Intermediate
30 min

Unlock the potential of precise energy monitoring using PAC1934 and PIC32MZ1024EFH064

The key to precise energy monitoring and analysis

PAC1934 Click with PIC32MZ clicker

Published Sep 30, 2023

Click board™

PAC1934 Click

Dev. board

PIC32MZ clicker

Compiler

NECTO Studio

MCU

PIC32MZ1024EFH064

Efficiently manage your energy resources with confidence using our DC power and energy monitoring solution, offering unparalleled accuracy and insights

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Hardware Overview

How does it work?

PAC1934 Click is based on the PAC1934, a four-channel DC power/energy monitor from Microchip. The click is designed to run on either a 3.3V or 5V power supply. It communicates with the target microcontroller over an I2C interface. Four 4-Terminal current sense shunt resistors are connected to the current sense amplifier (in the chip). Electricity is brought to shunts via screw terminals. The middle screw connector is GND which can be used for bus voltage monitoring. This Click enables energy monitoring with

integration periods from 1ms up to 36 hours or longer. Bus voltage, sense resistor voltage, and accumulated proportional power are stored in registers for retrieval by the system master or Embedded Controller. The PAC1934 is a four-channel bi-directional high-side current-sensing device with precision voltage measurement capabilities, DSP for power calculation, and a power accumulator. It measures the voltage developed across an external sense resistor (VSENSE) to represent the high-side current of a

battery or voltage regulator. The PAC1932/3/4 also measures the SENSE1+ pin voltages (VBUS). This Click board™ can operate with either 3.3V or 5V logic voltage levels selected via the PWR SEL jumper. This way, both 3.3V and 5V capable MCUs can use the communication lines properly. Also, this Click board™ comes equipped with a library containing easy-to-use functions and an example code that can be used as a reference for further development.

PAC1934  Click hardware overview image

Features overview

Development board

PIC32MZ Clicker is a compact starter development board that brings the flexibility of add-on Click boards™ to your favorite microcontroller, making it a perfect starter kit for implementing your ideas. It comes with an onboard 32-bit PIC32MZ microcontroller with FPU from Microchip, a USB connector, LED indicators, buttons, a mikroProg connector, and a header for interfacing with external electronics. Thanks to its compact design with clear and easy-recognizable silkscreen markings, it provides a fluid and immersive working experience, allowing access anywhere and under

any circumstances. Each part of the PIC32MZ Clicker development kit contains the components necessary for the most efficient operation of the same board. In addition to the possibility of choosing the PIC32MZ Clicker programming method, using USB HID mikroBootloader, or through an external mikroProg connector for PIC, dsPIC, or PIC32 programmer, the Clicker board also includes a clean and regulated power supply module for the development kit. The USB Micro-B connection can provide up to 500mA of current, which is more than enough to operate all onboard

and additional modules. All communication methods that mikroBUS™ itself supports are on this board, including the well-established mikroBUS™ socket, reset button, and several buttons and LED indicators. PIC32MZ Clicker is an integral part of the Mikroe ecosystem, allowing you to create a new application in minutes. Natively supported by Mikroe software tools, it covers many aspects of prototyping thanks to a considerable number of different Click boards™ (over a thousand boards), the number of which is growing every day.

PIC32MZ clicker double side image

Microcontroller Overview

MCU Card / MCU

default

Architecture

PIC32

MCU Memory (KB)

1024

Silicon Vendor

Microchip

Pin count

64

RAM (Bytes)

524288

Used MCU Pins

mikroBUS™ mapper

NC
NC
AN
Reset
RE5
RST
NC
NC
CS
NC
NC
SCK
NC
NC
MISO
NC
NC
MOSI
Power Supply
3.3V
3.3V
Ground
GND
GND
NC
NC
PWM
Alert Interrupt
RB5
INT
NC
NC
TX
NC
NC
RX
I2C Clock
RD10
SCL
I2C Data
RD9
SDA
Power Supply
5V
5V
Ground
GND
GND
1

Take a closer look

Click board™ Schematic

PAC1934 Click Schematic schematic

Step by step

Project assembly

PIC32MZ clicker front image hardware assembly

Start by selecting your development board and Click board™. Begin with the PIC32MZ clicker as your development board.

