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Forum Thread Details
  • Replies 12 replies
  • Subscribers 417 subscribers
  • Views 1575 views
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  • transistor
  • help
  • rc
  • please
  • buzzing
  • motor
  • arduino
Related

Transistor Help

e14 Contributor
e14 Contributor over 12 years ago

I'v bin working on an arduino powered rc robot, I'v pulled out the old chip and my arduino is plugged into the motor via transistor and pins, the transistor has an external supply and grounds are connected but, all it does is make a weird buzzing in the motor. the buzz does change tone witch makes me think the arduino is doing something. I will put my code and pic of wiring below. please help.

 

     1k resistor and the transistors # is 2N 2904 331 and the power supply is a 6v rechargeable that came with the car

image

 

int motorPin = 9;

 

 

void setup(){

  (motorPin, OUTPUT);

}

void loop(){

  analogWrite(motorPin, 255);

  delay(1000);

  analogWrite(motorPin, 200);

  delay(1000);

  analogWrite(motorPin, 100);

  delay(1000);

  analogWrite(motorPin, 0);

  delay(1000);

}

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  • Robert Peter Oakes
    Robert Peter Oakes over 12 years ago

    Can you provide a sketch of exactly how you have the transistor connected to the Arduino and the motor

     

    Do you have any test equipment available

     

    Multimeter, Oscilloscope ?

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  • dougw
    dougw over 12 years ago

    Hi Kyle,

    Was it working before?

    Not enough info to really analyze but here is some speculation...

    The 2N2904 is a PNP transistor, so it is likely providing more than 5 volts to your arduino output pin, (but I'm just guessing how it is connected). This is not a great situation, but assuming it didn't blow your arduino...

    If the 1K resistor is between the transistor base and the arduino, this is good to limit arduino current to 5 or 6 mA, but may not permit much current out of the transistor, which has a current gain of about 20. By my calculation it would supply only about 100 mA to the motor. (The transistor is rated at about 500 mA) Many performance motors in these small cars can take many amps - some over 40 amps. If you have a low impedance motor, 100 mA may indeed just make it buzz a bit. If this is the case, you would need a much higher current transistor with much higher current gain. (Using a Darlington configuration would likely help, but the output transistor still needs to be large enough and may need a heatsink.

    Doug

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  • Robert Peter Oakes
    Robert Peter Oakes over 12 years ago

    A jelly bean ULN2003 with all the inputs and outputs paralleled may be good enough or my favourite is an N Channel Power mosfet with Logic level input, just a resistor from arduino to gate to limit inrush to the capacitive gate and your pretty much done

     

    Peter

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  • Robert Peter Oakes
    Robert Peter Oakes over 12 years ago in reply to Robert Peter Oakes

    http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/245431.pdf  is such an example

     

    http://canada.newark.com/fairchild-semiconductor/fdb7030bl/unknown/dp/58K1411?ost=FDB7030BL

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  • dougw
    dougw over 12 years ago in reply to Robert Peter Oakes

    Looks like a great FET Peter. If it can be switched fast enough, it might not need a heatsink.

    The motor probably needs a snubber diode to be safe.

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  • Robert Peter Oakes
    Robert Peter Oakes over 12 years ago in reply to dougw

    yup, I have done this with LED strings of many amps load with no heat sink and no detectable heat rise even in PWM scenarios so yes, a great part to keep in the spares bin as it is so easy to use

     

    I agree about the snubber but if you look to this :- it already has one, though no harm in adding additional ones to be safe if its rating is not enoughimage

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  • dougw
    dougw over 12 years ago in reply to Robert Peter Oakes

    I think the snubber diode needs to be across the motor, otherwise the drain voltage could go very high - assuming the motor is connected to the drain.

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  • Robert Peter Oakes
    Robert Peter Oakes over 12 years ago in reply to dougw

    Obviously i have not had enough coffee today

     

    Absolutely correct, +ve to motor, motor to drain, source to ground + snubber diode pointy end up to +ve across the motor image

     

    Peter

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  • e14 Contributor
    e14 Contributor over 12 years ago in reply to dougw

    I Used a  larger transistor and the motor now moves and varies but I can't turn it fully off

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  • dougw
    dougw over 12 years ago in reply to e14 Contributor

    If it is a PNP transistor, it may need a diode between the arduino and the base of the transistor.

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