L298N Motor Driver Board – Dual H-Bridge for DC and Stepper Motors

With this L298N Motor Driver Board, you can easily control DC motors and stepper motors using, for example, an Arduino, ESP32, Raspberry Pi, microcontroller, or other digital control system.

The module is built around the well-known L298N Dual H-Bridge motor driver. Thanks to the two integrated H-bridges, you can independently control two standard brushed DC motors, including direction and speed control. In addition, the module can be used to drive one bipolar stepper motor.

According to the specifications of this module, the motor supply voltage can be between 5 and 35 V DC. The logic operates at 5 V. The L298N supports a current of up to 2 A per channel under suitable conditions, with good cooling being important at higher loads.

Suitable for DC motors

The L298N is not only intended for stepper motors. The board is very suitable for controlling standard brushed DC motors.

With one module, up to two DC motors can be controlled separately:

• Motor A via OUT1 and OUT2
• Motor B via OUT3 and OUT4

Through the digital inputs, you can determine the direction of rotation of each motor. Via the ENA and ENB connections, a PWM signal can also be applied to control the motor speed.

This makes the following functions possible, among others:

• Run the motor forward
• Run the motor backward
• Stop the motor
• Electric braking
• Speed control with PWM
• Control two motors independently

This makes the module suitable for robot cars, vehicles, small machines, actuators, fans, and other DC motor projects, among other things.

Suitable for stepper motors

The two H-bridges can also be used together to drive a bipolar stepper motor. The four motor outputs OUT1 through OUT4 are connected to the two coils of the stepper motor for this purpose.

The order in which IN1 through IN4 are driven then determines the direction of rotation and stepping pattern.

Speed control with PWM

For DC motors, the speed can be controlled via PWM (Pulse Width Modulation).

To do this, remove the jumpers from ENA and/or ENB and connect these pins to a PWM output of the microcontroller.

• ENA: enable/PWM for motor A
• ENB: enable/PWM for motor B

If the corresponding jumper remains installed, the channel is continuously enabled and the motor can be controlled via the IN pins without a separate PWM signal.

Connections

Power supply

Motor supply / VS
Connection for the supply voltage of the motors.

GND
Common ground for power and control. The GND of the microcontroller and the motor driver must be connected to each other.

5V
5V connection for the module logic. Depending on the configuration of the 5V regulator and jumper, this connection can function as either a power input or output.

Motor A

OUT1 / OUT2
Output of H-bridge A. DC motor A is connected here.

IN1 / IN2
Digital control inputs used to determine the direction of rotation of motor A.

ENA
Enable input for motor A. Can also be used for PWM speed control.

Motor B

OUT3 / OUT4
Output of H-bridge B. DC motor B is connected here.

IN3 / IN4
Digital control inputs used to determine the direction of rotation of motor B.

ENB
Enable input for motor B. Can also be used for PWM speed control.

Controlling a DC motor

The actual direction of rotation depends on how the two motor wires are connected to OUT1 and OUT2.

For motor B, control works the same way via IN3, IN4, and ENB.

Technical specifications

• Type: L298N Motor Driver Board
• Driver IC: L298N
• Driver technology: Dual H-Bridge / Dual Full Bridge
• Suitable for: brushed DC motors and bipolar stepper motors
• Number of DC motors: up to 2 independently controlled motors
• Number of bipolar stepper motors: up to 1
• Logic supply voltage: 5 V DC
• Motor supply voltage module: 5 – 35 V DC
• Maximum specified motor current: 2 A
• Control: digital logic
• DC motor speed control: PWM via ENA and ENB
• Direction control: yes
• Dual H-bridge: yes
• Heatsink: yes
• Motor outputs: OUT1, OUT2, OUT3 and OUT4
• Control inputs: IN1, IN2, IN3 and IN4
• Enable inputs: ENA and ENB
• Dimensions: approximately 43 × 43 × 27 mm
• Length: 43 mm
• Width: 43 mm
• Height: 27 mm
• PCB color: red

L298N driver

The L298N used is a dual full-bridge driver specifically designed for switching inductive loads such as DC motors, stepper motors, relays, and solenoids. According to the manufacturer, the L298 itself supports a motor supply voltage of up to 46 V and includes thermal protection, among other features.

For this complete module, a motor supply voltage of 5 to 35 V DC is maintained.

Note on motor current

The specified maximum current of 2 A should be regarded as the maximum driver value. At higher continuous motor currents, significant heat loss occurs in the L298N. The practically usable continuous current therefore depends on, among other things, supply voltage, cooling, ambient temperature, and load.

Also check not only the nominal current of a DC motor, but also the startup and stall current. This can be several times higher than the current during normal operation.

Voltage drop across the driver

The L298N uses bipolar output transistors and therefore has a greater voltage drop than modern MOSFET motor drivers. The voltage that actually reaches the motor is therefore lower than the applied supply voltage.

This is especially relevant for low-voltage motors. For applications where very high efficiency or very low voltage drop is important, a modern MOSFET driver may be a better choice.

Applications

• Arduino projects
• ESP32 projects
• Robot cars
• Robotics
• Two-wheel drives
• DC motor control
• PWM motor control
• Reversible motors
• Bipolar stepper motors
• Small machines and mechanisms
• Prototype and hobby electronics
• Educational projects
• Automation projects

Dimensions

• Length: 4.3 cm
• Width: 4.3 cm
• Height: 2.7 cm

In summary

The L298N Motor Driver Board is a versatile dual H-bridge for controlling both standard DC motors and stepper motors. With one module, two DC motors can be driven independently forward and backward, and the speed can be controlled via PWM. Alternatively, both H-bridges can be used together for one bipolar stepper motor.

Thanks to its simple digital control, this module is very suitable for use with Arduino, ESP32, and other microcontrollers.