ENTRY
[ESC]Solar tester: almost done
I didn't feel like making an enclosure so I just zip-tied everything to an ABS sheet. Logging data via Bluetooth now works, I'll be able to make charts like cell energy to voltage, charger efficiency etc. I already evaluated several charger modules (as expected, CN3791 are the best cheap ones for solar charging). Also got some actual data for various small panels to quantify their performance. Good stuff all around.
The last thing I'll probably add is remote control via BLE. Now you operate it via the rotary encoder with a switch on the right. After that I'll put all the firmware, schematics and stuff on Github.
Oh, one more thing I was contemplating: increasing max current limit. The INA226 modules I'm using can only measure up to about 700mA with the 0.1ohm default shunt resistor. One of my panels was able to deliver more than that, so I might try changing those resistors to something smaller. It'll decrease the resolution slightly but will allow for higher currents to be measured. We'll see.
Join the conversation