I see there’s a connector labeled LIPO and In looking at the specs for the Beagle Bone Blue it states that this is for
"2 cell (2S) LiPo battery connector "
( Short-Spec and Schematic )
Does that mean that in that connector, only 2 Cell LiPo batteries are supposed to be used?
What about wanting to have a battery operated robot with longer-lived batteries and more power draw (e.g. motors)? Does that mean you need to power the BBBlue via the barrel input and if so - then is it recommended that you also have a 2 Cell LiPo battery connected to the LIPO connector?
Yes, only 2 Cell LiPo batteries are supported. Note that the charge circuit is setup to charge at 1Amp, so make sure you use a battery that can that charge rate. If you use at least a 1000mAh battery you should be fine.
-Longer lived batteries: You can use larger capacity batteries (e.g. 1500mAh, 2000mAh, 3000mAh, etc.) as long as they are 2 cell Lipo.
-More power draw (e.g. motors): The on board motor drives can drive about 1.2 Amp per motor which is really only enough for small motors, anything more and you’ll burn the drive chip. If you want to drive bigger motors you’ll need external motor drivers that can handle the current.
-BBBlue via the barrel input: The barrel input is really to charge the battery or run the board without a battery. It is not intended as a way to provide more power to motors. If you need more power for motors you need external motor drivers.
which port should i connect the external motor drivers on beaglebone blue?
Hi, may i know which port to connect the external motor drivers on BB blue?
I believe the GPS UART port could be used. PWM subsystem 0 would need to be configured for use similar to subsystems 1 and 2 which are used for on board drivers.