MCP233 Dual 30A, 34VDC Advanced Motor Controller

The MCP motor controllers from Basicmicro (formerly Ion Motion Control) can control a pair of brushed DC motors using USB serial, TTL serial, RS-232 serial, CAN bus, RC, or analog inputs. Integrated dual quadrature decoders make it easy to create a closed-loop speed control system, and advanced features including internal scripting support and user-configurable I/O make it suitable for standalone applications. This version can supply a continuous 30 A per channel at voltages from 10 V to 34 V.

Overview

The MCP series from Basicmicro (formerly Ion Motion Control) are a family of rugged, high-performance motor controllers with scripting support and other advanced features. They can supply brushed DC motors with 30 A, 60 A, or 120 A continuous at voltages from 10 V up to 60 V (depending on the model).

	MCP233 (34 V max) MCP236 (60 V max)	MCP263 (34 V max) MCP266 (60 V max)	MCP2163 (34 V max) MCP2166 (60 V max)
Operating voltage:	10 V to 34 V (MCP2x3 versions) 10 V to 60 V (MCP2x6 versions)
Continuous output current per channel:	30 A	60 A	120 A
Peak output current per channel:	30 A	60 A	160 A
Size(1):	88 × 72 × 26 mm	115 × 107 × 34 mm	212 × 126 × 50 mm
Weight:	140 g	340 g	1630 g
Price:	MCP233: $259.95 MCP236: $299.95	MCP263: $359.95 MCP266: $399.95	MCP2163: $619.95 MCP2166: $731.95

¹ Including connectors and mounting flanges.

Each MCP motor controller has a USB interface that acts as a virtual serial (COM) port, allowing it to be controlled directly from a computer, and it features built-in commands for controlling acceleration, deceleration, distance, speed, voltage and current limits, and more. Several other interface modes are supported by the MCP as well: it can be controlled via TTL serial, RS-232 serial, or CAN bus (using the CANopen protocol) for use with an embedded or industrial system; RC hobby servo pulses for use as an RC-controlled electronic speed control (ESC); or analog voltages for use with potentiometers or analog joysticks.

The MCP features an internal user scripting system and user-configurable I/O pins that allows it to be used as a standalone controller, eliminating the need for an additional processor in many situations. It can be operated without feedback for open-loop speed control, or it can be used with a variety of feedback types for closed-loop speed or position control. A wide range of closed-loop sensors are supported, including quadrature encoders, analog encoders, and potentiometers.

The MCP incorporates several protection features including temperature, current, over-voltage, and under-voltage limits. Several user-definable settings such as a maximum current limit and battery voltage limits are provided for more refined control. The controller uses regenerative braking but can be configured with a voltage clamp circuits to limit the regenerative voltage when used with switching power supplies. The Basicmicro VClamp is a voltage clamp specifically designed to work with the RoboClaw and MCP to suppress such voltage spikes and is rated for use with supplies up to 60 V and currents up to 60 A.

Note: As of May 2023, the MCP controllers no longer support bridging the two channels to control a single higher-current motor.

Details for item #3585

The MCP233 operates from 10 V to 34 V and can deliver a typical continuous output current of 30 A per channel. It has a USB Mini-B connector and a female DA-15 connector (sometimes called DB-15) for control, feedback, and user I/O.

Up to 6 user inputs are available, all of which can be configured as analog, PWM, or digital inputs. 2 user outputs are available; these are open-drain (they can drive low to sink up to 3 A or be set to high impedance) and are 40 V tolerant.

You might consider getting this DB15 screw terminal breakout adapter to make I/O pins more accessible.

DB15 Screw Terminal Adapter for MCP23X/26X Advanced Motor Controllers with included hardware.

DB15 Screw Terminal Adapter for MCP23X/26X Advanced Motor Controllers.

DB15 screw terminal adapter mated to an MCP266 Advanced Motor Controller.

Key Features

• Simple bidirectional control of two brushed DC motors
• 10–34 V or 10–60 V operating supply range, depending on controller model
• 30 A to 160 A maximum continuous current output, depending on controller model
• Automatic current limiting reduces duty cycle when temperature exceeds 85° C
• Six communication or control options:
  1. USB serial interface (virtual COM port)
  2. 3.3 V logic-level (TTL) serial interface for direct connection to microcontrollers or other embedded controllers
  3. RS-232 serial interface
  4. CAN bus interface supporting CANopen protocol as master or slave device
  5. Hobby radio control (RC) pulse width interface for direct connection to an RC receiver or RC servo controller
  6. Analog voltage (0 V to 5 V) interface for direct connection to potentiometers and analog joysticks
• Automatic control switching with user-defined priority settings
• I²C interface accessible by user script
• Up to 20 user-defined input pins for control, feedback, or scripting, depending on controller model
• All inputs are 15 V tolerant for interfacing to industrial devices such as PLCs
• Up to 8 user-defined open-drain output pins (40 V max) for driving auxiliary loads, depending on controller model
• Multiple feedback options for PID closed-loop control:
  • Speed or position control with quadrature encoders, up to 21 million encoder pulses per second
  • Position control with analog encoders or potentiometers
  • (Open-loop control with no feedback also available)
• Programmable with built-in user scripting language
• Screw terminals for quick connect/disconnect
• Configurable via USB connection and PC software
• Regenerative braking
• Tolerates high-speed direction changes
• 5 V BEC can power external logic
• Battery monitoring and under-voltage cutoff protects batteries from over-discharging
• Fully enclosed for protection
• Conduction plate for cooling on bottom of enclosure

MCP233 or MCP236 motor controller, bottom view.

MCP263 or MCP266 motor controller, bottom view.

MCP2163 or MCP2166 motor controller, bottom view.