Category: Electronics Workbench

Electrical & Electronic gadgets

Vacuum Tube LEDs: Arduino Pro Mini vs. NP-BX1 Battery

A year or so ago, a certain Young Engineer suggested my Vacuum Tube Lights really needed battery power and rebuffed my feeble objections concerning low LED intensity (3.6-ish V, not plug-in 5 V USB) and short run time (because three constantly lit LEDs draw too much current). Having a spare NP-BX1 holder lying about, here’s a feasibility study:

Arduino Pro Mini – Neopixel – NP-BX1 battery

Not much to it, eh?

Hitching the DSO150 to a Tek current probe (which needs a 50 Ω load, thus the terminator on the BNC tee) seems a clear-cut case of a sow’s ear joining forces with a silk purse:

DSO150 – Arduino Pro Mini – Neopixel current

It was just sitting there, so why not?

Seen with a bit more detail on a better scope:

Ard Mini – NP-BX1 – SK6812 – 10 mA-div

Each vertical increment represents the current into a single LED (at 10 mA/div), with the PWM cycles ticking along at 1.3 kHz.

The current steps aren’t the same height, because the LEDs have different forward voltages. The taller step (at the top) probably comes from the red LED, with the other two being blue and green. The maximum current is only 40 mA, not the 60 mA you’d expect with a 5 V supply.

The PWM width, of course, determines the brightness of each LED. Eyeballometrically, the average current will be half of 40 mA for (just less than) half of each PWM cycle, so figuring each SK6812 module (there’s only one here) will draw 10 mA seems reasonable.

The “base load” from the Arduino looks like 2 mA, so there’s not much point in removing its power and status LEDs.

The NP-BX1 lithium cell has lost enough capacity to no longer power my Sony HDR-AS30V helmet camera for at least half of a typical ride. The camera draws around 1 A, so you can clearly see the defunct batteries:

Sony NP-BX1 – 2018-04-24

If the average voltage during discharge is 3.3. V, then a 10 mA load would be 33 mW and a defunct NP-BX1 battery with 2 W·h capacity (at 1 A) might provide 60 hours of continuous use. I’d expect more capacity at lower current, although it’s not clear the cells actually behave that way.

So a battery-powered Vacuum Tube Light might make sense, perhaps as romantic illumination for techie snuggling:

21HB5A – Guilloche platter

Ya never know …

2019-01-28
DMM Probes

After the Great DMM Probe Debacle, I picked up similar-but-different set of cheap probes and clip leads.

The needle-tip probes carry a 20 A current rating:

No-Name DMM probes – needle tip – 20 A

If you look out along the wire, though, you’ll find a 10 A rating:

No-Name DMM probes – needle tip – 10 A wires

Now, even though 20 AWG wire in silicone may carry a 17 A spec, the corresponding 200 °C temperature seems excessive for a test probe. Limiting the current to 10 A would reduce the power dissipation by two thirds, which should limit the temperature rise. Whether the wire actually contains 20 AWG of actual copper strands remains an open question.

The kit also had banana plug / test hooks with no particular rating, although the wire allegedly has 16 AWG conductors:

DMM Clip Leads – 16 AWG

The banana plug / alligator clip combo claims 30 A, also with 16 AWG conductors. Who knows? It could be true.

For comparison, the Siglent SDM3045 DMM came with these probes:

Siglent DMM probes – 10 A

The probes carry a 10 A rating and, although the wires aren’t branded, I’ll assume they have good-enough QC to ensure the copper matches the claims. The production values seem a bit higher, too, even if they bear a striking resemblance to the cheap probes.

And, for reference, the probes with the cold solder joint also claim 20 A:

No-Name DMM probes – 20 A

Wouldn’t trust any of ’em for more than a few amps, tops …

2019-01-25
So(l)der Wick Variations

In the process of sorting out the Small Box o’ Soldering Tools, this well-used treasure emerged:

Soder-Wick – Original – Size 2

Yeah, the Genuine Article. Note the spelling and hyphenation: “Soder-Wick” is a both Registered Trademark® and patented.

Of course, the patent having long expired, there exist knockoffs with slightly different spelling:

Solder Wick – Knockoff – Size 2mm

And labeling:

Solder Wick – Knockoff – Size Good

“Size Good”. I like that. “Made in Taiwan”, though, suggests it’s been in my collection for quite a while.

