Driving two motors using a single current driver

[Nima Najmaei]

Hi,

I want to drive two motors, and I have just one current driver/controller. I want to activate one motor when I have a positive polarity in the current generated, and activate the other motor when the polarity switches to negative.

So:

Positive Polarity: Motor 1 (ON) Motor 2 (OFF)
Negative Polarity: Motor 1 (OFF) Motor 2 (ON)

Can you help me on how to do this? Any ideas?

I know we can use diodes to do that, but is there any more reliable and professional way to do it. Please help a clueless Mechanical Engineer.

Thanks

 

[KrisBlueNZ]

Hello and welcome to Electronics Point

The diagram you've drawn should work fine.

I don't think you'll need diodes across the motors to suppress the back EMF because each motor/diode pair will suppress the back EMF of the other motor.

It might be more "professional" to use two separate drivers, but I think that's a fair solution.