This sounds like an interesting project. Thanks for providing information on the current, voltage, power and temperature sensors. I am interested in hearing about your experiences with them and barring negative feedback plan on including them in my own commercial projects. I will also be interested in hearing about your experience with KiCad 5 as I am sticking with 4.07 until the official release.
Thanks. Still waiting for some parts and the PCB but will upload all new steps of the project. For KiCad 5.0 think the best experience you have with new projects, the import/upgrade for older projects works but all old symbols and old footprints can not now really be integrated in the new naming convention. Don't know if the 4.0 integrated the SPICE models and simulation but now there a ton of menus for SPICE in eeschema. Some of my important features (like design rules -> now setup, legacy/openGL view -> now toolset) works perfect but under a new menu. Selecting in PCBnew works a easier and precise this helps a lot for routing tracks. The 3D viewer is now a little different but totally fine. The whole symbols, footprints and 3D models are now amazing (but don't expect not to draw your own and fill all fields) and I got not a single crash since using it with ubuntu 18.04.
Thanks for the tips! It's good to know that KiCad 5.0 needs to wait for a new project, but I hope it will be backward compatible. In the past, I've used LT SPICE extensively, although it's not always pleasant having to add models for non Linear Technology ICs. In some ways this is better, just because it makes sense to have complete modeling and part selection done prior to schematic generation. On the other hand, if KiCad has a much bigger selection of ICs, it might be a step forward. It's good to here that KiCad 5.0 improves the ability to rout tracks. I'll be very interested in seeing what KiCad 5.0 does in terms of improving the ability to place small planes inside other pours, and also if it allows easier integration of vias for thermal coupling and layer coupling where the current workarounds are rather clunky. I've been pretty happy with the legacy 3D viewer. My main issue is that there are so many unsupported parts, and it's rather difficult to generate the models unless you are really mechanically inclined and also very familiar with your tools. Your last comment of course is the most important. None of the improvements will be worthwhile if the platform isn't completely stable...
Nice video, thank you! Have you ever considered to use LiFePo4? This way you don't need LDO (and with more than 2000 charge cycles) it seems for me a bit more attractive way (despite a lower capacity per cubic centimeter)
Yes, for most of my battery powered projects I prefer LiFePo4 but, as you name it, lesser capacity, higher costs, fewer manufactures, .... for a project involving maybe as a goal of some 100Ah you have to consider also the cost and other factors.
Once again ... Very very nice project!
This sounds like an interesting project. Thanks for providing information on the current, voltage, power and temperature sensors. I am interested in hearing about your experiences with them and barring negative feedback plan on including them in my own commercial projects. I will also be interested in hearing about your experience with KiCad 5 as I am sticking with 4.07 until the official release.
Thanks. Still waiting for some parts and the PCB but will upload all new steps of the project. For KiCad 5.0 think the best experience you have with new projects, the import/upgrade for older projects works but all old symbols and old footprints can not now really be integrated in the new naming convention. Don't know if the 4.0 integrated the SPICE models and simulation but now there a ton of menus for SPICE in eeschema. Some of my important features (like design rules -> now setup, legacy/openGL view -> now toolset) works perfect but under a new menu. Selecting in PCBnew works a easier and precise this helps a lot for routing tracks. The 3D viewer is now a little different but totally fine. The whole symbols, footprints and 3D models are now amazing (but don't expect not to draw your own and fill all fields) and I got not a single crash since using it with ubuntu 18.04.
Thanks for the tips! It's good to know that KiCad 5.0 needs to wait for a new project, but I hope it will be backward compatible.
In the past, I've used LT SPICE extensively, although it's not always pleasant having to add models for non Linear Technology ICs. In some ways this is better, just because it makes sense to have complete modeling and part selection done prior to schematic generation. On the other hand, if KiCad has a much bigger selection of ICs, it might be a step forward.
It's good to here that KiCad 5.0 improves the ability to rout tracks. I'll be very interested in seeing what KiCad 5.0 does in terms of improving the ability to place small planes inside other pours, and also if it allows easier integration of vias for thermal coupling and layer coupling where the current workarounds are rather clunky.
I've been pretty happy with the legacy 3D viewer. My main issue is that there are so many unsupported parts, and it's rather difficult to generate the models unless you are really mechanically inclined and also very familiar with your tools.
Your last comment of course is the most important. None of the improvements will be worthwhile if the platform isn't completely stable...
Looking forward to finished board. I hope you can share the designer files with us. Thanks for vid!
Thank you. Will keep the files in the description updated for all revisions.
Nice video, thank you! Have you ever considered to use LiFePo4? This way you don't need LDO (and with more than 2000 charge cycles) it seems for me a bit more attractive way (despite a lower capacity per cubic centimeter)
Yes, for most of my battery powered projects I prefer LiFePo4 but, as you name it, lesser capacity, higher costs, fewer manufactures, .... for a project involving maybe as a goal of some 100Ah you have to consider also the cost and other factors.