Lesson 5: Motor Controllers & Speed Regulation
Duration of Days: 5
Lesson Objective
Program/Configure a programmable motor controller for specific current limits.
Install and calibrate a hall-effect throttle to ensure smooth acceleration.
How can a controller make a DC motor spin at half-speed without wasting energy as heat?
What is the "Current Limit," and why is it the most important setting for finishing a race?
PWM (Pulse Width Modulation), Motor Controller, Hall-Effect, Throttle, Duty Cycle, Potentiometer, Programming Interface.
CT-CTE.TRANS.E.24: Demonstrate the ability to test and service electric motors and controllers.
DOK Level: 3 (Strategic Thinking)
Students explore the "Brain" of the drivetrain. The purpose is to understand how the Motor Controller uses pulse-width modulation (PWM) to regulate speed and protect the motor from overcurrent.
Misconception: "The throttle controls the voltage directly."
Correction: The throttle sends a low-voltage signal to the controller, which then "pulses" the high-voltage power to the motor.
Support: Use a strobe light to demonstrate "PWM" visually (showing how rapid pulses look like steady light).
Extension: Students use an oscilloscope to view the PWM square wave at different throttle positions.
Controller Configuration Lab: Students must program a controller to a specific "Amperage Cap" and demonstrate that the vehicle cannot exceed that draw under load.