Hotwire Regulator Design Collaboration Project Part 2

Jimmy, the two you are sending me are from first batch, correct? I also have the AVRISP MkII coming. Once I figure this much out (including what you said abut gate drive voltage and FET driver), I'm sure I would want more. Is it the similar cheaper price for quantity of 10?

After talking to Jimmy, I can start testing actual lux with various bulbs using my former destructive testing setup, vs. PS delivered voltage to PhD, vs. battery power to PhD.

Alan, is the file on your site "HotwireRegulatorAlpha.c" the most current version you are all using with AVR?

LuxLuthor said:

Jimmy, the two you are sending me are from first batch, correct? I also have the AVRISP MkII coming. Once I figure this much out (including what you said abut gate drive voltage and FET driver), I'm sure I would want more. Is it the similar cheaper price for quantity of 10?

After talking to Jimmy, I can start testing actual lux with various bulbs using my former destructive testing setup, vs. PS delivered voltage to PhD, vs. battery power to PhD.

Alan, is the file on your site "HotwireRegulatorAlpha.c" the most current version you are all using with AVR?

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There isn't a second batch yet. Just the ones I have and am sending out. Lux, you are getting one fully populated baord with all the chips/bits, etc. The second board is just the empty board with the standard parts kit.
The populated board has the 47K resistor for the upper half of the sampling divider that Alan is using now. As well as a 1 Ohm resistor for the Gate current sence resistor. Before assembly was complete, I measured the resistance of the gate sense resistor (compensating for leads) and wrote it on the board. (0.98 Ohm). The only thing I didn't do on your board was the main current sense shunt. You have a shunt that you can solder in wires for.

PS. The board you have is completely reconfigurable for 5V gate drive or 12V (actuaqlly 11.2V) gate drive. You have all but the 100K versus 47K option and the 3014B/7812 option. But the One board already has the 3014B installed. So you don't need the 3014B. If you choose to enable the 12V regulator and set the 5V source to 12V instead of Vbat, you set up can do 40V with the FET installed. Be carefull near 40V though.
The 6mm wide, 2oz tracks should be good for ~15A with a 10 deg C rise.

Lux should be able to test the crap out of several bulbs.
One great interest of mine is the life of a bulb that survives 10 hours at 15VDC versus the life of a bulb driven at 15VRMS (25V, etc peak)

LuxLuthor said:

Alan, is the file on your site "HotwireRegulatorAlpha.c" the most current version you are all using with AVR?

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The latest that I have is version 0.95 from October 2008.

It is quite powerful and versatile. Basically, you use the #define statements to enable "sections of code to compile and execute. This allows for testing of individual sections, which is nice. Alan also has the "older" codes as well, which start with FP1, to the latest which is FP9 - which is the one I am testing with. I must say that although I would tune up a little bit the behavior, I like the one-button interface that Alan has right now

Will

wquiles said:

The latest that I have is version 0.95 from October 2008.

It is quite powerful and versatile. Basically, you use the #define statements to enable "sections of code to compile and execute. This allows for testing of individual sections, which is nice. Alan also has the "older" codes as well, which start with FP1, to the latest which is FP9 - which is the one I am testing with. I must say that although I would tune up a little bit the behavior, I like the one-button interface that Alan has right now

Will

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LuxLuthor, I did not notice your question earlier. Thanks to Will for picking that up. Yes, that is the latest, no work has been done on it for quite some time. There are quite a few features there that have not been fully beta tested yet, though I did at least some testing of each of them at some point.

-- Alan

LuxLuthor was kind enough to point me to this thread, so...

Long time no see everyone! :wave: It's been three years since I designed my first beta-PIR now and much have happened since I see which is fun.

Since then, I have almost completed my MSc in EE and I now work for a Swedish amplifier company developing multi-kW power supplies and rig sound and light for concerts and parties with a student union organization which takes up *all* my available time. It's very much fun though...

I still have plans for a PIR 1.1, so when I eventually finish school, I just might build it. In the mean time, I use LEDs and still think "Pathetic compared to incan!" when I turn it on high...

