Non-FRC Motor Controller?

[Mk.32]

Originally Posted by rbmj

Thanks all of you for your replies. Just so that I can get a bit of an understanding, do I need a full blown speed controller? Or can I just get a relay and pulse it at a high frequency? Forgive my inexperience with electrical work...

And just out of curiosity, most of the FRC size motors have a no-load current of about 1A. If there's only a small load on the motor, how much does this go up?

Lastly (and this will sound like a stupid question) if I got one motor controller, could I run multiple motors off of it as long as I don't exceed the rated amperage?

Well lets take the biggest motor in FIRST the CIM motor as an example. When the motor spins with no load it draws not a lot of current, 1-2 amps maybe. However when I put the motor in a robot and use that robot to push another 150lbs robot the load on the motor causes it to draw more amps to supply more power which is required for something like pushing another robot, P = V*I. The Victors/Breakers lets the motor get up to 40 amps before they get cut off.

Excuse me if there is any mistakes in my explanation, not an expert on the topic.

And in FIRST running multiple motors on one controller is not legal however doing this for other projects is okay if you do not exceed the amp rating, at least in my experience.