August 2022

Multi-purpose Battery Manager

This compact and flexible module is designed for use with our Battery Multi Logger (PE Feb/ March 2022) and enables it to connect and disconnect up to four loads / sources to protect the batteries themselves. It can interface with the High Current Four Battery Balancer (April/ May 2022) to provide even more detailed information about the state of a multi-cell battery or multi-battery system. It’s capable of switching well over 20 Amps (possibly up to 30A) at 10V-60V. Includes LCD screen menu updates for additional features. An I/O Expander Module and Battery Soft Switch are described this month. Uses surface mount devices, and some soldering skills are required to construct this project successfully.

Simple MIDI Music Keyboard

This MIDI keyboard is a follow-up to our 64-key MIDI Matrix. It is just as flexible and offers an easy way to make music, plus it can be re-purposed for many other applications. Simply chain them together as needed to make longer arrays.

Nano Pong on your TV

The original ‘Pong’ TV tennis game is nearly half a century old, and this project is a modern take and retro at the same time. It replaces the 70+ logic chips of the original with one chip costing £1! The project uses a PIC 12F microcontroller and two controllers to re-invent the arcade classic. Connects to a PAL TV’s AV ports. Uses surface mount devices, and some soldering skills are required to construct this project successfully.

USB Power Delivery Charger

This article describes some low-cost modules that have appeared recently to exploit the dramatic growth in USB capability, especially in the area of power delivery (PD). This assortment includes chargers, cables and cable adaptors, while a follow-up article will look at ‘trigger’ or ‘decoy’ modules that configure the chargers, plus USB-PD testers.

Make it with Micromite
Part 38: How to build a PicoMite BackPack

Last month we showed how easy it is to load the MMBASIC firmware into a £4 Raspberry Pi to produce the ‘PicoMite’, an extremely powerful module that offers 26 I/O pins. This month we look at the practical aspects including setting up the touchscreen and running demo software.

Also in this issue

• Techno Talk – the future for AC/ DC electricity generation and delivery, and the correct way to say ‘sodder’ (or is it solder?)
• Net Work – truck drivers and ‘smart’ tachographs; sky drone aerial displays; introducing the Hyperloop transportation system and more EV and eVTOL news.
• Kick Start – exploring the principles of microcontroller Digital-to-Analogue conversion.
• Max’s Cool Beans – Max moves on with robotic eyes and servo circuitry.
• Flowcode Graphical Programming ; Part 5 – Building a digital clock.
• Circuit Surgery: Distortion and distortion circuits (Part 3).

Next month:

20A DC Motor Speed Controller; Micromite to Smartphone Connector via Bluetooth; Touchscreen & Remote Digital pre-amp with Tone Controls; USB-PD Triggers, Decoys and Triggers.