PICKINI V4 - an easy to build, self adjusting PI detector

[Boadil]

Here is the documentation package of the board. The PCB is 4 layers which I had made at JLC PCB for $28 for 5 boards.
Please note that the 470 Ohm resistor R4 must be replaced by 2 x 1K 0805 resistors soldered on top of each other as the single 0805 470 R resistor is incapable of handling the power and fails...

[ATTACH]n436354[/ATTACH]


I also kept the PIC as a DIP device for ease of reprogramming.

Kind regards

It has the zip with the files for the PCB

[Olly]

It has the zip with the files for the PCB

Inside the .zip file is a sub-directory called 'gerbers', these are the PCB manufacturing files.
Just zip up this 'gerbers' directory and send it to JLC or wherever you plan on having the boards made.

Note that the gerber naming convention is as defined by JLC (They have a guide on their website for producing gerbers from KiCad the way they like it.)

Cheers,

[algan]

Will it work if another integrated circuit is used instead of LM318, for example, LF356 or LF411?

[F117]

The LM318 has a higher bandwidth and slew rate than the LF356 or LF411. LM318 = 70V/microsecond vs 12-13V/microsecond for the others.
No idea if "it will not work" because of this... I never tried.

[gurdal]

Hello F117 master,
What should be the coil wire thickness and mh value information for an 18 cm sensor?
Thank you very much

Gurdal

[F117]

gurdal


You can find plenty of information on coil / wire sizes in the dedicate coil section of this forum. https://www.geotech1.com/forums/forum/technology/coils
A coil for Pickini v4 is not different from any other generic PI coil.
Inductance: 300 - 400 microHenry --- resistance 1 - 3 Ohm
Here is some info on my hands-on coil build:
https://www.willaert.world/MD/pickini_en/V3/coil.html

[F117]

According to this post by MartyJ1963 -- a basket coil would give best results.
I never tried it myself:

https://www.geotech1.com/forums/foru...556#post259556


https://www.geotech1.com/forums/foru...544#post259544

[gurdal]

Thank you very much

[MartinB]

Can you help me please as I am in new territory. I have the V4.2 source file and hex file here at PICKINI PI Detector but they both appear to be text files. How do I get them from the web site and convert them into something my Picket3 can use? Alternatively, if anyone already has these files in a useable format, would you mind sharing?

[GeoMax]

Simply with copy and past into a texteditor

[F117]

MartinB

The file format is Intel Hex. This is indeed a text file that can be interterpreted by a programmer that supports this format.

Pickit3 can import this file -- eg via MPLab. I still use a very old version in combination with PicKit3.

In MPLab: File -> Import -> select the Pickini hex file.

[MartinB]

Hi F117 and GeoMax,


Thank you both for your assistance. I was really overthinking what turned out to be a very simple process.