4.2 DC Motors (Direct Current Motors)
To try using DC motors, connect the motor and wheel provided in the GoGo kit. Then connect the leads on the motor to port A on the GoGo Board.
Selecting Active Ports
To use the output ports, first select the ports you want by clicking on the circular buttons labeled A,B,C, and D as shown above.
- Selected ports will have either a red or green arrow on the port name. Port A, B above are selected.
- The arrow colors correspond to the rotation direction (or polarity) of the output. A motor connected to a port with a red arrow will spin in the opposite direction of a port with a green arrow. Motors connected to port A and B above will turn in different directions.
- Selecting a port does not automatically turn the port on. Selected ports must be explicitly told to turn “on” or “off”. This can be done by pressing the “on” and “off” buttons explained below.
- Ports that are “on” will have a yellow background. Ports A and D above are on. Note that an unselected port could be “on” from previous operations. Deselecting a port does not turn it off.
- Unselected ports are grayed out. Port C and D above are unselected. Port C is in the “off” state while port D is “on”.
- A number below each port name indicates its “power level”. The default level is 100, which is full power. This value can be changed using the power slider explained below.
DC Motor Operations
The table below describes the operations you can perform on a motor.
| Icon | Command |
|---|---|
 |
(ON) Button - turns on the selected motor |
 |
(OFF) Button - turns off the selected motor |
 |
(CCW) Button - set rotational direction is in counter clockwise |
 |
(RD) Button - reverse the original direction that the motor is set. |
 |
(CW) Button - set rotational direction to clockwise |
Power setting - scroll the scrollbar to the prospective value for the motor and press “Set Power.”