Any plans for Orangutan with VNH5019?

[effgee]

I want to drive motors up to 24V, with ultrasonic PWM, and a chunk of spare IO.
The VNH5019 arduino shield doesn’t leave me enough spare IO, and isn’t really compatible with the Mega.
So rather than me try to develop a new controller…why not suggest someone else more experienced do it ?

I’m thinking something with the combined capability of a Mega2560 and dual VNH5019 H-bridges.

I’m interested in peoples comments here - is there much demand for this ? (not many posts talk about 24V, but then again its outside the existing specs).

What volumes would someone have to commit to get a custom controller designed ?

thanks for your time.

[ryantm]

Hi.

From your other post on the forum, I thought you got it working well with the Mega.

As for the 24 volts, please note this warning we have on the product page:

While the overvoltage protection typically kicks in at 27 V, it can trigger at voltages as low as 24 V, so we do not recommend using this motor driver with 24 V batteries, which significantly exceed 24 V when fully charged. If the shield is configured to power an Arduino or Arduino clone, the supply voltage must conform to that Arduino’s input voltage requirements.

You might consider using two Simple Motor Controllers instead. We have example Arduino code in the SMC user’s guide.

We don’t have any concrete plans right now to make an Orangutan with the VNH5019 chips. Custom development has to be in the multi-thousand dollar range to be attractive to us. You can email us for a more specific quote.

- Ryan

[effgee]

Hi Ryan

I’m running a fixed installation with a 24V power supply, so battery voltage is a non-issue for me. But I understand that limits the appeal to many of your customers.

I’m looking at the SMCs, but my first though is that they’ll make installation ‘messier’, needing more fasteners & connectors. With luck this application will be in volumes of 10 to 50+ per year, enough to be worth avoiding extra manual assembly steps but not sure if that’s high enough to justify developing a custom controller, especially if there’s something available off the shelf that will do the job.

As far as I can see, the VNH5019 is pin compatible with the VNH2SP30, and very similar cost, yet higher function (so you could charge more, right ?)

Anyway, if you do decide to build one with VNH5019’s, please drop me a line, in case I’m not tracking what has changed.

cheers,
Michael

p.s. turns out I didn’t get the Mega working on both channels, ran out of time to work out why, plus I’m shy about having to mod the boards by hand, so we’re just living with sonic pwm noise for now.

[ryantm]

The VNH5019A is not pin compatible with the VNH2SP30, which is why we didn’t make a version of the Orangutan X2 with them. If your situation changes so that you would like to pursue a custom design with us, please email or call us.

- Ryan