Experimenting with Supercapacitors

Project Phases	Dates
Application Period	16th June 2023
Application Deadline	17th July 2023
Introductory Blog Due	11th August 2023
Extra Credit Blogs Due	14th Sept 2023
Forum Participation Due	20 Sept 2023
Final Summary Blog Due	21st Sept 2023

Supercapacitors are used in consumer electronics, energy harvesting devices, and industrial equipment. Using a kit from Cornell Dubilier, conduct a green technology experiment to win some new tech of your own!

THE KIT

Chosen challengers will receive the CDE Supercapacitors Kit

Buy Kit

THE PRIZE

Grand Prize: MP700852 Spectrum Analyzer + MP710259 US DC Electronic Load

Runner Up Prize: MP720025 US Digital Oscilloscope + GoPro HERO10 Black Sports Camera

Prizes
*All other finishers will receive a Adafruit Circuit Playground Express Advanced Pack.

Blog - Post List

SuperFlashes with SuperCaps - Final blog

BigG

Introduction This is my final blog about my journey into the world of supercapacitors. I must say, it has been quite some journey and I have thoroughly enjoyed this design challenge. In my introductory blog, I had noted that one of my primary goals w...
- 21 Sep 2023
Final Blog: Supercapacitor Backup Storage for Low-Power Compact Sensors

misaz

Hello everyone. This is my final blog as part of Experimenting with Supercapacitors design challenge. In this blog I will publish details and results of all my experiments which I did using Cornell Dubilier supercapacitors in last 6 weeks. In this bl...
- 21 Sep 2023
Me and the supercapacitors

redcharly

Introduction The experience with supercapacitors has been very positive. Ever since I received the supercapacitor kit from Cornell Dubilier, I have been playing with these devices trying to figure out how to use them for an energy harvesting project....
- 21 Sep 2023
Supercapacitor energy storage system - final summary blog

JWx

Preface In this design challenge, due to generosity of our sponsors: Cornel Dubilier and Element14, we had a chance of experimenting with supercapacitors of various families manufactured by CDE. Those included: six parts (of three different capacita...
- 21 Sep 2023
SuperCap Magic Meter - Experimenting with Supercapacitors

dougw

Intro This experimenting with supercapacitors design challenge was a great way to learn about supercapacitors, everything from how they are made and what handling precautions are needed to their performance and what applications they are good for.&n...
- 20 Sep 2023
Supercapacitors - are there charging ICs for Makers?

deimosmuc

For this contest, I looked around the market and considered the charging ICs for supercapacitors. There are a lot of different charge ICs, but most of them have a significant disadvantage: they are not so easy to solder with a (slightly advanced) hom...
- 19 Sep 2023
What’s Super about Supercapacitors? – Part 7: Quite a lot, actually! (Final)

Gough Lui

Six weeks ago, a package arrived on my doorstep marking the beginning of my journey into the world of supercapacitors. As a hobbyist, supercapacitors were an exotic component I had heard of, but never put into use. Thanks to element14’s “...
- 17 Sep 2023
Measuring Self Discharge

misaz

Hello everyone. I welcome you to my next blog as part of Experimenting with Supercapacitors. The last blog before I post my final blog I want to use for description of some details about my next experiment: self-discharge evaluation. My remaining exp...
- 14 Sep 2023
Experimenting with DGH supercapacitors - even achieved a little white smoke (it wasn’t a capacitor though)

BigG

Introduction In this blog I focus on the 3 DGH supercapacitors provided in the kit, namely: DGH105Q2R7: 1F 2.7 V DGH505Q2R7: 5F 2.7V DGH106Q2R7: 10F 2.7V These DGH supercapacitors are specified as having a maximum voltage of 2.7V. So, with these s...
- 14 Sep 2023
Supercapacitor energy storage system - extra credit blog 5 (improving capacitance measurement precision using curve fitting in Octave, Arduino integration performance)

JWx

Unreliable data sources Arduino Octave integration, although convenient and easy to use, seems to have some weak points: control is rather slow - for example, when switching two relays one by one, operator can differentiate by sound when second rela...
- 14 Sep 2023
Which Supercapacitor will suit my application

BigG

Introduction The element14 introductory text describing this design challenge, noted that: “Supercapacitors are ideal for applications ranging from wind turbines and mass transit to hybrid / EV vehicles, consumer electronics, energy harvesting ...
- 13 Sep 2023
Supercapacitor energy storage system - extra credit blog 4 (supercapacitor balancing methods)

