MAX14921EVKIT Datasheet, PDF (4/25 Pages) Maxim Integrated Products – A high-acuuracy 16-cell battery-management reference design

MAX14921 Evaluation Kit
Evaluates: MAX14921
Quick Start
Required Equipment
● MAX14921 EV kit
● The two files: The “MAX14921 Eval PCB” applica-
tion (MAX14921 EVAL PCB.EXE) and the DLL
“msvcr100.dll”
● Visit www.maximintegrated.com/evkitsoftware to
download the latest version of the EV kit software
● PC running Windows, with 1 spare USB port
● USB to micro-USB cable
● Stack of batteries to test
Procedure
Step 1: Attach Battery
Note: Total battery stack voltage cannot exceed 65V.
You risk failure of the device if you exceed this voltage.
Look at the detachable battery connector, and see how it
mates to the EV kit, see Figure 1. Connect the bottom cell
of the battery stack (the lowest voltage) to the VC0 screw
terminal and to the adjacent GND screw terminal. Be sure
to use two separate wires for these connections. Connect
the top of that cell (also connected to the bottom of the
second cell) to the VC1 screw terminal.
Continue in this fashion until you connect the top of the
16th cell of the battery stack (the highest voltage) to the
VC16 screw terminal and the POWER screw terminal.
Be sure to use two separate wires for these connections.
What if you have less than 16 cells in your battery
stack? The device can handle 3–16 cells. For example,
you have only 12 cells, in that case, connect the top of
the 12th cell (the highest voltage) to all VC12–VC16 and
POWER screw terminals.
Why do I need to connect the top and the bottom of
the battery stack twice? The device takes just a small
amount of current from the battery stack to operate. This
tiny power consumption is routed through the POWER
and GND terminals. Providing a separate measurement
trace to the top and the bottom of the battery stack
Figure 1. Detachable Battery Connector
ensures that even this tiny current does not affect cell
measurement accuracy.
Plug the terminal strip portion of the connector into the
mating plug on the EV kit. See Figure 1.
Step 2: Run the Application
Visit www.maximintegrated.com/evkitsoftware to
download the latest version of the EV kit software,
MAX14921 EVKIT Software.ZIP. Save the EV kit software
to a temporary folder. Open the .ZIP file and extract the
.EXE file to your preferred location. The .EXE file is the
actual EV kit GUI and not an install program. You can
store the .EXE file wherever you like and then uninstall it
later by simply deleting the .EXE file.
Figure 2. Files Required to Run the Application
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