3914 3v-4.2v battery meter

Thread Starter

capposteve

Joined Feb 2, 2020
5
hi all. after browsing for a bit and not finding anything that actualy works, can somes kindly share a schematic of how to configure the 3914 to monitor the voltage of a single cell lithium battery, so from 3v to 4.2v?

any help would be greatly apreciated

steve
 

ronsimpson

Joined Oct 7, 2019
4,691
There are two pins, RHI and RLO which set the voltages on each end of the string of 1k resistors inside the IC.
There are formulas in the data sheet showing how to set the two voltages.
Work out the math so RHI=highest voltage on the battery and RLO for the lowest voltage you will allow. Might use a resistor + TL431 to get a higher voltage for RHI.
RHI=full battery, RLO=empty battery.
In many examples they can't get RHI at the right voltage. In some of the battery monitoring examples they use two resistors to divide down the battery voltage to a lower level. (SIG IN)
1580702268946.png
You can connect RHI to 1.25V REF OUT. Put a 10k POT under RLO to raise its voltage. Put a 100k pot from +Battery to ground. Set the battery-pot so a fully charged battery just lights the top LED. Set the RLO POT to light the bottom LED when the battery voltage is low.
 

ronsimpson

Joined Oct 7, 2019
4,691
R2 sets the brightness of the LEDs.
R1 sets the voltage for the bottom LED.
R3/VR1 divides down the battery voltage so the voltage at SIG-IN is at 1.25V when the battery is very full.
With RHI connected to 1.25V from OUT the top LED is set for about 1.25V.
S1 sets bar or dot mode.
1580702986403.png
The IC should work down to 3V supply so it will run off the battery under test. (do not use white LEDs, their voltage is about 3V, use low voltage LEDs)
With the battery range 4.2 to 3.0 was divided by 3.3 by VR1 you get a range of 1.25 to 0.9. The top LED responds in the 1.25 range which is 4.2 on the battery. Now we need to set R1 so there is 0.9V across it.
 
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Thread Starter

capposteve

Joined Feb 2, 2020
5
you sir are awesome. finaly someone who can show a circuit that actually works. thanks so much
my only issue is (not your fault) my led 1 lights up very faint no matter where the voltage is. any idea why this is? when it gets to 3v it lights up fully. but anywhere above this it lights up very dim when it should in fact be off? cheers
 

eetech00

Joined Jun 8, 2013
4,705
you sir are awesome. finaly someone who can show a circuit that actually works. thanks so much
my only issue is (not your fault) my led 1 lights up very faint no matter where the voltage is. any idea why this is? when it gets to 3v it lights up fully. but anywhere above this it lights up very dim when it should in fact be off? cheers
Hello,

Pin 1 always has a constant current of 100uA. Its used for "carry" when cascading multiple LM3914.
See excerpt from datasheet below.

1580764132235.png

eT
 

Thread Starter

capposteve

Joined Feb 2, 2020
5
Hello,

Pin 1 always has a constant current of 100uA. Its used for "carry" when cascading multiple LM3914.
See excerpt from datasheet below.

View attachment 198239

eT
awesome thanks, although im confused as to where led 11 is meant to be?

is it easy for me to change it from 3v low end to 3.2v? am i right in saying i will need to adjust R1 (make it a larger value) to get the desired effect?

cheers

steve
 

eetech00

Joined Jun 8, 2013
4,705
awesome thanks, although im confused as to where led 11 is meant to be?
Pin 11 is on the second LM3914 when two or more devices are being cascaded. There is an example on the datasheet.
Pin 1 on first device is connected to pin 11 of the second device.

is it easy for me to change it from 3v low end to 3.2v? am i right in saying i will need to adjust R1 (make it a larger value) to get the desired effect?

cheers

steve
I'm not clear on the effect your trying to achieve(?)
You mean eliminate the glow on pin 1 when off? If so, you might try shunting LED 1 with a 10k resistor.

eT
 

Thread Starter

capposteve

Joined Feb 2, 2020
5
Pin 11 is on the second LM3914 when two or more devices are being cascaded. There is an example on the datasheet.
Pin 1 on first device is connected to pin 11 of the second device.



I'm not clear on the effect your trying to achieve(?)
You mean eliminate the glow on pin 1 when off? If so, you might try shunting LED 1 with a 10k resistor.

eT
Hi

thanks for the reply.

i assumed pin 1 was meant to have the 10k accross it, i tried this and it no longer issuminates. so thanks again for the info.

ref the other part, i was refuring to adjuting the low end led, so instead of it lighting up from 3-4.2 volts, would i need to adjust R1 to make it go from 3.2-4.2v?




steve
 

eetech00

Joined Jun 8, 2013
4,705
Hi

thanks for the reply.

i assumed pin 1 was meant to have the 10k accross it, i tried this and it no longer issuminates. so thanks again for the info.

ref the other part, i was refuring to adjuting the low end led, so instead of it lighting up from 3-4.2 volts, would i need to adjust R1 to make it go from 3.2-4.2v?




steve
Try changing R3 to 38K.

eT
 
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