Voltage Tester for Model Batteries

With a suitable load, the terminal voltage of a NiCd or lithium-ion battery is proportional to the amount of stored energy. This relationship, which is linear over a wide range, can be used to build a simple battery capacity meter. 

Circuit Image :

 

Voltage Tester for Model Batteries Circuit Image 

This model battery tester has two functions: it provides a load for the battery, and at the same time it measures the terminal voltage. In addition, both functions can be switched on or off via a model remote-control receiver, to avoid draining the battery when it is not necessary to make a measurement. The load network, which consists of a BC517 Darlington transistor (T2) and load resistor R11 (15 Ω /5 W), is readily evident. When the load is active, the base of T1 lies practically at ground level. Consequently, T1 conducts and allows one of the LEDs to be illuminated. 

Circuit Diagram :

Voltage Tester for Model Batteries Circuit Diagram

The thoroughly familiar voltmeter circuit, which is based on the LM3914 LED driver, determines which LED is lit. The values of R6 and R7 depend on the type and number of cells in the battery. The objective here is not to measure the entire voltage range from 0 V, but rather to display the portion of the range between the fully charged voltage and the fully discharged voltage. Since a total of ten LEDs are used, the display is very precise. For a NiCd battery with four cells, the scale runs from 4.8 V to 5.5 V when R6 = R7 = 2 kΩ. The measurement scale for a lithium-ion battery with two cells ranges from 7.2 V to 8.0 V if R6 = 2 kΩ and R7 = 1 kΩ. 

For remote-control operation, both jumpers should be placed in the upper position (between pin 1 and the middle pin). In this configuration, either a positive or negative signal edge will start the measurement process. A positive edge triggers IC1a, whose output goes High and triggers IC1b. A negative edge has no effect on IC1a, but it triggers IC1b directly. In any case, the load will be activated for the duration of the pulse from monostable IC1b. Use P12 to set the pulse width of IC1a to an adequate value, taking care that it is shorter than the pulse width of IC1b. 

If the voltage tester is fitted into a remote-controlled model, you can replace the jumpers with simple wire bridges. However, if you want to use it for other purposes, such as measuring the amount of charge left in a video camera battery, it is recommended to connect double-throw push-button switches in place of JP1 and JP2. The normally closed contact corresponds to the upper jumper position,while the normally open contact corresponds to the lower position.

Parts :

Resistors:
R1,R2 = 47kΩ
R3 = 100kΩ
R4 = 500kΩ
R5 = 1kΩ
R6,R7 = see text (1% resistors!)
R8 = 1kΩ5
R9 = 1kΩ2
R10 = 330Ω
R11 = 15Ω 5W
R12 = 15kΩ
P1 = 100kΩ preset
Capacitors:
C1 = 10nF
C2 = 100nF
Semiconductors:
D1-D10 = LED, red, high effi-ciency
T1 = BC557
T2 = BC517
IC1 = 74HC123
IC2 = LM3914AN
Miscellaneous:
PC1,PC2,PC3 = solder pin
JP1,JP2 = jumper or pushbuttonPCB Layout :

Voltage Tester for Model Batteries PCB Layout

50W audio amplifier LM3876

LM3876 is a high performance audio power amplifier IC from National Semiconductors. The LM3876 can deliver 50watts of output power into an 8 ohm loudspeaker. LM3876 has excellent signal to noise ratio and has wide supply voltage range. Other features of LM3876 are output to ground short circuit protection, input mute function, and output over voltage protection, etc. Applications of LM3876 are component stereo, compact stereo, surround systems, self powered speakers, etc.

Circuit diagram :

50W audio amplifier Circuit Diagram

The 50 watt audio amplifier  circuit shown below is designed based on the application diagram from the data sheet of LM3876. Some modifications are made on the original circuit for improving the performance. The bipolar electrolytic capacitor C7 is the input DC decoupling capacitor. R4 is the input resistance. R2 & R1 and bipolar electrolytic capacitor C5 forms a feedback circuit. C2, C1 are filter/by-pass capacitors for the positive supply rail. C4 & C3 are the filters/by-pass capacitors for the negative supply rail. The feedback resistor R2 sets the gain of the amplifier. L1 provides high impedance at high frequencies so that R7 may decouple capacitive loads. R3 is the mute resistance which allows 0.5mA to be drawn from pin8 to turn the mute function OFF. S1 is the mute switch. Resistor R6 and capacitor C8 forms a Zobel network which improves the high frequency stability of the amplifier and prevents oscillations.

