Hi Fred, it is still relevant.
As a background - for nearly 20 years I am running a small (2-4 people)
innovative software company in Melbourne, Australia. Recently we decided to
move towards IoT. Some of us do have experience in electronics but this is
not our strong point. In particular, we have very limited experience with
SMT.
Our IOT solution appears to have commercial appeal specifically for
Australian conditions.
It is designed for use at remote locations in fully automated mode,
includes 12V SLA battery, solar panel, 4G modem/router and periphery.
Right now we have an advanced prototype version that’s undergoing field
testing - so far quite successfully. We are ready to switch into the
commersialisation mode.
In the prototype we have a thru hole PCB with NodeMcu V3. It is powered via
12V/6V buck converter. 6V @under 1.2A total for peripheral devices is
controlled by ULN2003.
What I am looking at right now:
SMT style PCB + BOM to accommodate ESP-12 with required wiring and 3.3v
supply. We are looking for ordering PCB + assembly from a Chinese
manufacturer Pcbway.com.
PCB design should be in Eagle 2 layers within about 100mmx60mm.
Thermal issues are not critical - the device spends >95% time in deep sleep.
We will use this PCB as a base to add periphery. At this stage we need
flexibility as we have several options for the incorporation of this PCB in
the enclosure.
Kind regards,
Phil
philmond at gmail