I’m looking at this driver
I will be running it at 25 amps, 12vdc, continuous, and wondering if I’ll need a heat sink. It looks like the heat sink could be mounted on the under side, with adhesive thermal tape?
Thanks.
The product page clearly states:
is efficient enough to deliver a continuous 25 A without a heat sink.
a bit rude. I hope you are not a Pololu agent.
It also states:
Real-world power dissipation considerations
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 of 25 A 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.
“the continuous rating of 25 A is dependent on various conditions…”
Need I say more?
Hello.
Whether or not you will need additional cooling depends on the specifics of your setup as outlined by the section of the product page you quoted. We do not have any specific recommendations for heatsinking but I generally expect forced airflow to be more effective than just a heatsink, with the combination of both giving the best results. The MOSFETs on the underside of the board would be the main priority, and in case it helps, there is a 3D model of the board available on the product page under the “Resources” tab.
Brandon
No, just a satisfied customer who carefully reads and appreciates the incredibly complete and well written product documentation produced by Pololu. Arguably the best in the hobby-oriented industry.