Battery Meter with microcontroller

[Synergic]

Hi there!
I have been programing for a while and i have here a simple battery meter developed with a PIC 16f873.
Basically it is a voltmeter with 5 fixed values for 100%,75%,50%,25% and Low Voltage Warning.
All you have to do it edit them in the program before compile and burn the PIC.

Here you have some pics of the schematic design,layout and 3D view.

http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/3118/cpfgaugemeterlayout.jpg
http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/1001/cpfgaugemeter.jpg
http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/5740/cpfgaugemeter3d.jpg
http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/1990/cpfgaugemeter3d2.jpg


If someone is interested in it, ill post the code. Hope you like it.

Cheers;

Sergio.

 

[VidPro]

i wish you would make them in small package and sell them.
i have many times needed a small lightweight indicator.

---------------------------

i tried a Battsignal 30 bucks and it sings out a voltage level (audio) and blinks a single led, and it fits in wary small places, BUT it was for 2X-6X li-ion so there it sits useless.

i finnaly found these things, for neer nothing
http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/...roduct=6589&Product_Name=Battery_Monitor_2-6S
voltage only


http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/...ronik_VA-Tester__(Voltage_&_Current_indicator)
voltage and current, but current is off by a lot.

but NOOO, they were for 2x-6x li-ion (6V and up), and i wanted it to be able to read 1x li-ion. soooo i bought some and hacked/modded it, by removing some of the resitances here and there, and finnaly got a full voltage readout with 3v -5v, and a very poor but usefull current reading (off but relative) from ~.3a-2a.

so now my battery solar charger stuff, and about anything i want to have a meter permentally can have one , for $6

it would be great if somone would make a 5-7 led readout, that (for example) fits in the base of a mag light where there is ample space, like a round one
or one that will fit in the mag light gaps in the head, and then put the leds around the mag neck by drilling holes there and shoving them through
Ones that are set for various voltages prior to sending them out. like for 3x 4x 8x ni-mh and 1x 2x 3x li-ion and for 12v gell cells and car bats
how many years will we have to wait for things that have existed for 10+ years? heck they will have a OLED readout in a 5$ china light before we get a simple battery meter in a $300 light

 

[zipplet]

Nice project Synergic. Is this for Li-ion? I've been working on something similiar using a 4 LED readout, mostly for use with 14250 and 10180 cells (Lummi lights). Mine is not self powered from the battery however as I wanted it to work regardless of the battery state.

 

[Synergic]

Hi there!
iIt is for any type of battery,but with a voltage above 5v,because it uses 5 V reference value.
Right now im designing one with a lower vref,that will allow using it from 3.6V to 30V,and trying to minimize the layout for a small pcb.

Cheers.