12v Solar battery monitor
-
Hi. sorry for my late replay....
Here's the way i'm powering things up.
I don't have a solar charge since last summer we had a big fire on my island and all my arduino and sensors that were outside were all damage from the fire and hot temperatures. So to fiz this problem i'm using the LM2596 to reduce the 12V from the solar panels to 5.5V so that the lipo charger can work. Above the 5v this charger will get damage.Some data from this charger:
LED: Red = Charging, Green = Complete
Input Voltage: 4.5 to 5.5V
Battery Max Charge Voltage: 4.2V - charges a 1S Lithium Ion Polymer BatteryThis outputs a 4.2V on the load and batt connections.
My arduino and sensors are connected to the load pins from the lipo charger as you can see on the picture.
Thanks for your replay and help.
@mrc-core The original circuit/sketch was designed for a 5v arduino and was measuring a 12v system . From your drawing it looks like you will be using a 3v arduino so at the very least you will need to change the voltage divider to give you a better resolution. As to the acs712 it is a 5v device so most likely will not even work on 3v so you may need to source some other device for current measurement. Again you would want a low current device if you are to have any chance of measuring the few milliamps you would be seeing. perhaps a google search for acs712 on 3v will produce a result.
-
@mrc-core The original circuit/sketch was designed for a 5v arduino and was measuring a 12v system . From your drawing it looks like you will be using a 3v arduino so at the very least you will need to change the voltage divider to give you a better resolution. As to the acs712 it is a 5v device so most likely will not even work on 3v so you may need to source some other device for current measurement. Again you would want a low current device if you are to have any chance of measuring the few milliamps you would be seeing. perhaps a google search for acs712 on 3v will produce a result.
@Boots33 I'm going to change the arduino mini for an arduino nano to have the 5V still have one in the house.
Acs712 have already buy 2 off them just in case if i have to go back to arduino mini.I was thinking on booting all my outside arduinos from this solar panel i have 2 more off them that i can connect.
-
@mrc-core The original circuit/sketch was designed for a 5v arduino and was measuring a 12v system . From your drawing it looks like you will be using a 3v arduino so at the very least you will need to change the voltage divider to give you a better resolution. As to the acs712 it is a 5v device so most likely will not even work on 3v so you may need to source some other device for current measurement. Again you would want a low current device if you are to have any chance of measuring the few milliamps you would be seeing. perhaps a google search for acs712 on 3v will produce a result.
-
@Boots33 I have change to an arduino nano but still get some strange values. I'm going to make some changes over this project and see again what ill get.
Thanks for all the help.
-
I just finished setting up this sensor to monitor my solar panels. The voltage sensors is reporting correct, but i'm not sure if the current sensor is right or wired correctly.
This is how it is currently wired.
Is this going to give me both charge and discharge?
Thanks!
-
I just finished setting up this sensor to monitor my solar panels. The voltage sensors is reporting correct, but i'm not sure if the current sensor is right or wired correctly.
This is how it is currently wired.
Is this going to give me both charge and discharge?
Thanks!
@unfadingpyro I can't see your wiring diagram.
-
How about now?

-
Yes i can see your wiring now and no you are not likely to get any sort of reading with that circuit. You have the 712 wired in parallel with the charge wire, it needs to be in series instead. The load needs to be connected to the same side that the charge wire is on. So a quick re-draw of your circuit would look like this.

Don't forget to add a fuse at the battery positive.
The original drawing from earlier in this thread would also be ok

-
Okay. I will rewire it this weekend. Thanks!
-
Get the sensor rewired yesterday and i am now getting the correct readings! Thanks again for the help.
-
Get the sensor rewired yesterday and i am now getting the correct readings! Thanks again for the help.
@unfadingpyro Great to hear you got it all working. Always a good feeling when a project comes together :)
-
Yes i can see your wiring now and no you are not likely to get any sort of reading with that circuit. You have the 712 wired in parallel with the charge wire, it needs to be in series instead. The load needs to be connected to the same side that the charge wire is on. So a quick re-draw of your circuit would look like this.

Don't forget to add a fuse at the battery positive.
The original drawing from earlier in this thread would also be ok

@Boots33 hi. Now, i'm working on this project for my final year project. I dont really used your overall project, i just used the concept which monitor the solar battery. I used your circuit diagram without using the transceiver and use my own code to run the project. In your opinion, is that make sense to you ?
-
@Boots33 hi. Now, i'm working on this project for my final year project. I dont really used your overall project, i just used the concept which monitor the solar battery. I used your circuit diagram without using the transceiver and use my own code to run the project. In your opinion, is that make sense to you ?
@nurul-amira Yes that should all work fine. That circuit has been running 24/7 for around 4 years now without any issues.
-
@nurul-amira Yes that should all work fine. That circuit has been running 24/7 for around 4 years now without any issues.
@Boots33 thank you for your time to reply me 😁.
