Ardumoto Kit Hookup Guide
jimblom, 
MTaylor Introduction
The Ardumoto Shield is a dual-motor controller for Arduino. Combined with an Arduino, the Ardumoto makes a fantastic controller platform for RC vehicles or even small autonomous robots. It's now easier to use, featuring control signal LEDs, while also being much more flexible for advanced users.
We sell the Ardumoto Shield either alone or with a set of motors and wheels in our Ardumoto Shield Kit. This kit includes the shield as well as pairs of tires, motors and connectors. And, of course, it's all stuffed in a classic SparkFun red box (which may come in handy as a robot chassis).
Covered in This Tutorial
This tutorial covers assembly and use of both the Ardumoto Shield and the Ardumoto Shield Kit. Digging deeper, we'll get into some assembly tips and an example Arduino sketch. We will also present some additional resources that can help you get the most out of your board.
This guide assumes you are familiar with the Arduino platform and can successfully compile and load a program to an ATmega328P based board, such as blink.ino.
Required Tools & Materials
To follow along with this tutorial, you'll need an Ardumoto Shield or the Ardumoto Shield Kit, and an Arduino or Arduino-compatible development board.
Equipping the Ardumoto Shield (Non-Kit Version)
If all you have is the shield, you will also probably want a couple of DC motors to drive. The Ardumoto can control most small DC motors, like any of those in our DC motor category.
You'll also need a handful of connectors to get everything wired up together. We recommend Stackable Headers to connect your Ardumoto to your Arduino, and two or three 3.5mm Screw Terminals to help connect motors to your Ardumoto.
To upgrade an Ardumoto Shield to a kit, add the following components:
Powering the Shield
Both the shield and the kit will require a power source. Batteries are usually your best bet --- we recommend a 9V alkaline battery, which will work perfectly with the included 9V-to-Barrel Jack Adapter.
Required Tools
Finally, you'll also need a few tools, including a soldering iron, solder, wire strippers and a screwdriver:
Suggested Reading
The Ardumoto is a great platform for first-time motor users (and experienced ones too!). There are, however, a few concepts you should be familiar with before clicking over to the next few pages. Here are some tutorials we recommend reading first:
- Motors and Selecting the Right One --- Learn all about motors before learning how to control them.
- Arduino Shields --- This tutorial provides an overview of shields in general. It also contains an assembly guide for attaching headers to your shield.
- Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) --- PWM is used to control the speed of our motors.
- How to Solder: Through Hole --- To electrically secure the connectors and headers, you'll need to solder them to your shield.
- Voltage, Current, Resistance and Ohm's Law --- When we dive into the L298, it'll be good to know the basics of voltage and current.