L298N Dual H-Bridge Stepper and DC Motor Driver Board
The L298N drives two DC motors or one bipolar stepper motor from a single board, accepting motor supply voltages from 5V to 35V and logic inputs at 5V. Each channel controls direction and speed via IN1/IN2 (direction) and ENA (PWM speed) pins, delivering up to 2A per channel (4A combined peak). An onboard 5V regulator supplies logic power from the motor supply when the motor voltage is 7V or above, eliminating the need for a separate 5V supply for the Arduino.
- Two DC motor channels — or one bipolar stepper motor
- 5V–35V motor supply
- 2A per channel continuous (4A peak combined)
- PWM speed control via ENA and ENB enable pins
- Onboard 5V regulator — powers Arduino from motor supply (7V+)
- Thermal protection — L298N shuts down above 150°C junction temperature
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Driver IC | L298N (ST Microelectronics) |
| Motor supply | 5V – 35V |
| Max current (per channel) | 2A continuous, 3A peak |
| Logic input voltage | 5V |
| Onboard 5V regulator | Present (disable for motor supply below 7V) |
| Motor channels | 2 DC or 1 bipolar stepper |
Does the L298N work with 3.3V ESP32 logic?
Partially. The L298N input logic threshold is around 2.3V, so 3.3V signals from ESP32 typically drive it reliably. However, the ENA/ENB enable pins pulled to 5V by the board's jumpers work correctly with 3.3V PWM input since the threshold is below 3.3V. Test with your specific motor supply voltage — some boards have higher thresholds.
Why does the L298N run hot?
The L298N is a linear H-bridge with approximately 1.4V voltage drop per transistor. At 2A per channel, this dissipates around 2.8W as heat — significant enough to require a heatsink at continuous load. The onboard aluminium heatsink covers the L298N package; add an additional external heatsink or reduce duty cycle if the chip reaches thermal shutdown.
Best for
Arduino robot chassis motors, bipolar stepper motor projects, conveyor belt drives, camera pan-tilt mechanisms, automated curtain rails, and any two-DC-motor application under 2A continuous.
Why Kunkune
Shipped from UK stock. 60-day returns, no minimum order. Fast Royal Mail delivery.
Buying in bulk? For orders of 10+ units, contact us for trade pricing.
