So, I know the BLE Sense boards have a charging manager, where it can be powered by both charging block and battery. I have managed to get that to work. I would like to be able to add a solar option to my project. The plan is that the main charging source would be solar, with an option to plug it in for charging and/or power, when solar isn’t feasible. My questions are, 1) Do I need to add an additional solar power manager. 2) Do the batteries suffer the same problems laptop batteries do? Keeping them plugged in too much or not letting them run out enough before charging - will this damage battery capacity or lifespan? 3) If I do need a solar manager will something like this work?
The run time of the project is maybe 45 minutes to an hour. Fixed Voltage chosen by user 1-3v. 330mah battery. I would like to keep the footprint as small as possible, because it is supposed to be a portable object you can use anywhere.
Any insight would be appreciated!
Hi,You may need to add a solar manager to ensure that solar charging is managed separately from charging of the charging block. This will prevent overcharging or overdischarging the batteries and protect their life. A solar manager monitors the voltage and current of the solar panels to ensure they are operating at the correct level.
Similar to laptop batteries, batteries can experience problems with overcharging or undercharging, which can affect battery life and capacity. To maximize battery life, follow the recommendations and instructions provided by the charger and battery manufacturer.
If you need a solar manager, you will need to select a manager that meets your needs in order to ensure that its features and performance are compatible with your system. Refer to the technical specifications of the solar manager to determine if it is compatible with your board and solar panel and will meet your power requirements. You also need to make sure your board can support the Solar Manager’s interface and controller.
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Thank you for the insight! Sounds like a puzzle, which should be fun.