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  3. Need working example battery powered sensor

Need working example battery powered sensor

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  • J Jan Gatzke

    I have never done this before. But basically you need the c code of the bootloader for your Arduino. Then open it with a text editor and change the f_cpu value. Then compile and flash it using avrdude.

    I googled and found this:
    http://angryelectron.com/how-to-update-the-bootloader-on-arduino-pro-mini-328/

    I would use Atmel studio for these low level tasks if you are running on Windows.

    J Offline
    J Offline
    Jan Gatzke
    wrote on last edited by
    #12

    @Jan-Gatzke said:

    I have never done this before. But basically you need the c code of the bootloader for your Arduino. Then open it with a text editor and change the f_cpu value. Then compile and flash it using avrdude.

    I googled and found this:
    http://angryelectron.com/how-to-update-the-bootloader-on-arduino-pro-mini-328/

    I would use Atmel studio for these low level tasks if you are running in Windows.

    Edit: Found already compiled bootloaders here: http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=160647.15

    F 1 Reply Last reply
    1
    • J Jan Gatzke

      @Jan-Gatzke said:

      I have never done this before. But basically you need the c code of the bootloader for your Arduino. Then open it with a text editor and change the f_cpu value. Then compile and flash it using avrdude.

      I googled and found this:
      http://angryelectron.com/how-to-update-the-bootloader-on-arduino-pro-mini-328/

      I would use Atmel studio for these low level tasks if you are running in Windows.

      Edit: Found already compiled bootloaders here: http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=160647.15

      F Offline
      F Offline
      funky81
      wrote on last edited by
      #13

      @Jan-Gatzke Thank you very much Sir....Now this is getting excited :+1:

      F 1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • J Offline
        J Offline
        jovo
        wrote on last edited by jovo
        #14

        I broke one Arduino by removing the power regulator
        I broke another one while playing with the fuses (I think?) in an attempt to set the 1Mhz system clock.
        I tried all suggested "low power/sleep/pwr_dwn sketches" I came across, but one of them was giving my a better power consumption then the default "sleep time" option used in the sketches of mysensors.
        The only thing that was working as removing the LED. This saves approx. 1.2mA.

        I am now at 3.3mA sleep consumption. Adding the DC-DC power booster to the config once received from China, so I expect to add another extra mA consumption.
        Not sure if 4.5mA sleep pwr draw is sustainable for battery operators (only 26 days on a 2800mAh batterypack).

        Since I believe that lowering the clock rate could be the solution for my project, I ordered some more mini-pro's to experiment more with the fuses setting.

        Overall, despite the mixed results, still a very interesting project where I had great learning on my rusty hardware and programming skills....

        Any further suggestions to improve pwr consumption remain always welcome :-)

        A 1 Reply Last reply
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        • J jovo

          I broke one Arduino by removing the power regulator
          I broke another one while playing with the fuses (I think?) in an attempt to set the 1Mhz system clock.
          I tried all suggested "low power/sleep/pwr_dwn sketches" I came across, but one of them was giving my a better power consumption then the default "sleep time" option used in the sketches of mysensors.
          The only thing that was working as removing the LED. This saves approx. 1.2mA.

          I am now at 3.3mA sleep consumption. Adding the DC-DC power booster to the config once received from China, so I expect to add another extra mA consumption.
          Not sure if 4.5mA sleep pwr draw is sustainable for battery operators (only 26 days on a 2800mAh batterypack).

          Since I believe that lowering the clock rate could be the solution for my project, I ordered some more mini-pro's to experiment more with the fuses setting.

          Overall, despite the mixed results, still a very interesting project where I had great learning on my rusty hardware and programming skills....

          Any further suggestions to improve pwr consumption remain always welcome :-)

          A Offline
          A Offline
          AWI
          Hero Member
          wrote on last edited by
          #15

          @jovo I had some problems with mini's I ordered which can be "switched" between 3.3 and 5v. These mini's use a voltage divider that consumes around 2 mA.! Apart from the led and regulator I alse needed to remove this divider to get to less consumption.
          upload-4891e188-701a-4c2b-a302-afd4caa9b6b0

          J hansiiiH 2 Replies Last reply
          0
          • A AWI

            @jovo I had some problems with mini's I ordered which can be "switched" between 3.3 and 5v. These mini's use a voltage divider that consumes around 2 mA.! Apart from the led and regulator I alse needed to remove this divider to get to less consumption.
            upload-4891e188-701a-4c2b-a302-afd4caa9b6b0

            J Offline
            J Offline
            jovo
            wrote on last edited by
            #16

            @AWI: Tx for the feedback. I checked with my mini's. I got both versions: 5v and 3v3 (ordered from BEEStore). They seems not to be switchable. they 3v3 one have a 8Mhz crystal and the regulator (AMS 1117) for 3v3. the 5v one has 16Mhz crystal and a 5v version of this regulator.

            I was wondering, in my design I plan to power the board directly from the VCC pin (not the raw). I suspect that the regulator doesn't consume much in this case. let me see if I can find a datasheet of this component.

            1 Reply Last reply
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            • J Offline
              J Offline
              jovo
              wrote on last edited by jovo
              #17

              Humm, from the AMS1117 datasheet:

              Quiescent Current AMS1117: 5-11mA.
              It looks like to has some significant quiescent current.
              Perhaps for me good idea to research a little further in this direction.

              1 Reply Last reply
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              • F funky81

                @Jan-Gatzke Thank you very much Sir....Now this is getting excited :+1:

                F Offline
                F Offline
                funky81
                wrote on last edited by
                #18

                @Jan-Gatzke i've tried this bootloader with several of my arduino pro mini.
                most of them run @ 1 Mhz, thanks to you. but somehow the current consumption dont decrease. but i've check with my usbtiny for the fuse, it already @ 1MHz....

                no clue what happen here

                1 Reply Last reply
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                • A AWI

                  @jovo I had some problems with mini's I ordered which can be "switched" between 3.3 and 5v. These mini's use a voltage divider that consumes around 2 mA.! Apart from the led and regulator I alse needed to remove this divider to get to less consumption.
                  upload-4891e188-701a-4c2b-a302-afd4caa9b6b0

                  hansiiiH Offline
                  hansiiiH Offline
                  hansiii
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #19

                  @AWI Hello AWI, sorry i know the topic is old, but i have exatly the same minis bought. Can you tell me what i have to remove or can you attach a photo. many thanks
                  greetings
                  hansiii

                  A 1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • hansiiiH hansiii

                    @AWI Hello AWI, sorry i know the topic is old, but i have exatly the same minis bought. Can you tell me what i have to remove or can you attach a photo. many thanks
                    greetings
                    hansiii

                    A Offline
                    A Offline
                    AWI
                    Hero Member
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #20

                    @hansiii that was certainly a while ago.. I removed all resistors near the voltage selector and the regulator (5 legs)

                    hansiiiH 1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • A AWI

                      @hansiii that was certainly a while ago.. I removed all resistors near the voltage selector and the regulator (5 legs)

                      hansiiiH Offline
                      hansiiiH Offline
                      hansiii
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #21

                      @AWI Thank you!
                      now i have removed the three resitors, before that I had only removed the regulator. Now the battery drain
                      is away.
                      0_1474006120595_Arduino_pro.jpg

                      1 Reply Last reply
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