Author Topic: voltage divider not working when load is applied  (Read 2001 times)

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Offline abdullahsebaTopic starter

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voltage divider not working when load is applied
« on: May 05, 2018, 10:44:44 pm »
Hi
I have a wemos D1 mini pro that I want to power with a 3.7v LiPo battery and a TP4056 module.



I have a 91k and a 750k resistor acting as voltage dividers on the output of the module to reduce the voltage from 3.7v to 3.3v.
Measuring the output of the divider directly does give 3.35v as expected. However if I connect the D1 mini to it, all I get is 0.6v and the wemos does not power on.
Nothing gets hot and the charging module shows the battery as fully charged. The D1 mini works fine with USB power.
Here is a schematic of the D1 mini:
https://wiki.wemos.cc/_media/products:d1:sch_d1_mini_pro_v1.1.0.pdf
I have the voltage divider output connected to the 3.3v and GND pin. There is no diode, so it should work.
I have the TP4056 module's input connected to the 5v pin of the D1 mini. This lets me charge the battery when the D1 is plugged in and works fine. I have tried disconnecting it though to make sure that was not the issue but I still get 0.6v.
Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks in advance.
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Offline Karlo_Moharic

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Re: voltage divider not working when load is applied
« Reply #1 on: May 05, 2018, 10:52:53 pm »
You are putting to much load on your voltage divider (it uses too much current). You need voltage regulator.
Something like this

https://www.ebay.com/itm/5PCS-5V-3-3V-DC-DC-Step-Down-Power-Supply-Buck-Module-AMS1117-LDO-800MA/201662468680?hash=item2ef4051248:g:Ga0AAOSwMgdXzhOz
 
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Offline abdullahsebaTopic starter

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Re: voltage divider not working when load is applied
« Reply #2 on: May 05, 2018, 11:30:53 pm »
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Online IanB

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Re: voltage divider not working when load is applied
« Reply #3 on: May 05, 2018, 11:37:13 pm »
Also a lithium ion battery does not produce 3.7 V; the voltage varies with the state of charge and the load between 4.2 V and 3.3 V or so.
 
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Offline PA4TIM

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Re: voltage divider not working when load is applied
« Reply #4 on: May 05, 2018, 11:37:37 pm »
Are you trying to feed the D1 via the voltage divider ?  Without a load there is 5uA going to the divider. 
If you measure 0,6V  there is a 3,1 voltage drop over the 91k  there is 34 uA running to the resistor.  800nA for the 750k resistor and 33uA for the D1. That is not enough.

Use a low drop 3V3 voltage regulator
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Offline Brumby

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Re: voltage divider not working when load is applied
« Reply #5 on: May 06, 2018, 12:20:14 am »
The very first question is - how much current are you going to need?  This is the question you did not ask, nor did you include in your voltage divider.

I agree on the low dropout regulator - and if your current needs do not exceed 100mA, then I suggest checking out this page: http://www.ti.com/product/LP2950-N
 
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Online langwadt

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Re: voltage divider not working when load is applied
« Reply #6 on: May 06, 2018, 01:48:17 am »
Hi
I have a wemos D1 mini pro that I want to power with a 3.7v LiPo battery and a TP4056 module.



I have a 91k and a 750k resistor acting as voltage dividers on the output of the module to reduce the voltage from 3.7v to 3.3v.
Measuring the output of the divider directly does give 3.35v as expected. However if I connect the D1 mini to it, all I get is 0.6v and the wemos does not power on.
Nothing gets hot and the charging module shows the battery as fully charged. The D1 mini works fine with USB power.
Here is a schematic of the D1 mini:
https://wiki.wemos.cc/_media/products:d1:sch_d1_mini_pro_v1.1.0.pdf
I have the voltage divider output connected to the 3.3v and GND pin. There is no diode, so it should work.
I have the TP4056 module's input connected to the 5v pin of the D1 mini. This lets me charge the battery when the D1 is plugged in and works fine. I have tried disconnecting it though to make sure that was not the issue but I still get 0.6v.
Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks in advance.

remove F1 on the D1 mini and connect the output of the charger to +5V on the D1 mini




 
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Offline Jeff1946

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Re: voltage divider not working when load is applied
« Reply #7 on: May 07, 2018, 09:03:54 pm »
Look at specs on a Schotty diode. If you put it in series with the power supply, it should work

https://www.mouser.com/datasheet/2/308/MBR150-D-106444.pdf

A quick look at an MBR150 shows it starts conducting at 0.3 V and at 0.1A is dropping about 0.4 volts.
 
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Offline Naguissa

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Re: voltage divider not working when load is applied
« Reply #8 on: May 07, 2018, 09:16:53 pm »
If it's nothing serious, you can use a diode in between.

 4.2 - 0.6  = 3.6v
 3.6 - 0.6 = 3v

ESP specs are 3-3.6v (i think) but they work well between 2.8v and 3.9v

Enviado desde mi Jolla mediante Tapatalk

 
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