Picon Zero motor madnes

I’m having big problems with picon zero .
I’m trying to make a rover based on rc tank base.
super simple setup:
Picon zero fed through external Vin (jumpers set to Vin).
Raspberry zero as a brain, powered from battery bank.
And two track motors attached to motor A/B screw terminals.
First board got extremely hot moment after connecting power(chip closest to screw terminals).
But because it was used previously in different projects running multiple servos, I thought OK maybe it’s just damaged.
Bought second board picon zero, and now its even stranger:
After running motortest.py, motors or go accordingly with button presses but stop after like 2sec or rotate as they should just to go to max speed 2sec after without ever stopping or responding to commands .
What is interesting is that script and raspberry pi is fully responsive but picon not. Only method to stop those from running is to cut power of.

Any ideas or suggestions on different similar priced motor boards with on-board PWM?

Kind Regards
Mike

I’m building a rover with the Explorer pHat, https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/explorer-phat I’m driving two motors per channel. This is what I’m using, https://www.adafruit.com/product/2939 I just ditched the caster and added two more of those same motors. I’ve only done a quick test to make sure all the motors work. They all worked, forward reverse, etc. It’s a Christmas present so it’s put away for now. To be finished up after I open the box , lol. I didn’t want to find out something was defective after my 30 day return period was over so I did some quick test and boxed it up.

Hi

Thank you I’ve just added it to my basket.
Again thank you for suggestion.

Hopefully that works out for you. I’ve had my Explorer pHat for a while but only just got the actual rover chaise. I plan on adding some motion/distance sensors at some point. Monies tight so I just slowly pick away at it buying parts here and there when I can. I hope to have it drivable after Christmas. I have the battery and Powerboost. I’ll need to refine my python a code a bit so I can adjust the speed with keyboard presses. All I’ve done so far is forward, reverse, left, right. Like I mentioned its supposed to be a Christmas present so I’ve only done the bare minimum to make sure it works.

If you are looking for cheap components but you are not really concerned about time I highly recommend looking in to those websites:
banggood.com
dx.com
fasttech.com
They are super cheap Chinese suppliers.
I regularly buy from them, postage takes around 3-4 weeks(it’s usually free) but was never disappointed.
Just put raspberry pi or Arduino into search box.

Kind Regards
Mike

I think I’ll stick to Pimoroni and Adafruit. They usually have everything I’m looking for, and excellent help/learning sections on their web sites. Thanks anyway.