1.4b Radio Transmission(?) Problem Not Present in 1.3b
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Because it is send in bursts it can require more current then when not send in bursts. Can not check because have only a cheap multimeter which does not show maximum currents and is not fast enough to show even the current used.
Also i have a device with multiple sensors and display where the radio which is getting 3.4something volts from a L78L33AC regulator which is having an regulated input of 5 volts from a power source regulator and it works almost perfectly in the beginning but now perfectly.
I forgot to put a capacitor between the L78 Vout and RF Vin / ground. But now it is sending happily even when there is current pulled by the display (120>ma when back light is on) at the same time.
If you have the equipment check if the supplied current is the same in all the configurations. Maybe the regulator is requesting to much current to step up in combination with the radio when sending and the batteries can not supply it.
My Domotica project: http://www.pidome.org
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Because it is send in bursts it can require more current then when not send in bursts. Can not check because have only a cheap multimeter which does not show maximum currents and is not fast enough to show even the current used.
Also i have a device with multiple sensors and display where the radio which is getting 3.4something volts from a L78L33AC regulator which is having an regulated input of 5 volts from a power source regulator and it works almost perfectly in the beginning but now perfectly.
I forgot to put a capacitor between the L78 Vout and RF Vin / ground. But now it is sending happily even when there is current pulled by the display (120>ma when back light is on) at the same time.
If you have the equipment check if the supplied current is the same in all the configurations. Maybe the regulator is requesting to much current to step up in combination with the radio when sending and the batteries can not supply it.
@John
Yeah I only have a Fluke 16, so I can't measure the current while the radio is transmitting either. Are there any alternative step up regulators to the one in the store? http://www.ebay.com/itm/231083181020 -
Looking at the specs on the regulator I listed, I doubt the radio is exceeding 400-600MA?
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Yeah those regulators in the Ebay store are probably not great. Decoupling is probably a good idea, but 4.7nF wasn't enough if I recall an earlier discussion correctly. Try 22nF or something like that. Or ceramic? But you can probably run the sensors on just 2x1.5V batteries for the time being, until another regulator is available. That is what I plan to do anyway.
The boost modules that @axillent was prototyping can't arrive fast enough :-)
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Yeah those regulators in the Ebay store are probably not great. Decoupling is probably a good idea, but 4.7nF wasn't enough if I recall an earlier discussion correctly. Try 22nF or something like that. Or ceramic? But you can probably run the sensors on just 2x1.5V batteries for the time being, until another regulator is available. That is what I plan to do anyway.
The boost modules that @axillent was prototyping can't arrive fast enough :-)
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Looks like the NRF24L01 power consumption is WAY below the regulators limit.
11.3mA Radio TX at 0dBm
12.3mA Radio RX at 2Mbps on-air data-rate -
It was just a wild guess, because i personally didn't have any noticeable problems haven't dived deep into to hardware (yet), only software part.
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@bjornhallberg said:
4.7nF wasn't enough if I recall an earlier discussion correctly. Try 22nF or something like that.
I guess you mean 4.7uF and 22uF (micro Farad instead of nano Farad)?!
@Yveaux Haha, yeah, uF. But I think I remember some thread where we tried larger capacitors with greater success. Basically, the 4.7uF was pretty much useless?
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Yeah those regulators in the Ebay store are probably not great. Decoupling is probably a good idea, but 4.7nF wasn't enough if I recall an earlier discussion correctly. Try 22nF or something like that. Or ceramic? But you can probably run the sensors on just 2x1.5V batteries for the time being, until another regulator is available. That is what I plan to do anyway.
The boost modules that @axillent was prototyping can't arrive fast enough :-)
That was it!!!!! I tried 22uF, was still doggie, so I thought why not move up to 47uF ;-) and what do you know, that seems to be the winning value. I have some more testing, but looking pretty good so far.
Thanks everybody for all the suggestions.
