Power Products

Temperature Protection

Picogrid has a built-in safety feature called "Temperature Shutdown". It ensures the battery operates within a safe temperature range to protect the device and prolong its life. We've specifically lowered the threshold for cold temperatures to -10 degrees Celsius, as the Senti solar panel cannot supply more than 10% of the battery capacity under colder conditions.

Here's how it works:

  1. If the battery's temperature drops below -10 degrees Celsius for a period of 5 minutes, the device will stop charging and discharging to avoid any potential damage. This change will be recorded as a "Temperature Shutdown" status.
  2. Similarly, if the battery's temperature rises above 65 degrees Celsius for 5 minutes, the device will again stop charging and discharging to prevent overheating. This also triggers the "Temperature Shutdown" status.
  3. The device will start functioning normally again when the temperature returns to a safe range. If the battery was too cold (below -10 degrees Celsius), it will start working when the temperature rises and stays above 0 degrees for 5 minutes. If it was too hot (above 65 degrees Celsius), it resumes operations once the temperature falls and stays below 48 degrees for 5 minutes. In both scenarios, the "Temperature Shutdown" status is reset.
  4. To ensure accurate temperature readings, the device monitors two temperature probes. If either probe detects a temperature extreme, the safety feature will be activated. If the probes get damaged, the device could read extreme temperatures and trigger the shutdown as a precautionary measure.
  5. To avoid false alarms or erratic behavior due to electrical 'noise' (random fluctuations), the device uses filters that help provide stable and reliable temperature readings. This is important because temperature probes react slowly, so we want to make sure we're responding to real temperature changes, not temporary or false signals.

In a nutshell, this feature is like a smart thermostat for your device, helping to keep the battery in the right temperature range for optimal performance and longevity.