Get to Know the L298N Motor Driver: Power, Capabilities & What It Can Drive

Whether you're building a simple robot, a remote-controlled car, or an automated platform, the L298N dual H-Bridge motor driver board is one of the most versatile and affordable tools in the maker's toolbox. But how much power can it really handle? What kind of motors can you drive with it? And how should you wire it for different voltage setups?

This guide takes you deeper than just "plug it into an Arduino" — we’ll unpack the actual hardware, power requirements, and real-world use cases for the L298N.

What is the L298N Motor Driver?

The L298N is a dual H-Bridge motor driver IC, commonly mounted on a breakout board for ease of use. It’s capable of controlling two DC motors independently or one stepper motor, with forward and reverse direction and basic speed control via PWM.

The board typically includes:

• L298N IC (dual H-bridge)

• 5V regulator (can power logic side from motor voltage)

• Heat sink for dissipation

• Screw terminals for motors and power

• Header pins for logic inputs and ENA/ENB (PWM)

Powering the L298N Board

Input Voltage (Motor Power - "12V IN")

• Accepts 5V to 35V on the motor power input (recommended: 6V–24V for safety)

• This powers your motors directly

• The current limit is around 2A per channel (peak), but ~1A continuous is more reliable without extra cooling

  
  

Logic Voltage

• The board includes a 5V regulator, which powers the logic circuitry when the jumper is placed over the "5V EN" pins

• If you're supplying more than 12V to the motor input, it’s better to remove the jumper and power logic from your Arduino or external 5V supply to avoid overheating

  
  

Important Notes:

• Remove the 5V jumper if you're using a power source over 12V to avoid damaging the onboard regulator

• The L298N does not support 3.3V logic directly — it needs 5V logic signals

•  logic input pins (IN1/IN2 for Motor A, IN3/IN4 for Motor B)

• 1 Enable pin (ENA or ENB) to turn the motor on/off or control speed with PWM

  
  

Basic Motion Logic:

IN1	IN2	Result
1	0	Forward
0	1	Reverse
0	0	Motor off
1	1	Brake/Stop

Speed is controlled by sending a PWM signal to ENA or ENB.

What Motors Can You Drive?

Small DC Motors

• Voltage: 6V to 12V typically

• Current: Up to ~1.5A stall current

• Examples: TT motors, N20 gear motors, mini fan motors

  
  

Stepper Motors

• Bipolar stepper motors (4-wire types)

• Example: 28BYJ-48 (after unipolar conversion), NEMA 17 with low current

  
  

Not Suitable For:

• High-current motors (>2A)

• 12V car fans, drill motors, or RC brushless motors

• Precise current-controlled stepper setups (use A4988 or DRV8825 instead)

  
  

Typical Applications (Without Arduino)

Even without a microcontroller, you can:

• Toggle motor direction manually with switches

• Use a 555 timer circuit for basic PWM speed control

• Control via analog circuits or remote relays

  
  

Real Power Setup Example

Let’s say you’re running two 6V motors with a 7.4V Li-ion battery:

• Connect 7.4V to motor power input (12V IN)

• Place the 5V jumper if you’re not using an external logic supply

• Connect motors to OUT1/OUT2 and OUT3/OUT4

• Use a 10k resistor pulldown on unused input pins if left floating

  
  

Heat & Protection

• The L298N can get hot! Always monitor temperature if running over 1A

• Consider adding a small fan or heatsink upgrade

• Fuse your motor power input if working with batteries to prevent fires on short circuits

  
  

Summary: Quick Specs

Feature	Value
Motor Voltage Input	5–35V
Logic Voltage	5V
Max Current (per ch.)	2A peak / 1A cont.
Channels	2 DC / 1 Stepper
PWM Support	Yes (via ENA/ENB)

Final Thoughts

The L298N is cheap, robust, and great for small to mid-sized DIY projects. While it’s not the most power-efficient or compact, it gets the job done for budget robots, RC cars, and automation setups.