BTS7960 43A High Power Motor Driver Module - IBT-2 H-Bridge Controller

Specifications

• Driver ICs: 2 x Infineon BTS7960B (Half-Bridges)

• Logic Buffer: MM74HC244WM

• Motor Supply Voltage: 5.5V to 27V DC

• Logic Voltage (VCC): 5V DC

• Max Peak Current: 43A

• PWM Frequency: Up to 25 kHz

• Control Interface: 8-Pin Header (VCC, R_IS, L_IS, R_EN, L_EN, R_PWM, L_PWM, GND)

• Power Interface: Heavy-duty 4-pin green screw terminal

Key Applications and Projects

• Combat Robotics & Rovers: Driving high-torque wheelchair motors or heavy planetary gear motors for outdoor autonomous vehicles.

• Linear Actuators: Controlling heavy-duty industrial actuators for lifting desks, solar panel tracking, or opening heavy gates.

• Electric Ride-Ons: Upgrading the motor controllers in children's electric cars (PowerWheels) for faster, more reliable performance.

Unlock New Capabilities (Project Evolution)

• Diagnostic Upgrade: Utilize the R_IS and L_IS pins to read the analog current feedback from the driver. Your microcontroller can use this data to detect if the motor has stalled or hit an obstacle, allowing you to program an automatic safety shut-off.

• Thermal Upgrade: While the massive black heatsink is excellent for passive cooling, adding a small 12V fan blowing across the fins will allow you to run the module at near-maximum current continuously without triggering the chip's thermal shutdown.

Package Includes:

• 1 x BTS7960 43A High Power Motor Driver Module (IBT-2)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

1. What is the maximum current this driver can handle? It can handle brief peak currents up to 43A, but continuous operation should ideally be kept under 15A-20A, depending on active cooling.

2. What is the voltage range for the motors? The motor supply voltage can range from 5.5V up to 27V DC.

3. Can I use this to drive a stepper motor? While the URL implies stepper support, this specific single board forms one H-bridge, which drives one DC motor. To drive a 4-wire bipolar stepper, you would need two of these IBT-2 modules.

4. What do the two BTS7960B chips do? Each chip is a high-current half-bridge. The module combines two of them to form a full H-bridge, allowing the motor to be driven in both forward and reverse.

5. What is the purpose of the big black heatsink? It pulls heat away from the BTS7960B chips and the PCB traces during heavy current loads, preventing thermal failure.

6. What is the MM74HC244WM chip? It is a logic buffer IC that protects your microcontroller's delicate GPIO pins from voltage spikes and noise coming from the high-power motor side.

7. What are the R_EN and L_EN pins? These are the Right and Left Enable pins. Both must be pulled HIGH (5V) to activate the driver bridge.

8. How do I control the speed? You send a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) signal from your microcontroller to the R_PWM or L_PWM pins.

9. How do I change the motor direction? To go forward, pull R_PWM HIGH (or send a PWM signal) and pull L_PWM LOW. To reverse, swap them: pull L_PWM HIGH (or PWM) and R_PWM LOW.

10. What are the R_IS and L_IS pins? These are Current Sense (IS) output pins. They provide an analogue voltage proportional to the current the motor is drawing, useful for stall detection.

11. Do I have to connect the R_IS and L_IS pins to make it work? No, they are purely optional diagnostic outputs. You can leave them disconnected if you don't need current sensing.

12. What goes into the green screw terminals? The terminal block is for high power: two pins are for the battery input (B+ and B-), and two pins are for the motor output (M+ and M-).

13. What logic voltage does the VCC pin require? The VCC pin on the 8-pin header requires a standard 5V logic supply.

14. Is it compatible with a 3.3V Raspberry Pi or ESP32? The logic buffer prefers 5V. While 3.3V signals might trigger it, it is highly recommended to use a logic level shifter to convert your 3.3V signals to 5V for reliable operation.

15. What is the large black cylinder on the board? That is a large electrolytic capacitor used to smooth out voltage spikes and provide sudden bursts of power required when the motor starts.

16. Does this module have built-in protection? Yes, the BTS7960 chips feature built-in over-voltage, over-temperature, and short-circuit protection.

17. What happens if I send PWM to both R_PWM and L_PWM at the same time? This will cause the module to brake the motor sharply. It is not recommended to sustain this state at high speeds.

18. Can I drive two DC motors with this board? No, the four power terminals only support power-in and one single motor-out.

19. What PWM frequency can it handle? The driver is highly responsive and can handle high-frequency PWM up to 25 kHz, which keeps motor noise above human hearing levels.

20. Why are the PCB traces covered in thick solder? On high-current boards, the copper traces are often intentionally flooded with solder at the factory to lower their resistance and allow them to carry 40+ Amps without melting.