💬 Easy/Newbie PCB for MySensors

[franz-unix]

@รอเร-อ I have a similar need, but not exactly the same.
My power route is:
18650 Lipo (2.7 - 4.2 V) -> TP4056 (charger) -> Booster (5V) -> Raw pin of pro mini 3.3V -> Vcc of pro mini 3.3V -> Radio (NRF24)

In my case the easy newbie pcb is not directly suitable because the Vout of the Booster is connected to Vcc instead of raw.

So my idea is to use a modified version of the easy newbie pcb with the schematic posted here
in order to have more flexibility in the power options.

Actually I don't have the skills to design a pcb, but maybe, if the idea is good, someone else could design it.

This schematic is compatible with all the power options actually supported by the easy newbie pcb, and supports also new possibility, simply changing a couple of jumpers

[Nca78]

Hello @franz-unix, can't you just bend the output pin of the booster at 90° and solder a wire from it to the raw pin ?

[franz-unix]

@nca78 Yes it should work.

If I connect the output of the tp4056 to the gnd and reg input of the screw terminal of the easy newbie pcb and then I run a wire from the Vout of the booster to the raw input of the screw terminal, the final result is also quite clean and it is not necessary to solder the wire directly on the pro mini.

I think that, in this case, the reg jumper must be NOT shortened.

[zelen]

Hi,

I ordered 10 PCBs using "Order from PCBWay" button. It only asked me about PayPal card and din't require any registration on PCBWay. So, everything looks good, PayPal transaction is completed. Can somebody tell me please how can I track it? Probably I'm missing tracking option somewhere... Thank you!

P.S.
Cant wait to try it out. :)

[sundberg84]

@zelen I'm not sure. You didn't receive any email? I normally get a email once they are finished and shipped with tracking.

[zelen]

This post is deleted!

[zelen]

@sundberg84 thank you for clarification. I expected email right after making an order. So, I will wait for finishing production and shipment.

[Harrdy]

I use some of old rev8 boards. I have noticed that I use a ceramic capacitor instead of an electric capacitor compared to the images for the battery measurement. Does it matter? Or should I replace the ceramic capacitor (104) with an electric capacitor?

[sundberg84]

@harrdy should work just fine.

[gohan]

@harrdy remember to take a few readings and average out the battery value

[manos]

Hello @sundberg84, I would like to buy the Easy/Newbie PCB for MySensors but I have a few questions
I want to use it the 5V Arduino Pro mini not the 3V version
I also want to use the battery monitor
Is it ok or should I modify "something"
Also all the pcbs have the battery "expansion: or not?
Thanks, Emmanuel

[gohan]

Why would you want to use the 5v arduino on batteries?

[sundberg84]

@manos

I want to use it the 5V Arduino Pro mini not the 3V version

Then you need to use the nrf24l01+ version, that works fine - the RFM69 version needs a 3.3v Pro Mini only.

I also want to use the battery monitor

As @gohan said - don't use batteries on a 5v node. Use a 3.3v because it will use up your batteries very quickly. See the guides i have on openhardware for different modes on my PCB.

Is it ok or should I modify "something"
Also all the pcbs have the battery "expansion: or not?

"something" is hard to understand, you can modify i many different ways depending on what you want to do. All the basic "modifications" can be found if you read the project page on openhardware.io

[manos]

@sundberg84 thanks for your response
If I don't care about battery consumption can I still view and use the battery monitor to be alarmed when battery is empty?

[sundberg84]

@manos yes you can.

[thorcyar]

This post is deleted!

[Mister_ik]

Hello @sundberg84. I watched your video 9+ 'MySensors Battery Node 2xAA - EasyPCB (Nrf24l01+)and Temp Sensor' . I have two questions about this video:

• I noticed you connected the tempsensor to the extra prototype part of the board, but i could not see in the video how you connected signal pin of the sensor to the arduino.
• you added a resistor to D5 Temp/Hum, but you did not add the sensor to the mysX2.4 part of the board. Why is that?

[sundberg84]

@mister_ik said in 💬 Easy/Newbie PCB for MySensors:

Hello @sundberg84. I watched your video 9+ 'MySensors Battery Node 2xAA - EasyPCB (Nrf24l01+)and Temp Sensor' . I have two questions about this video:

• I noticed you connected the tempsensor to the extra prototype part of the board, but i could not see in the video how you connected signal pin of the sensor to the arduino.
• you added a resistor to D5 Temp/Hum, but you did not add the sensor to the mysX2.4 part of the board. Why is that?

I connect it on the back with a normal wire to D5 resistor input. So both of your observations above are correct.

[Mister_ik]

@sundberg84 yes i thought so, but i want to make sure. I have some Rev 10 boards and i was working on a node for my bathroom with a DHT11 sensor. I had some problems with it, therefore watching your video. But it looks like the step up booster was not working correctly. Unfortunately removing the booster i damaged the board because with a new booster the arduino won't get power any more. So this board only works without the booster (and reg jumper connected). Any idea how long this setup (with removed led on arduino) will last on batteries?

[sundberg84]

@mister_ik - well, 2-4 weeks more or less unless you reprogram the fuses and bootloader.