I have the #2828 12V DC gear motor and a 12V SLA battery. These batteries typically have higher than 12V when fully charged. Would I need a regulator for this? Or could I limit the PWM duty cycle to not go over 12V?
Motor voltage ratings are nominal, not absolute maximum.
Operating a motor at significantly higher than the rated voltage will shorten its life and could cause it to dangerously overheat under heavy load, but using a ā12Vā SLA battery to power a 12V motor is commonly done.
Note that PWM control does not limit the peak applied voltage, it just changes the duty cycle and hence the average voltage.
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