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Thread: Lumia Motor Speed Controller Wanted

  1. #11
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    Hey Jem,

    Maybe keep an eye on FleaBay for old Optikinetics Solar 250 Motors?

    IIRC they're 12v and come in various RPM speeds from 60 to 1

    Might be useful...
    If in doubt... Give it a clout?

  2. #12
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  3. #13
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    Thanks for everyone's help. Hopefully, thanks to a PL member i'll have a solution shortly

    I'm really loving this lumia stuff...
    Quote: "There is a theory which states that if ever, for any reason, anyone discovers what exactly the Universe is for and why it is here it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another that states that this has already happened.”... Douglas Adams 1952 - 2001

  4. #14
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    Okaydokey, I now have some decent 12v DC 1 RPM motors for driving my lumia wheels, thanks to a member here on PL .

    I'd now like to nail down the speed control method, ideally i'd like to get these down to at least ¼ RPM, maybe even slower if that's possible.

    Bear in mind I don't do electronics, so an off the shelf solution would be ideal. If that's not possible and you have the knowledge and components/equipment i'll happily pay a member (a reasonable price) to put something together for me. I'll need to drive 5 motors independently.

    Cheers

    Jem
    Quote: "There is a theory which states that if ever, for any reason, anyone discovers what exactly the Universe is for and why it is here it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another that states that this has already happened.”... Douglas Adams 1952 - 2001

  5. #15
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    What current are we talking about ?
    There are these pwm fan controllers for pc case modders over-clockers that fit a 5.25 bay.
    Some of them have multiple outputs, it could be an of the shelf solution.

  6. #16
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    Does your speed control need to be variable, or do you just want them to run "slower?"

    Variable speed control of DC motors typically involves PWM if the motors are under any significant load. This is because if you reduce the voltage in an attempt to reduce the speed, you will find that your torque goes away much faster than your speed and what you end up with is very load-dependent speed and lots of stalling if your load changes.

    But, it's possible that lumia wheels are such a low load on a motor that's already been geared down tremendously that you could feed it 6v or even less and see if it turns. If so, done and dusted! If not, follow up on the pwm option bart mentioned.

    If you need more power, the cheapest option I'm aware of is a combination chinese speed controller for brushed DC hobby motors plus a device called a "servo tester." HobbyKing has these for about $5 each; that's $50 for five channels, but it won't be exactly pretty. Get an extra set; it's likely some will arrive DOA. If you want high quality PWM drivers, someone will have to build you something.

  7. #17
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    The lowest power at which i've managed to get the motors to turn is ~2volts, anything lower than that and they just won't start to turn. As has been suggested, there is virtually no torque at thiese voltages. I would like to explore the PWM (pulse width modulation) method, oh, and yes, I would like variable speed if possible .

    I'll do a search of Ebay and see if anything 'off the shelf' turns up... But I may well be back

    Thanks for the help and advice so far, much appreciated.

    Jem

    P.S. Bart, do you have a link to these fan controllers?
    Quote: "There is a theory which states that if ever, for any reason, anyone discovers what exactly the Universe is for and why it is here it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another that states that this has already happened.”... Douglas Adams 1952 - 2001

  8. #18
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    Jem,

    I have a couple of very cheap PWM modules I am happy to lend you for some testing. I will send you a PM to arrange getting them to you in the next couple of days. If any good maybe we could arrange a GB on these for anyone interested, as they are much cheaper in bulk?

    Seasons Greetings

    Steve

  9. #19
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    O.K., i'm back again...

    There's loads of the PWM controllers on Ebay. Problem is that i'm not entirely sure as to how the PWM controllers actually work. If the motors are rated at 12v, do I need the controller to be rated at 12v? will this give me the ability to get the slow speeds i'm after?, or should I get one rated at say 6v to 12 v? I also note that some have the ability to reverse the motor, that could be pretty useful as well

    A quick and simple lesson in how these actually control the speed would be appreciated.

    Here's a link to a UK seller (quite expensive compared to rest), but if you just type 'PWM controller' into Ebay's search box you'll get loads of options.

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5V-30V-5A-...item20ce4899d6

    Thanks

    Jem
    Last edited by Jem; 12-30-2012 at 06:26.
    Quote: "There is a theory which states that if ever, for any reason, anyone discovers what exactly the Universe is for and why it is here it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another that states that this has already happened.”... Douglas Adams 1952 - 2001

  10. #20
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    Thanks Steve, our posts must have crossed

    Either PM or give me a call, whichever's easiest
    Quote: "There is a theory which states that if ever, for any reason, anyone discovers what exactly the Universe is for and why it is here it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another that states that this has already happened.”... Douglas Adams 1952 - 2001

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