Integrating 2 instruments with the dev kit

Dev Kit Support
1

Hello!

I was wondering if anyone has wired 2 sensors to the dev kit. Our dev kit currently has 1 RS232 sensor attached and it only uses communication, not power, from the buoy. The second sensor will only need power.

The power output looks possible, but I was curious if you think this will involve needing another dev kit. I guess concerns would be energy budget and not affecting the water proofing of the dev kit with too many wires coming out of it.

If this called for another dev kit, we would need to position this on a different sensor node right?

Have you ever experienced a group putting 2 instruments on 1 dev kit?

Would love to hear your thoughts.

Best,
Taylor

2

Hi there @Taylor.gill this is an interesting question.

In some scenarios this can work. The Bristlemouth Dev Board has a couple of options for power. If both payloads can take the same input voltage that’s an easy “yes” but there’s some nuance none-the-less…

Can I ask a follow-up question about both sensors?

  1. On the one that “only needs comms” which protocol is it sending? Usually there are also power pins built into that protocol (e.g. RS232 is Tx Rx Vcc Gnd).

  2. On the one that “only needs power” what is the range of possible input voltages?

  3. What’s the average power consumption of both sensors?

Thanks
~Z