Rei Vilo's fischertechnik Corner
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  • Sensors
    • Interfacing an Arduino to a Robo TX Controller >
      • Analog Interface
      • Digital Interface
      • I²C Interface
    • Standard Sensors >
      • Playing With Accelerometers
      • Proximity Sensor
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    • Advanced Sensors >
      • Industrial Colour Reader
      • Stepper Motor Controller
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    • smartDevices >
      • smartColours
      • smartRFID
      • smartLED
      • smartHub
      • smartControls
      • smartMeter
      • smartCamera
      • smartNewCamera
      • smartWiFi
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      • smartNode
      • smartIMU
  • RoboPro
    • Value Operations >
      • Min and Max Functions
      • Signal Management With Median
      • Modulo Function
      • Map Function
    • Standard Modules >
      • Software Managed Compressor
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      • Parallel Processing
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    • Tutorials >
      • Setting Bluetooth LAN with Multiple TX-Cs
      • Dealing with Very Large Models >
        • Getting a General View
        • Defining User's Functions
        • Elaborating the Modelisation
        • Defining the Processes
        • Setting the Messages
        • Going Further
        • References
      • Program Error 2 Message
  • I²C
    • How to Connect an I²C Device to the Robo TX?
    • How to Connect an I²C Device to the Robotics TXT?
    • How to Manage an I²C Device?
    • How to Use an I²C Driver?
    • List of I²C Drivers for Sensors >
      • I²C Real Time Clock DS1307
      • I²C LCD screen 4 lines of 20 characters LCD03
      • I²C Triple Axis Accelerometer ADXL345
      • I²C Red-Green-Blue LED BlinkM
      • I²C Two Axis Compass HMC6352
      • I²C Triple Axis Magnetometer HMC5843
      • I²C True Colour Sensor ADJD-S371
      • I²C Stepper Controller AMIS-30624
    • List of I²C Drivers for smartDevices >
      • I²C True Colours Smart Sensor smartColours
      • I²C RFID Smart Sensor smartRFID
      • I²C 4-Digit 7-Segment LED Display smartLED
      • I²C Screen With Touch and SD-Card smartControls
      • I²C Smart Sensor smartCamera
      • I²C Smart Sensor smartNewCamera
      • I²C Remote WiFi Interface smartWiFi​
      • I²C Remote Bluetooth Interface smartBLE​
      • I²C Remote Interface smartNode​
      • I²C New LCD Screen 4 x 20 characters smartLCD
      • I²C Inertial Measurement Unit smartIMU

smartMeter

Contrary to the other smartDevices, the smartMeter is an autonomous device. It doesn't require any connection to the RoboTX controller as it features its own display.

Large fischertechnik models include many motors and lamps and reach high power consumption. A simple bulb lamp requires up to ~100 mA and 1 W. 

So total consumption can quickly outreach the capacity supplied by the battery pack or the AC power adaptor.

This project provides a handy tool to get precise measures:
  • voltage, in V or mV
  • current, in A or mA
  • power, in W or mW

The smartMeter keeps minima and maxima for each of the three measures. A push-button allows to change unit, clear the minima and maxima, and change the decimal separator between point and comma.

As usual, the module is cased on a 9V red box for a nice integration.
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The different screens, from left to right: splash screen, measures in mV-mA-mW, measures in V-A-W with point and comma as decimal separator.
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Selecting the function with the push button, from left to right: ./m. change of units, =0 reset, ., decimal separator, __ cancel.


The smartMeter uses an INA219 as sensor and a MSP430 as MCU. The project is described at the Embedded Computing website.

Thanks to its built-in regulator, the smartMeter can be powered with 5–16 V. The measure range is wide enough for fischertechnik models, up to 26 V and 3 A. 

The I²C Voltage-Current-Power INA219 Sensor provides the three measures, so there's no need for multiplying voltage by current to obtain power.

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