Skip to content
  • OpenHardware.io
  • Categories
  • Recent
  • Tags
  • Popular
Skins
  • Light
  • Brite
  • Cerulean
  • Cosmo
  • Flatly
  • Journal
  • Litera
  • Lumen
  • Lux
  • Materia
  • Minty
  • Morph
  • Pulse
  • Sandstone
  • Simplex
  • Sketchy
  • Spacelab
  • United
  • Yeti
  • Zephyr
  • Dark
  • Cyborg
  • Darkly
  • Quartz
  • Slate
  • Solar
  • Superhero
  • Vapor

  • Default (No Skin)
  • No Skin
Collapse
Brand Logo
  1. Home
  2. OpenHardware.io
  3. šŸ’¬ Solar Energy Harvester
  • Getting Started
  • Controller
  • Build
  • Hardware
  • Download/API
  • Forum
  • Store

šŸ’¬ Solar Energy Harvester

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved OpenHardware.io
ltc3105solarmppcmpptchargerenergy harvestingboost converterboosterstep-upconverterboostboostingcharging
20 Posts 7 Posters 5.5k Views 6 Watching
  • Oldest to Newest
  • Newest to Oldest
  • Most Votes
Reply
  • Reply as topic
Log in to reply
This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
  • openhardware.ioO Offline
    openhardware.ioO Offline
    openhardware.io
    wrote on last edited by openhardware.io
    #1

    https://www.openhardware.io/view/281/Solar-Energy-Harvester

    1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • NeverDieN Offline
      NeverDieN Offline
      NeverDie
      Hero Member
      wrote on last edited by NeverDie
      #2

      @scalz
      How do you like the routing this time? This time I gave it a large ground plane. I also positionied all the discrete components as close as I could to the LTC3105. With those goals in mind, it took me a lot of mental Tetris to create the layout. :wink: Nonetheless, I want it to be done properly, so if you (or anybody) spot any flaws, please do point them out.

      1 Reply Last reply
      1
      • scalzS Offline
        scalzS Offline
        scalz
        Hardware Contributor
        wrote on last edited by scalz
        #3

        @NeverDie
        cool :)
        sorry missing time, but looks good.
        what you can improve a bit is for instance, giving more copper for in, switching, out.
        i don't know which cad tool you're using. in Eagle that would be using Polygon tool and then name your polygon to your schematic net name etc.. add a bit of isolation around your plane, it's a polygon setting,because no isolation between plane/plane or plane/route could give short during fab.

        NeverDieN 1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • scalzS scalz

          @NeverDie
          cool :)
          sorry missing time, but looks good.
          what you can improve a bit is for instance, giving more copper for in, switching, out.
          i don't know which cad tool you're using. in Eagle that would be using Polygon tool and then name your polygon to your schematic net name etc.. add a bit of isolation around your plane, it's a polygon setting,because no isolation between plane/plane or plane/route could give short during fab.

          NeverDieN Offline
          NeverDieN Offline
          NeverDie
          Hero Member
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          @scalz
          I'm using Diptrace. I'm not sure what you mean by "plane/plane" or "plane/route" isolation. However, I'm using the Diptrace settings recommended by OshPark, which is also who I'm using to fab. Their recommended settings are:
          alt text

          1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • scalzS Offline
            scalzS Offline
            scalz
            Hardware Contributor
            wrote on last edited by scalz
            #5

            i was meaning drawing pours :)

            1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • NeverDieN Offline
              NeverDieN Offline
              NeverDie
              Hero Member
              wrote on last edited by NeverDie
              #6

              OK, I increased the trace width on the GND, Vin, and Vout traces. Also I doubled the clearance on the copper pour. The result is Version 002, which is now posted.

              1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • NeverDieN Offline
                NeverDieN Offline
                NeverDie
                Hero Member
                wrote on last edited by NeverDie
                #7

                I just now improved the project description and added the BOM.

                1 Reply Last reply
                1
                • NeverDieN Offline
                  NeverDieN Offline
                  NeverDie
                  Hero Member
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #8

                  I just now posted Version 3:

                  1. I labeled each part with its component value so as to make assembly easier, and
                  2. I cleaned up both the top and bottom silk screens.
                  1 Reply Last reply
                  1
                  • NeverDieN Offline
                    NeverDieN Offline
                    NeverDie
                    Hero Member
                    wrote on last edited by NeverDie
                    #9

                    I just now posted Version 4.

