Category: Embedded Development

Lab PSU 0-30V /10A – Part 9

One important issue is that we maintain stable out voltage during changing load. The diagram above show my current test setup using a cheap lab PSU from ZHAOXIN. To be honest this cost ca 60.- USD and the same in P&P to Norway. The Thaoxin is set to Output 12.3V. The BasicPI Analogue Regulator is…

Read the full article

Lab PSU 0-30V /10A – Part 8

Will upload proper pictures later… Received the PCB’s for the Lab PSU yesterday and soldered up the boards. The Regulator works fine – I was only able to test it with 5A at which point I burned the transistors due to overheating. That was with 30V in and 6V out so we dissipate ca 24*5…

Read the full article

Plain in Modern PLC Design

A classic PLC design tend to use what we call “Remote IO”. We basically have a top-side control system that read some input and control some output through a “long wire”. The PLC itself contains little or no intelligence. This design have a legacy from days where CPU power was a limitation, but it is…

Read the full article

Micro PLC Backbone

Just an update on the backbone board. I have decided to use a “All-In-One” central for home automation, but I still want to make a minimized PLC alike system. This backbone is very small – only 50mm width and 65mm height. The connectors are basically so tight with only ca 6.3mm apart that we are…

Read the full article

Universal Motor Controller

Finally got the PCB’s for the Universal Motor Controller, so we will have some fun the next days. Sadly I also instantly realise a few mistakes. The holes in the adapter board is to small for the capacitors I bought, but I can manage by using a small drill to widen some holes. Comparing the…

Read the full article

easyIPC Design

I have written a lot about the intentions with easyIPC so it’s time we dig into the details of the protocol. easyIPC will follow the OSI model on a pragmatic level as illustrated below. Smart SPI, RS-X and CAN-X are layer 2 links. Their only responsibility is to transport generic data between two nodes and…

Read the full article

Smart SPI

Smart SPI is a Layer 1 – 2 protocol using SPI to establish a direct communication link between Raspberry PI and Hat’s. SPI itself is a bit oriented full duplex protocol where the master control the speed by ticking a CLK signal. For every cycle on the clock we transfer a bit on both MOSI…

Read the full article

EDA Bug

I used a little trick on the 3-port Galvanic RSX as I connect to ground through the ground layer on layer 0. If you look at the area marked in green this is part of the ground, but the EDA don’t warn me that this is an iceland isolated from actual ground. I added a…

Read the full article