Power Reduction Modes On many microcontrollers (MCU), there will be a selection of low-power modes to choose from. Some may be more appealing than others, but careful consideration must be made on power consumption sources and the speed at which modules may resume operation. Do note that not all of these power reduction modes are […]
Part 3 – Component Selection
Power Supply A consistent but highly efficient voltage regulator is crucial in power design. While there are many regulators to choose from, each comes with its own set of tradeoffs that must be accounted for. Linear Regulators Switching regulators can be used to produce highly efficient designs at the cost of increased circuit complexity. Typically, […]
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Part 2 – Low Power Design Battery Limitations
Battery Chemistries Alkaline Alkaline cells run the mill consumer battery, used in everything from consumer goods to instruments. Ease of purchase and low cost has led to this being the most commonly used primary cell. Deficiencies include a low voltage, small temperature range, and poor self-discharge rates, leading to it being a poor choice for […]
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Part 1 – Marcus Engineering Designs Sensor With 20 Year Battery Life
Low Power Design Overview The bane of any battery-operated device, too much power draw and not enough storage capacity. If designed poorly, creating a device to last as long as the user requires will be a challenge. However, if some ingenuity and unconventional thinking are used, many new possibilities will arise and allow for the […]