Notes :

• The LM3876 can be operated from a supply voltage range of +/-12V to +/-49V DC.
• I recommend +/-35V DC for powering the IC.
• LM3876 requires a proper heat sink.
• Quiescent current of LM3876 is around 70mA
  

A Car Battery Monitor

A close call on the road can really focus your mind on the importance of having a battery monitor in a car. I had been enjoying a pleasant week of travelling around the countryside at a leisurely pace and taking in the beautiful scenery each day. It wasnt until the final day, with the big rush to return home, that I had to drive at night.My home is deep in the country and on the road I was travelling the closest petrol station may be 80km away. I was travelling through an area that is full of open-cut coal mines and large heavily loaded semi-trailers constantly pound the roads, travelling at quite high speeds. It was around 8pm at night and everything was very dark no street lights or house lights anywhere.

Just as I was going up a hill, the lights began to dim and the engine coughed. A large semi-trailer loomed in the rear-vision mirror as I pushed the clutch in and tried to restart. My speed was falling rapidly and my lights were blacked out - I was like a sitting duck in the middle of the road, as the semi-trailer came rapidly bearing down on me. I just managed to pull the car off the road, as the semi-trailer came screaming past, missing me by inches! After calling for assistance from the NRMA, the problem was found to be a fault in the alternator, which was failing to charge the battery. The battery voltage had been falling under the heavy load of the lights and at the worst possible time, there was not sufficient power for the lights or the motor.

After the initial shock wore off, I put on my thinking cap to come up with a PIC-based solution to the problem. What was really needed was a display and a buzzer, to get my attention should the voltage fall outside a specified range. So my design criteria was set, a series of LEDs could indicate the voltage and a buzzer would also be used to warn of problems.

Main Features:

• Visual indication of battery voltage
• Audible warning when voltage becomes low
• Screw terminals for easy connection
• Simple and easy to build

Circuit details:

The circuit is based on PIC16F819 18-pin microcontroller which has an analog-to-digital (A/D) input to monitor the battery voltage and outputs capable of driving LEDs directly, to keep the component count down. There are seven LEDs in all, giving a good range of voltage indication. The topmost LED, LED1, comes on for voltages above 14V which will occur when the battery is fully charged. LED2 indicates for voltages between 13.5V and 14V while LED3 indicates between 13V and 13.5V. Normally, one of these LEDs will be on. LED4 covers 12.5V to 13V while LED5 covers 12V to 12.5V. LED6 covers from 11.5V to 12V while LED7 comes on for voltages below 11.5V. These two LEDs are backed up by the piezo chime which beeps for voltages between 11.5V and 12V and becomes more insistent for voltages below 11.5V.

That might seem fairly conservative. After all, most cars will start with no troubles, even though the battery voltage might be a touch below 12V, wont they? Well, no. Some modern cars will happily crank the motor at voltages below 11V but their engine management will not let the motor start unless the voltage is above 11V. So dont think that a modern car will always start reliably. This little battery monitor could easily prevent a very inconvenient failure to start! So lets describe the rest of the circuit. The incoming supply is connected via diode D1 which provides protection against reverse polarity while zener diode ZD1 provides protection from spike voltages.

A standard 7805 3-terminal regulator is then used to provide a stable 5V to the microcontroller. The battery voltage is sensed via a voltage divider using 33kΩ and 100kΩ resistors. This brings the voltage down to within the 0-5V range for the A/D input of the PIC16F819. Port B (RB0 to RB7) of the microcontroller is then used to drive the various LEDs, with current limiting provided via the 330Ω resistor network. RB7, pin 13, drives a switching transistor for the piezo buzzer.

Software:

For the software, the design follows the basic template for a PIC microcontroller. Port A and its ADC (analog-to-digital converter) function are set up while port B functions as the output for the LEDs and buzzer. Once the set-up is complete, a reading will be taken at port RA2, the input for the A/D convertor. This reading is then compared with a series of values to determine the range of the voltage. This is similar to a series of "if" statements in Basic language. If the voltage is found to be within a certain range, the relevant port B pin will be turned on. If the voltage is below 12V, the buzzer will be turned on for a brief period, to signal a low battery condition. As the voltage falls below 11.5V, the frequency of the beeps will increase, to signal increased urgency.

Building it:

All the parts are mounted on a small PC board measuring 46 x 46mm (available from Futurlec). The starting point should be the IC socket for the PIC16F819, as this is easiest to mount while the board is bare. The next item can be the PC terminal block. The resistors and capacitors can then follow. Make sure the electrolytics are inserted with correct polarity.

Make sure that you do not confuse the zener (ZD1) with the diode when you are installing them; the diode is the larger package of the two.

Even more important, dont get the 78L05 3-terminal regulator and the 2N3906 transistor mixed up; they come in identical packages. The 78L05 will be labelled as such while the 2N3906 will be labelled "3906". And make sure you insert them the correct way around. The buzzer must also be installed with the correct polarity. The 330Ω current limiting resistors are all in a 10-pin in-line package. There are four green LEDs, two yellow and one red. They need to be installed in line and with the correct orientation.

