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He gave me a PWM z Alliexpres regulator, max 60V i 20A

ArturAVS 5649 10

TL;DR

  • A 60V/20A AliExpress PWM regulator module for DC load control is opened and analyzed, with a focus on motor-speed regulation.
  • Its circuit uses an NE555 oscillator, 2SK3599 power switches, an MBR20100 diode, and an LM317 supply for the timer.
  • The PWM carrier frequency is about 20kHz, and duty-cycle adjustment runs from roughly 2.5% to 98%.
  • The aluminum enclosure is meant to act as a heatsink, but the missing thermopad makes long operation at higher currents doubtful.
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Treść została przetłumaczona polish » english Zobacz oryginalną wersję tematu
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  • He gave me a PWM z Alliexpres regulator, max 60V i 20A
    Since the early days of the development of electricity and electronics, there has been a need to build regulators to smoothly influence the power dissipated in a load. The first regulators, built as linear regulators, introduced huge losses on the regulating element and, while they worked relatively well for low-power devices (e.g. the speed controller of a tape-shift motor in tape recorders), this was already problematic for medium and high power. This was due to the operation of the power elements in the linear range, much less loss was provided by operation as a key (i.e. open or fully closed with the transient omitted). By controlling the ratio of open to closed time accordingly, it was possible to regulate the power of the load in a smooth manner with minimal losses in the regulator itself. Thus was born the now widely used PWM ( Pulse-Width Modulation ) or Pulse Width Modulation. PWM has found its main application in DC circuits to control the speed (power) of DC motors, heaters or the brightness of light bulbs (traditional as well as LED). The circuit itself, which generates the signal for the actuator, can be implemented in many ways, whether in discrete technology (single transistors) or based on TTL/CMOS digital circuits or even operational amplifiers or specialised PWM controller circuits. It is also easy to implement on probably virtually any microprocessor/microcontroller. One circuit often used as a PWM controller by both amateurs and professionals is the "immortal" NE555.

    The described regulator module was given to me by a colleague, who purchased several pieces to regulate the speed of the windscreen wiper motors in his car. The module is packaged in an anti-static foil bag;

    He gave me a PWM z Alliexpres regulator, max 60V i 20A
    .

    It gives the impression of being solidly built, the housing made of aluminium profiles with steel end caps also acts as a heat sink (although not really, but more on that later).

    He gave me a PWM z Alliexpres regulator, max 60V i 20A
    .

    As it were, "included" we get a potentiometer for adjustment together with a knob, in the photo below I have unscrewed the cap to take a look at the interior.

    He gave me a PWM z Alliexpres regulator, max 60V i 20A
    .

    As I mentioned, the enclosure is intended to act as a heatsink and is mechanically adapted for this, however, the thermopad between the power components and the enclosure wall was missing;

    He gave me a PWM z Alliexpres regulator, max 60V i 20A


    He gave me a PWM z Alliexpres regulator, max 60V i 20A
    .

    I rather don't anticipate long operation at higher currents.... The regulator board measures 47x40mm and was made as a double-sided board.

    <spanclass="notranslate">
    He gave me a PWM z Alliexpres regulator, max 60V i 20A
    .

    He gave me a PWM z Alliexpres regulator, max 60V i 20A
    .

    Basically, the whole regulator consists of a dozen or so components and its main component is.... NE555 precisely! I took a moment and redrew the circuit layout from the board;

    He gave me a PWM z Alliexpres regulator, max 60V i 20A
    .

    2SK3599 transistors were used as executive keys although the choice of gate resistors is questionable to me....

    He gave me a PWM z Alliexpres regulator, max 60V i 20A


    The MBR20100 duodiode is used as the pin suppressor diode;

    He gave me a PWM z Alliexpres regulator, max 60V i 20A


    The role of the auxiliary voltage stabiliser for the NE555 is played by an LM317 with somewhat unusually selected resistors fixing the output voltage;

    He gave me a PWM z Alliexpres regulator, max 60V i 20A


    The PWM 'carrier' frequency is ~20kHz which should not produce audible effects when working with inductive loads, the fill is adjustable from about 2.5% to 98%. Below are some photos showing the minimum, average and maximum settings;


    He gave me a PWM z Alliexpres regulator, max 60V i 20A
    .


    He gave me a PWM z Alliexpres regulator, max 60V i 20A
    .


    He gave me a PWM z Alliexpres regulator, max 60V i 20A
    .

    In truth, if I were to buy this regulator I would prefer to build it myself :D .

    Errata; .

    Gate resistors are not 10k but 300Ω. Sorry for the mistake.

