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  3. Need working example battery powered sensor

Need working example battery powered sensor

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  • T Offline
    T Offline
    TimO
    Hero Member
    wrote on last edited by
    #7

    Is avrdude still working? Are you for example able to read out the fuses?
    Your fuses seem to be okay, I think there is an error in your board.txt. How are you trying to Upload the Sketch? Via ISP?

    1 Reply Last reply
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    • J jovo

      Spend some time today researching this topic.
      I concluded that I need a step-up anyway since the DHT-22 have a min Vcc of 3.3 which is easily reached when batteries are depleting, so I bought some of these.

      But this is not enough. I am fascinated by the extreme low power use of what we reported by EasyIoT in the low power guide by lowering the freq of the CPU.

      avrdude -c usbtiny -p m328p -U lfuse:w:0x62:m 
      

      and

      avrdude -c usbtiny -p m328p -U efuse:w:0x07:m
      

      After some struggle I manage to burn the fuses (or at least AVRDUDE gave me a successful status). Then I edited the boards.txt and selected the EasyIoT board from the list. The problem I have now is that I cannot upload sketches anymore:
      avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding
      avrdude: stk500_getsync() attempt 1 of 10: not in sync: resp=0x15
      I played a bit with the com speed setting in board.txt (as this resolved also my fuse burn issue earlier). Unfortunately, no success...

      Now my questions:

      • anybody similar experience after fuse buring and how to resolve this?
      • how can I revert back to the original fuse setting so I can use my arduino again?
      F Offline
      F Offline
      funky81
      wrote on last edited by funky81
      #8

      @jovo my experiences quite different with you. I can successfully compiled and upload the sketches. Unfortunately, the packet from node, never reach gateway. Even though I pump the NRF24L01+ power with step up regulator, but still the same. Since then, I never try it with 1MHz again...

      To revert it again, burn your fuses again. Check this in Using the internal clock section

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      • J Offline
        J Offline
        Jan Gatzke
        wrote on last edited by Jan Gatzke
        #9

        I think you need a modified Arduino bootloader for 1 Mhz operation. The bootloader does the serial communication wich is very timing critical. And when the bootloader is compiled with 8 mhz the baud value simply doesn't match.

        Regarding power consumption...did you remove the LEDs? The power LED alone needs about 2 mA. This would explain your values.

        F 1 Reply Last reply
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        • J Jan Gatzke

          I think you need a modified Arduino bootloader for 1 Mhz operation. The bootloader does the serial communication wich is very timing critical. And when the bootloader is compiled with 8 mhz the baud value simply doesn't match.

          Regarding power consumption...did you remove the LEDs? The power LED alone needs about 2 mA. This would explain your values.

          F Offline
          F Offline
          funky81
          wrote on last edited by
          #10

          @Jan-Gatzke mind to share it how?

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          0
          • J Offline
            J Offline
            Jan Gatzke
            wrote on last edited by Jan Gatzke
            #11

            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 1 Reply Last reply
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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
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                • 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.

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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
                        0
                        • 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
                          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

                            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

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