Hello!
I'm currently working on a outdoor solar Raspberry pi project and fell in love with your Solar Lipo charger device and I have a few questions.
1. Using the mintyboost to control the voltage for the pi and given the very similar output specs of the panel suggested (I'm using http://www.voltaicsystems.com/6-watt-panel), would the Pi be ok voltage/current wise? Also there won't be any other current drawing connect devices except the Pi camera module.
2. Given the led status' and onboard thermistor, could I Hijack any of these signals and input them into some GPIO pins on the pi? I would love to have the system status info digitally on the pi.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP! your the best!
-Kevin
Verification on correctly using the Solar Lipo charger
Moderators: adafruit_support_bill, adafruit
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.
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- adafruit_support_bill
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Re: Verification on correctly using the Solar Lipo charger
The Mintyboost will have trouble with the peak current demands of the Pi. The Powerboost would be a better match: http://www.adafruit.com/blog/2014/05/28 ... from-1-8v/Using the mintyboost to control the voltage for the pi
You will probably be OK for daytime use and into th evening. I don't think you will be able to charge up enough during the day to run 24x7. Keep in mind that there are some losses both in charging and boosting. 80% is a typical figure for charge efficiency. Using the PowerBoost, you should get better than 90% boost efficiency.given the very similar output specs of the panel suggested (I'm using http://www.voltaicsystems.com/6-watt-panel), would the Pi be ok voltage/current wise? Also there won't be any other current drawing connect devices except the Pi camera module.
The LED status signals are active-low. You can use pullup resistors to 3.3v and connect them to the Pi.Given the led status' and onboard thermistor, could I Hijack any of these signals and input them into some GPIO pins on the pi? I would love to have the system status info digitally on the pi.
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- Posts: 5
- Joined: Mon Dec 02, 2013 4:41 pm
Re: Verification on correctly using the Solar Lipo charger
Great!
One more question on the suggested power boost product, I've read the datasteet and it's rated at a max input of 5.5V, but the panel I posted has an open circuit max voltage of 7V. Does the lipo solar charger drop the voltage before outputting to the low pin?
One more question on the suggested power boost product, I've read the datasteet and it's rated at a max input of 5.5V, but the panel I posted has an open circuit max voltage of 7V. Does the lipo solar charger drop the voltage before outputting to the low pin?
- adafruit_support_bill
- Posts: 88154
- Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:11 am
Re: Verification on correctly using the Solar Lipo charger
The solar LiPo charger also has a max voltage rating. This customer used a zener diode on the panel output to clamp the voltage to a safe level:
http://forums.adafruit.com/viewtopic.ph ... 7&p=282885
http://forums.adafruit.com/viewtopic.ph ... 7&p=282885
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.