Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
Low Voltage Battery Shutoff Circuit — Parallax Forums

Low Voltage Battery Shutoff Circuit

ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
edited 2001-11-23 17:48 in General Discussion
I have a 9 volt battery connected to a motor. When the voltage drops down
to 5 volts, I want the motor to shut down.

I have tried using a relay between the battery and the motor. When it gets
close to the point where there is not enough
voltage to keep the contact pin connected, it starts chattering and spitting
out arcs.

I thought about using a 339 comparator, but how would I set my reference
voltage using the single power supply.
So, I am at a loss. If anyone has some suggestions, I would appreciate the
help.

Comments

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-11-22 00:46
    --- In basicstamps@y..., Bryan Smith <bsmith@w...> wrote:
    > I have a 9 volt battery connected to a motor. When the voltage
    drops down
    > to 5 volts, I want the motor to shut down.
    >
    > I have tried using a relay between the battery and the motor. When
    it gets
    > close to the point where there is not enough
    > voltage to keep the contact pin connected, it starts chattering and
    spitting
    > out arcs.
    >
    > I thought about using a 339 comparator, but how would I set my
    reference
    > voltage using the single power supply.
    > So, I am at a loss. If anyone has some suggestions, I would
    appreciate the
    > help.

    Just a thought for ya..

    Maybe a really simple way of doing this would be to shut down the
    entire circuit and not just the motor. Since the stamp resets at low
    power levels, your first few lines of code could be out of the normal
    program loop to verify if a port is high, you could do this easiest
    by adding a switch from a port to +V, and holding it down when you
    turn it on initially so it would be set high and therefore be allowed
    to continue running the program, if not, jump to end or something.
    That when it reaches low power and the stamp resets, the switch won't
    be held down and it will jump to end. Pretty crude but hey...I guess
    it depends on the application.
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-11-22 00:59
    Hi Bryan,
    I might be able to help you out here.

    Quoting Bryan Smith <bsmith@w...>:
    > I thought about using a 339 comparator, but how would I set my
    > reference
    > voltage using the single power supply.

    You've got the first part of the solution with the comparator. The way you get
    your reference voltage is by using a voltage divider. This is two resistors
    between VCC and GND with values choosen so that if you take the voltage between
    the two it is your reference voltage. Then you just need to feed this value and
    the actual output value of the battery into the comparator and feed the result
    of this into the stamp.

    Hope this helps you,
    kind regards,
    James Fitzsimons
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-11-22 02:40
    If the motor is uncontrolled you could use a double pole double throw
    relay connected to form a latching relay. You just need a button or
    switch to start it.
    Once its running it will continue to run until the voltage drops to the
    coil dropout voltage
    and the contacts open and the motor stops.



    On Thu, 22 Nov 2001 00:46:32 -0000 cbielek@y... writes:
    > --- In basicstamps@y..., Bryan Smith <bsmith@w...> wrote:
    > > I have a 9 volt battery connected to a motor. When the voltage
    > drops down
    > > to 5 volts, I want the motor to shut down.
    > >
    > > I have tried using a relay between the battery and the motor.
    > When
    > it gets
    > > close to the point where there is not enough
    > > voltage to keep the contact pin connected, it starts chattering
    > and
    > spitting
    > > out arcs.
    > >
    > > I thought about using a 339 comparator, but how would I set my
    > reference
    > > voltage using the single power supply.
    > > So, I am at a loss. If anyone has some suggestions, I would
    > appreciate the
    > > help.
    >
    > Just a thought for ya..
    >
    > Maybe a really simple way of doing this would be to shut down the
    > entire circuit and not just the motor. Since the stamp resets at low
    >
    > power levels, your first few lines of code could be out of the
    > normal
    > program loop to verify if a port is high, you could do this easiest
    > by adding a switch from a port to +V, and holding it down when you
    > turn it on initially so it would be set high and therefore be
    > allowed
    > to continue running the program, if not, jump to end or something.
    > That when it reaches low power and the stamp resets, the switch
    > won't
    > be held down and it will jump to end. Pretty crude but hey...I guess
    >
    > it depends on the application.
    >
    >
    > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the
    > Subject and Body of the message will be ignored.
    >
    >
    > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
    > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
    >
    >
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-11-22 03:00
    If the motor is uncontrolled you can use a DP/DT relay connected to form
    a latching relay
    This would keep the motor running until the dropout voltage is reached .
    Once the contacts open for even a fraction of a second the coil would
    drop out and the motor would stop.

    On Thu, 22 Nov 2001 00:46:32 -0000 cbielek@y... writes:
    > --- In basicstamps@y..., Bryan Smith <bsmith@w...> wrote:
    > > I have a 9 volt battery connected to a motor. When the voltage
    > drops down
    > > to 5 volts, I want the motor to shut down.
    > >
    > > I have tried using a relay between the battery and the motor.
    > When
    > it gets
    > > close to the point where there is not enough
    > > voltage to keep the contact pin connected, it starts chattering
    > and
    > spitting
    > > out arcs.
    > >
    > > I thought about using a 339 comparator, but how would I set my
    > reference
    > > voltage using the single power supply.
    > > So, I am at a loss. If anyone has some suggestions, I would
    > appreciate the
    > > help.
    >
    > Just a thought for ya..
    >
    > Maybe a really simple way of doing this would be to shut down the
    > entire circuit and not just the motor. Since the stamp resets at low
    >
    > power levels, your first few lines of code could be out of the
    > normal
    > program loop to verify if a port is high, you could do this easiest
    > by adding a switch from a port to +V, and holding it down when you
    > turn it on initially so it would be set high and therefore be
    > allowed
    > to continue running the program, if not, jump to end or something.
    > That when it reaches low power and the stamp resets, the switch
    > won't
    > be held down and it will jump to end. Pretty crude but hey...I guess
    >
    > it depends on the application.
    >
    >
    > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the
    > Subject and Body of the message will be ignored.
    >
    >
    > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
    > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
    >
    >
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-11-23 03:18
    Another option would be a voltage trigger, such as the MN1380 series by
    Panasonic. They are three terminal devices that trigger at specified
    voltages, the highest range they detect is between 4.6 and 4.9V.
    Presumably that means that a particular device will trigger at a constant
    voltage somewhere in that range, depending on manufacturing variations,
    not that it will trigger at 4.6V one day and another voltage later. I
    first encountered them at the solarbotics site, they have schematics
    available for some of the kits they sell, which I found informative.
    www.solarbotics.com, then go to the link for kits -- I found the schematic
    for kit 5 useful -- the circuit turns on above the threshold, turns off
    below it.

