New Project a BatterRUSEr

[Jay_Diddy_B]

Hi,
I am going to share my latest project. It is called a BatterRUSEr. It comes from the words battery and ruse. For those not familiar with the English language a ruse is a trick or scam used to fool someone.

link: https://www.google.ca/#q=ruse

This is not to be confused with the 'Batteriser'

As usual I started with a LTspice model:



I am using the LT3539
Link: http://www.linear.com/product/LTC3539

I have designed a schematic:



I have also made a board layout:





The board layout is single sided and I will make a prototype using my LPKF Router.


I have ordered some parts. When the parts arrive we will see how this circuit works.

Regards,

Jay_Diddy_B

[LabSpokane]

I would have done this first, but I'm still waiting for my double-secret custom silicon to get back from the foundry.

[Mr.B]

bookmark

[Godzil]

Same here, want to see where it's going

[Berni]

Will this one make batteries last 800% longer like they claim?

[LabSpokane]

On a more serious note, Would it be possible to use a (stacked?) spiral inductor on the PCB (not milled but multilayer) to help save space?  The rough calcs look promising but I'm sure there's a practical reality in there.

Anyone with experience in that regard?

[Jay_Diddy_B]

Will this one make batteries last 800% longer like they claim?

I doubt it.

I expect that for low power drain devices with a proper under voltage threshold I expect the battery life to be shortened.
The reason for this is that devices may use an LDO, and are therefore constant current devices. Higher input voltage means more loss in the LDO.

At higher currents the efficiency drops, this is the published efficiency and power loss curve:



I feel that the efficiency losses will offset any gains from the benefits of the Boost circuit.


I will probably do my initial tests at 100mA. At this current a AA battery should last about 24 hours, which is a reasonable time.

Jay_Diddy_B

[Jay_Diddy_B]

On a more serious note, Would it be possible to use a (stacked?) spiral inductor on the PCB (not milled but multilayer) to help save space?  The rough calcs look promising but I'm sure there's a practical reality in there.

Anyone with experience in that regard?

If you use air-cored inductors, a general rule is that you don't want any metal within three coil diameters of the inductor. This would be tricky.

A frequency above the AM radio band, would be a good idea.

I think we would see more air cored inductors if they were practical.

Jay_Diddy_B

[mewyn]

Jay,

I've gone and recently done the exact same thing!  I've dubbed mine the BUTTerizer, as the idea is completely butts, but I've made a similar circuit with the exact same LTC part and sent off to get my boards fabbed.  They should, in fact, be in tomorrow.

Since you simulated it, did the /SHDN line work in simulation?  The datasheet says that the V_1 >=0.88V and V_0 <= 0.3V for the /SHDN line.  I left a solder pad on my layout to either connect it to V_bat or use an external voltage source for the /SHDN line.

My layout:


Don't have an image of the schematic at the moment, but it's pretty much the same as yours.  I did, however, use one of the LTC recommended inductors, a high quality one from Wurth.  I don't imagine my design would ever fit in a battery holder; but I imagine that any design using as teeny an inductor as they are wouldn't be able to drive squat.

(edit for spelling corrections)

[mewyn]

I expect that for low power drain devices with a proper under voltage threshold I expect the battery life to be shortened.
The reason for this is that devices may use an LDO, and are therefore constant current devices. Higher input voltage means more loss in the LDO.

At higher currents the efficiency drops, this is the published efficiency and power loss curve:


I feel that the efficiency losses will offset any gains from the benefits of the Boost circuit.


I will probably do my initial tests at 100mA. At this current a AA battery should last about 24 hours, which is a reasonable time.

Remember that you'll need to use a dead battery, per the batteriser instructions; they specifically say to use it once you see the low battery indicator.

[Godzil]

Excuse the crudeness of my design, I will call it the BUTTeRUSEr, and as you can see it's already the revision 4.2 I worked really hard on it!

SPRAY WARNING

[Macbeth]

The juries out, but I think Godzils design is the winner despite its complexity. Although it will only present the same regulation as a battery, we have to remember that BATTERIES are NOT POWER SUPPLIES!. All your fancy shmancy designs are in fact TINY POWER SUPPLIES and behave like POWER SUPPLIES, NOT BATTERIES. Godzils will act just like a real battery - even down to emulating the internal resistance. Also it's efficiency looks to be a bees dick as good as 100% as is possible.

However, it is not a completed design and no physical prototype exists yet. I think Godzil needs a Kickstarter in order to pay for tooling costs, materials, coke & hookers, Ferrari, etc.

[Jay_Diddy_B]

Jay,

I've gone and recently done the exact same thing!  I've dubbed mine the BUTTerizer, as the idea is completely butts, but I've made a similar circuit with the exact same LTC part and sent off to get my boards fabbed.  They should, in fact, be in tomorrow.

Since you simulated it, did the /SHDN line work in simulation?  The datasheet says that the V_1 >=0.88V and V_0 <= 0.3V for the /SHDN line.  I left a solder pad on my layout to either connect it to V_bat or use an external voltage source for the /SHDN line.

