pdf (510.25 KB)

avrmotionsimPCBbottom_only_1_5_a.pdf (100.25 KB)

Thanos

I have another good news!

I figured a very simple way to switch the PWM signal to any h-bridge circuit!! I used a single chip in this design and will test it the next days to see how it behaves.

So there is hope to use simple h-bridge motor controllers as EvanF does or even design and use your own h-bridge circuit to the motor amp/voltage needs!!

Be ready, many surprises are comming!

Regards, Thanos

Now that is good news! I have been away in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights, time spent learning more about mosfets and motor controllers. My daughter loved the sabbatical coz in the process I souped up her electric scooter with variable speed.

I wait for your successful confirmation!

EvanF

The credits in this case goes to Erich Leonhard (from http://www.mycockpit.org) for motivating me into this!

He sended me some usefull info on h-bridges that I used to find the solution!

BTW the chip I use between the AVR controller and the h-bridge is a simple 74HC08 !!!

Regards, Thanos

Nice to hear. That makes your interface way more universal.

I'm pleased that Evan is in the boat again now

@Evan
A pcb from heinz costs 25 euro incl. international shipping and drills

ATMEGA8515-16JI -- 5 €
ATMEGA8535-16AU -- 3 €
ATMEGA8535-16PC -- 8 €
ATMEGA8535-16JC -- 8€
ATMEGA 8535-16D = 3 €
ATMEGA8535-16-PU 3 €
ATMEGA 8535-16P -- 3 €
ATMEGA8535-16PI
ATMEGA 8535-16T


All this chips are the same ? :?: and work with your interface? :?:

@ego

Sounds like a good plan.

25.00 EUR = 46.9728 NZD

Where is heinz? Heinz here make Baked Beans in a can.
Do you think ordering over X'mas could mean a big delay?

#edit#
Just saw your post regarding heinz
http://www.x-simulator.de/forum/pcb-etc ... .html#6402


What would be even better is if someone offered the whole package as an exclusive x-sim kitset (group buy?) so there are no mistakes buying the right componentry.

I'd be into a group buy because I've got the same problem as mutante regarding which component is the correct one.

Evanf

And where would be the challange? ;D

The PU should be fine...

The challenge will be when I race you online and wipe that grin off your face! :razz:

Mess with the best, and die like the rest :lach:

That day will come for sure, when we're all able to compete against each others with our Sims in a X-Sim racing league.

For now, have fun while digging for individual parts ;D

Hi again,

I confirmed the concept and prepared a small PCB layout that you can use to connect any simple h-bridge motor driver. This small board connects in the same ports that you connect RN-VN2!



PWM_to_simple_hbridge.pdf (116.97 KB)



And here is the schematics of an simple H-bridge you can use with it. I hope to make a PCB layout for this later.





If you wonder, this is the h-bridge section of the KT-5198!!!


@EvanF: I added the PA and PB markings of your simple h-bridge on the PCB silk layer, for you to see how to connect it.

I don't think is nessasary to connect toggether the grounds of the avr motion controller and yours simple h-bridge but I added ground pins as well! The way I see it when PA is PWM the PB is Ground, and the the same for opposite.

I double checked everything and it should work like a charm! If you can't solder a PCB you can place the 74HC08 on a breadboard and follow the schematic to do the wiring for the first tests.


If I don't see you before... Marry Xmas!! :xmas:

Regards, Thanos

I have ATMEGA8535-16PI but ATMEGA8535-16PU will also do fine!


Thanos

Awesome news! PCB of H-Bridge good too, the circuit is a simple one and the IRFZ44 has been reliable for me, with fans even more reliable, they are cheap too!

I'm on 5 weeks leave so looking forward to making some headway with my sim project.

..and a Merry X'mas to you too!

EvanF

Someday this circuit could be added to the main AVR contoller pcb. It would prevent one would have to etch 2 circuits, and it would prevent additional wires between the circuits.
Just an idea.

merry X-Mas
Christian :xmas:

I was thinking to add this circuit to a second PCB that hosts the h-bridge circuit I given as example:



I'm going to prepace such motor controller PCB soon!

Then we will have a full DIY motor controller with RN-VN2 compatible inputs! Ok, its not the same thing but will provide higher voltage rates to be able to drive 24V motors too!

I like the idea that we can build everything from basic (and cheap) stuff!

Regards, Thanos

So if i understand it right... We don't need a rn-vn2 anymore?

Thats right!

In fact you will need no commercial motor driver at all! You can make all stages your self! From the motion controller to the motor controller!

And the cost for all this will be really cheap! I asked prize list for the materials for the dual simple H-bridge and it was around 10 euro!!! Of course you can use higher amp rated FET's to handle even bigger motors in the same design!

I'm half-way there in the design of the simple H-bridge driver that will support four motors! It will be a seperate second board for start but I'm looking for the possibility to create a single A4 PCB board that has everything on it!!!

Regards, Thanos

Very nice... I have ordered 2 ford scorpio wipermotors. So I can hook them up your controller? Powered by a 12v battery? And thats it... ???

And the software ofcourse...