Its for a plotter Im making. I'm going to use an encoder for feedback (position) and maybe a PI loop. Its pretty heavy duty, Id use steppers but I cant find any powerful enough. I want to slow the dc motor down as it approaches the encoder position I want. I was thinking of using power window winder motors. Justin -----Original Message----- From: Spehro Pefhany [mailto:speff@INTERLOG.COM] Sent: Monday, 26 August 2002 23:37 To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU Subject: Re: [EE]: DC motor control At 07:03 AM 8/26/02 +0100, you wrote: >Does anyone know the best way to control the speed of a 12v DC motor without >losing too much torque? Would pwm work or just varying the voltage? Open-loop PWM works pretty well on PM DC motors (or DC motors with a separately energized field winding that you leave at full voltage). Depends what you need, of course. No-load RPM will be approximately proportional to the average voltage, IOW Vin* (ton/(ton+toff)). You can't compare it to AC motors under similar circumstances (much better). If you *do* need feedback, there are a couple of sensorless ways of doing it (each with its own limitations and advantages), or you could just hang a tacho off the motor and code up a PI controller. Best regards, Spehro Pefhany --"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward" speff@interlog.com Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com 9/11 United we Stand -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The list server can filter out subtopics (like ads or off topics) for you. See http://www.piclist.com/#topics