Jump to content
Electronics-Lab.com Community

'Soft-starting' a DC motor, is this the solution??


djgyro

Recommended Posts

Hi all, fairly new to messing about with electronics so please bear with me :)
I need a control device to in effect 'soft-start' a 24v DC permanent magnet motor rated at 375w and 22.5A
SK Pang do a Pololu High-Power Motor Driver 18v25 CS, the link is below. I have contacted them but they are rubbish at replying and various searches on Wikipedia haven't helped me understand anymore about the electronics in the unit.
Do I need some extra equipment to 'program' this board or is it done with dip switches?

http://www.skpang.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=159_161&products_id=662

If anyone has other thoughts about what I could use instead I would be very grateful, I assume PWM is the only way to 'soft-start' DC?

Rgds, Ben

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

PWM is not the only way to soft start a DC motor but it is certainly the most efficient way in most cases.

If you just want to soft start the motor and have no servo control requirements, I would think any basic PWM generating IC driven by a ramp and driving a single IGBT or MOSFET of sufficient current/voltage ratings would do the job.  I haven't actually done this myself, so do not have design details to offer but I don't think a great deal of sophistication is required.

If you want something that's been designed for you, look at this CANA-KIT <http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9668>, a 24 volt 50 amp basic PWM controller with built-in soft start function.  A brief instruction manual (not including dircuit schematic) is offered at that site.  $59.

awright

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
  • Create New...