Category: Embedded Development

INA210 – Current Sensing

These scope pictures are from MC4X15A measured at 0,5A and 0,7A on the PSU. The yellow is just the pulse trigger, the cyan is the actual CSense on ch1. The cyan line is the CSense. CSense seemed to increase in average as I increased voltage. Phase current is larger, so a 200mV signal might be…

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DS18B20 – Temperature Sensors

I need to add temperature sensors to my MC4X15A Motor Controller so I can monitor HEXFET temperature and cut the H-Bridges to protect the HEXFET’s. I have 2 analogue input’s designed for temperature sensors, but I also have a bunch of DS18B20 laying around.   DS18B20 is a one-wire protocol device and you use it’s…

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Low Cost Programmable Load

I need a load for testing and fancy a programmable load. My first idea was to use a resistor array and a relay operated switch board as illustrated below.   Next as I looked into more intelligent techniques I also realize how easy it is to make one using a DAC and power transistors. The…

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Programmable Lab PSU

I fancied testing my MC4X15A motor controller as the driver for a PSU. The code is very simple as I bit-bang a PWM with 50% duty and use filter consisting of a 100uH coil and 1000uF capacitor. The result was quite good. I did however notice some input ripple. As I also scoped the Lab…

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MC4X15A – Motor Driver Testing

I am so far happy with the MC4X15A PWM channel with the exception of the current sensor. I have 3 more channels to solder up, so I will do the next without the low pass filter for comparison. I did not like the scope pictures, but will be interesting to see what I can do…

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Wifi/CAN Adapter

This model is not complete, but it gives an idea. I still lack the battery and the TF Card. The objective here is that I need a low cost CAN Adapter with Wifi to create an adapter that always work as an Analyzer as well.

3.3V Supercap

These are the two different PSU’s used on MC4X15A – notice the supercap X20. I mounted a 0.33F Supercap for the purpose of keeping the MCU alive during powercut’s + act as a spike absorber on 3.3V. I am impressed – the PWM cut instantly, but Led’s and MCU keeps going for several seconds.

INA210 Corrected

The first thing I noted was that my current readings went into negative voltage, so a bit research and I moved the ref pin 1 to ground – it seems to work better. I won’t know for sure before I activate the ADC and print readings. INA210 is supposed to have gain 200, but I…

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