Astral Driver - Buck, Boost, & Buck-Boost

[jnrpop]

Hi everyone!

Just did a few tests with Astalists new Picodrive. Heres my results :beer:
I blocked out a reading in the top left corners to avoid confusion, it was the V but the min/max/avg setting on the scope was set to min on the graph, not max

Conclusion: Very stable, gets hot quickly on high currents so a heatsink if definately recommended otherwise the current output falls steadily.

J :beer:

(4.1v in (1x 18650cell), Testload, 6 diode & 9 diode test to replicate 5.5Vf and 7V

6 diode - min

6 diode - max

9 diode - min

9 diode - max

Set @ 250mA

 

[paul1598419]

I am hoping mine will get here this week. Tracking shows they are getting close. How did these do on heat when the current was set to 200 mA or 300 mA? This will be my primary use for them.

 

[BowtieGuy]

Thanks, jnrpop, I'm also hoping to see mine arrive soon; I'd also be interested in the results at the 200mA - 300mA range. :yh:

 

[Alaskan]

Not sure what I’m seeing, is that a strait up for drive voltage at turn on?

 

[paul1598419]

I had to go back and look, but the scope is set for 1 second/div. At that slow trace rate it might look straight up, but if it were set to a higher sweep rate, I'm sure it wouldn't look like that. I see the current readings and it will do 50 mA and 250 mA plus well over an amp, too. My concern is how much heat it puts out of the driver at 250 mA.

 

[Alaskan]

I was hoping it was just due to that, how about the trailing end? Strange looking, stays up higher than I expected for awhile.

 

[paul1598419]

It's likely AC coupled. If it were DC coupled I'm sure it wouldn't look like that. It also could be just on for that period of time as it is a very slow sweep rate. They are only on for 3-4 seconds. Just long enough to get a good reading.

 

[jnrpop]

I am hoping mine will get here this week. Tracking shows they are getting close. How did these do on heat when the current was set to 200 mA or 300 mA? This will be my primary use for them.

I'll have to go back and do a controlled touch test on the IC, but i'm fairly certain at <300mA it didn't appear to get hot and the output was stable, The driver had a high pitch noise up until ~100mA, then appeared to go into a steady noise free regulation until max POT.

Thanks, jnrpop, I'm also hoping to see mine arrive soon; I'd also be interested in the results at the 200mA - 300mA range. :yh:

Your welcome :gh:
Hope everyone gets thier order soon and can also do some tests.

Astralist once again has helped out the community with a wonderful product,
All the thanks to him :beer:

Not sure what I’m seeing, is that a strait up for drive voltage at turn on?

I have the scope sweep rate set fairly slow, i'll use a faster time in the future. This is why it appears to be on/off.

Hopefully Astralist can chime in on the logistics, this new Pico might have an internal "softstart" feature in the IC, If it does its still very quick. My meter showed full power on in under 1 sec.

Theres no "slow" ramp up feature, but it does have voltage spike protection.

I was hoping it was just due to that, how about the trailing end? Strange looking, stays up higher than I expected for awhile.

Yer, from 2.5v to 0, the output CAP appears to very slowly drain down to 0v, but this has been the case on most drivers i've tested. If the output side also had a res/cap combo that would achieve a quicker drain but that usually has caused problems.

It's likely AC coupled. If it were DC coupled I'm sure it wouldn't look like that. It also could be just on for that period of time as it is a very slow sweep rate. They are only on for 3-4 seconds. Just long enough to get a good reading.

yes i used a very slow sweep rate, next time ill push that up.

J :beer:

 

[paul1598419]

Thank you, Corey. Mine are not arriving today as I had hoped. Should be tomorrow as they are bouncing around Seattle for now. That is unusual as things destined for Tacoma usually leave quickly from Seattle and get here in about a day.

 

[paul1598419]

My drivers have still not arrived yet. I called my post office and had them track it for me and it was in Kent, WA yesterday afternoon. It seems to be going everywhere around me except for Tacoma, where I live. I needed these drivers last week and the post master said it could be a problem with the bar code or zip code. I don't know why that would be an issue as astralist has shipped to me at least three other times before this.

 

[Astralist]

Not sure what I’m seeing, is that a strait up for drive voltage at turn on?

Yes you could say that, it was an "instant on"
The soft start is really fast, at about 1 milisecond.
I'll try to capture this later :beer:

My drivers have still not arrived yet. I called my post office and had them track it for me and it was in Kent, WA yesterday afternoon. It seems to be going everywhere around me except for Tacoma, where I live. I needed these drivers last week and the post master said it could be a problem with the bar code or zip code. I don't know why that would be an issue as astralist has shipped to me at least three other times before this.

Sorry to hear that Paul.
I just checked the postage's paper, they input the right zip code.
The only mistake they did was writing "TACOM" instead of "TACOMA"

 

[BowtieGuy]

My drivers have still not arrived yet. I called my post office and had them track it for me and it was in Kent, WA yesterday afternoon. It seems to be going everywhere around me except for Tacoma, where I live. I needed these drivers last week and the post master said it could be a problem with the bar code or zip code. I don't know why that would be an issue as astralist has shipped to me at least three other times before this.

Paul, that's exactly what happened to my last order from SL, it kept getting shipped everywhere but to me; the funny thing is that it made to within 30 miles of me in the normal 3 days, then it took about 10 more days to get to me.
When I complained at the P.O., they told me the same as they told you, "a problem with the bar code or zip code", and like you, I've bought from SL many times before with no problems.

 

[paul1598419]

I called again today and the post master at my post office has been emailing Kent and Federal Way trying to get it redirected to me. I asked him to try to call someone as it all depends on someone reading his emails. I have builds backing up because I can't get these drivers. It's getting very frustrating.

 

[Astralist]

Update:

1. SuperDrive V is on its way to me. Estimated Delivery: Monday, April 23, 2018.
2. SuperDrive LV is currently being fabricated and assembled. Estimated completion: Early May.

And, btw i keep forgetting this.
Here is the zoomed out graph of PicoDrive output to see its soft start characteristic:

Soft start @ 500ms per div

Soft start @ 100ms per div

 

[paul1598419]

My drivers are still in Federal Way and I still haven't received them yet. It is getting to the point I am more than frustrated. It will have been in my area a week come Sunday and it is still not deliverable.

 

[Astralist]

PM sent!
that's really sucks

I sent yours along with others, and yet they arrived safely..
I'll also try to file claim in here

If i got the shipping cost (and hopefully total value declared) refunded, then i can send another one for you :beer: