Recent content by Solar Mike

Decided to make a pcb for initial connection of the battery balance wires, fuse in series with each wire, will make it easier and safer during experimentation with various balancer designs. The 9.5mm screw pcb sockets can take up to 4mm wire - required for the inductive balancer. 81x87mm pcb...

Here is the load module pcb for eight cells, its quite large, 240x76mm; sits above the 50W load resistors bolted to a thick alloy plate acting as a heat sink and will form one side of a box possibly. Automotive 10 amp fuse holders for standard fuses solder direct to the board, a disconnect...

Here is the cell module pcb, 50 x 62mm, the boards will mount edge on vertically direct to the pcb hosting the 50w aluminum shell resistors bolted to a heatsink, the ribbon cable runs across their tops. I am using 2 ohm load resistors - 3.5A for the 6v battery cells balancing at 7v. This scheme...

Each battery cell module communicates via opto coupled common Input and an outputs all in two parallel streams; makes sense for a master to poll each one as required to get any data; so each has to have a unique cell address to prevent multiples attempting communications at the same time. The...

I need a cell balancer for a three separate 48 volt banks of 8 series 6v lead carbon batteries; these are 300 AH sealed gel batteries and are proving difficult to get 100% balanced; once in a balanced condition, they will probably remain in that state and require little intervention. Another...

I have also created an alternative variant of this low power PWM controller using a PICAXE 14M2, it used shunt PWM regulation and will have lower standby power when not under charge, which maybe more important for smaller batteries; also has extra leds showing charge status. Look over on The...

Should not be using brackets, and incorrect variable definition used, look at the examples in the online "Basic Commands" eg. Symbol variableA = w0 Count C.2, 25000, variableA

Whole purpose is to repeat the command sequence DacLevel 31 : DacLevel 0, fifty times, rather than having to type out several lines of code.

Here is a picture of a the built up board used for initial testing.

Finally have some software, attached as zip file. Code is well commented, so I won't elaborate further here. Have given the code and the board a good test, all works as expected, no changes required to pcb layout. For the 12v gel battery I was using and the 30watt PV panel, resistors R1 = 20k...

PCB's are back, have made one up for testing, looks ok no errors, writing software for it now.

PCB 72x60mm: Gerber files Attached. I am waiting for the pcb's to come back, will then test it and write some software, post back here later. Cheers Mike

Here is a basic design for a PWM type PV solar charge controller, using a Picaxe 08M2. Ideal for smaller 30W panels charging a 10AH or so lead acid battery. I have a number of projects coming up that require small panels hooked up to various size 12 volt gel or Lifepo4 batteries, in stand alone...

Diptrace is very easy and intuitive to learn, the lite version is free for non-profit use, send them a note to get the download link. Link: DipTrace JLCPCB are where I get my PCBs made, very inexpensive, the cheapest shipping option, airmail courier takes about 10 days delivery to NZ. Export...

Have also implemented a PWM only version, same 100 x 100mm foot print, using two or four back to back mosfets; this is for those smaller 18v PV panels where MPPT would be an over complication. With suitable extra thick wires soldered to the pcb, and the additional mosfet pair, current could be...