DMCC Mk.5 does LED Lights!!

We do lights!!  Here we have two banks of LED lights controlled by the DMCC Mk.5 turning on and off using a PWM control program on the Beaglebone black.

We were prompted to do this quick breadboard wiring when someone asked us if we could control a long string of LED lights.  Our estimate based upon the current draw from this circuit is that we could control 800 LEDs (two sets of 400 LEDs) on a single DMCC (Dual Motor Controller Cape) board.

The Mark 5 DMCC (Dual Motor Controller Cape) has been built!  We are hoping to be able to sell these boards at the Toronto Maker Faire (http://makerfairetoronto.com) on September 21-22.

DMCC Mk.5 working!
(CR2032 coin cell left in picture accidentally - not used on board)

Here are the details on the connections of the board:

• Quadrature Encoder Inputs 1 and 2:
• The connector is compatible with US Digital E4P encoders (used by FIRST robotics teams - http://www.usdigital.com/products/e4p)
• Cape ID Selector:
• Used to select a different cape ID for stacking up to 4 capes on the same Beaglebone black
• Motor Power LED:
• Indicates that there is power from the Motor Power Connector.  The motors are powered from the Motor Power Connector instead of the Beaglebone black.  This allows the DMCC (Dual Motor Controller Cape) to power motors of a different voltage rating (up to +28V DC)
• Motor 1 and 2 LED:
• These LEDs are dark (off) when the motors are not being powered.  They light up GREEN when the motors are powered in forward motion, and they light up RED when the motors are powered in reverse motion.
• Motor 1 and 2 Connectors:
• Molex Micro-Fit (http://www.molex.com/molex/products/family?key=microfit_30&channel=products&chanName=family&pageTitle=Introduction) connectors for the motors.  The Micro-Fit connectors were used because they were the only connectors that would fit (height-wise) on the stackable capes.
• Motor Power Connector:
• This is the input power that powers the motors.  A four pin Micro-Fit connector was used to provide the current required for driving two motors.

Here is a video showing the DMCC Mk.5 working:

DMCC Mk. 5