There are many motor applications where a full motor controller just isn’t needed. Sometimes all you need to do is to move a motor one direction and then the other without controlling speed. We’ve compiled a short list of a couple basic options for your project.

Motor Control using a DPDT Switch

In this application you can control the direction of a motor using a simple DPDT (double-pole double-throw) switch. The center terminal on either side of a DPDT switch is the COMMON terminal which is connected to one of the outside terminals when the switch is thrown. Take a look at the schematic below. When the switch is thrown DOWN terminals 3 and 4 are connected to terminals 1 and 2, respectively.

NOTE: When using this method, be sure to use an ON-OFF-ON DPDT switch. This means that there is a neutral position where nothing is connected. This way you can turn your motor off.

Motor Control using Limit Switches

Our next method for simple motor control uses two push-button switches such as part number TAM-046-000. With this method, when a switch is pressed it connects one of the motor terminals to ground. Otherwise the motor terminal is connected to your battery’s positive terminal. The advantage to this is that when neither button is pressed, both motor terminals are connected to B+ which causes the motor to brake.

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