Pololu should list the DRV8835 in their stepper driver category as well as the DC motor driver category.
See the DRV8835 datasheet.
I think it should work with the Arduino/Wiring Stepper library.
The interface is lower level than the DRV8834, but the DRV8835 is smaller area(?) and has fewer pins to deal with.
Hello.
Thank you for the suggestion. While the DRV8835 (or pretty much any other dual H-bridge) can be used to drive a stepper motor, it lacks the specific features one typically expects in a dedicated stepper motor driver, such as built-in current limiting and microstepping. If someone is specifically looking for a stepper motor driver, the ones in our stepper motor driver category are more appropriate.
-Ben
Yes, thanks. But if this is a learning place, customers may want to have options, and explanations about the differences (like your explanation.)
Stepper driver IC’s have changed over the years, with more and more logic moving onto the driver from say an mcu (for example micro-stepping logic.) Some customers may want to use old chips. There is much material on the web about the old. Micro stepping may be new to some customers, and overwhelm them. With the old chips, you can learn about things like coasting and braking.
One reason to use the DRV8835 is that it ultra low power of 95nA(if you sleep it, which means switching off Vcc!) compared to 600nA of the DRV8834. Needing ultra-low power is probably rare.
The DRV8835 does have over-current protection, which I suppose is different from active current limiting, and means the driver protects itself, not the motor.
While I’ve got you on the line…
I’m debugging an application of an MSP430 Launchpad driving at 3.6V your DRV8835 driving a smallish 5V Sankyo MSCA020B02 stepper that I pulled from scrap. Its not working yet. I didn’t consider that I might need to limit current. I haven’t properly studied this motor and its power requirements, I just hooked it up. Maybe the Launchpad won’t provide enough power over the inch long wires with which I cobbed it together. I intend to use a smaller stepper (say 6mm diameter, this is about 20mm diameter.)
Also, there is a newer data sheet for the DRV8835 than you link to: LVSB18G – MARCH 2012 – REVISED MAY 2016.
Also pin 13 that you show must be the grounded thermal pad.
I have updated the copy of the datasheet on the website; thanks for pointing that out. Also, yes, pin 13 on the schematic is the thermal pad under the chip.
-Ben
