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Motoron M2S18v20 Dual High-Power Motor Controller Shield for Arduino (Connectors Soldered)

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Pololu item #: 5042
Brand: Pololu
Status: Rationed (Active and Preferred) 

The Motoron M2S18v20 Dual High-Power Motor Controller Shield for Arduino makes it easy to control two high-power DC motors from an Arduino or Arduino-compatible board through an I²C interface. The M2S18v20 supports motor supply voltages from 6.5 V to 30 V and can deliver continuous output currents up to 20 A per motor. This version ships with soldered stackable headers and terminal blocks.

Stacking disclaimer: The included terminal blocks are taller than the headers, so this version is intended to be used by itself or at the top of a stack. For stackable shields, we recommend getting the kit version and soldering wires to the board instead of the terminal blocks.

Compare all products in Motoron M2S Dual High-Power Motor Controllers for Arduino.

Pictures

Motoron M2S18v20 Dual High-Power Motor Controller Shield for Arduino (Connectors Soldered).

Motoron M2S18v20 Dual High-Power Motor Controller Shield for Arduino (Connectors Soldered), top view.

Motoron M2S18v20 or M2S24v16 Dual High-Power Motor Controller Shield for Arduino, bottom view with dimensions.

An Arduino Leonardo using a Motoron M2S Dual High-Power Motor Controller Shield to control a pair of high-power motors.

Motoron M2S shield being controlled by an Arduino Leonardo.

Motoron M2S18v20 Dual High-Power Motor Controller Shield for Arduino (Connectors Soldered).

The terminal blocks on the Motoron M2S high-power motor drivers are taller than the headers, so they should only be installed on the top Motoron in the stack.

Using a Motoron M2S Dual High-Power Motor Controller Shield with an Arduino.

Motoron M2S Dual High-Power Motor Controller Shield pinout.

Overview

The Motoron M2S family of dual high-power motor controller shields makes it easy to independently control two bidirectional, brushed DC motors with an Arduino or compatible board, such as the A-Star 32U4 Prime. Unlike most of our motor drivers and motor driver shields, the Motoron does not require any PWM outputs or timers on your Arduino. Instead, the Arduino communicates with the Motoron using I²C, so only two I/O lines are needed. Four types are available so you can pick the one with the appropriate operating voltage range and output current capabilities for your project:

	Motoron M2S18v20 Dual High-Power Motor Controller Shield for Arduino	Motoron M2S18v18 Dual High-Power Motor Controller Shield for Arduino	Motoron M2S24v16 Dual High-Power Motor Controller Shield for Arduino	Motoron M2S24v14 Dual High-Power Motor Controller Shield for Arduino
Absolute max motor supply voltage:	30 V		40 V
Recommended max nominal battery voltage:	18 V		28 V
Max continuous current per channel:	20 A	18 A	16 A	14 A
Available versions:	assembled kit board only	assembled kit board only	assembled kit board only	assembled kit board only

Each of the four types above is available in three versions to provide different options for the through-hole connectors: they can be purchased as an assembled product with stackable headers and terminal blocks soldered in, as a kit with connectors included but not soldered in, or as a standalone board without connectors.

For a lower-power, lower-cost alternative Arduino shield, please consider the Motoron M3S256 Triple Motor Controller Shield for Arduino.

Details for item #5042

Motoron M2S18v20 Dual High-Power Motor Controller Shield for Arduino (Connectors Soldered).

Motoron M2S shield being controlled by an Arduino Leonardo.

The M2S18v20 shield supports motor supply voltages from 6.5 V to 30 V (absolute maximum, not intended for use with 24 V batteries) and can deliver continuous output currents up to 20 A per motor. The M2S18v20 can be distinguished from other types of M2S shields by its larger discrete MOSFETs and the number 150 on top of the tall silver electrolytic capacitors.

This version ships with soldered stackable headers and terminal blocks. It is also available as a kit with connectors included but not soldered in, or as a standalone board without connectors.

The terminal blocks on the Motoron M2S high-power motor drivers are taller than the headers, so they should only be installed on the top Motoron in the stack.

Terminal block warnings:
1) The 5mm blue terminal blocks are rated for up to 16 A, so for higher-current applications we recommend getting an unsoldered version and then soldering thick wires directly to the board.
2) The included terminal blocks are taller than the headers, so a Motoron M2S shield assembled with 5mm terminal blocks is meant to be used as a standalone board or at the top of a shield stack. (Trying to stack multiple shields with terminal blocks can result in short circuits between the stacked terminal blocks.)

Motoron M2S Dual High-Power Motor Controller Shield pinout.

Features and specifications

• Two motor control channels allow for independent control of up to two bidirectional brushed DC motors
• Reverse-voltage protection on motor power supply
• Logic voltage range: 3.0 V to 5.5 V
• Control interface: I²C
• I²C clock speed: up to 400 kHz
• Optional cyclic redundancy checking (CRC)
• Configurable motion parameters:
  • Max acceleration/deceleration forward/reverse
  • Starting speed forward/reverse
  • Direction change delay forward/reverse
• PWM frequency: eight options available from 1 kHz to 80 kHz
• Current sensing
• Configurable hardware current limiting
• Command timeout feature stops motors if the Arduino stops functioning
• Configurable automatic error response
• Motor power supply (VIN) voltage measurement
• Optional pins make it easy to power the Arduino from reverse-protected motor power, either directly or through an external regulator (not included)
• Two status LEDs
• Motor direction indicator LEDs
• Motoron Arduino library simplifies getting started using the Motoron with an Arduino or compatible controller
• Comprehensive user’s guide

Real-world power dissipation consideration

The MOSFETs can handle large current spikes for short durations (e.g. 100 A for a few milliseconds), and the driver’s current chopping will keep the average current under the set limit. The peak ratings are for quick transients (e.g. when a motor is first turned on), and the continuous rating is dependent on various conditions, such as the ambient temperature. PWMing the motor will introduce additional heating proportional to the frequency. The actual current you can deliver will depend on how well you can keep the motor driver cool. The driver’s printed circuit board is designed to draw heat out of the MOSFETs, but performance can be improved by adding a heat sink or air flow. For high-current installations, the motor and power supply wires should also be soldered directly instead of going through the 5mm blue terminal blocks, which are rated for up to 16 A.

Warning: This motor driver has no over-temperature shut-off. An over-temperature or over-current condition can cause permanent damage to the motor driver. You might consider using either the shield’s current sense or an external current sensor to monitor your current draw.

This product can get hot enough to burn under normal operating conditions. Take care when handling this product and other components connected to it.

The Motoron family

The tables below list the members of the Motoron family and show the key differences among them. Each type is available in several versions to provide different options for the through-hole connectors: they can be purchased as an assembled product with connectors soldered in, as a kit with connectors included but not soldered in, or (for Arduino and Raspberry Pi expansions) as a standalone board without connectors.

Motoron motor controllers micro versions
	M1T550 M1U550	M2T550 M2U550	M1T256 M1U256	M2T256 M2U256
Control interface:	I²C or UART serial
Motor channels:	1 (single)	2 (dual)	1 (single)	2 (dual)
Minimum motor supply voltage:	1.8 V		4.5 V
Absolute max motor supply voltage:	22 V		48 V
Recommended max nominal battery voltage:	16 V		36 V
Max continuous current per channel:	1.8 A	1.6 A	2.2 A	1.8 A
Logic voltage range:	3.0 V to 4.9 V(1)		3.0 V to 5.5 V
Current sensing/limiting:
Available versions with I²C:	headers soldered headers included	headers soldered headers included	headers soldered headers included	headers soldered headers included
Available verions with UART serial:	headers soldered headers included	headers soldered headers included	headers soldered headers included	headers soldered headers included
Price:	$12.49 – $14.49	$15.95 – $17.95	$16.95 – $18.95	$23.95 – $25.95
1 The M1x550 and M2x550 are not recommended for use with 5V nominal logic.

Motoron motor controllers Arduino and Raspberry Pi form factor versions
	M3S550 M3H550	M3S256 M3H256	M2S24v14 M2H24v14	M2S24v16 M2H24v16	M2S18v18 M2H18v18	M2S18v20 M2H18v20
Control interface:	I²C
Motor channels:	3 (triple)		2 (dual)
Minimum motor supply voltage:	1.8 V	4.5 V	6.5 V
Absolute max motor supply voltage:	22 V	48 V	40 V		30 V
Recommended max nominal battery voltage:	16 V	36 V	28 V		18 V
Max continuous current per channel:	1.7 A	2 A	14 A	16 A	18 A	20 A
Logic voltage range:	M3S550 3.1 V to 5.5 V	3.0 V to 5.5 V	3.0 V to 5.5 V
	M3H550 3.0 V to 4.9 V(1)
Current sensing/limiting:
Available versions for Arduino:	M3S550 assembled kit board only	M3S256 assembled kit board only	M2S24v14 assembled kit board only	M2S24v16 assembled kit board only	M2S18v18 assembled kit board only	M2S18v20 assembled kit board only
Available versions for Raspberry Pi:	M3H550 assembled kit board only	M3H256 assembled kit board only	M2H24v14 assembled kit board only	M2H24v16 assembled kit board only	M2H18v18 assembled kit board only	M2H18v20 assembled kit board only
Price:	$20.95 – $30.95	$34.95 – $44.95	$59.95 – $69.95	$79.95 – $89.95	$59.95 – $69.95	$95.95 – $104.95
1 The M3H550 is not recommended for use with 5V nominal logic.

Frequently-asked questions

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On the blog

• 

  New products: Motoron dual high-power motor controllers

  by Kevin - 9 August 2022

  We’ve expanded our Motoron series of motor controllers with some dual high-power motor controllers: the Motoron M2S family for Arduino and Motoron...