Testing:

Before you insert the PIC16F819 microcontroller, do a voltage check. Connect a 12V source and check for the presence of 5V between pins 14 & 5 OF IC1. If 5V is not present, check the polarity of regulator REG1 and the polarity of the diode D1. If these tests are OK, insert the IC and test the unit over a range of voltage between 9V and 15V. Make sure that all LEDs come on in sequence and the piezo buzzer beeps for voltages below 12V. 

Now it is matter of installing the unit in your car. It is preferable to install the unit in a visible position for the driver. However, it should not obscure any other instruments. The unit should be connected to the cars 12V supply after the ignition switch. This will turn the unit off with the other instruments and prevent battery drain while the motor is not running.

Acoustic Distress Beacon

An ELT (Emergency Locator Transmitter, also known as a distress beacon) is an emergency radio transmitter that is activated either manually or automatically by a crash sensor to aid the detection and location of aircraft in distress. This acoustic ELT project is intended for radio control (RC) model aircraft, which every now and then decide to go their own way and disappear into the undergrowth.

Circuit diagram :

Acoustic Distress Beacon Circuit Diagram

The audio locating device described here enables model aircraft that have landed ‘off limits’ to be found again and employs its own independent power supply. The small cam-era battery shown in the circuit activates an acoustic sounder when radio contact is lost and produces a short signal tone (bleep) every ten seconds for more than 25 hours. Current consumption in standby and passive (with jumper J1 set) modes is negligible. The timing generator for the alarm tone is the Schmitt trigger AND-gate IC1.B; its asymmetric duty cycle drives a 5 V DC sounder via MOSFET transistor T1. All the time that the RC receiver output is delivering positive pulses, the oscillator is blocked by IC1.A and diode D1. Setting jumper J1 parallel to C2 also disables the oscillator and serves to ‘disarm’ the distress beacon.

Motorbike Alarm

This simple to build alarm can be fitted in bikes to protect them from being stolen. The tiny circuit can be hidden anywhere, without any complicated wiring. Virtually, it suits all bikes as long as they have a battery. It doesnt drain out the battery though as the standby current is zero. The hidden switch S1 can be a small push-to-on switch, or a reed switch with magnet, or any other similar simple arrangement. The circuit is designed around a couple of low-voltage MOSFETs configured as monostable timers. Motorbike key S2 is an ignition switch, while switch S3 is a tilt switch. Motorbike key S2 provides power supply to the gate of MOSFET T2, when turned on. 

When you turn ignition off using key S2, you have approximately 15 seconds to get off the bike; this function is performed by resistor R6 to discharge capacitor C3.

Thereafter, if anyone attempts to get on the bike or move it, the alarm sounds for approximately15 seconds and also disconnects the ignition circuit. During parking, hidden switch S1 is normally open and does not allow triggering of mosfet T1. But when someone starts the motorbike through ignition switch S2, MOSFET T2 triggers through diode D1 and resistor R5. Relay RL1 (12V, 2C/O) energises to activate the alarm (built around IC1) as well as to disconnect the ignition coil from the circuit. Disconnection of the ignition coil prevents generation of spark from the spark plug. Usually, there is a wire running from the alternator to the ignition coil, which has to be routed through one of the N/C1 contacts of relay RL1 as shown in Fig.1 Fig.2 shows the pin configurations of SCR BT169, MOSFET BS170 and transistor BC548.

Circuit diagram :

 Motorbike Alarm Circuit Diagram

Motorbike Alarm-Pin Configurations :

Pin configurations of BT169, BS170 and BC548

 

Also, on disconnection of the coil, sound generator IC UM3561 (IC1) gets power supply through N/O2 contact of relay RL1. This drives the darlington pair built around T3 and T4 to produce the siren sound through loudspeaker LS1.  To start the vehicle, both hidden switch S1 and ignition key S2 should be switched on. Otherwise, the alarm will start sounding. Switching on S1 triggers SCR1, which, in turn, triggers MOSFET T1. MOSFET T1 is configured to disable MOSFET T2 from functioning. As a result, MOSFET T2 does not trigger and relay RL1 remains de-energised, alarm deactivated and ignition coil connected to the circuit.  Connection to the ignition coil helps in generation of spark from the spark plug. Keeping hidden switch S1 accessible only to the owner prevents the bike from pillaging.

Tilt switch S3 prevents attempt to move the vehicle without starting it. Glass-and metal-bodied versions of the switch offer bounce-free switching and quick break action even when tilted slowly. 

Unless otherwise stated, the angle by which the switch must be tilted to ensure the contact operation (operating angle), must be approximately 1.5 to 2 times the stated differential angle. The differential angle is the measure of the just closed position to the just open position. The tilt switch has characteristics like contacts make and break with vibration, return to the open state at rest, non-position sensitivity, inert gas and hermetic sealing for protection of contacts and tin-plated steel housing. If you find difficulty in getting the tilt switch, you may replace it with a reed switch (N/O) and a piece of magnet. The magnet and the reed switch should be mounted such that the contacts of the switch close when the bike stand is lifted up from rest.