Hi everyone,
I’m looking for a 12vdc 10 amp motor controller to replace my current one in my force feedback gaming wheel. The problem is that it is currently a 6 amp controller and does not output enough torque. Which Pololu controller would be suitable for my application? and what sort of inputs and outputs would i need to have to make it work as I don’t have any wiring diagrams to bypass the old one
Thanks
Julian
Hello.
I suggest you consider our Simple Motor Controllers or high-power motor drivers. The SMCs offer high-level interfaces (USB, serial, analog voltages, and RC pulses) while the drivers offer low-level speed (PWM) and direction control. If you still have questions after looking over the product pages, please don’t hesitate to ask.
- Ben
Thanks for the reply Ben. Which would provide the least delay time and best changes per second?
Thanks
Julian
Hello.
Based on your questions, I am concerned that you do not understand what is involved in using these motor controllers or drivers. Can you post some more information (pictures would help!) about what you have done so far with this gaming wheel project and maybe some specs on the motor?
- Jan
Yeah that’s correct Jan, I’m quite new to all this… I bought an ECCI Force feedback wheel, but the torque loadings aren’t great enough and when I contacted the suppliers they informed me that is was because the motor was only being fed 6 amps (i.e. motor controller was a 12vdc6) and that I should up it to 10 amps. I was just thinking of some how by passing the original motor controller with an upgraded 10 amp controller.
Is it do-able?
Thanks
Julian
I still do not quite understand, but I don’t think you can do what you are describing. The “I should up it to 10 amps” sounds like it’s some setting to adjust somewhere on the controller you have, or that they have some specific controller of their own that they are recommending instead. It does not sound practical to be swapping out major control electronics yourself, especially when you say you don’t even have any wiring diagrams.
- Jan
The maximum amp output of the current controller according to the manufacturer is 6 amps, and he said the only way to increase the torque of the wheel is to feed more amps to the motor as it is capable of a lot more. Now the problem is that he is no longer in contact with the people who actually were in charge of the electronics side of things, so he only recommended that I somehow bypass the current motor controller and go for a higher current one. Here is the original e-mail…
"I don’t have comprehensive specs available for the motor controller section at the moment but the version you have might be the 24vdc/6 amp commercial variant. This is the most common, there has been an 8 amp version but we had commercial customers express concern over the possibility of injury to the users so most of the units shipped have been the 6 amp variety. The 8 amp is extremely powerful and you probably wouldn’t feel the need to do anything different with that if you had it. That is much of what you need to know, my guess is that if you were able to run a separate motor controller at up to 24vdc/10 amps that would be way more than enough. In R&D we ran them up to 12 amps and it simply isn’t remotely possible to even use it at that level (as well as being extremely dangerous if it ever gets away from the driver). The motor is rated for 10 oz/in of torque per amp, and is good for way more amps than you can ever possibly use. The driveline has a torque multiplication ratio of about 13:1.
Not sure how you would go about using a separate motor controller though, the motor controller and interface are on a single board, I don’t recall how the signal gets intercepted from the interface board (it has been a couple of years since we last played with that in R&D), and we no longer have contact with the people who could give us that rather technical information."
What’s the verdict?
Julian
It sounds like swapping out the motor driver will be a little less difficult than swapping out a wing on a plane in flight. Seriously, though, to fundamentally improve the performance of some complex circuit board probably requires at least as much effort and knowledge as making your own control system from scratch.
- Jan