My layout:


Don't have an image of the schematic at the moment, but it's pretty much the same as yours.  I did, however, use one of the LTC recommended inductors, a high quality one from Wurth.  I don't imagine my design would ever fit in a battery holder; but I imagine that any design using as teeny an inductor as they are wouldn't be able to drive squat.

(edit for spelling corrections)

I tied the SHDN to Vout on my design. I assume that there will be enough voltage to start the chip.

@Godzil

The real issue here is that you are on revision 4.2 

In some applications you will get longer battery life, I am pretty sure about that.


@Macbeth

I am planning on using real batteries.

For me, the exercise here is not to engineer the BatterRUSEr, but to do some work with GPIB and data logging on a PC. But please don't tell any one  I do want measure the relationship between State of Charge, voltage and ESR. Later I will use the same setup to measure Li-ion batteries.

Regards,

Jay_Diddy_B

[onlooker]

The real issue here is that you are on revision 4.2

Assuming you have one new version per year, revision 4.2 represents four plus years of serious development. Maybe, it should be version 5.2 to match up.

[SL4P]

My contribution.  The DBCT (Dynamic Battery Capacity Tester)
May be applied to virtually any Primary or rechargeable battery pack.

FUNCTION:
To offer greater than 800% difference in run-time when comparing ENABLED / NOT-ENABLED states.

CLAIM:
DBCT is capable of retaining a charge for the shelf-life of the attached battery pack if used in the NON-ENABLED state.

OTHER BENEFITS:
DBCT may also be used to provide auxiliary near-field illumination of an area near the operator.

Disclaimer:
The user must provide their own stopwatch and/or other necessary equipment to validate the claims made above.
A heat-sink may be required to dissipate power if the circuit testing conditions exceed the ratings of individual components and the ambient cooling capability for those components.

[EEVblog]

My layout:

Is that big inductor you've got there, or are you just pleased to see me?

[SL4P]

You call that an inductor... (apologies. Croc Dundee)
(Keep your hands to yourself!).

[photon]

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[Godzil]

Dave: 

[onlooker]

Joke aside, I am really interest to see some real test results that is not constrained by miniaturization. Betteriser claimed miniaturization that can deliver 1.5A. Did they really show the 1.5A part?

[tszaboo]

Joke aside, I am really interest to see some real test results that is not constrained by miniaturization. Betteriser claimed miniaturization that can deliver 1.5A. Did they really show the 1.5A part?

No, but they already showed a 3D model, and a monkey's ass.
Jokes aside, more than 6 years ago Michrochip demoed me the MCP1642 which is a boost converter working down to 0.35V after startup. The output voltage is minimum 2V. They designed it to drive gadgets (way too noisy for anything important) from a single primary cell, and it costs 0.35 USD. I guess they are smashing their head into the wall, because they should have made the output voltage go to 1.5V.

[bktemp]

Jokes aside, more than 6 years ago Michrochip demoed me the MCP1642 which is a boost converter working down to 0.35V after startup. The output voltage is minimum 2V. They designed it to drive gadgets (way too noisy for anything important) from a single primary cell, and it costs 0.35 USD. I guess they are smashing their head into the wall, because they should have made the output voltage go to 1.5V.

The 2V output voltage are needed, because this is the supply voltage for the ic. Until the 2V are reached, the boost converter runs at a fixed duty cycle to bring the output voltage up to the level needed for normal operation. The specified quiescent current is referenced to the output voltage. The current draw from the battery is therefore much higher.

[AF6LJ]

I would have done this first, but I'm still waiting for my double-secret custom silicon to get back from the foundry.

I know about that stuff it is the silicon doped with ufoolium.

[AF6LJ]

Excuse the crudeness of my design, I will call it the BUTTeRUSEr, and as you can see it's already the revision 4.2 I worked really hard on it!

You should issue a spray warning with that post, almost baptized my monitor with morning coffee.

[Jay_Diddy_B]

Jokes aside, more than 6 years ago Michrochip demoed me the MCP1642 which is a boost converter working down to 0.35V after startup. The output voltage is minimum 2V. They designed it to drive gadgets (way too noisy for anything important) from a single primary cell, and it costs 0.35 USD. I guess they are smashing their head into the wall, because they should have made the output voltage go to 1.5V.

The 2V output voltage are needed, because this is the supply voltage for the ic. Until the 2V are reached, the boost converter runs at a fixed duty cycle to bring the output voltage up to the level needed for normal operation. The specified quiescent current is referenced to the output voltage. The current draw from the battery is therefore much higher.

Chips that can work with a depleted single alkaline battery are few and far between, simply because there is no point in having them, because there is no energy to extract.

If you have a multi-cell product you can use a single Buck-Boost or Boost regulator.

There is a lot of demand for Buck-Boost regulators to generate 3.3V from single cell Li-ion batteries.

Regards
Jay_Diddy_B