Despite the fact they’re all supposed to be coated with flux, I generally run a flux pen over whatever length I’m using, because it’s the only way to be sure.

2019-01-24
Astable Multivibrator: DSO150 vs. Capacitor Voltage

With the astable blinking green, I had to do this:

DSO150 – 2N7000 astable cap voltage

It blinks every two seconds because it uses 1 MΩ timing resistors, rather than the 2 MΩ resistors in the first version.

Because the DSO150 runs from the internal battery, you can clip it anywhere with few ill effects. The blinky runs from a battery, too, but connecting a high-impedance node to what’s basically the power line common may lead to heartache and confusion; it’s generally a Bad Habit.

A closer look at the DSO150 screen shows the expected bipolar exponential waveform across the 1 µF timing cap:

DSO150 – 2N7000 astable cap voltage – screen detail

The scope triggering seems iffy, as the trace capture pauses every now and again for no apparent reason. This may have something to do with the very slow sweep speed; at 500 ms/div, the complete waveform takes forever to accumulate.

At least we know the signal lies well within the DSO150’s bandwidth!

2019-01-22
Tensilizing Copper Wire

The “bus bars” on the battery holders are 14 AWG copper wire:

Astable – NP-BX1 base – detail

Slightly stretching the wire straightens and work-hardens it, which I’d been doing by clamping one end in the bench vise, grabbing the other in a Vise-Grip, and whacking the Vise-Grip with a hammer. The results tended to be, mmm, hit-or-miss, with the wires often acquiring a slight bend due to an errant whack.

I finally fished out the slide hammer Mary made when we took a BOCES adult-ed machine shop class many many years ago:

Slide Hammer

The snout captured the head of a sheet metal screw you’d previously driven into a dented automobile fender. For my simple purposes, jamming the wire into the snout and tightening it firmly provides a Good Enough™ grip:

Slide Hammer Snout

Clamp the other end of the wire into the bench vise, pull gently on the hammer to take the slack out of the wire, and slap the weight until one end of the wire breaks.

With a bit of attention to detail, the wires come out perfectly straight and ready to become Art:

Straightened 14 AWG Copper Wires

The wires start out at 1.60 mm diameter (14 AWG should be 1.628, but you know how this stuff goes) and break around 1.55 mm. In principle, when the diameter drops 3%, the area will decrease by 6% and the length should increase by 6%, but in reality the 150 mm length stretches by only 1 mm = 1%, not 3 mm. My measurement-fu seems weak.

Highly recommended, particularly when your Favorite Wife made the tool.

The Harbor Freight version comes with a bunch of snouts suitable for car repair and is utterly unromantic.

2019-01-18

Astable Multivibrator: Monochrome Pirhana LED

The LED parts box disgorged some single-color Pirhana-style LEDs:

Astable - 2N7000 - Mono Pirhana LED — Astable – 2N7000 – Mono Pirhana LED

Didn’t quite catch the blink, but the ~~Ping-Pong ball~~ radome lights up just as you’d expect.

The radome sits on a stripped-down RGB LED spider:

Astable Multivibrator Battery Holder - mono LED Spider - fit view — Astable Multivibrator Battery Holder – mono LED Spider – fit view

The circuitry is the same as the First Light version, with a 1 MΩ resistor stabilizing the LED ballast resistor:

Astable - 2N7000 - Mono Pirhana LED - detail — Astable – 2N7000 – Mono Pirhana LED – detail

Those are 1 µF ceramic caps in the astable section, so I’m no longer abusing electrolytics, and a stylin’ 100 nF film cap metering out the LED pulse up above.

Just for pretty, I’ve been using yellow / black wires for the battery connections and matching the LED color with its cathode lead.

