A Basic Guide on What is VBat [Explained by the Experts]

If you’re new to the RC world, you may not be familiar with the phrase “Vbat.” For many individuals, it might be perplexing.

So, do you know what is Vbat?

VBAT stands for “Voltage of the Battery” of all RC components. This differentiates it from +5V and +12V labels. Which are based on the output of a voltage stabilizer. It specifies the highest voltage they can produce. This value indicates the maximum voltage that should be supplied to that device.

Anyway, it was simply a quick response to the whole explanation. This is a large issue that deserves a lot more explanation. So, let’s dive in.

What Does VBAT mean?

The acronym VBAT stands for Vehicle Battery Voltage. But considering it in the context of RC universe, it stands for Voltage of the battery. Just like servo saver, VBAT is employed in a variety of industries, including Technology, Auto, Automotive, Automobile, Computer, and so on.

It’s found in cameras, flight controls, and other radio-controlled devices. VBat is used to monitor lipo voltage in the OSD or flight controller, not for power. 

However, newer flight controllers will contain VBAT. Which will still be utilized to measure voltage by the FC and OSD.  It also powers the FC and receiver through a 5V reg. While it is increasingly usual to have a separate common position for FPV power called RAM. 

The Necessity of Vbat Inputs

Vbat INPUTS are now incorporated into many flight controllers, OSD modules, and even FPV cameras.  By directly connecting your battery to this VBAT pin, you’ll be able to see real-time battery voltage in your FPV stream (OSD).

The most significant issue with voltage monitoring is that it lowers as a result of fluctuations. When you perform a punch out.  The motors drain a lot of amperages, and the voltage lowers considerably faster than it would under average force; yet, when you reduce the tempo, the voltage quickly recovers. Thus voltage sag is seen. Vbat helps to deal with this by displaying the voltage.

Vbat Mode of Operation

Vbat mode is an equipment power mode that keeps important operations running when Vdd loses power. A backup power supply must be linked to the Vbat pin to activate Vbat mode. The Real-Time Clock/Calendar (RTCC) can function in Vbat mode even if there is no electricity on Vdd.

Vdd on the Job

An inbuilt button transfers the input signal to the power regulator when Vdd is enabled. The regulator powers the whole MCU core as well as the external chips.

Vdd Depletion

When the power supply is withdrawn from Vdd, Vbat mode is activated. The energy dissipation from the Vdd is detected by the on-chip power button. Which links the Vbat pin to a reduced voltage stabilizer. Both the Deep Sleep Retention entries and RTCC are powered by the reduced power amplifier (DSGPR0 and DSGPR1).

In Vbat mode, all peripherals save the RTCC get power. Besides the DSGPR0 and DSGPR1, the information of program memory and entries are not maintained.

When Vdd is Re-Enabled

When Vdd is restored, the device goes through a Power-On Reset (POR), in which all entries are reset except DSGPR0 and DSGPR1.

  • The configuration bits are used to initialize the system oscillator.
  • The program counter is set to 0x000 to execute the instruction.
  • Through the POR, the contents of the DSGPR0 and DSGPR1 are maintained. 

The software can read these registers at any moment.  Good vbats can save you a lot of time and some money in the long term. Anyhow, the weather does not affect vbat performance, unlike RC cars during cold.  

Anyhow, If you want capacitors, I have hand-picked a few for you. From the tiny plastic capacitor in your calculator to an ultracapacitor that can power a commuter bus, capacitors may be made for every use. The following are some of the different types of capacitors and their applications. Using capacitors will help you get rid of any sort of noise.  

These are some of the different types of capacitors and their applications. Using capacitors will help you get rid of any sort of noise.

Vbat Wiring for Drones

The nighthawk 280 pro is a famous quadcopter. We are gonna show you how you can wire up the Vbat so that the flight controller knows what the battery voltage is. 

In your additional bag of bits that you get with your quadcopter, there are two cables with two connectors. You need to look for the Vbat on the other side. Let me describe how you do it by looking at the manual.


Here’s the page from the manual that actually shows the bottom control board. With the front of the craft on the right-hand side and the back on the left-hand side.

You can see at the top here we have the battery inspection. That’s what they call it but we call it Vbat. You can see the ground pin is towards the back of the quadcopter and the VCC is towards the front of the copter. 

This should be very easy to locate.

Now interestingly, if you look at the right-hand side, there’s something called a power output. Which is going to present battery voltage, VCC, and ground. 

You can turn that port on and off with the little switch in the middle. That’s the power output switch. 

So, if you turn that power output switch on, then you can connect the plus power plus the power output to the plus pin of the battery inspection input. You then connect the negative pin on the battery output to the negative pin on the battery inspection inputs again.

 And then finally you have your Vbat connection in your nighthawk 280 pro. Very straightforward and very neat.

FAQs

What exactly is a VDD?

The positive supply voltage is known as VDD. The “0 V” or “ground” value is VSS. The letters D and S stand for “drain” and “source,” respectively, referring to two of a field-effect transistor’s three terminals.

What is the function of a Vbat pin?

The pin that is used to receive the electricity in Vbat is known as the Vbat pin. An emergency power supply and the main power supply both supply electricity to the VBAT power supply pin.

What is the definition of voltage drain?

Some MOS systems require a potential. This is calculated outside the main energy voltage. This is known as voltage drain.

Conclusion

So, do you have any confusion on What is Vbat? We hope you haven’t. We tried our best to enlighten you on the topic. With that being said, we have come to the end of our discussion. Keep the guidelines in mind and you won’t face any trouble.

 If you still have questions, please contact a professional. Till next time, best of luck!