Peripheral LCD display for the uCurrent

[Aleksolder]

Here's a peripheral display for the uCurrent, my own creation, excepting that I copied it from the datasheet.

I'd be very pleased to hear feedback about how to improve this, particularly with respect to the mating of the MAX1494 to the uCurrent.  I'm just a microcontroller guy, not an EE.

I'll put a 9V battery into the cargo hold of the uCurrent, and will not attempt to share power supplies.

This display bolts directly onto the two output binding posts of the uCurrent. It uses a standard triplexed 4.5 digit LCD (Varitronix VIM-503, DIP) and the MAX1495 integrated delta-sigma super duper 4.5 digit ADC.

I just copied the datasheet schematic, laid it out around the binding posts, trying to keep it as small as possible.

I had to add a LED for the peak option (which I want), since the LCD does not have this feature.

The LCD is a bit big, but it's the only one at Mouser now, and that's where my next parts order happens to be going.

Since my uCurrent arrived a couple weeks ago, it's been in use continuosly, a very valuable addition to the bench. I don't bother using my DMM for current anymore, since the uCurrent is easier to work with (no need to swap sockets on the DMM). But I have only one DMM (Fluke 87V, yeah!), and sometimes I want to see the uCurrent output concurrently with other values on my DMM. Even if I had another DMM, I don't really want another set of leads snaking around my tiny bench.

[Isaac_alaska]

Hey this is awesome! Did you end up building any of them, got any pictures? Really cool addition to uCurrent!

[Aleksolder]

Funny you should now: the boards just arrived. I'll populate soon and get some better pictures then (if it works!).

[Aleksolder]

Here's photos of the completed and working display. It works beautifully, as far as my Fluke 87V can say, and the MAX chip has more counts than my Fluke, which is a big bonus.
I made many mistakes, but figured them out, drilled new vias, laid new cables across the landscape, mounted a squashed bug onto the back (forgot to order the regulator, used one from stock), and got it working.