    They were originally designed for low battery voltage detection, come in a
    TO-92 package (ie look like a switching transistor), and have built in
    voltage references and comparators. It might be just what you want. I
    have been planning on using them, but haven't had time to put things
    together yet... As a bonus, they are only about a dollar.

    There is more information about them at the Digikey webpage:
    http://rocky.digikey.com/scripts/ProductInfo.dll?Site=US&V=9&M=MN13822-U(TX)

    I hope this is useful and that everyone is having a happy turkey-day.

    Nick


    >
    > If the motor is uncontrolled you can use a DP/DT relay connected to form
    > a latching relay
    > This would keep the motor running until the dropout voltage is reached .
    > Once the contacts open for even a fraction of a second the coil would
    > drop out and the motor would stop.
    >
    > On Thu, 22 Nov 2001 00:46:32 -0000 cbielek@y... writes:
    > > --- In basicstamps@y..., Bryan Smith <bsmith@w...> wrote:
    > > > I have a 9 volt battery connected to a motor. When the voltage
    > > drops down
    > > > to 5 volts, I want the motor to shut down.
    > > >
    > > > I have tried using a relay between the battery and the motor.
    > > When
    > > it gets
    > > > close to the point where there is not enough
    > > > voltage to keep the contact pin connected, it starts chattering
    > > and
    > > spitting
    > > > out arcs.
    > > >
    > > > I thought about using a 339 comparator, but how would I set my
    > > reference
    > > > voltage using the single power supply.
    > > > So, I am at a loss. If anyone has some suggestions, I would
    > > appreciate the
    > > > help.
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2001-11-23 17:48
    Here is a circuit that uses the MN13812 and a p-mosfet as a battery shutoff:

    http://www.emesystems.com/images/bs2/BVcutoff.gif
    described in:
    http://www.emesystems.com/BS2power.htm#Brownout

    The circuit adds additional hysteresis.

    cbielek, The fact that your motor+relay circuit chatters when it hits
    the relay threshold probably means that there is feedback as follows:

    - battery voltage drops due to motor+relay load
    - low voltage makes relay open
    - battery voltage rises as soon as the load is removed
    - relay closes due to voltage increase
    - voltage drops due to load
    - .... repeat over and over.

    If you want it to stay off, you need to include the power to the
    relay in the _output_ circuit of the relay. That would also need a
    "push to start" switch in the circuit.

    -- Tracy


    >Another option would be a voltage trigger, such as the MN1380 series by
    >Panasonic. They are three terminal devices that trigger at specified
    >voltages, the highest range they detect is between 4.6 and 4.9V.
    >Presumably that means that a particular device will trigger at a constant
    >voltage somewhere in that range, depending on manufacturing variations,
    >not that it will trigger at 4.6V one day and another voltage later. I
    >first encountered them at the solarbotics site, they have schematics
    >available for some of the kits they sell, which I found informative.
    >www.solarbotics.com, then go to the link for kits -- I found the schematic
    >for kit 5 useful -- the circuit turns on above the threshold, turns off
    >below it.
    >
    >They were originally designed for low battery voltage detection, come in a
    >TO-92 package (ie look like a switching transistor), and have built in
    >voltage references and comparators. It might be just what you want. I
    >have been planning on using them, but haven't had time to put things
    >together yet... As a bonus, they are only about a dollar.
    >
    >There is more information about them at the Digikey webpage:
    >http://rocky.digikey.com/scripts/ProductInfo.dll?Site=US&V=9&M=MN13822-U(TX)
    >
    >I hope this is useful and that everyone is having a happy turkey-day.
    >
    >Nick
    >
    > >
    > > On Thu, 22 Nov 2001 00:46:32 -0000 cbielek@y... writes:
    > > > --- In basicstamps@y..., Bryan Smith <bsmith@w...> wrote:
    > > > > I have a 9 volt battery connected to a motor. When the voltage
    > > > drops down
    > > > > to 5 volts, I want the motor to shut down.
    > > > >
    > > > > I have tried using a relay between the battery and the motor.
    > > > When
    > > > it gets
    > > > > close to the point where there is not enough
    > > > > voltage to keep the contact pin connected, it starts chattering
    > > > and
    > > > spitting
    > > > > out arcs.
    > > > >
    > > > > I thought about using a 339 comparator, but how would I set my
    > > > reference
    > > > > voltage using the single power supply.
    > > > > So, I am at a loss. If anyone has some suggestions, I would
    > > > appreciate the
    > > > help.
Sign In or Register to comment.