PwrTool 500 Integrates Excessive DC Present and Battery Monitoring Into Residence Assistant

Chloe Madison’s Voidbox Industries (VDBX) is launching an open supply shunt and battery monitor. PwrTool 500 displays DC programs as much as 60 volts and 500 amps. It could connect with current microcontroller platforms or simply combine into Residence Assistant with VDBX’s ESP32-based FLIP_C3 board.

Energy shunts allow measuring present on energy rails with very excessive currents. The measurement depends on understanding a chunk of steel’s very low resistance. By measuring the voltage drop, you may calculate the present and energy of a DC system.

These shunt varieties monitor a single battery or a battery financial institution’s situation and state of cost. For instance, an influence shunt can monitor the battery in a solar energy set up. Since a dwelling powered by photo voltaic can profit from automation, a shunt like PwrTool 500 offers a option to monitor and talk the information to an automation system like Residence Assistant.

Residence Assistant is an open-source (software program) venture for house automation. One key function is the power to run 100% regionally on a community, making it a non-cloud-based resolution. It accepts knowledge from sensors, like PwrTool 500, and lets customers monitor, report, and create automation based mostly on the readings.

VDBX selected a 16-bit high-precision Texas Devices INA238 sensor for PwrTool 500. Whereas this degree of precision could solely be mandatory for some measurements or functions, it does supply a degree of accuracy not generally present in different shunts.

PwrTool 500 additionally provides flexibility in connectivity. It options two Qwiic / Stemma QT-compatible headers, permitting for daisy-chaining with different sensors or actuators in a monitoring system and interfacing with a variety of microcontroller boards. Alternatively, it’s suitable with FLIP_C3, additionally from VDBX.

The FLIP_C3 Controller board has an Espressif ESP32-C3 SoC containing a WiFi and a Bluetooth radio. PwrTool 500 has headers that align with the FLIP_C3, which helps provide voltages of as much as 50 volts. The FLIP_C3 can run current firmware like ESPHome, or you may develop code utilizing Arduino or the Espressif IDF.

VDBX is incorporating a number of user-friendly options into the PwrTool 500. As an example, jumpers decide the polarity of the sense leads, permitting them to observe the excessive (scorching) aspect or low (chilly) aspect of a circuit. One other function is a MOSFET that may energy masses as much as 45 Watts, reminiscent of PWM LED lighting or an exterior contactor like a relay (stable state or electromechanical.) Moreover, the INA238’s on-die temperature sensor faces towards the shunt in order that it may well assist measure the shunt’s temperature.

PwrTool 500 is an open supply design with a CC4.0-BY-SA license. The EasyEDA schematic, PCB, and invoice of supplies are actually obtainable. VDBX plans to make 3D fashions obtainable later.

Voidbox Industries is launching the venture quickly. To be notified when pre-orders turn out to be obtainable, join notifications on the PwrTool 500 Crowd Provide marketing campaign web page.