LEGO EV3 Controlling 8 LEGO Motors: Break the EV3 Brick Output Ports Limit

Make a conversion cable for LEGO Mindstorms EV3 to control 2 LEGO Motors per output port (can be EV3 Motor, NXT Motor, Power Functions Motor or RCX Motor). The principle is switching the polarity of the EV3 output port rapidly to control each LEGO Motor at a time. The drawback of this connection is LEGO Motor can only rotate either forward or backward direction.
WARNING: Do not try to make this conversion cable unless you know exactly what you're doing! I will not be held responsible for any damages of your EV3 Intelligent Brick or any other parts!

[@vladlupascu5514]

Thank you so much for this video. I made a cable just like that at home, and it works like a charm!

[@Bricksfaction]

How can i control my lego buggy motors via ESC and lipo batery ? do you have any advices ?

[@omarkhalaf7014]

If you have 2 bricks you can connect them to each other so they can act like one brick with one program and then you will gonna have space for 8 motors and 8 sensors

[@blomproductions]

yes but this i cheaper

[@iPelaaja1]

Yes but the resistors and diodes to make all these cables: 3$. Second EV3: 300$

[@COOLGODBOSS]

Can't you use 100 & the reverse-motor-block for forward/backward and -100 & the reverse-motor-block for the other so that both can go forward and backwards? Also doesn't the large and medium motors only go forwards and backwards??>Is there up/down or something??

[@panfryman1134]

There is a nxt to 9v part i have and combiend w/ a 12v extention you can run other moters if it ispluged in to a moter port

[@drjuit]

do you have a 4 motor on 2 wheel, 2 eye ev3 program?

[@JUAN-xw3xm]

hello i want to know how i can program the ev3 to move 4 motor at the same time

[@gideonburnham7381]

Where can I get the stuff required for this extension?

[@charlesdicaro4817]

Could you tell me if it is possible to run 2 motors XL on the same port, but without using alternating polarity. The power there will not be too high for the port ?

[@nextstorming3908]

the only way you can do two XL motors on a single port is alternating quickly between full power one way and full power the other

[@reneebooth8144]

hey can you make me a power functions cable so i can hook my m-motor to it

[@DmitriNesteruk]

Is it possible to connect *more* than 2 motors to a single port?

[@username9774]

with custom programming blocks you can

[@hanminhsing5265]

Instead of using unregulated motor, can I use large motor or move steering/tank to control multiple motors' speed?

[@VOLTRONDEFENDER4440]

Late reply but that won’t work tank blocks control 2 ports

[@thatguyfromyoutube5065]

Can you also connect 2 Ev3 motors to that cable?

[@jonasgilje1645]

No problem, since all motors are basically the same in the pf/mindstorms ecosystem

[@Kaesar2008]

Wow amazing. It`s good to know that each output port supports two motors. I`m converting the Lego 9398 Crawler to EV3 and wondering how to connect 2 motors in one port. can I connect then in parallel using just the part of your cable with resistors?

[@TechnicRobot]

yes, if you parallel run two motors in same direction, like 9398. you can simple use the EV3 ID resistors and connect parallel motors on single port (M1 & M2). but careful the current limitation on EV3 output port, also you can take a look my other video: LEGO EV3 Controlling Power Functions Motor

[@Kaesar2008]

TechnicRobot Thanks. The max current is a big issue but I didn`t find any information about output ports in the net, just about the motors. Do you have this information?

[@TechnicRobot]

the motor driver of EV3 is LB1836M, should be safe if within 1A per output channel

[@Kaesar2008]

TechnicRobot I followed your directions to understand the Brick interface. I solved the problem using 2 relays and 2 diodes to switch between the positive and negative cicles of the motors. I posted a video with the Garden Explorer project in my channel with credits for you. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@TechnicRobot]

Your Garden Explorer project very cool, thanks for your sharing!

[@gruenkragena.z.4597]

Can U Run them in different directions?

[@dinhtuan752]

No

[@emilienbenoit858]

please, do you know how to control a mindstorm ev3 motor connected to a sensor port?

[@felixbaum2180]

nah that's physically not possible

[@Bricksfaction]

Perfect

[@Visalam1971]

awesome

[@TomBom292]

Could this be done on the NXT?

[@explosionsandgunsandfunnys3755]

You can because the connectors are the same

[@emadreda3899]

I need like this in motor prashless

[@Leeham03]

how to kill batteries

[@nguyendangminhn]

what tool to use with heat shrink tube?

[@thilotech]

A normal Blowdryer

[@dinhtuan752]

Or hairdryer

[@jmnijsse]

Does it work with Pybricks / EV3 micropython too?

[@dinhtuan752]

no answer

[@jmnijsse]

@@dinhtuan752 No, not yet...😞

[@dinhtuan752]

sorry

[@shou955]

No reverse, whatz the point

[@felixbaum2180]

I have 4 Large LEGO ev3 motors. I connected them to ABCD and the damn thing would only run two at a time. WTF??? Can i break this somehow? I mean you also used all 4 ports at the same time

[@felixbaum2180]

Ouh wait you mean it would work if I'd just change the output rapidly?

[@VOLTRONDEFENDER4440]

Cool

[@explosionsandgunsandfunnys3755]

Can you put more then 10 moters

[@dinhtuan752]

no

[@kitshing7178]

oh nice

[@edithpumamayta2394]

No comprendo de electricidad, pero me gusta la robotica.

[@boshjosh1918]

cool

[@elijahdecalmer613]

I don't think it's dum

[@elijahdecalmer613]

Its cool

[@Technicmaster0]

I think that it's stupid because both motors can only run into one direction when this mod is used.

[@TechnicRobot]

but some system and machine control required motor/power run in one direction/polarity only. Pneumatic Motorized Compressor, GBC, Light, LED, Relay... etc :)

[@Technicmaster0]

Okay. But maybe you should wait with this until there is a proper way to turn on the current forwards and backwards at the same time (if that's possible).

[@anujmchitale]

***** The safest way would be to use a multiplexer IC and amplifiers after that. Sync the multiplexer clock cycle with the data cycle on that particular port. So many combinations would be possible!

[@Technicmaster0]

Maybe you should use MonoBrick to program your robots ;) monobrick.dk

[@vladlupascu5514]

They can move only one direction but if you connect 7 of them to 7 switches and use the eighth motor to move all the switches, then you have 7 motors that can move left and right, sure, they can only move in one direction at once, but if the eighth motor is strong enough it can switch rapidly.

[@gerdstreuninger2066]

OMFG

[@jeenu815]

Bro wtf lol

[@Error-mi5yp]

KZbin's cool

[@shuli66]

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