Circuit Visualization

This instructables show how to visualize the circuit design in real life.

Circuit can be drawn very clear in diagram, but it is hard to read the connection in real life product. Bread board connections are easier to read, but it still have some main connection hided at the bottom.

How about if the real life product can read all the circuit connection clearly? This instructables try to visualize circuit in module level, I will use my previous project ATtinyPowerMeter as an example.

Round female pin header

I will try to use round female pin headers help to flatten all the circuit connections.

Breadboard Wire

Breadboard wire is the best friend of round female pin header!

MCU

ATtiny85-20SU with DIP adaptor board.

Power Monitor Module

INA219 High Side DC Current Sensor Breakout module.

Display Module

SSD1306 128x64 OLED I2C display module (beware of Vcc and GND pin position).

Battery

CR2032 or LIR2032 with battery holder.

Terminal Block Connector

2 pins push wire screwless terminal block connector, one for power source, one for load device.

Power Switch

Any power switch is ok but push button preferred.

Acrylic sheet

A 2-3 mm small size acrylic sheet for the circuit support, 90 mm x 70 mm is good enough for this project. You may find some small cheap dispose acrylic sheet from the acrylic shop near you.

This step is optional, only required if you want to reuse same module in different project.

Firstly, you need to desoldering original pin header if exists. Then put the round female pin headers on the module board and bent it into right angle and soldering it.

Repeat this step in all modules.

It is very similar to normal circuit design, only one thing need to consider for easy reading: reduce overlapping, each wire should not overlap more than 1 time.

Next step we need measure and cut the breadboard wire to connect all the component.

Let's start with easier part first, the parallel wires.

In this example, INA219 and SSD1306 modules have same I2C pin order: Vcc, GND, SCL, SDA.

Some wires require connect with other wires, remove part of the wire cover to reserve the connection space.

ATtiny85 have Vcc, SCK and SDA pin at the same side, let's connect it then.

Then connect all other wires one by one. GND is the most difficult one because it connect all the components. All others is point to point connection.

Soldering all connected points.

The terminal block connectors I am using are connect the cover with 3 of 1.5 mm round legs. I would like to remove the cover any direct plug it into the acrylic base. So that I can see through the connectors.

1. mark the holes at the acrylic sheet
2. drill the holes
3. remove the covers
4. plug the connectors to the acrylic sheet

Stick other components with acrylic foam tape.

You may use normal foam tape instead, but acrylic foam tape make you can see back side clearly too :>

Plug in the battery and switch on the circuit, check the OLED display correctly.

Connect a DC power source to the source connectors (Vin+ and GND) and connect a loading circuit to load connectors (Vin- and GND), check the voltage and current display correctly.

Recheck all connection if something goes wrong.

It's time to show what you have done to your friends!