I'm interested in getting a FONA for vehicle tracking purposes, and I'm wondering if the FONA has any built-in sleep modes? If not, can I somehow use an Arduino to turn off the power (coming from the lipo battery?) to the FONA every now and then? The vehicles are only used 2-3 times a day for about half an hour, so the battery will die after a while (it will be charged while the vehicle is active).
Also, can I use this product (https://www.adafruit.com/products/259) to simultaneously charge the LiPo battery AND use the FONA at the same time (assuming that I have a power source via USB while the vehicle is on)? If I use this product, do I even need a battery? Can this convert USB to the power format that the FONA needs?
Thanks!
FONA Sleep Mode / Battery Charging
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- adafruit_support_rick
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Re: FONA Sleep Mode / Battery Charging
Check out the key pin in the tutorial:dannya wrote:can I somehow use an Arduino to turn off the power (coming from the lipo battery?) to the FONA every now and then?
Key - This is also a super important pin (but not as important as Vio). This is the power on/off indicator. Its also tied to the button in the top left. Tie this pin to ground for 2 seconds to turn the module on or off. It's not a level signal so it isn't like "low is off, high is on" - instead you must pulse it for 2 seconds to turn off/on. The module comes by default off. Tie this permanently to ground if you never want your micro to turn off the FONA for power saving
No necessary. The FONA already has charging circuitry for the battery. You can use and charge simultaneously.dannya wrote:Also, can I use this product (https://www.adafruit.com/products/259) to simultaneously charge the LiPo battery AND use the FONA at the same time
- Znurf
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Re: FONA Sleep Mode / Battery Charging
I am making a GPS tracker for a car also, and i think the idea with a battery is "kinda" nice, because it will keep the FONA powered if they unplug the battery when they take the car. However, since your Arduino will lose power when they disconnect the battery (if you use the car battery to run your Arduino) it doesn't matter if you have a battery or not to your FONA? :P
You would need to have a rechargeable battery connected to the Arduino, which is getting recharged all the time by the car main battery, and thus always having the Arduino turned on, not only when the ignition/radio is on. Then just have some Micro USBs connected from that extra battery to your Arduino, and perhaps also the Fona.
It would be a fairly useless GPS tracker if the tracker only works when the car is on :P
Does the FONA GSM recharge the battery from the VIO PIN also, or JUST from the USB connector on the side?
And how far have you gotten with your project? :)
You would need to have a rechargeable battery connected to the Arduino, which is getting recharged all the time by the car main battery, and thus always having the Arduino turned on, not only when the ignition/radio is on. Then just have some Micro USBs connected from that extra battery to your Arduino, and perhaps also the Fona.
It would be a fairly useless GPS tracker if the tracker only works when the car is on :P
Does the FONA GSM recharge the battery from the VIO PIN also, or JUST from the USB connector on the side?
And how far have you gotten with your project? :)
- adafruit_support_rick
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Re: FONA Sleep Mode / Battery Charging
Only from the USB connector.Znurf wrote:Does the FONA GSM recharge the battery from the VIO PIN also, or JUST from the USB connector on the side?
https://www.adafruit.com/product/2078Znurf wrote:You would need to have a rechargeable battery connected to the Arduino, which is getting recharged all the time by the car main battery,
https://www.adafruit.com/products/1944
- Znurf
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Re: FONA Sleep Mode / Battery Charging
After replying i found that little charger, it has a million and one uses :) I will get one or two when they get back in stock :)
- dannya
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Re: FONA Sleep Mode / Battery Charging
Can I charge the battery by using the 5V terminal on the FONA wired to the 5V rail on my Arduino? I'm going to be placing my module in a vehicle, and I won't have a microUSB charger available to ensure that the battery is always charged.
Thanks!
Thanks!
- adafruit_support_rick
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Re: FONA Sleep Mode / Battery Charging
Nope, sorry. The charging circuit is separate from the logic circuit.
- dannya
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Re: FONA Sleep Mode / Battery Charging
OK. Do you sell a micro-usb cable that I can hook up to my 5V and ground on my Arduino? I don't have a micro-USB port or an AC outlet in the vehicle where I'm placing this module. How else can I charge the battery?
- dannya
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Re: FONA Sleep Mode / Battery Charging
For example, this product from SparkFun says it can use a 5V input to charge the battery. Can your product do the same thing? https://www.adafruit.com/products/259
- adafruit_support_rick
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Re: FONA Sleep Mode / Battery Charging
No need to hack a USB cable. There's a 5V pad next to the USB port. You can connect 5V from the Arduino to this pad and charge the battery.
- dannya
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Re: FONA Sleep Mode / Battery Charging
Thanks Rick! (that's what I had tried to ask in my earlier post, but maybe I worded it confusingly...)
- adafruit_support_rick
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Re: FONA Sleep Mode / Battery Charging
Sorry - I thought you were referring to the VIN pin.
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