VERY simple dc motor drive circuit?

5vdc/670mA max miniature gear motor (load is such that current will be far below 670). I want to set speed with pot control and leave it (may replace pot with fixed R when best speed is discovered). Forward only, no reverse. Just need single transistor, if possible, to do the work. Will use wall wart p.s. for power.

Speed accuracy, etc. not necessary. This is for friend's art exhibit.

Google turns up an extraordinary number of patents, data sheets for quite bright ideas using controller ICs, H-bridges, digital controls with feedback, etc. Much more than I'm looking for.

Your ideas or pointers to designs greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Reply to
John E.
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Set up a 555 timer to be PWM controlled from the pot (there are circuits floating around, ask back here if you can't find one).

Drive the transistor from the 555. If I wanted the World's Easiest Circuit I'd use an N-channel MOSFET and drive it slowly (100 to 1000Hz)

-- that way I could go straight from the 555 output to the gate of the FET. If you use a 12 volt supply you won't even have to get a special FET.

+12V --- | o----------o | - motor PWM ^ generator | o----------o .--------. | | | |-+ | | | | |------------->|-+ | | | '--------' | === GND (created by AACircuit v1.28.6 beta 04/19/05
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Reply to
Tim Wescott

How about a length of resistance wire and a crocodile clip slider? When you find the right point, chop the spare resistance wire off and replace the crocodile clip with a permanent connection. Or a loudspeaker volumer control rheostat? Or add rectifier diodes in series, one by one, until the desired speed is obtained. Or a few 1.2v christmas tree light bulbs, adding more until the speed is good - they can even be "power indicators". Or some quantum tunneling tape or pills and stick weights on it until the speed is right?

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It really doesn't need an active device acting as a variable resistor when a real variable resistor will do the job nicely.

Reply to
Palindrome

Palindrome sez:

Thanks for your reply, Sue.

If I could just put a pot in series and adjust that, I'd try it. But it looks like whatever controls it will have to dissipate ~5w. A bit much for a cheap pot. I could just buy a bunch of hi-W resistors (or -- as you brightly suggest -- diodes) and mix and match to see what speeds I could cobble up.

But I was hoping for a bit more elegant solution which will allow the artist the option of choosing the proper speed without me needing to change the resistor (or diode) so she may see "how that looks".

Once a speed is settled on, it will probably remain fixed for good, but getting there -- I'd like to have a bit of adjustment available, so I don't have to be around during the trial.

Thanks again,

Reply to
John E.

12w 1 p rotary switch + a handfull of diodes/resistors?

You can get 5W* pots, no problem - as I suggested, have a look at speaker volume controls. * and higher..

Reply to
Palindrome

Use Tim Wescott's ckt.

Reply to
sdeyoreo

"John E."

** Use an LM 317 voltage regulator IC after the wart.

Allows the voltage to be smoothly varied from 1.2 volts up.

Works just as good as PWM methods - but with more heat loss.

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....... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

One (power) transistor, one small pot. Think 'adjustable voltage regulator' the first power supply every experimenter builds.

Reply to
PeterD

here's one I have used in the past, only 2 parts +V --+---. _.------ > to motor | \ /| | \ / | ------- large NPN | | (or mid size with heatsink) | | | V `--/\/\/\/\/--. 1K lin | | gnd ---------------+---------- gnd

not particularly well regulated I used a surplus 2n3055 transistor and a 1K pot and was able to slow down the motor in a tape deck and record stuff at a lower speed....

if you need more precision you may consider using a variable voltage regulator or a 555 based pwm.

Bye. Jasen

Reply to
jasen

I would use a PIC with a PWM output driving the motor through a transistor pair.

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Reply to
Marra

You may be pushing the limits on a LM317 depending on the wall wart you use. Fortunately they protect themselves quite well.

The LT1083CP is a lot easier to get the heat out of and doesn't need as much head room. The parts count to use it is very low. You have to have

10uF at least on the output.
Reply to
Ken Smith

No, you only need one transistor. You can use a LM555 to level shift up to drive the gate of a MOSFET. The voltage is much too low to get an NE-2 into the circuit too.

Reply to
Ken Smith

Put an emittor follower behind the potentiometer.

Reply to
Sjouke Burry

You want one part called a rheostat. Assuming the motor near full load at 500 mA then the resistance will be E/I = 10 ohms. Filament control rheostats were often zero to 25 ohms at around 5 watts. Odds are you will end up using a 10 ohm resistor. If thats not enough, try 20 ohms or so.

Reply to
bw

That's all well and fine how ever, a must smaller and more ergonomic approach would be to use a 555 driving a Hex Fet which can all mount on a back of a panel mount pot. More than likely the Fet will not need a heat sink.

Reply to
Jamie

Jamie sez:

Looks interesting.

Wiring details, please?

Thanks,

Reply to
John E.

The fundamentals of constant speed motor control are shown at...

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The only caveat is that the external RM may not track the internal RM over temperature.

Some day, when I'm in the mood, I will ponder that problem ;-)

...Jim Thompson

Reply to
Jim Thompson

I don't have any ASCII translation program here to post prints in the NG. It's a very simply circuit using a 555 timer varying the TH (threshold) charging time via a POT to vary the time width of the timer. Output can directly drive a Hex fet gate. The source would be on the common side (-) and the Drain on one motor lead while the other motor lead is connected to your + supply. Also, make sure you have a protection diode across the motor leads for reverse discharge from the coils of the motor to protect the FET. Look at Digikey or mouser for Hex fets or Logic Fets in the N channel family. you want one that can turn on at aprox 50% of your Vcc. Below links points to a print that uses a non logic level fet and some bias resistors.

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THe 555 timer will handle up to 200 ma output, so if you're driving a light load, you may not even need a transistor. also, you could use a NPN transistor in Emitter flower mode to drive the motor.. it's your pick.

Reply to
Jamie

And the magnets will vary in strength over temperature.

I understand that there are also PWM driver circuits that read the motor voltage when the driver amp is high impedance, basically using the motor as a tachometer. This doesn't solve the magnet's variance with temperature, but that's not a big issue normally.

I haven't tried it, but someday...

Reply to
Tim Wescott

Now that you mention it, I remember the trick of reading the back EMF.

However, where does the current go ?:-)

Then there's EC motor (electronically commutated) controllers like I designed for Bosch. The speed is a function of the clock rate.

I still have one of their motors here that is as big as an alternator ;-)

...Jim Thompson

Reply to
Jim Thompson

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