# DRV8833 motor driver: limits, pins and the 10.8 V ceiling

> A low-voltage dual H-bridge: 2.7 to 10.8 V motor supply, 1.5 A RMS per bridge at 5 V, with the datasheet limits and the pins explained.

Canonical: https://roboticsengineering.in/components/drv8833-motor-driver/ | Published: 2026-11-03 | Updated: 2026-11-03

**The DRV8833 is a dual H-bridge for low-voltage motors: it accepts 2.7 to 10.8 V on the motor supply and is rated 1.5 A RMS (2 A peak) per bridge at 5 V, with a combined high-side and low-side on-resistance of 360 mΩ.** That makes it a good fit for small gear motors on a one or two cell battery, and a poor fit for anything that needs more than about 1.5 A per motor. Figures are from the Texas Instruments datasheet SLVSAR1E; check your module’s actual chip package before relying on them.

## Key specifications

| Motor supply | 2.7–10.8 V |
| --- | --- |
| Output per bridge | 1.5 A RMS, 2 A peak (5 V, PowerPAD/WQFN) |
| Bridges in parallel | 3 A RMS, 4 A peak |
| On-resistance (HS+LS) | 360 mΩ |
| Protection | overcurrent, short circuit, undervoltage, overtemperature |
| Sleep input | nSLEEP |

## What the datasheet promises

| Item | Datasheet value |
| --- | --- |
| Motor supply (VM) | 2.7 to 10.8 V |
| Output current per bridge, VM = 5 V, 25 °C | 1.5 A RMS, 2 A peak (HTSSOP-PowerPAD and WQFN packages); 500 mA RMS, 2 A peak (plain TSSOP) |
| Two bridges in parallel | 3 A RMS, 4 A peak (PowerPAD and WQFN) |
| On-resistance, high side plus low side | 360 mΩ |
| Overcurrent trip level | 2 A minimum, 3.3 A as listed; retry after about 1.35 ms |
| Thermal shutdown | about 150 to 180 °C die temperature |
| Undervoltage lockout | VM below about 2.6 V |

The datasheet also notes that on-resistance rises and the maximum current falls when VM is below 5 V. Treat the 1.5 A figure as a ceiling at 5 V, not a promise at 3 V.

## Pins and what they do

- **VM:** motor supply. The datasheet asks for a ceramic capacitor of at least 10 µF close to the pin.
- **GND:** ground; the PowerPAD on the underside must also be grounded.
- **AIN1, AIN2, BIN1, BIN2:** logic inputs that set the state of the outputs for bridge A and bridge B. Each has an internal pulldown.
- **AOUT1, AOUT2, BOUT1, BOUT2:** the motor connections.
- **nSLEEP:** logic high enables the chip, logic low puts it in a low-power sleep mode and resets its internal logic. Hold it high for normal use.
- **nFAULT:** open-drain output, pulled low during an overtemperature or overcurrent fault.
- **AISEN, BISEN:** current-sense pins; connect to ground through a sense resistor if you want current regulation, or straight to ground if you do not.

Many hobby modules tie nSLEEP high and connect the sense pins to ground for you. Check the silkscreen and the schematic of the board you bought rather than assuming.

## The voltage limit is the catch

Because VM tops out at 10.8 V, a 3S lithium pack at full charge (12.6 V) is too high, and the absolute maximum rating is 11.8 V. A 2S pack (8.4 V full) fits. For higher-voltage motors use a driver with a wider range, for example the [L298N](https://roboticsengineering.in/components/l298n-motor-driver/) or a modern MOSFET driver. For a comparison of low-drop drivers see the [TB6612FNG guide](https://roboticsengineering.in/components/tb6612fng-motor-driver/).

## Protection and how it behaves

The chip shuts the outputs down on overcurrent, short circuit, undervoltage and overtemperature, and pulls nFAULT low. After an overcurrent event it retries after the protection period. If a motor stalls and the driver keeps cutting out, the fix is a smaller load or a bigger driver, not a bigger capacitor. Symptoms and fixes are in [DRV8833 weak or hot](https://roboticsengineering.in/fix/drv8833-motor-driver-weak-or-hot-current-limit/).

## Sources and further reading

- [Texas Instruments DRV8833 datasheet (SLVSAR1E)](https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/drv8833.pdf) — every figure in the table above.

Last reviewed: November 2026. Limits are from the Texas Instruments datasheet; module markings and pin order vary between clones. No price is quoted because it has not been checked.