solar charger lipo + verter buck-boost = crash ?

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Sperkmandl
 
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Re: solar charger lipo + verter buck-boost = crash ?

Post by Sperkmandl »

Hi, I just use:
- a solar charger PID 390
- a verter PID 2190

I connected an USB cable to the charger, while the verter is still unconnected. The battery was available before (not purchased from Adafruit). I kept this power supply for several hours, all leds remained on. Needless to say, "charging" and "done" both on looks a bit contraddictory to me.
Regards,

Renzo
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Sperkmandl
 
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Re: solar charger lipo + verter buck-boost = crash ?

Post by Sperkmandl »

As a further hint: I connected the boost/buck (verter) to the load connector: all leds remained on, including the green one on the verter. Output voltage is 5.33 volts. I did not connect my BBB so far.

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Sperkmandl
 
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Re: solar charger lipo + verter buck-boost = crash ?

Post by Sperkmandl »

Oh oh ! Here is the problem: my battery has opposite wiring at the jst connector, as compared to the charger.
I inverted wires and now all leds are ok (charging). Verter output is 5.3 volts, battery shows 3.8 volts.
Actually I don't know if battery or charger are damaged.

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chrisp2
 
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Re: solar charger lipo + verter buck-boost = crash ?

Post by chrisp2 »

Hi I recently purchased the 6600mah lithium battery and charger from Adafruit. The charger seems to charge the battery fine (when I leave for a period of time and check with multimeter, shows 4.2v), but the green 'done' light never comes on, no matter how long I leave the battery on the charger. As I mentioned, it does fully charge the battery, but I would like to have the green LED come on when it reaches the full 4.2v charge as it is intended to. I have tried the charger with other Adafruit batteries (1200mah and 2500mah) and it works fine and the green light comes on as it should when batteries are fully charged. I have also tried with another, non-Adafruit lipo 10400mah battery which has two cells and am running into the same issue (charger fully charges battery, but green light never comes on). The only similarity between the Adafruit 6600mah battery and non-Adafruit 10400mah battery I can see is they are both multi cell batteries. Is there some issue with the charge 'done' status light not coming on with multi cell batteries as opposed to single cell batteries? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

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drewfustini
 
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Re: solar charger lipo + verter buck-boost = crash ?

Post by drewfustini »

Sperkmandl wrote: - a solar charger PID 390
- a verter PID 2190
I think the issue is that the VERTER 5V USB Buck-Boost is not the correct part for this use case:
It operates smoothly over the 3-12V range, moving from a boost converter (3-5V in) to a buck converter (5-12V in) on the fly. Please note! This chip can do both, but it really works better as a buck converter than a boost. If you need a full 500mA out, it will struggle as it gets down to 3V and the output will sag to about 4.8V (which is still within standard USB power specs). If you only need something to boost a voltage up to 5V and you want it to be really good at it, check out our PowerBoost series, which excel at that.
I think you may have better results with:
PowerBoost 1000 Charger - Rechargeable 5V Lipo USB Boost @ 1A - 1000C

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drewfustini
 
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Re: solar charger lipo + verter buck-boost = crash ?

Post by drewfustini »

chrisp2 wrote:Hi I recently purchased the 6600mah lithium battery and charger from Adafruit.
Hi, this forum is for BeagleBone. I'd suggest posting this issue in the Other Adafruit products forum.

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Sperkmandl
 
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Re: solar charger lipo + verter buck-boost = crash ?

Post by Sperkmandl »

Hi, I have chosen the verter as a suggestion from another post on this forum viewtopic.php?f=49&t=104206. Since the solar charger (or an usb substitute) provides me with output voltage above 5 v, I need some conversion from that voltage down to 5 v. I was suggested to use the verter working as a buck converter (5-15 down to 5).
So I did.
Btw, the battery was fully charged after several hours, leds switched from orange to green, no apparent damage.

However, if I connect my BBB to the verter output, it does not work. The verter green led switches off, voltage output drops down to 2 volts. I feel that the BBB needs more power that the pair charger/verter can provide.

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drewfustini
 
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Re: solar charger lipo + verter buck-boost = crash ?

Post by drewfustini »

Ah, ok. I see now why the Verter was recommended as the solar charger board's LOAD output could exceed 5V as the solar panel is 6V. However, I don't think the Verter can produce enough power to run the BeagleBone.

I think you could use PowerBoost 1000 Charger - Rechargeable 5V Lipo USB Boost @ 1A - 1000C when the solar panel is disconnected and power being drawn only from the battery.

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adafruit_support_rick
 
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Re: solar charger lipo + verter buck-boost = crash ?

Post by adafruit_support_rick »

Yes - connect the PowerBoost to the BAT pads on the charger (not the LOAD pads). That way, the powerboost will get consistent voltage, an ill be protected from overvoltage. You don't need the PowerBoost charger - just get the powerboost basic:
https://www.adafruit.com/products/2030

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Sperkmandl
 
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Re: solar charger lipo + verter buck-boost = crash ?

Post by Sperkmandl »

adafruit_support_rick wrote:Yes - connect the PowerBoost to the BAT pads on the charger (not the LOAD pads).
I'm a bit confused: where should I connect the battery with this configuration ?

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adafruit_support_rick
 
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Re: solar charger lipo + verter buck-boost = crash ?

Post by adafruit_support_rick »

Battery connects to the solar charger. PowerBoost boosts the battery output to 5V, so you connect it to the BAT pad on the solar charger. That's why you don't need the charger version of the PowerBoost - you won't be using the charger feature on it.

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Sperkmandl
 
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Re: solar charger lipo + verter buck-boost = crash ?

Post by Sperkmandl »

There are just BAT and LOAD pads on the solar charger: Since you say
PowerBoost boosts the battery output to 5V, so you connect it to the BAT pad on the solar charger.
only the LOAD pad remains free. Do you mean that the battery connects there ?

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adafruit_support_rick
 
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Re: solar charger lipo + verter buck-boost = crash ?

Post by adafruit_support_rick »

Nothing connects to LOAD. Plug the battery into the charger as normal. and ALSO connect the powerboost to the BAT pads.

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Sperkmandl
 
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Re: solar charger lipo + verter buck-boost = crash ?

Post by Sperkmandl »

Hi, I'm about to purchase a powerboost charger, as an alternative solution to the solar charger + powerboost basic. This way I can switch between the two solutions solar+powerboost or powerboost alone, for example if anything goes wrong on the panel side.
To be sure not to make disasters, I included a sketch for the above solutions.
Please let me know if the powerboost is properly handled.
I still miss the point concerning which component drops the input panel voltage from 6 v down to 5 v, since the Verter was pushed out of the game. AFAIK the powerboost input is within the range of 3.7 - 5 volts, right ?
Thanks,

Renzo
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adafruit_support_rick
 
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Re: solar charger lipo + verter buck-boost = crash ?

Post by adafruit_support_rick »

Sperkmandl wrote:I still miss the point concerning which component drops the input panel voltage from 6 v down to 5 v, since the Verter was pushed out of the game. AFAIK the powerboost input is within the range of 3.7 - 5 volts, right ?
The solar charger drops the voltage in order to charge the battery. Since you connect the powerboost to the battery output of the solar charger, you only get battery voltages on it.

So your picture shows two different configurations. The one on the right is correct. On the left, you are good so long as the battery is plugged into the solar charger and not plugged into the powerboost.

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