I continue to experiment with different Arduino projects. At this time I am working with 4 accelerometers and a Bluetooth module and am trying to determine which is a good battery to use. From the research that I've done, this is what I have found:
Current draw Arduno Uno: 50 mA (www.gammon.com.au/power)
Bluetooth HC-06: 150 mA
Sensor GY-521 MPU-6050 (x4): 40 mA
This brings the total to 240mA, I'll just round that to 250mA
As a power supply I am thinking of using an off the shelf 9V battery plugged into the power jack. This provides roughly 500mA for one hour of use.
I would like to run the above by you, to double check my findings and conclusion. Any recommendations, feedback and overall comments are welcomed. My goal is to avoid a glitchy system due to inadequate power and, of course, this:
Thank you all for your time and assistance. Salvador
I continue to experiment with different Arduino projects. At this time I am working with 4 accelerometers and a Bluetooth module and am trying to determine which is a good battery to use. From the research that I've done, this is what I have found:
Current draw Arduno Uno: 50 mA (www.gammon.com.au/power)
Bluetooth HC-06: 150 mA
Sensor GY-521 MPU-6050 (x4): 40 mA
This brings the total to 240mA, I'll just round that to 250mA
As a power supply I am thinking of using an off the shelf 9V battery plugged into the power jack. This provides roughly 500mA for one hour of use.
I would like to run the above by you, to double check my findings and conclusion. Any recommendations, feedback and overall comments are welcomed. My goal is to avoid a glitchy system due to inadequate power and, of course, this:
mrsummitville:
Yes, the 9 Volt Battery will run your project for about 2 hours.
Is 2 hours OK or do you want the Arduino to operate for more than 2 hours?
Two hours is enough. If more is needed I can always replace the battery. Is this battery a good option? The other poster seems to indicate that something is amiss, although he does not elaborate. Thanks, Salvador
sgarciav:
Two hours is enough. If more is needed I can always replace the battery. Is this battery a good option? The other poster seems to indicate that something is amiss, although he does not elaborate. Thanks, Salvador
One (1) @ 9 Volt battery costs about $3.00 and lasts about 2 hours
Five (5) @ AA Lithium non-rechargeable batteries cost about $10 and lasts about 13 hours
Two (2) @ Li-Ion 16650 Rechargeable cells cost about $10 and last about 8 hours per recharge.
According to tests/graphs I found online, only a branded Alkaline 9volt battery can support that current.
A "normal" 9volt battery tops at 50mA, and collapses quickly above that.
With an Alkaline, and 240mA, expect 1hour max.
You could use a 5volt micro power buck converter (Pololu) to increase battery life to maybe two hours.
Leo..
Yes they are very expensive and don't supply enough current. That page only quotes capacity not current rating. A current rating if 500mAh does not mean it will give you 500mA for an hour. It means that the best combination of discharge against time works out to be 500mAh. They do not specify what the actual discharge rate is.
So not only is it expensive by putting it into linear regulator you throw away just under half the batterie's power.
I recommend getting either a switching mode regulator or a set of batteries that can power the board directly.
Grumpy_Mike:
Yes they are very expensive and don't supply enough current. That page only quotes capacity not current rating. A current rating if 500mAh does not mean it will give you 500mA for an hour. It means that the best combination of discharge against time works out to be 500mAh. They do not specify what the actual discharge rate is.
So not only is it expensive by putting it into linear regulator you throw away just under half the batterie's power.
I recommend getting either a switching mode regulator or a set of batteries that can power the board directly.
Thanks Grumpy_Mike! Your remarks are much appreciated and noted. Salvador
Wawa:
According to tests/graphs I found online, only a branded Alkaline 9volt battery can support that current.
A "normal" 9volt battery tops at 50mA, and collapses quickly above that.
With an Alkaline, and 240mA, expect 1hour max.
You could use a 5volt micro power buck converter (Pololu) to increase battery life to maybe two hours.
Leo..
Thanks Wawa. I understand what you are saying. I am tending more towards using the Li ion batteries that mrsummitville recommended. Your input is much appreciated. Salvador
mrsummitville:
One (1) @ 9 Volt battery costs about $3.00 and lasts about 2 hours
Five (5) @ AA Lithium non-rechargeable batteries cost about $10 and lasts about 13 hours
Two (2) @ Li-Ion 16650 Rechargeable cells cost about $10 and last about 8 hours per recharge.
Cost per hour of operation?
Thanks for the recommendations. The li-ion 16650 looks like an attractive option. I looked these up; however, I can't quite determine if these are the same size as the AA batteries. The size is not really an issue. I just need to know if I can use a typical AA battery holder or if I need one specifically for the two 16650s. Much appreciated! Salvador
I'd use 18650's instead of 16650's if space isn't an issue, just because 18650 batteries are more available (larger scale, hence cheaper), as is associated hardware. Be aware that the cheap chinese batteries don't always meet their capacity spec (though the cost difference between the cheapo's and the panasonic's is such that the cheap chinese ones are still often more cost effective)
CrossRoads:
This page shows different battery physical sizes List of battery sizes - Wikipedia
if 18650 is 18.6mm × 65.2mm, then I imagine 16650 (not listed) would be ~16.6 × 65.2
while AA is smaller in both dimensions, at 14.5 × 50.5.
Thanks! I actually saw that page, but as you said, the 16650 is not there. I appreciate you taking the time to present the different battery sizes here. Luckily, I did find battery holders for the 16650. Regards, Salvador
