I need a 12VDC water pump to be switched by a relay. The relay is controlled by an Arduino nano. I also have an LCD and a knob as I/O hardware. Can someone recommend the best way to power my project with batteries?
I first tried to siphon 6V for the Arduino and I/O hardware from one of the 4-battery packs used to build the 12V power source needed for the pump. It seemed the pump was consuming too much current, causing my Arduino to reboot.
I am currently using three 4-battery packs to power the circuit. One specifically dedicated to the Arduino, a knob, and an LCD.
I would like to reduce the number of batteries required. The pump only runs for 2 seconds every 45-90 minutes. So, can I get away with two 4-battery packs and a few caps to get me through the 2 seconds of max current draw? If so, how would you determine how many and what size/type to use? Trial and error? Should I just supply all 12V to the Nano and let its voltage regulator do its job?
Lastly, is there a better way to power the system? Lipo’s, NiCd, NiMh?
Thanks for any help!
-Mike
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