Definition of "peak output current"?

Support Motor controllers/drivers and motors
#1

Beginner question: What does it mean for a motor controller to have “peak output current”? I have an Orangutan SVP-1284 whose TB6612FNGs each has a peak output current of 6A. I can think of 3 possible definitions:

  1. I open the throttle on a motor with 7A stall current and the controller fries immediately for exceeding the peak
  2. I open the throttle and since it is above peak for just a fraction of a second nothing bad happens except it gets a little warm
  3. I open the throttle and the motor receives 6A because the controller’s peak is a limiting factor regardless of what the motor’s could theoretically draw, and nothing bad happens to any components

thanks!

#2

Hello.

You can’t really expect anything better than scenario #1. With the TB6612FNG, we’ve found 6A to be a fairly hard limit.

-Ryan

#3

Sorry, what I said about the peak output current being a fairly hard limit is incorrect. (I was thinking about the maximum motor supply voltage.) It will probably behave more like scenario #2, but that does exceed the listed maximum current rating for the driver, so I wouldn’t want to rely on it being safe in my designs.

- Ryan

#4

Thanks! I will be sure to use the current sensing circuitry to hopefully avoid approaching the peak