Power Cheater - Revision history

Krdarrah at 05:14, 10 March 2016

2016-03-10T05:14:35Z

Krdarrah at 05:11, 10 March 2016

2016-03-10T05:11:12Z

Krdarrah at 05:10, 10 March 2016

2016-03-10T05:10:43Z

Krdarrah at 05:09, 10 March 2016

2016-03-10T05:09:58Z

Krdarrah at 05:07, 10 March 2016

2016-03-10T05:07:40Z

Krdarrah at 05:06, 10 March 2016

2016-03-10T05:06:43Z

Krdarrah: Created page with " ...Back to Projects == Introduction == The Power Cheater Board provides a simple Level Shifter between a standard USB-Serial Converter from 5V to 3.3V and als..."

2016-03-10T05:02:22Z

Created page with " ...Back to Projects == Introduction == The Power Cheater Board provides a simple Level Shifter between a standard USB-Serial Converter from 5V to 3.3V and als..."

New page

[[Projects: | ...Back to Projects]]

== Introduction ==
The Power Cheater Board provides a simple Level Shifter between a standard USB-Serial Converter from 5V to 3.3V and also serves as a 3.3V linear power supply to the project board. It works nicely with the [[Cheater_Board | Cheater Board]] Power can be applied to the board from the USB-Serial Converter, Externally through the terminal block, or through aJST connector via a typical Lithium battery.

The inspiration to make this board came from the need for a cheap power supply for the ESP8266 WiFi Module with low quiescent current draw. This video here describes the power supply and benchmarks the regulators that are compatible with this board:
{{#evt:
service=youtube
|id=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sefQcqrbDik
|dimensions=560x315
}}

The MOSFET Level Shifters are Explained in this video:
{{#evt:
service=youtube
|id=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-yuYasIKtY
|dimensions=560x315
}}

[[File:RFCheater.png|150px]]

Here's the schematic for reference:

[[File:RFCheaterSCH.png|488px]]

== Assembly ==

The board ships as a bare board like this:

[[File:RFCheaterBareBoard.png|150px]]

The board can be assembled easily, since it only consists of through hole components, then it looks like this, then with the Radio Modules installed as mounted on the Cheater Board:

[[File:RFCheaterAssy.png|150px]] [[File:RFCheaterAngleView.png|600px]]

=== Parts ===
It is up to you to order the parts. The list can be downloaded [http://www.kevindarrah.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/PowerCheater_v1_BOM.xlsx **HERE**]. This can be directly uploaded into [https://www.digikey.com Digikey] if you'd like. The parts are pretty self explanatory - make sure that you pay attention to which way the Radio Modules plug into the board. There are markings/text on the board indicating which header each module should be used for.

== Pin Out ==
ESP8266:
* TX from the ESP8266 goes to Arduino Pin 6 - pin 6 would be a Software Serial RX
* RX to the ESP8266 comes from Arduino Pin 7 - pin 7 would be a Software Serial TX
* GPIO 2 is not connected
* GPIO 0 is connected to one of the pushbuttons (under the ESP8266) pulled LOW when pressed - floating when not pressed
* RESET is connected to the other pushbutton (under the NRF24L01+) pulled LOW when pressed

NRF24L01+:
* IRQ is connected to Arduino Pin 2 - Interrupt 0
* CE is connected to Arduino Pin 4
* CSN is connected to Arduino Pin 5
* CLOCK is connected to Arduino Pin 13
* MOSI is connected to Arduino Pin 11
* MISO is connected to Arduino Pin 12
* Note that Arduino Pin 10 will not be useable, since the NRF24L01+ communicates via SPI, thus making the SS (Slave Select) pin not useable - there may be workarounds for this.

== Test Code ==
Coming soon!

@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 then when plugged into the Cheater board using the USB-Serial Converter:
 [[File:PowerCheaterConnected.png|200px]]
 === Parts ===
-It is up to you to order the parts.  The list can be downloaded [http://www.kevindarrah.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/PowerCheater_v1_BOM.xlsx **HERE**].  This can be directly uploaded into  [https://www.digikey.com Digikey] if you'd like.  The parts are pretty self explanatory - make sure that you pay attention to which way the Radio Modules plug into the board.  There are markings/text on the board indicating which header each module should be used for.
+It is up to you to order the parts.  The list can be downloaded [http://www.kevindarrah.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/PowerCheater_v1_BOM.xlsx **HERE**].  This can be directly uploaded into  [https://www.digikey.com Digikey] if you'd like.  The parts are pretty self explanatory - the only thing to watch out for is that you place the 6-pin right angle connectors in the right place.  The USB-Serial Side takes the Male Header, while the Target Side takes the Female header.  Watch out for the electrolytic capacitor polarity as well - the board has markings.  The BOM has two regulators you can use with the board, but others can work as well, just as long as the pinout matches.
-== Test Code ==
+== Tutorials ==
 Coming soon!

@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 [[File:PowerCheaterBareBoard.png|300px]]
-The board can be assembled easily, since it only consists of through hole components, then it looks like this, then when plugged into the Cheater board using the USB-Serial Converter:
+The board can be assembled easily, since it only consists of through hole components, then it looks like this:
 [[File:PowerCheaterAssy.png|300px]]
 [[File:PowerCheaterConnected.png|200px]]

@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 The board can be assembled easily, since it only consists of through hole components, then it looks like this, then when plugged into the Cheater board using the USB-Serial Converter:
-[[File:PowerCheaterAssy.png|300px]] [[File:PowerCheaterConnected.png|300px]]
+[[File:PowerCheaterAssy.png|300px]]
 === Parts ===

@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 The board ships as a bare board like this:
-[[File:PowerCheaterAssy.png|300px]]
+[[File:PowerCheaterBareBoard.png|300px]]
-The board can be assembled easily, since it only consists of through hole components, then it looks like this, then with the Radio Modules installed as mounted on the Cheater Board:
+The board can be assembled easily, since it only consists of through hole components, then it looks like this, then when plugged into the Cheater board using the USB-Serial Converter:
-[[File:PowerCheaterAssy.png|150px]]
+[[File:PowerCheaterAssy.png|300px]] [[File:PowerCheaterConnected.png|300px]]
 === Parts ===

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 The Power Cheater Board provides a simple Level Shifter between a standard USB-Serial Converter from 5V to 3.3V and also serves as a 3.3V linear power supply to the project board.  It works nicely with the  [[Cheater_Board | Cheater Board]].  Power can be applied to the board from the USB-Serial Converter, Externally through the terminal block, or through a JST connector via a typical Lithium battery.
-[[File:PowerCheaterGerber.png|150px]]
+[[File:PowerCheaterGerber.png|300px]]
 The inspiration to make this board came from the need for a cheap power supply for the ESP8266 WiFi Module with low quiescent current draw.  This video here describes the power supply and benchmarks the regulators that are compatible with this board:
@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 Here's the schematic for reference:
-[[File:PowerCheaterSCH.png|488px]]
+[[File:PowerCheaterSCH.png|600px]]
 == Assembly ==
@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 The board ships as a bare board like this:
-[[File:PowerCheaterAssy.png|150px]]
+[[File:PowerCheaterAssy.png|300px]]
 The board can be assembled easily, since it only consists of through hole components, then it looks like this, then with the Radio Modules installed as mounted on the Cheater Board:
-[[File:RFCheaterAssy.png|150px]] [[File:RFCheaterAngleView.png|600px]]
+[[File:PowerCheaterAssy.png|150px]]
 === Parts ===