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  3. nRF5 action!

nRF5 action!

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  • mtiutiuM Offline
    mtiutiuM Offline
    mtiutiu
    Hardware Contributor
    wrote on last edited by
    #581

    For measuring small currents I'm using Texas Instruments EnergyTrace piece of technology and it works pretty well. You just need one of their development boards with energytrace special microcontroller embedded which is very cheap. More infos here: http://43oh.com/2015/09/how-to-measure-an-energia-applications-power-usage-with-energytrace/

    It can be used to measure other boards power usage also - you just need to take of some jumpers and plug in your external board.

    It gives you real time energy measurements and with plotting too(and battery life estimation is displayed real time too). No need to worry about burden voltage and other external factors which affect the measurements.

    N 1 Reply Last reply
    1
    • mtiutiuM mtiutiu

      For measuring small currents I'm using Texas Instruments EnergyTrace piece of technology and it works pretty well. You just need one of their development boards with energytrace special microcontroller embedded which is very cheap. More infos here: http://43oh.com/2015/09/how-to-measure-an-energia-applications-power-usage-with-energytrace/

      It can be used to measure other boards power usage also - you just need to take of some jumpers and plug in your external board.

      It gives you real time energy measurements and with plotting too(and battery life estimation is displayed real time too). No need to worry about burden voltage and other external factors which affect the measurements.

      N Offline
      N Offline
      NeverDie
      Hero Member
      wrote on last edited by
      #582

      @mtiutiu
      I think maybe the nRF52 DK also has some energy measurement capability, but I haven't looked into it.

      T 1 Reply Last reply
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      • N NeverDie

        @mtiutiu
        I think maybe the nRF52 DK also has some energy measurement capability, but I haven't looked into it.

        T Offline
        T Offline
        Toyman
        wrote on last edited by
        #583

        @NeverDie
        https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/tutorials/28/

        1 Reply Last reply
        1
        • N Offline
          N Offline
          NeverDie
          Hero Member
          wrote on last edited by NeverDie
          #584

          Looks like I was wrong earlier about the voltage reference being Vcc when doing an analog read on a pin. Instead, it seems to be a fixed reference. In any case, I'm getting better results with an expression like this, which is independent of Vcc:

          millivolts = (analogRead(PIN)*3000/4095)

          What are others here doing in this case?

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          • N NeverDie

            Looks like I was wrong earlier about the voltage reference being Vcc when doing an analog read on a pin. Instead, it seems to be a fixed reference. In any case, I'm getting better results with an expression like this, which is independent of Vcc:

            millivolts = (analogRead(PIN)*3000/4095)

            What are others here doing in this case?

            R Offline
            R Offline
            rmtucker
            wrote on last edited by
            #585

            @NeverDie
            As mentioned earlier by someone the nrf52 is preset to 0.6v internal ref and a 1/5 divider so 0 - 3v is the max input so your calculation is correct.
            The nrf51 is different because the ref can be set to a few different settings but the default is vdd.

            N 1 Reply Last reply
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            • R Offline
              R Offline
              rmtucker
              wrote on last edited by
              #586

              Is RSSI reporting implemented in the NRF5 setup yet?
              If so how is it done?

              1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • S Offline
                S Offline
                scalz
                Hardware Contributor
                wrote on last edited by
                #587

                I don't think sendSignalStrength function is implemented yet, but you should be able to get this info with:

                int16_t transportGetSendingRSSI(void)
                int16_t transportGetReceivingRSSI(void)
                
                R 2 Replies Last reply
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                • T Offline
                  T Offline
                  Toyman
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #588

                  How can I redefine UART pins in nrf51822? For example, if I want to have p13 as uart tx?

                  S 1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • T Toyman

                    How can I redefine UART pins in nrf51822? For example, if I want to have p13 as uart tx?

                    S Offline
                    S Offline
                    scalz
                    Hardware Contributor
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #589

                    @Toyman
                    it has been explained above in the topic ;)
                    you have to follow

                    • https://github.com/mysensors/ArduinoBoards
                    • https://github.com/mysensors/ArduinoHwNRF5
                    T 1 Reply Last reply
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                    • S scalz

                      I don't think sendSignalStrength function is implemented yet, but you should be able to get this info with:

                      int16_t transportGetSendingRSSI(void)
                      int16_t transportGetReceivingRSSI(void)
                      
                      R Offline
                      R Offline
                      rmtucker
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #590

                      @scalz
                      Rssi works really well.
                      Thank you.

                      R 1 Reply Last reply
                      1
                      • R rmtucker

                        @scalz
                        Rssi works really well.
                        Thank you.

                        R Offline
                        R Offline
                        rmtucker
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #591

                        So range test.
                        Using esp8266 with standard nrf24 not amplified gateway at one end of the house.
                        Nrf51822 node in garage which is not fastened to house so at a guess 15m through 3 brick walls is reporting -86db.
                        I think that is quite respectable.;-)

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                        • S scalz

                          @Toyman
                          it has been explained above in the topic ;)
                          you have to follow

                          • https://github.com/mysensors/ArduinoBoards
                          • https://github.com/mysensors/ArduinoHwNRF5
                          T Offline
                          T Offline
                          Toyman
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #592

                          @scalz thx.

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • O Offline
                            O Offline
                            Omemanti
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #593

                            Regarding the PCB/KiCad comments.
                            I was trying out KiCad and copied the NRF52832 DC/DC schematic from the datasheet.

                            It might be of help for someone.
                            https://github.com/Omemanti/KiCAD/tree/master/NRF52832

                            PS. been at KiCad for a couple of hours, been used to Eagle, so please double check.

