Arduino nano and IO shield - really basic stuff; just how to plug in power to IO

Other Hardware General Electronics
1

Hi all,

I'm working on something with arduino nano and IO extension shield (v3). I have lot's of experience with programming but and some basics with arduino but really new to electronics. I stuck with something really stupid and simple with IO shield. When I plug nono to shield it's not detected. It looks like shield should also be connected to power. But where? Arduino Nano IO shield - ITEAD Wiki - I see here that it uses 7-12 V. Where I should plug it in? I have 11V lipo battery so It looks like I could connect it.

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Marcinnn:
When I plug nono to shield it's not detected.

What's not detected? What makes you think that?

Marcinnn:
It looks like shield should also be connected to power. But where? https://www.itead.cc/wiki/Arduino_Nano_IO_shield - I see here that it uses 7-12 V. Where I should plug it in? I have 11V lipo battery so It looks like I could connect it.

The most common approach would be to use a "wall wart" power supply that provides a voltage in that range and has the appropriately sized barrel jack. You can find these power supplies left over from dead appliances all over the place. Anyone involved in electronics should have a box of them stashed away. If you prefer to use your battery, you can do that too.

3

This is a rather odd beastie. The input it the "barrel Jack", you are supposed to use a 2.1 mm connector to provide the 7 to 11 V.

What is odd is that it has an on-board regulator which appears to connect in parallel to the on-board regulator in the Nano! Most people here would consider that unwise.

Even so, you should not be using those regulators for anything more than a few LEDs and sensors. If some device or combination thereof requires more than 100 mA or so, you should use a separate switchmode "buck" converter as readily available on - you guessed it! - eBay.

pert:
What's not detected? What makes you think that?

Good point! That needs explaining. There is nothing to actually "detect" about the "shield". It is of course critical to plug it in the correct way round! :astonished:

4

Thanks for help guys. Now at least I know more what I'm searching.

"What's not detected? What makes you think that?"
Well, when I connect it with computer via usb then Arduino IDE does not detect it.

Also this power thing is still mysterious for me. OK I see it. Left down corner in this image https://www.itead.cc/media/wysiwyg/Products/IM120417016_Arduino_Nano_IO_shield/IM120417016_Arduino_NanoIOshield.jpg However when I'm searching internet I also find things like this http://www.electronoobs.com/images/Robotica/tut_5/flight_controller_schematic.png - and here + 11V is connected to VIN and - to GND. GND can see on shield but VIN not. What I'm missing? And is there any easy way of connecting it? Buying some pins or something? Soldering battery doesn't sound like a good idea. I hoped that with nano and proper cables I can have it solderless.

I just now also found that I have 2 GND on arduino nano. Does it matter how I connect it (whic I use for battery and which for GND for other electronics?

5

Marcinnn:
...
I just now also found that I have 2 GND on arduino nano. Does it matter how I connect it (whic I use for battery and which for GND for other electronics?

you can consider all 'GND' pins to be one and the same.
(i think on a PCB, one would call it a 'ground plane')

just a n00b tip (or opinion), i think electronoobsDOTcom is still quite advanced (too fast in getting involved with drones!), if you really want to start from the "ground floor", look for Jeremy Blum Arduino tutorials, or even the Learning pages on Adafruit for some good explanations of basics.

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Marcinnn:
Well, when I connect it with computer via USB then Arduino IDE does not detect it.

Again, we need more intricate detail. You have a Nano board, and you have a (slightly unusual) "IO shield". You can connect the Nano to the computer without it inserted and you can connect the Nano to the computer while inserted in the "shield". So which is it? Have you tried the Nano on its own and does the IDE detect it? If not, then you clearly have a problem which is nothing to do with the shield.

And needless to say, it is the Nano which you are connecting to the computer, not the shield, and while it is connected to the USB, it will be powered by the USB - the pilot LED on the Nano should be lit. While this particular shield has no pilot LED, all the basic Nano expansion shields do.
NANO-I-O-Expansion-sensor-Shield-Module-for-Arduino-UNO-R3-Nano-V3-0.jpg

Marcinnn:
Left down corner in this image

Yes, that is where the 2.1 mm standard "barrel jack" is mounted. You can get connector leads for this on eBay (and more quickly at greater expense, various electronics parts suppliers). See below.