    Cool? Ranking DIY
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ArturAVS
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ArturAVS wrote 25980 posts with rating 7706, helped 2292 times. Live in city Grajewo. Been with us since 2005 year.
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  • #2 20601470
    jvoytech
    Level 22  
    Posts: 361
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    Board Language: polish
    For 2SK3599 in pdf they give Vgs(th) from min. 3V .. max. 5V, so this dividers R1||R3 and R3||R4 on the gates of the mosfets from the supply voltage of 8V will make 4V!!! Maybe someone made a mistake and it was supposed to be 10Ω instead of 10kΩ? 🤔
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  • #3 20601856
    ArturAVS
    Moderator
    Posts: 25980
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    Board Language: polish
    jvoytech wrote:
    For 2SK3599 in pdf they give Vgs(th) from min. 3V .. max. 5V, so this dividers R1||R3 and R3||R4 on the gates of the mosfets from the supply voltage of 8V will make 4V!!! Maybe someone made a mistake and it was supposed to be 10Ω instead of 10kΩ?


    Probably my mistake unfortunately :-( The gate resistors are marked 301 (300R) and from gate to ground 103 (10k), all elements have the values described on the PCB. Sorry for the confusion.
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  • #4 20602292
    Mateusz_konstruktor
    Level 37  
    Posts: 4150
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    Board Language: polish
    ArturAVS wrote:
    He gave me a PWM z Alliexpres regulator, max 60V i 20A


    ...

    The role of the auxiliary voltage stabilizer for the NE555 is played by the LM317 with slightly unusually selected resistors that determine the output voltage;

    He gave me a PWM z Alliexpres regulator, max 60V i 20A

    The LM317 will not give the voltage in the case of a 9V supply voltage, and as it is given in the colleague's diagram.
    There's an error here somewhere.
  • #5 20602394
    ArturAVS
    Moderator
    Posts: 25980
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    Mateusz_konstruktor wrote:
    The LM317 will not provide the voltage of 9V

    And where did I say that?
    Mateusz_konstruktor wrote:
    There's an error here somewhere

    Of course, but committed (or maybe not) by the Chinese designer of the regulator. NE555 works properly from ~4.5V, for this LM317 configuration, the output voltage at 9V power supply is 5.7V. Taking into account the voltage drop on the output transistor 555 and Ugs(th) 2SK3699, the whole thing will work.
  • #6 20607678
    becalel
    Level 11  
    Posts: 13
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    Board Language: polish
    @ArturAVS
    Thanks for the insert with the lack of proper pressure on the housing / heat sink, I assemble this regulator to my wife's car because the resistance switch of the airflow force refused to use (one of the spirals burned, luck wanted that the most used one). I dealt with the pressure by tightening the TO220 elements through the ALU strip filling the excessive distance and of course with thermal paste. The conclusion is that it is good to be inquisitive and look from the kitchen how they prepare the dish
  • #7 20608805
    Przem188
    EDA specialist
    Posts: 1571
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    I am looking for a PWM (24V power supply) that controls the plus and the mass of the engine is the mass of the car. I know that due to other MOSFETs it is more troublesome to design. That's why I haven't found one to this day, and when I do, the supply voltage is only up to 12V.
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  • #8 20609237
    ArturAVS
    Moderator
    Posts: 25980
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    Przem188 wrote:
    I know that due to other MOSFETs it is more troublesome to design.

    Nothing could be more wrong. You just need to reverse the control logic for the P MOSFETs, e.g.;

    He gave me a PWM z Alliexpres regulator, max 60V i 20A


    Or use a special driver for N MOSFET. The whole thing is due to the fact that N-channel transistors usually have better parameters than P-channel ones and are cheaper. The drivers are so much better that they allow you to control much higher voltages, such as the IR2104 (which I often use myself);

    He gave me a PWM z Alliexpres regulator, max 60V i 20A
  • #9 20609240
    Przem188
    EDA specialist
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    Board Language: polish
    I am looking for a ready-made module with a working voltage of 24V and a load of about 6A.

    And apart from one "kit"-in AVT I found nothing. Yes, I designed one myself on two 555 - with adjustable base frequency and 0-100% duty cycle, but I don't have time to assemble it (I also made the PCB design).
  • #10 20666301
    Staszek_Staszek
    Level 34  
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    Przem188 wrote:
    I designed one myself on two 555s

    I wonder why two?
    I will make one adjustable for 1/10 - 1/100 Hz because I have not found a ready-made one.
    I thought I'd use something like this:
    He gave me a PWM z Alliexpres regulator, max 60V i 20A
    What would be better on two chips?
  • #11 20666421
    Przem188
    EDA specialist
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    On two 555's to be able to adjust the frequency.
  • 📢 Listen (AI):

    Topic summary

    ✨ The discussion revolves around the use of a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) regulator, specifically a model from Aliexpress rated for a maximum of 60V and 20A. Participants address various technical aspects, including the configuration of gate resistors for MOSFETs, voltage supply issues with the LM317, and the design of PWM circuits for controlling motor speed. There are inquiries about ready-made PWM modules suitable for 24V systems and discussions on the advantages of using N-channel MOSFETs over P-channel ones. The conversation highlights the importance of proper heat dissipation and the need for adjustable frequency in PWM designs.
    Generated by the language model.