JWx

Why to balance In real-life situations there is some difficulty with obtaining high efficiency of the energy storage when using supercapacitors (especially of EDLC type), due to their low working voltage. Although EDLC capacitors can be discharged al...
- 12 Sep 2023
SuperCap Magic Meter - Operational

dougw

Intro I finally got my SuperCap Magic Meter fully functional. It performs well and has already proved useful in characterizing supercapacitor performance. The SuperCap Magic Meter Demo Here is a video showing my first use of the meter on supercapac...
- 12 Sep 2023
Effective Energy Capacity Evaluation

misaz

Hello everyone. I welcome you to my next blog as part of Experimenting with Supercapacitors. In previous two blogs I described my experimental large capacitance measurement using python and now I switch to something different. In this blog I will des...
- 11 Sep 2023
Supercapacitor energy storage system - extra credit blog 3 ([another] capacitance meter)

JWx

Inspired by the recent E14 LabView RoadTest I have decided to test Octave (open source Matlab replacement) Arduino integration for capacitor measurement. Having obtained LattePanda v.1 during previous design challenge, I have decided to use it for th...
- 11 Sep 2023
What’s Super about Supercapacitors? – Part 6: Solar LoRaWAN PM Sensor, Low-Temps, Imbalance, Cyclic & Short Circuit Life, LED Blinker

Gough Lui

I didn’t realise when I published my last “extra credit” blog that it would fall on a national holiday weekend in the US. As a result, some of you may have missed some rather interesting experiments looking at safety under abusive c...
- 10 Sep 2023
SuperCap Meter Shield Functional Test

dougw

Intro This installment on my Super Capacitor Experimentation Project covers functional testing of the supercapacitor meter shield. The last blog covered assembly of the PCB. This blog shows the shield is able to charge and discharge with constant cu...
- 5 Sep 2023
Measuring Capacitance using Python Part 2 (the unsuccessful ways)

misaz

Hello everyone. This blog is continuation to my previous blog Measuring Large Capacitance using Python. In this blog I will describe techniques which I used before I implemented circuit as described in previous blog. Techniques which I will describe ...
- 3 Sep 2023
Supercapacitor energy storage system - extra credit blog 2 (sample applications)

JWx

RTC module supercap modification One of easiest to build supercapacitor applications could be a modification of Arduino RTC module. Some of least expensive ones are based on DS1302 RTC chip and are usually equipped with CR2032 battery socket. Given t...
- 3 Sep 2023
What’s Super about Supercapacitors? – Part 5: Safety Under Abuse & Power Back-Up Application

Gough Lui

After looking at leakage current measurements, sizing a supercapacitor solution, supercapacitor lifetime and plotting the solar panel I-V curve, this forth “extra credit” blog will look at safety aspects related to supercapacitors. Specif...
- 3 Sep 2023
The SuperCap Magic Meter Shield

dougw

Intro This episode of the Experimenting With Supercapacitors Design Challenge covers the build of a supercapacitor meter shield that will mate with an Arduino Uno R4 Minima. The capacitance meter design takes advantage of the 14biit A/D on the UNO R...
- 31 Aug 2023
The SuperCap Rack

dougw

Intro This is another installment in the Experimenting With Supercapacitors Design Challenge. I enjoy injecting creative design elements into any project, so while waiting for my PCB to be fabricated I thought I would address the handling issues wi...
- 31 Aug 2023
What’s Super about Supercapacitors? – Part 4: Measuring Leakage, Sizing a Solution & Lifetime

Gough Lui

My previous “extra credit” blog embarked on the beginning of my journey to characterise supercapacitors through measurements of capacitance and ESR. While those are two important parameters, there are certainly other considerations when i...
- 26 Aug 2023
Measuring Large Capacitance using Python

misaz

Hello everyone. In this blog post, I will describe measuring large (super)capacitance using Raspberry Pi, Python, and a few cheap and simple parts. Python running on Raspberry Pi will be used for controlling the measurement circuit and computations. ...
- 25 Aug 2023
What’s Super about Supercapacitors? – Part 3: Measuring Capacitance & ESR

Gough Lui

In my first "extra credit" blog, I ventured into understanding more about the various types of supercapacitors and the datasheet characteristics of the supplied Cornell Dubilier components. In this second “extra credit” blog, I’ll b...
- 19 Aug 2023

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