Hello all,
I am trying to understand the difference between two of you products
a) PCA9685 16-Channel 8W Open Collector 12-Bit PWM FET Driver with I2C Interface
b) PCA9685 16-Channel 8W 12V FET Driver Proportional Valve Controller with I2C Interface
Both a) and b) use the same controller and FET hence I was wondering why b) can only use 12V of DC and a) 55V. Is it possible to drive b) with 55V DC?
Also what is the function of the capacitors in b) ? Are they low pass filters for PWM?
In my case I would ideally want a device with 16+ channels and a variable DC voltage (0-50V+) for each channel, so if you could recommend another product that would be great.
Hi Marcin,
Both controllers use the PCA9685 PWM controller.
Board A is open collector, designed for non-inductive loads, but it has caps on-board for light duty induction if needed to help reduce noise. The output of this controller is ground and open collector. The open collector connects to ground under PWM control. This board is suitable for a wide operating voltage on the FETs provided the 8W heat limit of the fets is not exceeded.
Board B is also open collector, but it focused on inductive loads in the 0-12V output range, and should never be used at higher voltages. The outputs of this device are 12V and PWM controlled ground, suitable for direct connection to many variable voltage devices.
Please let me know if you have more questions.
Thanks,
Ryan