Powering Adafruit Itsybitsy w/and USB charging 18650

Thread Starter

PN1

Joined Apr 23, 2019
4
Hello,

I have a project which needs a battery that has the ability to supply a motor with enough power to push back and release a rather heavy spring.

I've chosen a single-cell INR 18650P and, in concert with the MD 10C R3 motor driver, it works well. I need it to be USB rechargeable and I'm working with the Adafruit ItsyBitsy and an M-type RF receiver to activate the motor/motor driver via a remote switch. I've purchased Adafruit's charging/battery Backpack too. Photo attached of general idea (not including the battery Backpack).Electronics.PNG

What do I need to do to connect up the 18650 to the Backpack properly?

Appreciate all the great advice and insights in this community, any help or guidance would be so welcome, I'm really at a loss and on a tight deadline.

Best,
 

Thread Starter

PN1

Joined Apr 23, 2019
4
Yaakov,

Sir, you are a hero. Thank you for your quick reply. No problem with this pin out info in theory but when I attached the 18650 battery to a JST connector and then inserted the JST clip into the battery Backpack, ...it emitted smoke so I quickly disconnected it and sought out guidance.

Appreciate any insights you can offer, thanks again for your help.
 

Ya’akov

Joined Jan 27, 2019
9,069
That sounds like reverse polarity. There is a solder pad on the PCB you can use for B+, try that. If it hasn’t fried, maybe it will work. There is nothing special about the cell you chose except its capacity.
 

Thread Starter

PN1

Joined Apr 23, 2019
4
Ah, okay. I didn't think there was anything special about it until I caused the smoke, and then began thinking everything I planned was wrong and started panicking. This is a relief to hear. I'll retry (I have back up Backpacks, I'll try on the old one and a new one if needed too) and report back.

Yaakov, really thank you. I'm on a tight deadline and this has made a big difference for me.

Best,
 

Ya’akov

Joined Jan 27, 2019
9,069
Ah, okay. I didn't think there was anything special about it until I caused the smoke, and then began thinking everything I planned was wrong and started panicking. This is a relief to hear. I'll retry (I have back up Backpacks, I'll try on the old one and a new one if needed too) and report back.

Yaakov, really thank you. I'm on a tight deadline and this has made a big difference for me.

Best,
I hope it works for you. Let us know.
 

Ya’akov

Joined Jan 27, 2019
9,069
Ah, okay. I didn't think there was anything special about it until I caused the smoke, and then began thinking everything I planned was wrong and started panicking. This is a relief to hear. I'll retry (I have back up Backpacks, I'll try on the old one and a new one if needed too) and report back.

Yaakov, really thank you. I'm on a tight deadline and this has made a big difference for me.

Best,
Actually, I might have read the board wrong. I do need to know how much current you will try to draw through the board as well.
 

Thread Starter

PN1

Joined Apr 23, 2019
4
Thanks Yaakov, to be honest, I'm not sure. I believe it's in the order of a few dozen milliamps. It is just the load from the electronics chip and the micro controller. When the signal is given to the motor driver, that is also wired directly to the 18650 battery and may pull a much larger load through it (the motor driver) to power the motor.

I was planning for everything to share that same I/O switch in the picture. Should this be okay?
 
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