TinyDuino Motor TinyShield: Driving Motors on Tiny Boards

Quick answer

Use the TinyShield Motor x4 to drive four independent DC brushed motors from a TinyDuino, but plan your motor supply carefully: each channel handles up to 1.8 A and motors from 1.8 V to 11 V. Wire one motor per channel, verify polarity, and test each channel at low duty before running your robot.

Step-by-step TinyShield Motor x4 setup

1. 1. Match motors to the shield's limits: Check each motor's rated voltage and stall current. Keep the supply between 1.8 V and 11 V and ensure stall current per channel stays at or below 1.8 A. If a motor's stall current is close to the limit, choose a smaller motor or expect the driver to protect itself during stalls. Measure or look up stall current, not just free-run current; a motor that runs fine free may exceed the limit when the robot pushes against a wall.
2. 2. Plan a separate motor power supply: Connect the motor supply to the shield's motor power input, not to the TinyDuino's logic supply. Use a battery or supply within the 1.8–11 V range and confirm the ground is common with the TinyDuino. Never power motors from the TinyDuino's regulated output. Label motor power and logic power leads before connecting; reversing them is the most common way to damage a stacked build.
3. 3. Wire one motor per channel and check polarity: Connect each motor's two leads to one channel's output terminals. Before powering up, spin each motor by hand and note which direction it turns; then apply a low-duty test signal and confirm the software direction matches. If a wheel turns backward, swap that motor's two leads or invert the direction in code. Do this test with wheels off the ground so a reversed motor does not drive the robot off the bench.
4. 4. Stack the shield and verify pin access: Dry-fit the motor shield with your other TinyDuino shields. Confirm the control pins you plan to use are not blocked and that the stack seats fully. If a shield conflicts, change the stacking order or reassign pins in software before soldering or enclosing the build. Take a photo of the final stack and pin map; it saves time when you add a sensor later.
5. 5. Test each channel at low duty before full speed: Write a short sketch that ramps each channel from 0 to a low duty cycle, one channel at a time. Listen for stalling or buzzing and check that the driver ICs do not overheat. Only after all four channels respond correctly should you run all motors together. If one channel behaves differently, recheck that motor's wiring and code pin assignment before assuming the shield is faulty.
6. 6. Add a stall and thermal check under load: With the robot on the floor, run it against a soft obstacle for a few seconds and stop. Touch the driver area cautiously and check for excessive heat. If the shield gets hot, reduce motor load, lower the supply voltage within range, or add cooling and duty limiting. A successful bench test does not guarantee a successful floor test; always repeat the stall check with the actual robot weight.

Product facts

• TinyCircuits x4 Motor TinyShield: Uses four TI DRV8837 H-bridge ICs to drive four independently controlled DC brushed motors, with up to 1.8 A per channel and motor voltages from 1.8 V to 11 V. This lets you build a four-motor tinyduino robot project without a second driver board, but you must keep each motor's current and voltage within those limits.