Hey guys,
I am designing a battery operated device using the propeller, where the propeller will be sleeping for a few minutes, wake up to read sensor information, transmit data via a transceiver, then go back to sleep for another few minutes.
Is it feasible to have an external timer chip interface with the "Shutdown"/"Standby" mode on a voltage regulator? In this case, the propeller would do all of its necessary operations then using one of its GPIO's, bring the Shutdown to ground. This would cause the voltage regulator to cut power to the propeller/sensors/transceiver and would run in a mode that would have very little quiescent current drain (as low as 1uA depending on the voltage regulator). The external timer would eventually bring the Shutdown back up, and everything would power back on, at which point it would gather sensor readings, transmit data, then go back to sleep and repeat.
Is this a legitimate way of doing this? I am using 2x CR123 batteries (3.0V each) and want to get the maximum life out of them.
I had the option of using them in parallel for the 3.0V and no regulator, but they quickly drop down to 2.5V to 2.8V which is too close to brown-out for the propeller. It would be better to use a step-up/boost regulator for this.
The better option I came up with was to run the two batteries in series for 6.0V, then use a buck regulator to drop it down to 3.3V. From what I have read, this should be equivalent but slightly more efficient?
Without using the "Shutdown"/"Standby" feature of a regulator, how are you supposed to get a small quiescent current drain?
Thanks guys and any help/advice is greatly appreciated!
I am designing a battery operated device using the propeller, where the propeller will be sleeping for a few minutes, wake up to read sensor information, transmit data via a transceiver, then go back to sleep for another few minutes.
Is it feasible to have an external timer chip interface with the "Shutdown"/"Standby" mode on a voltage regulator? In this case, the propeller would do all of its necessary operations then using one of its GPIO's, bring the Shutdown to ground. This would cause the voltage regulator to cut power to the propeller/sensors/transceiver and would run in a mode that would have very little quiescent current drain (as low as 1uA depending on the voltage regulator). The external timer would eventually bring the Shutdown back up, and everything would power back on, at which point it would gather sensor readings, transmit data, then go back to sleep and repeat.
Is this a legitimate way of doing this? I am using 2x CR123 batteries (3.0V each) and want to get the maximum life out of them.
I had the option of using them in parallel for the 3.0V and no regulator, but they quickly drop down to 2.5V to 2.8V which is too close to brown-out for the propeller. It would be better to use a step-up/boost regulator for this.
The better option I came up with was to run the two batteries in series for 6.0V, then use a buck regulator to drop it down to 3.3V. From what I have read, this should be equivalent but slightly more efficient?
Without using the "Shutdown"/"Standby" feature of a regulator, how are you supposed to get a small quiescent current drain?
Thanks guys and any help/advice is greatly appreciated!