EnerChip™ EH Solar Energy Harvesting Evaluation Kit

---

Features

Photovoltaic cells on CBC-EVAL-08 convert ambient light energy into electrical energy. Because the output voltage of the photovoltaic cells is too low to charge the EnerChips and power the rest of the system directly, a boost converter is used to raise the photovoltaic cell voltage to the voltage needed to charge the EnerChips. The charge control block continuously monitors the output of the boost converter. If the output of the boost converter falls below the voltage needed to charge the EnerChips, the charge controller will disconnect the boost converter from the EnerChips. This prevents the EnerChips from back-powering the boost converter in low ambient light conditions.

The power management block is used to protect the EnerChips from discharging too deeply in low ambient light conditions or abnormally high current load conditions. The power management block also ensures that the load is powered up with a smooth power-on transition. The power management block has a control line (CHARGE) for indication to the system controller that the energy harvester is charging the EnerChips. A control line input (BATOFF) is available for the controller to disconnect itself from the EnerChips when it is necessary to conserve battery life in prolonged low ambient light conditions. CBC-EVAL-08 is shown in Figure 2 with the CBC5300 EnerChip EH module mounted on the solar board. There are two connectors on CBC-EVAL-08 for connection to target devices to be powered. Either connector can be used for low power microcontroller-based systems. In the case of a low power wireless end device, the CBC-EVAL-08 has storage energy for up to 1000 transmissions - depending on protocol used - in no/low ambient light conditions. Microcontroller-based systems that are powered by the CBC-EVAL-08 should contain firmware that is “Energy Harvesting Aware” and take advantage of the power management status and control signals available on CBC-EVAL-08.

---

Applications

• Wireless Sensors - Create Perpetual Sensors with ambient energy and no batteries to change.



• Patient Monitoring - Use piezoelectric, thermoelectric, or photovoltaic transducers to power patient status sensors.



• Process Control - Sensors and reporting electronics can be powered with motion or fluid flow transducers.



• Real Time Location Monitoring - Active RFID and RTLS sensing devices can be powered using energy harvesting.



• Environmental Monitoring and Controls - Optimize energy using energy harvesting.

---

Specifications

Parameter		Condition	Min	Typical	Max	Units
Input Luminous Intensity		Minimum Operating Linux	200	-	-	Lux
		Full Charge Rate	700	-	-	Lux
Parasitic Load Current		Boost converter off	-	800	-	nA
		Boost converter on	-	20	-	μA
Average Output Power (measured at VOUT2 pin)		1000 Lux (FL), battery not charging	-	350	-	μW
		200 Lux (FL), battery not charging	-	80	-	μW
VOUT2 , 2 μA Load		Battery Charged	3.5	3.55	3.6	V
VBAT Charging Voltage		25°C	-	4.06	-	V
Battery Cutoff Voltage		4.7kΩ load	3.0	3.3	3.6	V
Pulse Discharge Current		20 msec	-	30	-	mA
Self-Discharge (non-recoverable average)		25°C	-	2.5	-	% per year
Operating Temperature		-	0	25	70	°C
Recharge Cycles (to 80% of rated capacity; 4.1V charge voltage)	25°C	10% depth-of-discharge	5000	-	-	-
		50% depth-of discharge	1000	-	-	-
	40°C	10% depth-of-discharge	2500	-	-	-
		50% depth-of discharge	500	-	-	-
Recharge Time (to 80% of rated capacity)		From 50% state-of-charge	-	10	-	minutes
		From deep discharge	-	50	-	minutes
Capacity		16 μA discharge; 25°C	-	100	-	μAh

---

Buy Now

Digi-Key P/N	Manufacturer P/N	Description	Dimensions	Datasheet
859-1002-ND	CBC-EVAL-08	EnerChip Solar Energy Harvesting Demo Kit	-
859-1000-5-ND	CBC5300	EnerChip EH Module Only	0.7W x 1.2L x 0.9H