Marcinnn:
However when I'm searching internet I also find things like this

and here + 11V is connected to VIN and - to GND. GND can see on shield but VIN not.

Well, that is the Nano itself, not the shield.

Marcinnn:
What I'm missing? And is there any easy way of connecting it? Buying some pins or something? Soldering battery doesn't sound like a good idea. I hoped that with Nano and proper cables I can have it solderless.

If you intend to use this shield without soldering to it, get the corresponding lead.

Or these:

Marcinnn:
I just now also found that I have 2 GND on Arduino Nano. Does it matter how I connect it (which I use for battery and which for GND for other electronics?

Mostly not, but the connections to the ground pins should be short. Note on your shield, I count no fewer than 26 ground pins! :grinning:

7

Great thanks for replies guys. It helps me a lot.

So I thought that it's not working because when nano was with shield and I plugged in usb from computer to nano then port was not detected and no led was blinking.

I can see VIN on arduino nano. My understanding it can take 7-12 V. But I can't see the same pin on extension board I just see GND and VCC. Maybe it just doesn't have it? I'm right? I took VCC for it but it was wrong idea and I need to buy new nano now :confused:

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Marcinnn:
So I thought that it's not working because when nano was with shield and I plugged in usb from computer to nano then port was not detected and no led was blinking.

you need to be more accurate with your sentence and clarify that.

does your computer show NO Nano detected (when it is on the shield) ?

what do you understand 'port' to mean, because your usage of the word in that sentence is not right.

Marcinnn:
I can see VIN on arduino nano. My understanding it can take 7-12 V. But I can't see the same pin on extension board I just see GND and VCC. Maybe it just doesn't have it? I'm right?

it would seem so, the extension board "extends" the VCC and GND almost everywhere, but not the VIN pin - that's probably only "extended" to the barrel jack.

so you have to connect your LiPo battery (to the barrel jack) with the connectors as shown above.

Marcinnn:
I took VCC for it but it was wrong idea and I need to buy new nano now :confused:

never mind Jeremy Blum or Adafruit, you need to read the Tech Specs on this page first !!
https://store.arduino.cc/usa/arduino-nano

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Marcinnn:
I took VCC for it but it was wrong idea and I need to buy new Nano now :confused:

Hmm. Yes, if you connected an 11 Volt lithium battery to Vcc you certainly would need a new Nano! :astonished:

10

Thanks guys!

"does your computer show NO Nano detected (when it is on the shield) ?" - yes. Even before burning it.

I have one more thing to clarify. Lets say I want two use two batteries. One for Arduino and RaspberryPi (logic) and another for motors. How to connect that? What should I know?

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Marcinnn:
I have one more thing to clarify. Lets say I want two use two batteries. One for Arduino and RaspberryPi (logic) and another for motors. How to connect that? What should I know?

You connect those three "items" many different ways, it depends what you are trying to do exactly - first thing is Arduino works on 5V (unless you are using the 3.3V range of products) and the R.Pi on 3.3V - i have no experience on those two simultaneously (or even the R.Pi !!) but i would imagine they can share one (sufficient) 5V power supply, with a 3.3V voltage regulator to the R.Pi.

The motors should have it's own supply (but common ground with the microcontrollers/microprocessor(?)).

I would certainly suggest you learn ONE thing at a time, Arduino and motors, before trying to combine TWO (Arduino AND R.Pi!!) simultaneously - i cannot imagine a beginner project that would involve needing BOTH at the same time.

Learn to walk before you attempt running.

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"The motors should have it's own supply (but common ground with the microcontrollers/microprocessor(?))"

Is there a way to monitor both batteries?

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Marcinnn:
Is there a way to monitor both batteries?

Yes.

14

The Pi (and I recall including the Zero) contains its own switchmode converter for 3.3 V from its 5 V power input. Not sure what voltage range it will accept.