Difference between revisions of "Anchor"
From Hackstrich
(Tiny bit of work done before $dayjob today.) |
(Updating status with yesterday's work.) |
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Anchor will be an electronic current/voltage sink, for testing/characterizing power supplies and other similar tasks. | Anchor will be an electronic current/voltage sink, for testing/characterizing power supplies and other similar tasks. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == TODO == | ||
| + | * Add a sound outputting device for alerts when the unit shuts down or other similar situations. | ||
== Status == | == Status == | ||
| − | * 2011-09-19: Completed rev. 1 schematic, started working on board layout. | + | * 2011-09-19: Completed rev. 1 schematic, started working on board layout and got about 80% completed, remaining to complete are the USB port, one of the two expansion slots, and GND. |
* 2011-09-18: Worked on schematic, completed the two ADC sections and the DAC section for measurement and load driving. | * 2011-09-18: Worked on schematic, completed the two ADC sections and the DAC section for measurement and load driving. | ||
* Pre-September 2011: Put together majority of desired specs and started putting BOM together, put together UI part of the schematic. | * Pre-September 2011: Put together majority of desired specs and started putting BOM together, put together UI part of the schematic. | ||
Revision as of 13:54, 20 September 2011
Anchor will be an electronic current/voltage sink, for testing/characterizing power supplies and other similar tasks.
TODO
- Add a sound outputting device for alerts when the unit shuts down or other similar situations.
Status
- 2011-09-19: Completed rev. 1 schematic, started working on board layout and got about 80% completed, remaining to complete are the USB port, one of the two expansion slots, and GND.
- 2011-09-18: Worked on schematic, completed the two ADC sections and the DAC section for measurement and load driving.
- Pre-September 2011: Put together majority of desired specs and started putting BOM together, put together UI part of the schematic.
Specs/Brainstorming
- Desired features/specs:
- Constant current and constant voltage options
- Maybe constant power too?
- Ramp-up/down automatically and track outputs
- Pulse load to test transient response
- 5A/100V maximums
- 500W dissipation in a FET is a bit nuts, so it won't be 5A *at* 100V
- 100W continuous, 500W pulse might be reasonable? Would be nice anyway.
- Some kind of computer interface for more complicated tests/more detailed data analysis
- USB would be easy to implement
- RS232 would be even easier to implement
- Ethernet could be cool, but that seems overkill here
- GPIB would be the traditional choice for test gear, but I've never done any work with it
- Add-on module system for adding extra monitoring channels for things that might be expensive to implement or not commonly used
- Temperature monitoring (a couple channels worth) would be good, as you often want to monitor chips/pass elements/etc. while load testing supplies
- Everything to do with thermocouples is expensive, so making this an add-on module would be good
- Temperature monitoring (a couple channels worth) would be good, as you often want to monitor chips/pass elements/etc. while load testing supplies
- Direct connection to mains, as power bricks are annoying in hackerspaces where gear is moved around a lot
- Constant current and constant voltage options
- PIC24FJ256DA210 will be used as it has all the graphics/LCD drive/acceleration built in to enable a nice colour TFT display
- Inputs
- Digital
- Load On/Off
- Event trigger switch
- CC/CV mode?
- 3 for UI quadrature encoder
- 2 for touchscreen
- MCU-integrated 10-bit ADC
- Heatsink temperature
- 2 for touchscreen
- Digital
- Outputs
- Digital
- CC/CV mode relay (if required)
- Scope trigger output
- Load disconnect relay
- 3x SPI /SS outputs
- Digital
- Communication Busses
- I2C
- AR1020 I2C resistive touchscreen controller (will try to eliminate it and do it in the PIC for revision 2)
- SPI
- 2x LTC2450 SPI 16-bit ADC for current and voltage measurement
- 1x MCP4921 12-bit DAC for driving the MOSFET
- I2C
- Inputs
- Want a graphical LCD for the output/UI, and the PIC chosen will drive a nice TFT
- WQVGA is a nice size, can get a menu/buttons on the side and still have room for the info display
- The Newhaven NHD-43-480272MF-ATXI-T-1 from Mouser seems the best option for size/touch/resolution
