Society of Robots - Robot Forum

Electronics => Electronics => Topic started by: SeagullOne on February 22, 2008, 03:48:22 PM

Title: Stepping up the voltage for motors
Post by: SeagullOne on February 22, 2008, 03:48:22 PM

I hear that voltage regulators will not just step down a higher voltage to a lower one, but step a lower one from a higher one, depending on the specs of that voltage regulator.

I'm thinking of buying 12V motors, but I only have 9.6V batteries. Could I safely use a 12V Voltage regulator to step up the voltage from 9.6V to 12V (and then heat-sink it like crazy?).

Title: Re: Stepping up the voltage for motors
Post by: airman00 on February 22, 2008, 04:00:37 PM

you could drive the 12 volts motors @ 9.6 volts, but they'll just go slower

also, why not just buy 12 volt batteries on eBay, they are very cheap and you can use them later .


But those type of regulators you mentioned do exist

Title: Re: Stepping up the voltage for motors
Post by: ed1380 on February 22, 2008, 05:01:17 PM

you could step up the voltage. you probably wont need that much heatsinking. it's not turning extra energy into heat.

Title: Re: Stepping up the voltage for motors
Post by: SeagullOne on February 22, 2008, 05:01:53 PM

I'll keep those two options in mind ;)

But I don't suppose you could tell me where to find those kind of regulators, and where I can find out how to use them (checked the tutorials, but couldn't find anything quite like that.

Thanks!

Title: Re: Stepping up the voltage for motors
Post by: paulstreats on February 22, 2008, 05:11:58 PM

you need a buck/boost type regulator. The linear style ones wont step up voltage but the others do like switching regulator.
Also look for dc - dc converters, these will boost voltage aswell.

You might also get away with using max232 to boost it if you want

Title: Re: Stepping up the voltage for motors
Post by: SeagullOne on February 22, 2008, 10:30:02 PM

Okay...as much as I hate to admit it, I'm going to just have to buy a new 12V battery pack, because I can't find a step-up switching regulator that can handle 10-20 amps! :o :P This is for a medium-large robot motor power and I'd probably just fry the regulator. I'll just save those 9.6V battery packs for another project... ::)

Title: Re: Stepping up the voltage for motors
Post by: ed1380 on February 22, 2008, 10:38:03 PM

get deep cycle batteries. or maybe if you have the money li ion batteries

Title: Re: Stepping up the voltage for motors
Post by: HDL_CinC_Dragon on February 22, 2008, 10:57:17 PM

Just get a motorcycle battery or even a car battery. I have a motorcycle battery that dishes out 12v at 18Ah. You can use the 9.6v battery packs to power the circuitry, and use the 12 volt battery to only power the motor(s). Thats what I would suggest. Thats basically like the setup for the $50 robot with the 9v battery and the 4 AA battery back except with 12v and 9.6v instead of 9v and 6v. Though I would try to get a smaller battery for the circuitry only battery. Such as the 6v battery pack suggested for the $50.
Also, what you can do is get four 6v batteries, put two pairs in series with eachother and then hook those two series pairs in parallel so you get a 12v supply with double the Ah-age that you would get with just two 6v batteries in series. Then, to run your circuitry, you can simply draw power from one 6v battery.

Hope this helps
~Dragon

Title: Re: Stepping up the voltage for motors
Post by: airman00 on February 23, 2008, 07:43:18 PM

ahhh I see you are making a big bot !!!


Check my blog out http://erobots.blogspot.com (http://erobots.blogspot.com) for my butler robot which uses wheelchair motors

also its a good idea to read this http://www.societyofrobots.com/robotforum/index.php?topic=1904.0 (http://www.societyofrobots.com/robotforum/index.php?topic=1904.0)