At my wits end

Project:

Radio Shack Makeit 2 wheeled robot car kit

Arduino Uno

1Sheeld

Minibreadboard

jump wires

9 volt with connector for Arduino

8 AAs for running the dc motors

h bridge

Issue:

I have spent a week looking for a diagram of wiring a mini breadboard to handle the two dc motors while running the arduino off the 9v supply.

I cannot seem to find one that powers the board or the project.

I have used Driving motors, CHEAPLY, with an Arduino (Shallow Thoughts) as a start, but it is not working.

All other software is installed and/or uploaded.

Thank you for your help.

I have no working knowledge of electronics, breadboards, circuits, etc… Any diagrams are going to have to overhead pictures so that I can follow them.

Why not follow the detailed directions that came with the robot? It is intended to be used with an Arduino board.

Thank you for the response.

That was my intention. However, the board that came with the robot to control it is defective and not pushing power to the motors.

Not wanting to let my son down, I tried to work my way through it. I bought the 1sheeld as a way for him to enjoy the robot while he is learning scratch. I figured he could use the robot as a “toy” then work on some rudimentary programming to make it move on its own.

I would take the robot back to Radio Shack.

The alternative is a long road, because it is extremely unlikely that you will find a ready-made project that does everything you want. The closest thing might be the various efforts to turn an RC vehicle into an Arduino-controlled vehicle. There are plenty of links describing those types of modifications. Google “Arduino RC truck” or similar.

This is something that I am into because my son has an interest, it will be taught at his school later, and he enjoys. It also gives us something to bond over. My other son is more sports based. So I will learn this if it drives me nuts. I am already certain it will be a steep learning curve, but I am a quick study.

I may also hit up a Dorkbot PDX meeting for some suggestions if I can’t get this figured out here or on the web.

I do not mind long projects or even complicated projects. I just need specific direction to accomplish the project.

My goal is simple - connect a bread board to two DC motors using an h bridge and powering same with 8 AA batteries and then run the same board off an Arduino/1 Sheeld Sketch. According to the h bridge diagram I have it appears that you power pin 8 and ground that power some else on the board. You then connect the motors to 2/3 or 6/7 and 15/14 or 11/10 or some combination therein. I think that would power the motors, but how to get the sketch from Arduino/1Sheeld to the hbridge that is what I do not know.

Thank you all for your time and patience.

I went home last night and checked the motors. They fire off of a 9 volt. So I know they work. I cannot get a reading off of the battery packs. My volt meter registers 0.00 on both a 20v and 1.5/9v setting. I know the battery packs work because they fire the 1sheeld and arduino off the vin and ground.

I am going to get a regular bread board and try to get it fire off that.

Thanks again for your help.