I got a 6 AA cell pack. So I can basically get 8.2V.
I need to power an Arduino and 2 DC motors driven by a L293D.
My Arduino can accept 7V to 12V DC input and the L293D between 4.5v to 36V.
Can I simply deviate another line from the cell pack and feed the L293D with it? I want to do that because the load of the two DC motors can quickly be around 200mA/motor, the 5V input is 500mA max, I've got other things to feed with (one servo, an IR sensor, some leds and two other sensors) so I can quickly be higher than 500mA.
Something like this:
simulate this circuit – Schematic created using CircuitLab
Best Answer
Yes, you can have multiple devices hanging off the same pair of supply rails.
You should not have multiple ground paths though - like the ground-to-ground connection shown between the Arduino and the L293D in the diagram. Ideally, all the devices should connect to each other and the supply ground at a single point, to avoid ground loops.
Also add hefty capacitors (10 to 100 uF) between Vcc and Gnd pins of each device to decouple the supply.