PIC18F452 and L298

[denujith]

Hi,

I am confused while trying to understand the code you've provided in L298 DC Motor Control: Software.

L298's operating instructions are as follows:

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             |      Inputs          |    Function
------------------------------------|--------------------------
Ven = H      | C = H ; D = L        |    Forward
             | C = L ; D = H        |    Reverse
             | C = D                |    Fast Motor Stop
------------------------------------|--------------------------
Ven = L      | C = X ; D = X        |    Free Running Motor Stop


As I understood, in your code,

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    Delay100TCYx(speed_pos);
    PORTBbits.RB1 = 1;-------------------\
                                          > Forward mode
    PORTBbits.RB2 = 0;-------------------/

    Delay100TCYx(speed_neg);
    PORTBbits.RB1 = 0;-------------------\
                                          > Reverse mode
    PORTBbits.RB2 = 1;-------------------/


What I understood was, this code will make the motor to move forward and reverse within 0.5 seconds.

Please let me know where my understanding of your code fails.

Regards,
/Lakmal

[ThePyroElectro]

The two values, speed_pos and speed_neg do not control the direction the motor moves. Speed_Pos and Speed_Neg control how long each state occurs.

These are the 3 basic PWM pulses that you will use to control a motor using an L298:



With a PWM input of 50% on and 50% off the motor is stopped and does not move.
So, when Speed_Pos = Speed_Neg the motor is still.

Changing this to 90% On // 10% Off will turn the motor one direction almost as fast as it can go.

Changing this to 10% On // 90% Off will turn the motor in the other direction almost as fast as it can go.

Again as an example. If Speed_Pos = 25 and Speed_Neg = 25 you will have a duty cycle of 50% on // 50% off because the delays are the same.

If you change it to Speed_Pos = 45 and Speed_Neg = 5, the duty cycle will now be: 90% on // 10% off, this turns the motor full speed forward.

Hope this helps.

[denujith]

DC motor speed is controlled by the applied voltage. If the motor is rated 12V, 1000 RPM and if we apply 6V its

RPM would be roughly half. i.e. 500.

By using PWM, we make the motor to "see" the average voltage.

80% duty cycle: 80% ON and 20% OFF. graphically:

Let's take T = 2 seconds

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12v  ----------------

0v                   ----
     <--- 1.6 s ----><.4>

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Average voltage = 12 * (80/100) = 9.6V
RPM             = 1000 * (80/100) = 800 RPM

i.e. if you apply PWM signal with 80% duty cycle, RPM would be 800.

According to your code, motor would "forward" 1.6 seconds and "reverse" 0.4 seconds. As I understand this is bad. You may,

According to L298 datasheet,

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C=H, D=L => Foraward
C=L, D=H => Reverse

Therefore, I think you should (to move forward)

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Set Input3 [of L298] = 1;
Set Input4           = 0;
Apply the PWM signal to 'Enable' pin

This will effectively rotate your motor in forward direction and

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Set Input3 [of L298] = 0;
Set Input4           = 1;
Apply the PWM signal to 'Enable' pin

for reverse.

[denujith]

I wrote a C code that will operate the motor as:
0->100->0...
At duty_cycle = 0, it will change the direction

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#include <pic18.h>
#include <18f2550.h>
#include "delay.h"

#pragma config FOSC = INTOSC_EC
#pragma config WDT = OFF
#pragma config LVP = OFF

#define Enable LATB4
#define C LATB6
#define D LATB7

void delay (unsigned int interval){for ( unsigned int i=0; i!=interval; i++ );}

void main(){
   // internal oscillator set to 8 MHz
   IRCF2 = 1; IRCF1 = 1; IRCF0 = 1;
   
   TRISB = 0; PORTB = 0;
   
   //float freq = 2; // in KHz
   const unsigned int step = 5;
   float duty_cycle = 0;
   unsigned int direction = 1;
   
   Enable = 0;
    C = 1; D = 0; // forward configuration
   
   while(1){
      for (unsigned int i=0; i<200; i++){
         if (duty_cycle!=0){
            Enable = 1;
            delay(duty_cycle); // = 0.5 uS * duty_cycle
         }
         if (duty_cycle!=100){
            Enable = 0;
            delay(100-duty_cycle);
         }
      }
        if (direction == 1) {
         duty_cycle += step;
         if (duty_cycle == 100){
            direction = 0;
         }
      }
      if( direction == 0) {
         duty_cycle -= step;
         if (duty_cycle == 0) {
            // forward-reverse control
            if (C == 0){C = 1;}else{C = 0;}
            if (D == 0){D = 1;}else{D = 0;}
            direction = 1;
         }
      }
   }
}

[ThePyroElectro]

It seems you already have a good feeling for how this works. However I am worried about your last statement....

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Set Input3 [of L298] = 1;
Set Input4           = 0;
Apply the PWM signal to 'Enable' pin

This will effectively rotate your motor in forward direction and

Code: Select all

Set Input3 [of L298] = 0;
Set Input4           = 1;
Apply the PWM signal to 'Enable' pin

for reverse.

This will work, however the way I did it was different.

The PWM signal was put on the Input (1) with a Differential of that same PWM signal put on the Input (2). The enable pin was held stable.

Maybe that will clear up the differences in how we're using the L298.

[denujith]

Thank you a lot for having a lengthier discussion over this. Anyway, I am trying to understand the way, how you control the Motor.

Thank you again!

[Raza55]

That's correct. Making sure they add to 50 keeps the proper ratio for setting the PWM frequency. If you look closer in the code, the speed_pos and speed_neg values are put into delay functions. This is what creates the high spots and low spots and for how long in the PWM signal.
____________
Usman