                    Changes from Version 3:

                    1. removed unnecessary header pins,
                    2. added more GND header pins to facilitate easier hookups, and
                    3. made the board more compact in size.
                    1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • NeverDieN Offline
                      NeverDieN Offline
                      NeverDie
                      Hero Member
                      wrote on last edited by NeverDie
                      #10

                      I just now posted Version 5.

                      Changes from version 4:

                      1. Uses same inductor as my other Linear Technology based boost converter projects.
                      2. Enlarged PCB board to accomodate the larger design footprint.
                      1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • NeverDieN Offline
                        NeverDieN Offline
                        NeverDie
                        Hero Member
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #11

                        I just now posted Version 6.

                        Changes from Version 5: removed or re-arranged silk screen to mitigate potential for solder bridging.

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • NeverDieN Offline
                          NeverDieN Offline
                          NeverDie
                          Hero Member
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #12

                          Update: the land pattern contained an error that I didn't notice until I tried to solder the chip onto the PCB. I've now fixed the problem and have now sent revised files to the fab. As with the other projects, I'll wait for the board to arrive and test that it works before I deem it no longer a work in progress.

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • NeverDieN Offline
                            NeverDieN Offline
                            NeverDie
                            Hero Member
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #13

                            I've received the board and assembled it (see photo). It appears to work in accordance with the datasheet. Therefore, this project is finished.

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            1
                            • ? Offline
                              ? Offline
                              A Former User
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #14

                              Is a schematic available?

                              NeverDieN 1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • ? A Former User

                                Is a schematic available?

                                NeverDieN Offline
                                NeverDieN Offline
                                NeverDie
                                Hero Member
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #15

                                @celem said in šŸ’¬ Solar Energy Harvester:

                                Is a schematic available?

                                Yes. If you look in the photos section, it's there. It's the same as what's in the datasheet as a "typical application."

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • akumarA Offline
                                  akumarA Offline
                                  akumar
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #16

                                  Hi. Do you think this will be enough for indoor usage to power a simple temperature sensor ?
                                  What type of battery did you use this module with ?

                                  NeverDieN 1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • akumarA akumar

                                    Hi. Do you think this will be enough for indoor usage to power a simple temperature sensor ?
                                    What type of battery did you use this module with ?

                                    NeverDieN Offline
                                    NeverDieN Offline
                                    NeverDie
                                    Hero Member
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #17

                                    @akumar
                                    Of course.

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • M Offline
                                      M Offline
                                      Mar
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #18

                                      First time SM assembly. Photos do not show connections to 3 tiny holes that must go to ground. Is this done with small wires to side holes on either side or ...?

                                      skywatchS 1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • M Mar

                                        First time SM assembly. Photos do not show connections to 3 tiny holes that must go to ground. Is this done with small wires to side holes on either side or ...?

                                        skywatchS Offline
                                        skywatchS Offline
                                        skywatch
                                        wrote on last edited by skywatch
                                        #19

                                        @mar The three tiny holes may not go to ground. They are probably 'vias' that take a trace from one side of the board to the other.

                                        Vias are through plated at manufacture and shouldn't need anything from you.

                                        But I don't know this particular board and so things might be different here. Use a multimeter to check the circuit diagram against the board.

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        1
                                        • M Offline
                                          M Offline
                                          Mar
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #20

                                          Right you are. Live and learn (even at 81), and I even learned a new word -'vias.' Thanks.

                                          1 Reply Last reply
                                          2
                                          Reply
                                          • Reply as topic
                                          Log in to reply
                                          • Oldest to Newest
                                          • Newest to Oldest
                                          • Most Votes


                                          12

                                          Online

                                          11.7k

                                          Users

                                          11.2k

                                          Topics

                                          113.0k

                                          Posts


                                          Copyright 2019 TBD   |   Forum Guidelines   |   Privacy Policy   |   Terms of Service
                                          • Login

                                          • Don't have an account? Register

                                          • Login or register to search.
                                          • First post
                                            Last post
                                          0
                                          • OpenHardware.io
                                          • Categories
                                          • Recent
                                          • Tags
                                          • Popular