Sabertooth 2x25 Users Guide July 2007 Input voltage: 6-24V nominal, 30V absolute max. Output Current: Up to 25A continuous per channel. Peak loads may be up to 50A per channel for a few seconds. Recommended power sources are: 5 to 18 cells high capacity NiMH or NiCd 2s to 6s lithium ion or lithium polymer. Sabertooth motor drivers have a lithium battery mode to prevent cell damage due to over-discharge of lithium battery packs. 6v to 24v high capacity lead acid 6v to 24v power supply (when in parallel with a suitable battery). All batteries must be capable of maintaining a steady voltage when supplying 20+ amps (AA or 9V batteries arent going to cut it An 18Ah lead-acid battery is a good starting point) Dimensions: Size: 2.6 x 3.2 x .8 65 x 80 x 20mm Weight: 3.5oz / 96g Features Mixed and independent options: Sabertooth features mixed modes designed especially for differential drive robots, where two motors provide both steering and propulsion. It also has independent options in all operating modes. This is useful for if you have two motors to control, but they arent necessarily being used to drive a differential drive robot. The motors do not need to be matched or even similar, as long as they both are within Sabertooths operating limits. Synchronous regenerative drive: Going one step farther than just regenerative braking, a Sabertooth motor driver will return power to the battery any time a deceleration or motor reversal is commanded. This can lead to dramatic improvements in run time for systems that stop or reverse often, like a placement robot or a vehicle driving on hilly terrain. This drive scheme also saves power by returning the inductive energy stored in the motor windings to the battery each switching cycle, instead of burning it as heat in the motor windings. This makes part-throttle operation very efficient. Ultra-sonic switching frequency: Sabertooth 2x25 features a PWM frequency of 32kHz, which is well above the maximum frequency of human hearing. Unlike some other motor drivers, there is no annoying whine when the motor is on, even at low power levels. Thermal and overcurrent protection: Sabertooth features dual temperature sensors and overcurrent sensing. It will protect itself from failure due to overheating, overloading and short circuits. Easy mounting and setup: Sabertooth has screw terminals for all inputs and outputs. There are four mounting holes, which accept 4-40 screws. Mounting hardware is included. All operating modes and options are set with DIP switches there are no jumpers to struggle with or lose. No soldering is required. Compact Size: Sabertooth utilizes surface mount construction to provide the most power from a compact package. Its small size and light weight mean you have more space for cargo, batteries, or can make your robot smaller and more nimble than the competition. Carefree reversing: Unlike some other motor drivers, there is no need for the Sabertooth to stop before being commanded to reverse. You can go from full forward immediately to full reverse or vice versa. Braking and acceleration are proportional to the amount of reversal commanded, so gentle or rapid reversing is possible. Many operating modes: With analog, R/C and serial input modes, as well as dozens of operating options, the Sabertooth has the flexibility to be used over and over, even as your projects grow more sophisticated. Yet it is simple enough to use for your first robot project.