Hi!
I’m sure I’m over thinking this but I am wiring a Mini Maestro 18 to a Pololu 2x 5VDC Relay Carrier (RC) board.
Can I power the RC board from the 5 V and… hold on a second. I think it just sunk in.
Ok, if I set the VIN = VSRV jumper and connect the Maestro to a USB input via the mini connector, I can just take a 3 pin connector from the Maestro to the RC board, matching signal to EN, GND to -, and VDD to +.
Correct?
Or do I need to provide 5V to the Servo power, keep VIN and VSRV separate, and then connect as described above.
Mike
Hello.
The VIN pin will not output 5V when the Maestro is powered by USB, but the “5V(out)” pins will be. So, instead of shorting the VIN=VSRV pins together, you can use a jumper to connect one of the “5V(out)” pins to the servo power rail. The diagram below highlights the “5V(out)” pins in yellow:
However, please note that USB power is generally not suitable for powering servos. Additionally, if you’re only using this to power those relays, you should only ever power the Maestro from USB. When you power the Maestro through VIN, the source for the “5V(out)” pins will be from the onboard regulator, which can only source around 50mA after powering the Maestro, and each relay needs around 80mA.
Brandon
I appreciate the response. In the end I think I just get more flexibility choosing a relay board that can handle the voltage I’m powering the servos with too. That’s what I did today and it worked well.
I do greatly appreciate the quick and detailed response.
Not sure if you are asking me or them… but sure! If its a new question, its probably better to open your own topic.
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