Adafruit Motor Stepper Servo Shield v2.3 Kit for Arduino

Motor Shield Kit for Arduino Projects

The Adafruit Motor Stepper Servo Shield v2.3 Kit lets makers drive up to four DC motors or two stepper motors from a single Arduino board. It uses a TB6612 MOSFET driver instead of the older L293D, delivering 1.2A per channel with 3A peak current and lower voltage drop for better torque. The fully dedicated PWM driver chip handles all speed control over I2C using only the SDA and SCL pins, leaving other pins free for sensors or additional shields.

Check Power Supply and Pin Availability

Before ordering, verify your project can supply motor power between 4.5VDC and 13.5VDC through the large terminal blocks that accept 18 to 26AWG wire. The shield draws logic power from the Arduino but requires a separate motor supply; ensure your power source can handle the combined stall current of all connected motors. You will also need to solder straight or stacking headers and the terminal blocks onto the board before use.

Thermals Noise and Power Draw

Each H-bridge includes thermal shutdown protection and internal kickback diodes, so the driver protects itself if a motor stalls or the board overheats during extended runs. The MOSFET design runs cooler than Darlington alternatives because of the lower voltage drop across the channels. In normal operation the shield adds minimal electrical noise to the I2C bus and draws negligible current from the Arduino's own regulator.