Smart Battery Charger with Graphical Data Logger

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Summary

  • Name: Smart Battery Charger with Graphical Data Logger
  • Status: still developing, java is close to working.
  • Technology: Java -- should run on many platforms, Windows 98 through Vista, Mac, Linux PIC, could be BitWacker or even other microcontroller with serial port.
  • Author: russ_hensel ( where you can find an email address to reach me )
  • License: not fully determined, but open source and object code.

Purpose:

  • A smart battery charger ( one component of which is a PC ) for charging, discharging... NiCad, Nickel Metal, and perhaps other battery types.
  • Graphical record of the charge current and voltag.
  • A complete log of activity is provided both to the screen and to a log file.

This is one of a series of articles on Microcontroller Serial Communications, rooted at this site here: Microcontroller Serial Communications Articles

Collaborator Anyone?

Anyone want to help with this project? I have plans for the hardware, but software could support a lot of variants, and you may prefer a different hardware configuration. The Java software I will work on untill it works well enough, but I could use testers, and once it works well enough the code will be open and available for others to enhnace.


Screen

Comming Soon

Notes:


  • Comming soon

Some Features

  • Charging data graphed and saved to log file.
  • May be used to charge, discharge, test, or cycle batteries.
  • Charging algorithim on the PC: High current phase may be ended by peaking, time limit, or voltage limit

Software

PIC Software

  • Off the shelf BitWacker Software should be fine if used with BitWacker.
  • Will have a BoostC implementation for the PIC16F977A and similar


PC Software

Menu Choices

  • File -> Exit
    • Closes the comm port and exits the application.
  • File -> About the Application
    • About Box for the Application
  • More comming as work proceeds.

Download and Install

See the page BitWacker PIC and Other Microcontroller to Java Communications for the Java Components. For the microcontroller and other hardware email me.

Command Details

comming.....

Bugs and Enhancements

See the list at RS232Probe Enhancements and Bugs a list for all the related applications.