Using a Servo with the Proto Shield Plus

Published : 05/09/2018 10:09:51
Categories : Proto Shield Plus

USING A SERVO WITH THE PROTO SHIELD PLUS

The SERVO predisposition is useful if you want to quickly experiment with a standard 5V hobby servo.
To connect a servo you need to solder a standard 2,54mm 3 pins single row male header (not provided with the board).
Servo Power Supply connects by default to on-board 5V (by means of SJSRVcc, closed by default).
Servo control signal connects by default to digital pin 3 (by means of SJSRVS, closed by default).

Refer to the APSP_servo sketch in the APSP_Sample_Projects_V3.zip file (Click here to download).

Standard hobby servo connected to the SERVO header

Connecting a servo to the the Proto Shield Plus

The SERVO predisposition of the Proto Shield Plus

Using the SERVO with a different digital pin

Cut SJSRVS in the middle to disconnect D3 pin from the SERVO signal pad.
Connect your desired PWM Digital pin to the pad marked in yellow in the picture below.

If you want to easily connect and disconnect the servo from D3 pin, you can add a male 2.54 pitch 1x2 pin strip connector to JSRVS pads and use a jumper to connect / disconnect D3.

Powering the SERVO with an external power supply

Cut SJSRVcc in the middle to disconnect 5V from the SERVO power pad.
Connect your external power supply ground (GND) to a free GND pad of the Proto Shield Plus.
Connect the positive pole of your external power supply to the pad marked in red in the picture below, be sure that SJSRVcc is OPEN to avoid damage on the Arduino board.
CHECK YOUR SERVO SPECIFICATIONS in order not to damage the servo.

Powering the SERVO with an external power supply on the Proto Shield Plus

If you want to easily swap the SERVO power supply from on-board 5V to external 5V, you can add a male 2.54 pitch 1x2 pin strip connector to JSRVcc pads and use a jumper to power the SERVO with the on-board 5V and use a female header wire to connect the external 5V power supply to the pad marked in red.