Smart Energy System: Arduino-Based Solar-Powered Battery Management

Hardware Components

System Connections

1. Solar Panel: Provides a stable current and voltage to charge the battery through the step-down converter.
2. Battery: Supplies 12V power to the Arduino, ensuring its operation.
3. Arduino: Connected to the display via I2C to show real-time data of battery and load status.
4. INA226 Module: Monitors the voltage, current, and power of both the battery and the two loads.

#include "INA226.h"

#define INA_COUNT  4

// IIC Address Selection 
// A1 = 0  A0 = 0 ->0x40
// A1 = 0  A0 = 1 ->0x41
// A1 = 1  A0 = 0 ->0x44
// A1 = 1  A0 = 1 ->0x45
INA226 INA[INA_COUNT] =
{
  INA226(0x40),
  INA226(0x41),
  INA226(0x44),
  INA226(0x45)
};

char string_V[10];
char string_I[10];
char string_W[10];
char string_X[10];

void setup()
{
  Serial.begin(115200);
  Serial.println(__FILE__);
  Serial.print("INA226_LIB_VERSION: ");
  Serial.println(INA226_LIB_VERSION);

  Wire.begin();
  bool failed = false;
  for (int ID = 0; ID < INA_COUNT; ID++)
  {
    if (!INA[ID].begin() )
    {
      failed = true;
      Serial.println(ID);
    }
    INA[ID].setMaxCurrentShunt(8, 0.01);
  }
  if (failed)
  {
    Serial.println("One or more INA could not connect. Fix and Reboot");
    while (1);
  }

 Serial.println("\nID\tBUS\tSHUNT\tCURRENT\tPOWER");
}

void loop()
{
    float voltage = INA[0].getBusVoltage();
    dtostrf(voltage, 4, 3, string_V);  // Convert a floating point number to a string, retaining three decimal places
    char string_X[50];
    char str[50];
    sprintf(string_X, "page0.t10.txt=\"%s V\"\xff\xff\xff", string_V);  // Concatenating strings
    Serial.print(string_X);
    Serial.print(str);
    delay(1000);
}

Features

1. Battery Monitoring: Uses the INA226 module to monitor the voltage, current, and power of the battery in real-time and send the data to Arduino via serial communication.
2. Display Functionality: Displays the voltage, current, and power of both the battery and load on an LCD screen through I2C.
3. Load Management: The system uses Arduino to monitor the status of two loads and adjusts power supply based on data retrieved from the INA226 module.
4. Remote Control: The system can be integrated into a smart home platform via IoT, allowing remote control through a mobile app to view data and adjust system settings.

Use Cases

1. Remote Battery Monitoring: Users can monitor the battery's charging status and power levels, ensuring that devices operate within an optimal power range.
2. Load Management: Suitable for smart homes or solar-powered systems, it can monitor multiple load devices to ensure stable operation.
3. Environmentally Friendly Energy Management: The system uses solar power, reducing reliance on traditional energy sources, and improving the sustainability of the system.

Future Development and Expansion

1. Multi-Function Expansion: Users can add additional sensor modules, such as temperature, humidity, and light sensors, to further enhance environmental monitoring.
2. Intelligent Prediction and Adjustment: The system will incorporate AI technology to intelligently predict energy usage, adjusting power supply modes to optimize system efficiency.
3. Optimized Solar Management: As solar panel technology continues to improve, the system can integrate more efficient solar panels to increase overall charging efficiency and usage time.
4. Multi-Device Management: By leveraging cloud platforms and IoT, users can manage and monitor multiple devices, enabling broader control of smart home systems.

Conclusion