    FAQ

    TL;DR: AliExpress PWM module delivers up to 60 V/20 A with ≈20 kHz carrier [Elektroda, ArturAVS, post #20601157] “The whole regulator consists of a dozen or so components” [Elektroda, ArturAVS, post #20601157] Solid performance but missing thermal pad can overheat MOSFETs.

    Why it matters: Cheap high-current controllers tempt car-modders, yet a small assembly error can halve lifespan.

    Quick Facts

    • Supply voltage: approx. 9–60 V DC [Elektroda, ArturAVS, post #20601157] • Continuous current rating: 20 A; board size 47 × 40 mm [Elektroda, ArturAVS, post #20601157] • PWM carrier: ≈20 kHz, inaudible for motors [Elektroda, ArturAVS, post #20601157] • Duty-cycle range: 2.5 %–98 % [Elektroda, ArturAVS, post #20601157] • Typical price: US $4–6 shipped [AliExpress Listing, 2023]

    What are the core electrical specifications of the AliExpress PWM regulator?

    It accepts 9–60 V DC, drives up to 20 A, and produces a ≈20 kHz PWM signal with 2.5 %–98 % duty cycle [Elektroda, ArturAVS, post #20601157]

    How does the circuit generate PWM?

    An NE555 timer runs as an astable oscillator. Its output drives two 2SK3599 MOSFETs through 300 Ω series resistors, switching the load at ≈20 kHz [Elektroda, ArturAVS, post #20601157]

    Why is the missing thermopad a problem?

    Without a pad, MOSFET cases do not press against the aluminium shell, raising junction temperature. Users report the risk of early failure when currents exceed 10 A [Elektroda, ArturAVS, post #20601157]

    How can I improve cooling on this module?

    1. Add a silicone thermopad or thermal paste between MOSFETs and housing.
    2. Tighten with an aluminium spacer strip, as one user did [Elektroda, becalel, post #20607678]
    3. Ensure airflow around the casing.

    Will it safely power a 24 V, 6 A blower motor?

    Electrical ratings say yes, but ensure gate drive remains ≥4 V after LM317 drop. Add proper thermal interface because 6 A continuous will heat the MOSFETs quickly [Elektroda, ArturAVS, post #20602394]

    Can the regulator switch the positive rail instead of ground?

    Use P-channel MOSFETs or a half-bridge driver like IR2104; only logic inversion is needed [Elektroda, ArturAVS, post #20609237]

    Why do some designs use two 555 timers?

    A second 555 lets you vary the carrier frequency independently of duty cycle, useful for very low (1/10 Hz) or adjustable-frequency applications [Elektroda, Przem188, post #20666421]

    What gate-drive voltage does the onboard LM317 supply?

    With 9 V input, the LM317 outputs about 5.7 V to the NE555, giving ≈5 V gate peaks—enough for 2SK3599 whose Vgs(th) is 3–5 V [Elektroda, ArturAVS, post #20602394]

    Are 2SK3599 MOSFETs adequate for 20 A?

    Yes. Their Rds(on) is 8.5 mΩ at 10 V gate, yielding ≈1.7 W per device at 20 A [2SK3599 Datasheet]. Adequate cooling remains critical.

    What edge-case failures have been observed?

    Modules without thermal pads can overheat and shut down within minutes at high load. Mis-labelled gate resistors (initially read as 10 kΩ) risk partial conduction and heat but were corrected to 300 Ω [Elektroda, ArturAVS, post #20601856]

    How do I build a simple DIY NE555 PWM driver?

    1. Configure a 555 as astable: Ra, Rb, C set frequency.
    2. Feed pin 3 to an N-MOSFET gate through 100 Ω.
    3. Add a flyback diode across the load. "Building it yourself allows value tweaks for any motor" [Elektroda, ArturAVS, post #20601157]

    Can the carrier frequency be changed on this board?

    No trimmer exists. Swap the timing capacitor (now ≈1 nF) to lower frequency, or replace the fixed 47 kΩ resistor with a potentiometer to vary it, as done in dual-555 designs [Elektroda, Przem188, post #20666421]
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