Connections on the Arduino

• D4 = Encoder CLK input
• D3 = Encoder DT input
• D2 = Encoder switch input
• D5 = PWM output for fan control
• A3 = Analogue input for power supply voltage
• A4 = I2C SDA
• A5 = I2C SCL 
• A2 = Analogue input for input voltage (times 0.174)
• A6 = PTC on heatsink input

Analogue frontend

The MCP4725 is a DAC which is used to set the target current, therefore a simple constant current around the LM358 is used. 

To measure the real current the INA219 I2C board is used. It has a 0.1R shunt resistor on board and can meassure current to 3.2A @ 30V or 96W :-) 

This results in a shunt voltage of 0-320mV, the DAC provides 0-5V output. To fit it to the 0-320mV a voltage devider is used (100k to 8k2 = /13.2). 

The input voltage of the device under test (DUT) can be 30V, will also be devided by 5.54 to get a range of 0-5V for the arduino to measure the input voltage.

After making some real measurements the formular to convert the DAC value into real current ist: 

I = DACValue * 686µA

So the resolution is 686µA. 

Heatsink

The heatsink is from pollin.de and has a fan for cooling, this fan can be controlled by the arduino with PWM. The heatsink has a PTC to get the heatsink temperature and make a fan regulation so the fan is not running full speed all the time, just when needed. Therefore a simple NPN transistor is used (BD139). 

The PTC was from the drawer, it has about 1k by room temperature. So another 1k2 resistor is used to make a  measurable voltage. 

To get the heatsink temperature in Celcius a small calibration was made to get the factor for transforming the ADC value in temperature right. 

So with a little bit of math the formular to get the degree value is, 838 is 0°C: 

temperature = (838 - ADCValue) * 0.11

Power Supply

The power supply will be a AC adaptor or can also be battery powered when needed. Because the arduino and the analogue frontend does not consume much power there is just a 7805 to make clean 5V. A voltage devider is used to measure the input voltage, for checking the input voltage.