What components for simple adjustable motor speed setup

Hi

I want basically a AA battery pack - a simple motor, and able to adjust the speed of the motor via a dial or slider. What is required for such a setup to get the motor to be adjustable speed. As simple as possible really is what I’m after.

A bit of a newbie, also I have a couple of other questions:

  • With a battery attached, how much would a simple motor resist - I.E, I’m looking for a motor that is fairly strong, so it takes a bit to stop it from turning. Not industrial strength, but it could like wind up and lift some weights without stopping. This is the kind of motor I’m after - any ideas what I should look at?

  • Finally - What is a good method for attaching things to the end of a motor - do people like glue them on? Weld components on?

Thanks,

Rob.

Hello, Rob.

To control a motor in the way you describe, you could use a motor controller like a Simple Motor Controller controlled by a potentiometer connected to its analog input. However, since you state you are new at this, I highly recommend reading the through the Simple Motor Controller user’s guide to make sure you understand how to use one before going this route. In particular you might find the “Connecting a Potentiometer or Analog Joystick” section useful.

In regards to what you refer to as strength, that characteristic is called torque. We list the torques to all our motors on the product page. You would have to compare them and see what is appropriate for your application. For more information about torque, you might find this blog post helpful:

pololu.com/blog/10/force-and-torque

For your last question, things are generally attached to the motor using either a coupler or a hub. We carry some hubs that you might be able to use, they can be found in the hardware category on our website.

  • Grant