3. DC Motors

If your gadget is intended to be powered by batteries, solar power, a USB interface, or any other source of direct current (DC), the only motors you should consider are DC motors. These are straightforward to use and understand, and if you grasped the content of Chapter 2, “Preliminary Concepts,” you should have no trouble working with them.

When you’re selecting the right DC motor for your application, the first question to ask is whether it should be brushed or brushless. This is the primary distinction among DC motors, and a large part of this chapter discusses motors of both types. Due to their greater complexity, brushless motors will be examined in greater length.

The first part of this chapter discusses topics that apply to ...

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