How to connect DC motor to Raspberry Pi?

In summary, the motor appears to be a standard DC motor, and would need to be connected to the Raspberry Pi ports using a Python script to control its speed and direction.
  • #1
sur4j
2
0
I have recently taken apart a few old DVD drives to see if there were any stepper motors available for a Raspberry Pi project I am currently working on. When I opened one of the older drives I found a motor which was unlike the others as it only seemed to have two wires going directly to the coils. Is this a standard DC motor?

If this is a standard DC motor, how would I connect this to the RPi ports? Is there a procedure for this for example, checking coil resistance and then determining resistor sizes required to be in series with the motor or can I just directly connect the red wire to the positive output of the RPi and the black wire to ground?

Please see the following links to images for this:
s46.photobucket.com/user/suraj1793/media/IMG_2365_zps136cb5ba.jpg.html?filters[user]=141636453&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=1

s46.photobucket.com/user/suraj1793/media/IMG_2366_zpsaf5ed524.jpg.html?filters[user]=141636453&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0

s46.photobucket.com/user/suraj1793/media/IMG_2364_zpse39a413e.jpg.html?filters[user]=141636453&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=2

I am new to working with motors and have very little experience with electronics therefore, would greatly appreciate some help with this. Thanks.
 
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  • #2
Hi sur4j.
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Have you tried a google search? That is sure to turn up plenty of material for you to examine while you are waiting for someone here who's familiar with what you are planning.

Good luck.
 
  • #3
First you need to Learn about Raspberry Pi. If you simply connect the DC motor to the RPi's power and GND pin, it will only rotate in one direction at particular speed, and you can't control it, and hence no use of RPi, you can simply do this by connecting DC motor to 9v battery.
But if you want to control its speed and direction then Rpi comes into picture, and it can be easily done by using a Python Script. There are plenty of tutorial on it, I am referring one here, which have a demo Video DC motor with Raspberry Pi. It basically uses PWM and duty cycle concept to control its speed.
But if you are new with Raspberry please go through this officcial raspberry pi Quick start guide where you will learn to install and configure OS on Pi board
 
Last edited:
  • #4
https://www.adafruit.com/products/2327

above is a dc motor driver for the raspberry pi. it can drive up to 16 motors using pwm.

ALSO

do not every drive power electronics directly off the raspberry pi pins. You should provide the power from a 3/5 V rail created by the external source (even if its the same source powering the pi). Then use a switch (bjt, mosftet, etc) to switch the power supply.

There are likely other shields/hats for the pi that might be able to help you as well.
 

Related to How to connect DC motor to Raspberry Pi?

1. How do I physically connect a DC motor to a Raspberry Pi?

In order to physically connect a DC motor to a Raspberry Pi, you will need a motor driver board or module. This board will have input pins for the Raspberry Pi to control the motor's speed and direction, as well as output pins to connect to the motor's power and ground. Make sure to carefully follow the instructions provided with your specific motor driver board for proper wiring.

2. What programming language can I use to control a DC motor with a Raspberry Pi?

The Raspberry Pi can be programmed in various languages, but the most commonly used for controlling hardware is Python. There are also libraries and modules available for Python that make it easy to control a DC motor with a Raspberry Pi. Other languages such as C and Java can also be used with appropriate libraries.

3. How do I control the speed and direction of a DC motor with a Raspberry Pi?

In order to control the speed and direction of a DC motor with a Raspberry Pi, you will need to use pulse width modulation (PWM). This technique involves sending a series of pulses to the motor at different frequencies to control its speed, and changing the direction of the pulses to control its direction. This can be done using the PWM pins on the Raspberry Pi's GPIO (general purpose input/output) header.

4. Can I use a DC motor with a Raspberry Pi without a motor driver?

No, it is not recommended to use a DC motor with a Raspberry Pi without a motor driver. The Raspberry Pi's GPIO pins are not designed to handle the power requirements of a motor, and it can damage the board if connected directly. A motor driver is necessary to properly control the motor's speed and direction, and to protect the Raspberry Pi from potential damage.

5. How can I troubleshoot if my DC motor is not working with my Raspberry Pi?

If your DC motor is not working with your Raspberry Pi, there are a few things you can check. First, make sure all of your connections are correct and secure. Next, check your code to ensure it is properly configured to control the motor. You can also try using a different motor driver or testing the motor with a different power source. If none of these solutions work, there may be an issue with the motor itself and it may need to be replaced.

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