Got to get back to work now!

Thanks to, Lux, Indeed. Glad to see you poking your head in here.
Please feel free to add commentary, etc if you like.

winny said:

LuxLuthor was kind enough to point me to this thread, so...

Long time no see everyone! :wave: It's been three years since I designed my first beta-PIR now and much have happened since I see which is fun.

Since then, I have almost completed my MSc in EE and I now work for a Swedish amplifier company developing multi-kW power supplies and rig sound and light for concerts and parties with a student union organization which takes up *all* my available time. It's very much fun though...

I still have plans for a PIR 1.1, so when I eventually finish school, I just might build it. In the mean time, I use LEDs and still think "Pathetic compared to incan!" when I turn it on high...

Got to get back to work now!

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Thanks for stopping by, Winny! Hopefully when you have some time you can make some comments here. :twothumbs

The new SSC P7 LED's are starting to get pretty impressive, 3 of them can make 2500 lumens :naughty:. But we know the incans can go a bit farther, right up to .

-- Alan

wquiles/Alan, thanks for confirming latest software.

Jimmy, got the two boards...they are so purdy!!!!!!!! Really nice! Thanks!

Winny, your PIR work was inspirational. If you have the time, any feedback would be wonderful!

LuxLuthor said:

Jimmy, got the two boards...they are so purdy!!!!!!!! Really nice! Thanks!

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Glad you like 'em.

Jim - got the boards as well - thanks much

Will

JimmyM said:

Glad you like 'em.

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Jim, board received. Now to find some time..

Thanks

-- Alan

Tell me about it! I'm away for work again Wed-Fri.
I'd like to start messing around with FP7 and FP8 this weekend.
I'm going to try some real world battery/bulb voltages.
5761 on 3 or 4 A123s/eMolis
1185 on 4 A123s.
Things like that. Bulb/Battery voltage combinations that will work this design in the more likely duty cycle range.

JimmyM said:

Tell me about it! I'm away for work again Wed-Fri.
I'd like to start messing around with FP7 and FP8 this weekend.
I'm going to try some real world battery/bulb voltages.
5761 on 3 or 4 A123s/eMolis
1185 on 4 A123s.
Things like that. Bulb/Battery voltage combinations that will work this design in the more likely duty cycle range.

Click to expand...

That's tough. Really hard to be away. Course you could take a small test setup along..

Sounds like a good plan, get some familiarity with the code/hardware.

-- Alan

Alan B said:

That's tough. Really hard to be away. Course you could take a small test setup along..
-- Alan

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TSA Agent: What is this?
Jim: Oh, that's just so I can build flashlight regulators.
TSA Agent: Come with me sir. Are you familiar with the term "Body cavity search"?

JimmyM said:

TSA Agent: What is this?
Jim: Oh, that's just so I can build flashlight regulators.
TSA Agent: Come with me sir. Are you familiar with the term "Body cavity search"?

Click to expand...

Put it in the "checked luggage", not carryon.

-- Alan

Alan B said:

Put it in the "checked luggage", not carryon.

-- Alan

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C'mon, Alan. That would make sense. You can't expect me to think that clearly this early in the morning. My, GOD, man.

You guys are too funny in the morning :twothumbs

I am traveling today again - of course my PhD setup is staying at home

Will

I found a neat Programmer that has 6 and 10 pin programming plugs and is cheaper than the STK500.
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8702

JimmyM said:

I found a neat Programmer that has 6 and 10 pin programming plugs and is cheaper than the STK500.
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8702

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I didn't mention that one before since it wasn't outstanding, but it looks fine. It is nice that it works directly with AVR Studio with no drivers, and that it has both 6 and 10 pin plugs. If someone tries it hopefully they will report here.

-- Alan

What AVRs have a greater than 8bit PWM?
All of the Atmel product tables just list the number of PWM channels. Some only have 8 bit timers while some have 16 bit timers. Is that an indicator?