[ARC5] adventures in battery ops

[Bill Cromwell]

Hi Dennis,

Thanks for your comments. And Thanks to Neil for his comments, too. The 
last time I used an op-amp comparator was in the 90s. I had built a two 
meter FM transceiver for molbile use with 5 xtal controlled frequency. I 
ordered the xtals from a famous and inexpensive supplier of ham xtals 
but they failed to work in the Michigan winters until after the heater 
warmed up my truck. I used the comparator and a small light bulb inside 
that rig to quickly warm the radio and then drop out. It mostly worked. 
By the next winter I had all new xtals from Sentry Mfg and all of them 
were 100 percent - even in our winters. A comparator was the first thing 
I thought of but I wanted to play with the Arduino.

I have some experience building inexpensive, passive, solar heat 
collectors. I made them from virtually free, scrap materials and they 
could (actually did) help reduce winter heating costs. That would be 
especially helpful for people who are hanging on by a financial thread. 
I would like to publish so that people can take advantage. But my paper 
and clipboard data collection is just inadequate. So, besides the 
battery charges and maintenance there are good reasons to take advantage 
of the computers. Those can work at collecting the needed info while I 
sleep, eat, play with the dog, or work on other things. For that kind of 
research nothing can substitute for hard numbers.

73,

Bill  KU8H


On 04/06/2015 10:58 AM, Dennis Monticelli wrote:
> Bill,
>
> Learning to use the Arduino is a worthwhile exercise even if the 
> application is overkill...and it is.  If that project is your 
> motivation, then go for it.
>
> You can also put a diode shunting each of your 12V batteries.  When 
> one battery tries to go reverse on you, the diode will prevent it.  Of 
> course it is much better to have a 10V detector, but in the meantime 
> the diode would help.
>
> I wholeheartedly endorse batteries for the receivers.  I use them the 
> same way as you do and have had the same positive experience.
>
> Dennis AE6C
>