Re: Jolla Solar Half prototype
 

The value depends on which scale the multimeter is. For example my multimeter has mA and µA and A. There's 1000 mA in one A etc. (see: http://www.adafruit.com/index.php?ma...08wire_LRG.jpg This is very basic stuff :)

Re: Jolla Solar Half prototype
 

Thanks skvark. I found my skytronic multimeter and put a fresh battery in!

Right new figures, which show much more promise! I set the multimeter to 200mA setting and showed the panel the light, the reading shot off the scale, leaving a number 1 on the left side of the meter screen, this represents that it went past the given rate!

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.n...02687288_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.n...50739175_o.jpg

I thought i'd see what voltage the panel is outputting. I read this as 5.7v or perhaps I'm a wally!, am I reading this right?, I believe I am.

So, evidently, my panel is outputting nicely. Based on a figure of 200mA, surely I can assume now, that is is sufficient to charge the phone?, none of this really tallies with the figures CSD Tool is giving! (because of my lack of knowledge I suppose!) :D

By the way, how is your panel connected to your pogo pins?

Re: Jolla Solar Half prototype
 

@Markkyboy, what are you using as a load?

You cannot just put your ammeter across the voltage source and get a meaningful reading, heh :D:D:D

Re: Jolla Solar Half prototype
 

Hi juiceme,
yep, as you have guessed, I don't really know what I'm doing! :D
I'm crap at all this, but keen to learn!
No load on the panel, just a 20 watt halogen lamp at 40mm distance.
I need to get it back on the phone and test again, but as I have clearly displayed, its all a lot of guess work! :)
Feel free to rib me all the way, I gotta learn somehow! ;)

Re: Jolla Solar Half prototype
 

First, read this: http://learn.adafruit.com/multimeters/overview

It's a very nice tutorial covering a lot of stuff how to use a multimeter.

The voltage value seems to be right.

About current sensing.. you have to get the current to flow trough the multimeter. Basically the multimeter has to be connected between the phone and the panel.

I have just two wires soldered/glued to the backside of the panel. They are positioned so that they touch the pogo pins when TOH is in place. I'm going to change the wires to copper tape later because they are too thick and prevent TOH to lock fully from the other side.

Re: Jolla Solar Half prototype
 

http://learn.adafruit.com/multimeters/overview"]http://learn.adafruit.com/multimeters/overview[/URL]

It's a very nice tutorial covering a lot of stuff how to use a multimeter.

Thanks for this, page saved/pdf downloaded. :)

Re: Jolla Solar Half prototype
 

WYSIPS google it.

Re: Jolla Solar Half prototype
 

Yesterday i have assembled my solar other half using those flexible solar panels (link posted earlier in the thread).

All seems to be working except that the phone is not charging :mad:

I think the problem might be that the panels are not delivering enough energy and voltage drops too much so that the phone stops charging from the other half.

I used multimeter and on unattached TOH i can see 6V. But once i attach it drops to 0.6V

I also tried:

# cat /sys/devices/platform/msm_ssbi.0/pm8038-core/pm8xxx-adc/dcin
Result:37554 Raw:24767

Quite unexpectedly the "Result" value raises as in darkness...

Any other ideas what might be wrong?

Re: Jolla Solar Half prototype
 

That 3,75 V is too low. Could you measure current with multimeter? Also double check connections.Those copper stripes seem to be very close to each other.

Re: Jolla Solar Half prototype
 

Hi,
oki, i will try to check current but need to lead the wires out of the case, so it might take a few days until i get to it...

The copper stripes are close, but as far as i could check they seem to be ok. There is 6V on them when measured with multimeter and when i placed a piece of plasticine the pogo pins made two holes on the right places...