Low battery indicator

[winnetouch]

Sorry, I don't mean to rush but I borrowed that multimeter that I have to return in a couple of days . As I said in the post before this one, everything is wired as it should be, the only problem I have is with the arduino script.

[Camble]

I should point out that with an Arduino, you can read the battery voltage using one of the analog pins. You don't need a reference voltage with a divider and a "battery low" flag. You can have a reading of the actual voltage and make your decisions based on that.

[winnetouch]

I should point out that with an Arduino, you can read the battery voltage using one of the analog pins. You don't need a reference voltage with a divider and a "battery low" flag. You can have a reading of the actual voltage and make your decisions based on that.

I'll be honest... I have no clue what that means .

Also, I entered sotasystems' code in to my sparkfun pro micro anyway and all I get from the leonardo serial monitor are 0 (zeros).

Also:

Charge your battery up until it is completely full and then read the voltage with a multimeter AND your leonardo at the same time.

I get where to check the voltage with the multimeter, but how do I check the voltage with the arduino?

[Camble]

I get where to check the voltage with the multimeter, but how do I check the voltage with the arduino?

You'd need to do a bit of reading

https://www.arduino.cc/en/Reference/AnalogRead

[winnetouch]

I get where to check the voltage with the multimeter, but how do I check the voltage with the arduino?

You'd need to do a bit of reading

https://www.arduino.cc/en/Reference/AnalogRead

I read up what you posted. Didn't understand much so I looked up a video by Paul McWhorter. I sort of get what I have to do BUT... The problem is the code I'm using for the controller. My pin 15 and A1 are determined to be keypresses. So whenever I try to upload the script all I get is a blinking red light and the arduino continually sending out a command for a button press. I tried to make sense of the code I use (I didn't write it myself and it's posted 2 or 3 posts ago) but I can't see a way to skip those 2 pins. As far as I understand the script uses an equation to determine pin numbers and corresponding commands they send. But I don't know how to skip any specific pin. Should I be using a different code altogether?

I'm sorry if I'm a pain but I don't know how to program. I try to learn as I go but sometimes I really need baby steps to get thing that seem self explanitory to other people .

[sotasystems]

It is no problem to use other pins to do the reading and lighting the LED. But I see that the problem is getting your readings (you just get "0" for some reason). First, use this code in a new sketch to see if you get something else than 0, and if you don't, then you can get your readings. (don't use your controller code just yet, we will modify it later):

Code: Select all

int ReadVoltage = 0;

void setup() {
  analogReference(INTERNAL);
  pinMode(A1, INPUT);
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {
  ReadVoltage = analogRead(A1);
  Serial.println(ReadVoltage);
  delay(1000);
}

[winnetouch]

It is no problem to use other pins to do the reading and lighting the LED. But I see that the problem is getting your readings (you just get "0" for some reason). First, use this code in a new sketch to see if you get something else than 0, and if you don't, then you can get your readings. (don't use your controller code just yet, we will modify it later):

Did what you said and as long as the GB0 is turrned off I get al zeros. When I turn it on I get values around 767-781, then when the GB0 booted up it started dropping to around 740-760 and stayed there for the time I was observing.

[sotasystems]

It is no problem to use other pins to do the reading and lighting the LED. But I see that the problem is getting your readings (you just get "0" for some reason). First, use this code in a new sketch to see if you get something else than 0, and if you don't, then you can get your readings. (don't use your controller code just yet, we will modify it later):

Did what you said and as long as the GB0 is turrned off I get al zeros. When I turn it on I get values around 767-781, then when the GB0 booted up it started dropping to around 740-760 and stayed there for the time I was observing.

Sounds about right. Now do as I said in page one:

To get the baseline readings, you do the following:

Charge your battery up until it is completely full and then read the voltage with a multimeter AND your leonardo at the same time. Then turn your gameboy on. Then open the Arduino Serial monitor on your computer, and note the approx. value you get there and the voltage you read with the multimeter. Now either play a game or just let a game run on your gameboy to make use of the battery and note the approximate readings you get from the serial monitor and the multimeter like every 10 minutes until the battery is depleted, but don't go below 3.20 Volt. Please also write the exact time! If you don't even get to 3.20 Volt, please tell at which voltage it started to cut off. If you have all your readings, please report back.

[winnetouch]

Sounds about right. Now do as I said in page one.

Here is a screenshot of the values. As instructed I did not go under 3,20 volts. The arduino values are a bit wonky since they kept fluctuating all the time.

Screen Shot 2016-11-24 at 18.45.37.png (43.29 KiB) Viewed 10507 times

[sotasystems]

Here is a screenshot of the values. As instructed I did not go under 3,20 volts.

Very well. Going below 2.90 - 2.80 volts could potentialy permanently damage the battery. 3.20 Volts is a "safe" range to stay on with Li-Po batteries.

The arduino values are a bit wonky since they kept fluctuating all the time.

Pretty usual.

Now there is a last thing I would like to know from you:

When do you want your battery low LED to come on (Voltage value)? I would recommend 10-15 minutes before reaching 3.20 Volts, but it's up to you.