Standalone Quickstart: Spin a Motor
Applies to Plink, Axis
This guide will walk you through the process of spinning a motor using the MotorGo driver in standalone mode.
On Your Robot:
Gather the hardware
- MotorGo board
- Motor - Brushed DC (Plink) or Brushless (Core)
- EncoderGo (optional for Plink)
- A power supply with a barrel jack (Plink) or XT30 connector (Core)
- USB-C cable
Connect the Motor and Encoder
If you’re using a Plink, you do not need to connect an encoder to spin the motor.
Power up the MotorGo
Connect the MotorGo to your computer using a USB-C cable. The MotorGo will power up and be ready to program.
On Your Computer:
You’ll need to install either the Arduino IDE or PlatformIO to program the MotorGo board.
Once installed, follow the instructions below to install the MotorGo library and run the example code.
Install ESP32 Board Definitions
All MotorGo boards are included in the ESP32 board definitions.
Currently, the MotorGo library only supports the 2.X.X. board definitions. We recommend installing 2.0.17 for the best compatibility.
- Go to
Tools > Board > Boards Manager... - Search for
ESP32 - Install
esp32by Espressif Systems
Install the MotorGo Library:
- Click on the library manager on the left toolbar or go to
Sketch > Include Library > Manage Libraries... - Search for
MotorGo_Mini_Driver(Axis) orMotorGo_Plink_Driver(Plink) and press install
Run the example code
- Go to
File > Examples > MotorGo Mini Driver > read_encoders(under Examples from Custom Libaries) - Select MotorGo board:
Select Board > Select Other Board and Port > MotorGo [Plink or Axis]. - Click the upload button (right arrow) to upload the sketch to the board
Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting tips and common issues guide coming soon! Reach out to us on Discord for immediate help.