Datasheet Better Better: Hw 130 Motor Control Shield For Arduino

The HW-130 Motor Control Shield (often referred to as the L293D Motor Shield) is a popular, low-cost driver for small motors. It is based on two L293D motor driver ICs and a 74HC595 shift register to minimize the number of Arduino pins used. Key Specifications

Motor Driver Chip: Two L293D chips, each containing four H-bridges.

Voltage Range: Supports motors between 4.5V and 25V (some versions support up to 36V).

Output Current: Provides 0.6A per bridge continuous current (1.2A peak) with thermal shutdown protection.

Compatibility: Designed for Arduino Uno, Mega, and Duemilanove. Capacity & Connections The shield can simultaneously control: hw 130 motor control shield for arduino datasheet better

Up to 4 bi-directional DC motors with individual 8-bit speed selection (connected to terminals M1, M2, M3, M4). Up to 2 stepper motors (unipolar or bipolar).

2 dedicated headers for 5V 'hobby' servos connected to the Arduino’s high-resolution timers for jitter-free control. Power Management & Pin Usage

Proper powering is critical to avoid damaging your Arduino or the shield:

External Power (EXT_PWR): Connect your motor power supply (5V–25V) to the 2-pin terminal block. PWR Jumper: Jumper ON: Powers the Arduino from the motor power supply. The HW-130 Motor Control Shield (often referred to

Jumper OFF: Powers the Arduino and motors separately (highly recommended to prevent noise or brownouts). Reserved Pins:

Digital Pins 4, 7, 8, and 12 drive the motors via the shift register.

Digital Pins 3, 5, 6, and 11 are used for speed control (PWM). Digital Pins 9 and 10 control the servos. Analog Pins A0–A5 remain available for sensors. Software Guide

The easiest way to use this shield is with the AFMotor library. You can find it in the Arduino Library Manager or on GitHub. Example: Running a DC Motor on M4 M1 & M2: Controlled by the first L293D

DC Motors

The outputs are labeled M1, M2, M3, M4.

• M1 & M2: Controlled by the first L293D.
• M3 & M4: Controlled by the second L293D (if populated).

B. Servo Power Jumpers (Pin 9 & 10)

This shield often breaks out Pin 9 and Pin 10 to a specific servo header.

• Jumper ON: Powers the servos from the Arduino's 5V regulator. (Risky for large servos).
• Jumper OFF: You must supply external 5V power to the servo terminal block directly.

1. Overview

The HW-130 is a low-cost, clone variant of the popular L293D-based motor shield (similar to the Adafruit or DFRobot designs). It is designed to drive:

• 2 DC motors (bidirectional, with speed control)
• 1 Stepper motor (unipolar or bipolar)
• 2 Servo motors (via direct 5V signal pins)

Key Limitations (Critical):

• Maximum current per channel: 0.6A continuous (1.2A peak, per L293D spec).
• Do not power high-current motors (e.g., TT gear motors at stall are ~1.5A).
• It draws power from the Arduino’s 5V regulator by default – do not power motors via Arduino USB.

Motor Ports

• M1 (two terminals) – Motor A (channels: IN1, IN2)
• M2 (two terminals) – Motor B (channels: IN3, IN4)

Chapter 2: The Landscape – Connectors & Jumpers

When you look at the HW-130, you see a sea of green screw terminals and jumper caps. Here’s what each landmark does: