The Booster BoosterPack - LiPo Battery Pack + USB Charger

[bluehash 1,581]

on a side note, you can generate 5v from the 3.6V VCCpin the booster pack pinout provides if you use a buck-boost regulator, I did this on my USB + SD card board to give me 5V for my LEDs on the board(change made after I posted about it)   that will let you feed that up regulated 5v into the charging chip and run it solely off the booster pack pins rather than having to charge it through the separate usb plug.

 

here is the schematic screenshot of how to rig it you can power VREG Enable from VCC for always on 5V output, or tie the enable to an output on the MSP430 and turn the 5V on and off as needed. the resistor values set the voltage out, these will give you 5V for the NCP1406

 

the inductor can be from 1uH to 47uH, larger gives you better performance, smaller allows smaller components, just make sure the saturation current is atleast what you expect to draw from the 5V output plus some cushion

Good idea!

 

I have to keep track of cost... since this will add to it.. but it will get rid of the USB connector.

[cubeberg 540]

just make sure the saturation current is atleast what you expect to draw from the 5V output plus some cushion

I know what happens there  We blew up a few chips on the VFD clock that way.

[spirilis 1,265]

Thanks bluehash!  Received it...

 

Will solder the headers up soon and give it a spin!

PS- What's "lickable"?  

[bluehash 1,581]

Thanks bluehash!  Received it...

dsc_4967.sm.jpg

dsc_4968.sm.jpg

 

Will solder the headers up soon and give it a spin!

Ah awesome! See those two rectangle pads ... I made a mistake there on the layer.

 

PS- What's "lickable"?   ;-)

 

Hehe! Yes.. don't do that. All 43oh boards have that at the back.

[spirilis 1,265]

Ah awesome! See those two rectangle pads ... I made a mistake there on the layer.

 

 

Hehe! Yes.. don't do that. All 43oh boards have that at the back.

Ahh k, pads should be scratchable.... I guess my tongue won't be sharp enough though so I'll leave it to the knife

[cde 334]

How well is the mcp working without the 10uf input cap?

[bluehash 1,581]

How well is the mcp working without the 10uf input cap?

 

Not required. Just a filter cap.

More info - pg 11 of MCP1252 datasheet

 

The value of COUT controls the amount of output voltage ripple present on VOUT. Increasing the size of C OUT will reduce output ripple at the expense of a slower turn-on time from shutdown and a higher in-rush current

 

[cde 334]

 

Not required. Just a filter cap.

More info - pg 11 of MCP1252 datasheet

 

 

 

 

I was looking at "If the source impedance to VIN is very low, up to several megahertz, CIN may not be required. Alternatively, a somewhat smaller value of CIN may be substituted for the recommended 10 ?F, but will not be as effective in preventing ripple on the VIN pin.". How do you determine input impedance from a usb source (or batteries?)

[bluehash 1,581]

I'm confused.. Which MCP are you referring to?

[cde 334]

I'm confused.. Which MCP are you referring to?

I'm going to be using the mcp1253, nearly identical to your mcp1252 (They use the same datasheet).

[bluehash 1,581]

I'm going to be using the mcp1253, nearly identical to your mcp1252 (They use the same datasheet).

I don't think I used a Cin.

[cde 334]

I don't think I used a Cin.

That's why I was asking, to see if you compared the performance of it without a C-in.

[bluehash 1,581]

That's why I was asking, to see if you compared the performance of it without a C-in.

I did not bother about it too much as there is a 4.7uf from the previous stage in there.

[cubeberg 540]

@@bluehash - did you have to bend the pins for the battery connection?  Mine don't connect too well.  I'd say a polarized connector would be nice for a future rev.  Before connecting the battery - I had to look at the traces to make sure I had it connected correctly.  The polarized connector would avoid the need for reverse-polarity protection.

 

The charge LED seemed to go off once mine was charged (it wasn't connected to an LP at the time).  What does the other LED do?  Is it a charged or in use LED?  Wondering if I should go ahead and populate it or not.

 

Also - I'd love to have an extra battery on hand - might be worth ordering some extras on the next run.  

 

Other observations - silkscreen needs some work - although it looks like you were kind of working on that based on overlapping labels for the same component.  

 

Got my battery charged last night - looking forward to testing this out!

[bluehash 1,581]

 

Thanks for the comments!

did you have to bend the pins for the battery connection?

 

 

- Yes.. I messed that up. For now, just bend the pins and force the battery connector in. There are +/- marks on the connector. Going polarized will work, but it may not be the same with all the batteries. So I need to look into that.

 

The charge LED seemed to go off once mine was charged (it wasn't connected to an LP at the time).  What does the other LED do?  Is it a charged or in use LED?  Wondering if I should go ahead and populate it or not.

 

Leave D2 alone for now. The led D1 should go off once the battery is charges. I forget what D2 needs to do. I'll be removing it in the next rev.

 

Also - I'd love to have an extra battery on hand - might be worth ordering some extras on the next run.  

 

 

 

I'll be sending you one. I have it on hand.

 

Other observations - silkscreen needs some work - although it looks like you were kind of working on that based on overlapping labels for the same component.  

 

 

Yes. I over looked some things. Also those two pads near the battery need to be exposed. I got the layer/masking wrong.

 

Got my battery charged last night - looking forward to testing this out!

 

 

Any more comments, let me know.