Hi Richard, I hadn't thought of trying the driver chip without the
PIC. I will try that.  I accidently smoked my DMM and wasn't able
to measure current. Fortunately, I was able to repair the DMM
and will see where the current loss is going.

Thanks,
Kevin

>It seems you need to isolate the problem area - batteries/motors/driver/PIC

>etc.
>Can you measure the battery and motor currents & figure out if the motors
>are being driven to the same extent (nearly) as when then are connected
>directly to the battery - or is the current being bled away elsewhere? - If

>an alternative path is draining the batteries to the extent you describe,
>the battery lifetime must be very much reduced & there may even be smoke!
>
>Can you lash up a trial using separate supplies for the PIC & the motors?
>Just to be 100% sure that the motor hash is not resetting/upsetting the
>PIC. Inadequate bypassing on the power supply is the cause of many problems

>brought  up on this list.
>
>The Suggestion re the saturation voltage of the drivers had merit also -
>can you hard wire the driver chips ON and then try the beast without the
>PIC altogether?
>
>
>Richard P
>
>
>
>
>Hi,
>I posted this under EE, but then found a big discussion from
>12/2000 about the tamiya twin motor drives.  I still have the same
>question, the FA-130 motors are rated 3v@800ma stalled.
>snip....................
>
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>

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