Li-ion Power Pack #28986 signal monitor

John Kauffman

I'm setting up Power Pack with solar panel (regulated to 6v) for remote sensing. I'd like to have my board monitor the Power Pack so I can change board behavior (shut down power-intensive circuits, perhaps change duty cycle).

Has anyone hacked up a way for the BOE board to monitor the functions indicated by the lights?
- Simplest seems to mount some photoresistors above LEDs then in BOE watch change in resistance.
- Better alternate would be to solder leads around LEDs so BOE board gets direct HI/LOW

For Plax to add a proper I2C or SPI would add to cost & require re-design so I'd say it is sufficient to monitor the LEDs' signals and sort patterns in software

LoopyByteloose

Then again, you could remove the LEDs and replace with opto-isolators which include an internal LED. The isolation might be needed.

There are photo-transistors that can sense the LED activity, and provide the isolation as well.