PIC32MZ clicker front image hardware assembly
GNSS2 Click front image hardware assembly
Prog-cut hardware assembly
GNSS2 Click complete accessories setup image hardware assembly
Micro B Connector Clicker Access - upright/background hardware assembly
Necto image step 2 hardware assembly
Necto image step 3 hardware assembly
Necto image step 4 hardware assembly
Necto image step 5 hardware assembly
Necto image step 6 hardware assembly
Flip&Click PIC32MZ MCU step hardware assembly
Necto No Display image step 8 hardware assembly
Necto image step 9 hardware assembly
Necto image step 10 hardware assembly
Debug Image Necto Step hardware assembly

Track your results in real time

Application Output

1. Application Output - In Debug mode, the 'Application Output' window enables real-time data monitoring, offering direct insight into execution results. Ensure proper data display by configuring the environment correctly using the provided tutorial.

2. UART Terminal - Use the UART Terminal to monitor data transmission via a USB to UART converter, allowing direct communication between the Click board™ and your development system. Configure the baud rate and other serial settings according to your project's requirements to ensure proper functionality. For step-by-step setup instructions, refer to the provided tutorial.

3. Plot Output - The Plot feature offers a powerful way to visualize real-time sensor data, enabling trend analysis, debugging, and comparison of multiple data points. To set it up correctly, follow the provided tutorial, which includes a step-by-step example of using the Plot feature to display Click board™ readings. To use the Plot feature in your code, use the function: plot(*insert_graph_name*, variable_name);. This is a general format, and it is up to the user to replace 'insert_graph_name' with the actual graph name and 'variable_name' with the parameter to be displayed.

Software Support

Library Description

This library contains API for PAC1934 Click driver.

Key functions:

  • pac1934_write_byte - Write one byte function

  • pac1934_read_byte - Read one byte function

  • pac1934_send_command - Send command function.

Open Source

Code example

The complete application code and a ready-to-use project are available through the NECTO Studio Package Manager for direct installation in the NECTO Studio. The application code can also be found on the MIKROE GitHub account.

/*!
 * \file 
 * \brief Pac1934 Click example
 * 
 * # Description
 * This application measures the voltage.
 *
 * The demo application is composed of two sections :
 * 
 * ## Application Init 
 * Initalizes device, enables the device and makes an initial log.
 * 
 * ## Application Task  
 * This is an example that shows the most important
 * functions that PAC1934 click has, it mesures voltage, current, power and energy.
 * 
 * \author MikroE Team
 *
 */
// ------------------------------------------------------------------- INCLUDES

#include "board.h"
#include "log.h"
#include "pac1934.h"

// ------------------------------------------------------------------ VARIABLES

static pac1934_t pac1934;
static log_t logger;

// ------------------------------------------------------ APPLICATION FUNCTIONS

void application_init ( void )
{
    log_cfg_t log_cfg;
    pac1934_cfg_t cfg;

    /** 
     * Logger initialization.
     * Default baud rate: 115200
     * Default log level: LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG
     * @note If USB_UART_RX and USB_UART_TX 
     * are defined as HAL_PIN_NC, you will 
     * need to define them manually for log to work. 
     * See @b LOG_MAP_USB_UART macro definition for detailed explanation.
     */
    LOG_MAP_USB_UART( log_cfg );
    log_init( &logger, &log_cfg );
    log_info( &logger, "---- Application Init ----" );

    //  Click initialization.

    pac1934_cfg_setup( &cfg );
    PAC1934_MAP_MIKROBUS( cfg, MIKROBUS_1 );
    pac1934_init( &pac1934, &cfg );
}

void application_task ( void )
{
    float read_value;
    
    pac1934_dev_reset( &pac1934 );
    pac1934_write_byte( &pac1934, PAC1934_CHANNEL_DIS, PAC1934_CHANNEL_DIS_ALL_CHA );
    pac1934_write_byte( &pac1934, PAC1934_CTRL_REG, PAC1934_CTRL_SAMPLE_RATE_8 | PAC1934_CTRL_SINGLE_SHOT_MODE );
    Delay_ms( 100 );
    pac1934_send_command( &pac1934, PAC1934_REFRESH_CMD );
    
    read_value = pac1934_measure_voltage( &pac1934, 1 );
    log_printf( &logger, "Voltage : %.2f V\r\n", read_value );

    read_value = pac1934_measure_current( &pac1934, 1 );
    log_printf( &logger, "Amperage :  %.2f mA\r\n", read_value );

    read_value = pac1934_measure_power( &pac1934, 1 );
    log_printf( &logger, "Power : %.2f W\r\n", read_value );
    
    read_value = pac1934_measure_energy( &pac1934, 1, 8 );
    log_printf( &logger, "Energy :  %.2f J \r\n", read_value );
    log_printf( &logger, "--------------------- \r\n" );
    Delay_ms( 1000 );
}

void main ( void )
{
    application_init( );

    for ( ; ; )
    {
        application_task( );
    }
}

// ------------------------------------------------------------------------ END

Additional Support

Resources

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