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • R rmtucker

                              @NeverDie
                              As mentioned earlier by someone the nrf52 is preset to 0.6v internal ref and a 1/5 divider so 0 - 3v is the max input so your calculation is correct.
                              The nrf51 is different because the ref can be set to a few different settings but the default is vdd.

                              N Offline
                              N Offline
                              NeverDie
                              Hero Member
                              wrote on last edited by NeverDie
                              #594

                              @rmtucker said in nRF5 Bluetooth action!:

                              @NeverDie
                              As mentioned earlier by someone the nrf52 is preset to 0.6v internal ref and a 1/5 divider so 0 - 3v is the max input so your calculation is correct.
                              The nrf51 is different because the ref can be set to a few different settings but the default is vdd.

                              I've lately found that I seem to get a more accurate measurement if I multiply by 3131 instead of 3000. Just an empirical result with no real theory behind it.

                              1 Reply Last reply
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                              • gohanG Offline
                                gohanG Offline
                                gohan
                                Mod
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #595

                                I don't know if it is actually related, but I'll post the link to this programmer :)
                                adafruit.com/product/3571

                                N 1 Reply Last reply
                                1
                                • N Offline
                                  N Offline
                                  NeverDie
                                  Hero Member
                                  wrote on last edited by NeverDie
                                  #596

                                  What's going to be the best way to reduce the sleep current and Tx current on the nRF52? Since I'm feeding off a supercap for power, it's noticeably worse (by an order of magnitude) on the same task than the atmega328p+rfm69 combo. I've already increased the datarate to 2mbps, and it's inherently lower Tx current should give it a natural advantage.

                                  I guess I'll try reducing Tx power and see if that makes much of a dent....

                                  I suppose reducing 3 separate packets to one single packet, and maybe turning off ACK requests might also help. Then, maybe all of the LONG_WAIT's can be eliminated. Is the radio still awake even if the CPU is sleeping during a "wait" period? If so, that might be a large chunk of the wasted power.

                                  I wonder if the mysensors mesh networking (which I don't intend to use) might be getting in the way, and possibly keeping it awake longer than it otherwise would be? Can I disable the mysensors meshnetworking just to be sure?

                                  Sorry for the shotgun blast of questions, but I'm trying to get a sense of what will yield the highest payoff.

                                  R 1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • N Offline
                                    N Offline
                                    NeverDie
                                    Hero Member
                                    wrote on last edited by NeverDie
                                    #597

                                    Since I'll be reducing Tx power in an attempt to reduce current consumption, I'll be using a scanner program to try to find empty channels. The only one I know of is: https://github.com/nRF24/RF24/tree/master/examples/scanner
                                    for the nRF24L01, but it seems to work well enough if you let it run awhile. Anyone else using one that they like?

                                    N 1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • N NeverDie

                                      Since I'll be reducing Tx power in an attempt to reduce current consumption, I'll be using a scanner program to try to find empty channels. The only one I know of is: https://github.com/nRF24/RF24/tree/master/examples/scanner
                                      for the nRF24L01, but it seems to work well enough if you let it run awhile. Anyone else using one that they like?

                                      N Offline
                                      N Offline
                                      NeverDie
                                      Hero Member
                                      wrote on last edited by NeverDie
                                      #598

                                      @NeverDie said in nRF5 Bluetooth action!:

                                      Since I'll be reducing Tx power in an attempt to reduce current consumption, I'll be using a scanner program to try to find empty channels. The only one I know of is: https://github.com/nRF24/RF24/tree/master/examples/scanner
                                      for the nRF24L01, but it seems to work well enough if you let it run awhile. Anyone else using one that they like?

                                      Nevermind. I see now that there's an entire entry on it:
                                      https://forum.mysensors.org/topic/2454/node-cant-see-gateway-less-than-10m-away/11

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      1
                                      • gohanG gohan

                                        I don't know if it is actually related, but I'll post the link to this programmer :)
                                        adafruit.com/product/3571

                                        N Offline
                                        N Offline
                                        Nca78
                                        Hardware Contributor
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #599

                                        @gohan said in nRF5 Bluetooth action!:

                                        I don't know if it is actually related, but I'll post the link to this programmer :)
                                        adafruit.com/product/3571

                                        Not sure it's even legal to use this if you ever plan to sell PCBs on openhardware.io ...

                                        You may use the J-Link EDU for non profit educational purposes only! Non-profit educational purposes means that you >may not use the J-Link EDU and its J-Link software.

                                        • direct or indirect in or for a profit organization or business purposes or other undertaking intended for profit
                                        • direct or indirect in any other commercial environment (e.g. office)
                                        • to develop, debug, program or manufacturer a commercial product (or parts thereof)
                                        • to use it to either earn money or reasonably anticipate the receipt of monetary gain from it.
                                        gohanG 1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • N Nca78

                                          @gohan said in nRF5 Bluetooth action!:

                                          I don't know if it is actually related, but I'll post the link to this programmer :)
                                          adafruit.com/product/3571

                                          Not sure it's even legal to use this if you ever plan to sell PCBs on openhardware.io ...

                                          You may use the J-Link EDU for non profit educational purposes only! Non-profit educational purposes means that you >may not use the J-Link EDU and its J-Link software.

                                          • direct or indirect in or for a profit organization or business purposes or other undertaking intended for profit
                                          • direct or indirect in any other commercial environment (e.g. office)
                                          • to develop, debug, program or manufacturer a commercial product (or parts thereof)
                                          • to use it to either earn money or reasonably anticipate the receipt of monetary gain from it.
                                          gohanG Offline
                                          gohanG Offline
                                          gohan
                                          Mod
                                          wrote on last edited by gohan
                                          #600

                                          @Nca78 Educational versions of many things can not be used for commercial purposes, maybe they got an agreement as it will be sold primarily to hobbyists.

                                          1 Reply Last reply
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