Launchpad started
The Launchpad has started after some slight misunderstandings.
It seems like this will be a platform that suits me.
It seems like this will be a platform that suits me.
The Kusmi approach
I found a very nice box for the new installation. It is a Kusmi tea box, I hope to get it going with a pervasive display and Stellaris ARM4.
World premier
The duck was out sailing yesterday. We where very pleased with her discrete behaviour.
Everything went ok until I was to unmount her, then the glue broke at the motor.
I will have to find a better glue or maybe learn to weld it.
Out on the sea
Ready to go
Everything is now tucked into the box and ready to go.
I have some strange behaviour with the new battery, it does not reset ok without the small emulator board connect.
I have tried various decouppling with no certain sucess, so I will let it run with the emulator board connected.
Final assembly
Bad news
The duck computer has fallen down from 2 meters. The engine and the Otter box was torn away.
The good news is I beleive it is easy to repair.
No super caps
After some experimenting with super caps I realized the CPU has problems with the very slow recovery of the voltage. I could however very easily replace the supercaps with a 5 volt rechargable battery.
I also came to the conclusion that I need a on off button. After a while the tiny engine is not silent any longer.
The Otter box
The ligth is back in Sweden
Soon I will be able to test the power design with the solar panel. In the winter there is just not enough light to make it work.
I made a small mistake with the layout of the board and had to make a cut with the Dremel.
But I like to get the opportunity to use the the Dremel, it is not so often.
The power board
The major parts
of the copper has been etched off, let's see if I need to work it out with the dremel.
Rough surface
Functional prototypes
I have started to etch the simple board for the power handling. I like functioanal prototypes, it doesn't need to look like it is professional.
etching
Power prototype
The power part has been finalyzed with a 317T regulator from the solar panel to the supercaps. Since it seems to work I will make a small copper board to make it look a little neater.
Power
A small test for the power
I tried two supercaps i series, 10 and 15 F.
They could keep a 20 mA 3 volts load going for 6 minutes.
I will probably try to arrange it so that a small amount of sun will keep the duck awake for at least 30 minutes.
Supercap
More mecanics
The tiny engine is now epoxi glued onto the main bracket. I will try to find a suitable cylinder to protect it from water.