The OpenSCAD source code as a GitHub Gist:

	// Holder for Li-Ion battery packs
	// Ed Nisley KE4ZNU January 2013
	// 2018-11-15 Adapted for 1.5 mm pogo pins, battery data table
	// 2018-12 RGB LED spider, general cleanups

	/* [Layout options] */

	BatteryName = "NP-BX1"; // [NP-BX1,NB-5L,NB-6L]

	RGBCircuit = false; // false = 1 strut pair, true = 2 pairs

	Layout = "Spider"; // [Build,Show,Fit,Case,Lid,Pins,RGBSpider,Spider]

	/* [Extrusion parameters] – must match reality! */
	// Print with +2 shells and 3 solid layers

	ThreadThick = 0.25;
	ThreadWidth = 0.40;

	HoleWindage = 0.2;

	function IntegerMultiple(Size,Unit) = Unit * ceil(Size / Unit);
	function IntegerLessMultiple(Size,Unit) = Unit * floor(Size / Unit);

	Protrusion = 0.1; // make holes end cleanly

	/* [Hidden] */

	inch = 25.4;

	BuildOffset = 3.0; // clearance for build layout

	Gap = 2.0; // separation for Fit parts

	//- Basic dimensions

	WallThick = 4*ThreadWidth; // holder sidewalls

	BaseThick = 6*ThreadThick; // bottom of holder to bottom of battery
	TopThick = 6*ThreadThick; // top of battery to top of holder

	//- Battery dimensions – rationalized from several samples
	// Coordinate origin at battery corner with contacts, key openings downward

	T_NAME = 0; // Name must fit recess, so don't get loquacious
	T_SIZE = 1;
	T_CONTACTS = 2;
	T_KEYS = 3;

	BatteryData = [
	["NP-BX1",[43.0,30.0,9.5],[[-0.75,6.0,6.2,"+"],[-0.75,16.0,6.2,"-"]],[[1.70,3.70,2.90],[1.70,3.60,2.90]]],
	["NB-5L", [45.0,32.0,8.0],[[-0.82,4.5,3.5,"-"],[-0.82,11.0,3.5,"+"]],[[2.2,0.75,2.0],[2.2,2.8,2.0]]],
	["NB-6L",[42.5,35.5,7.0],[[-0.85,5.50,3.05,"-"],[-0.85,11.90,3.05,"+"]],[[2.0,0.70,2.8],[2.0,2.00,2.8]]],
	];

	echo(str("Battery: ",BatteryName));

	BatteryIndex = search([BatteryName],BatteryData,1,0)[0];
	echo(str(" Index: ",BatteryIndex));

	BatterySize = BatteryData[BatteryIndex][T_SIZE]; // X = length, Y = width, Z = thickness
	echo(str(" Size: ",BatterySize));

	Contacts = BatteryData[BatteryIndex][T_CONTACTS]; // relative to battery edge, front, and bottom
	echo(str(" Contacts: ",Contacts));

	ContactOC = Contacts[1].y – Contacts[0].y; // + and – terminals for pogo pin contacts
	ContactCenter = Contacts[0].y + ContactOC/2;

	KeyBlocks = BatteryData[BatteryIndex][T_KEYS]; // recesses in battery face set X position
	echo(str(" Keys: ",KeyBlocks));

	//- Pin dimensions

	ID = 0;
	OD = 1;
	LENGTH = 2;

	PinShank = [1.5,2.0,6.5]; // shank, flange, compressed length
	PinFlange = [1.5,2.0,0.5]; // flange, length included in PinShank
	PinTip = [0.9,0.9,2.5]; // extended spring-loaded tip

	WireOD = 1.7; // wiring from pins to circuitry

	PinChannel = WireOD; // cut behind flange for solder overflow
	PinRecess = 3.0; // recess behind pin flange end for epoxy fill

	echo(str("Contact tip dia: ",PinTip[OD]));
	echo(str(" .. shank dia: ",PinShank[ID]));

	OverTravel = 0.5; // space beyond battery face at X origin

	//- Holder dimensions

	GuideRadius = ThreadWidth; // friction fit ridges
	GuideOffset = 7; // from compartment corners

	LidOverhang = 2.0; // atop of battery for retention
	LidClearance = LidOverhang * (BatterySize.z/BatterySize.x); // … clearance above battery for tilting
	echo(str("Lid clearance: ",LidClearance));

	CaseSize = [BatterySize.x + PinShank[LENGTH] + OverTravel + PinRecess + GuideRadius + WallThick,
	BatterySize.y + 2WallThick + 2GuideRadius,
	BatterySize.z + BaseThick + TopThick + LidClearance];
	echo(str("Case size: ",CaseSize));

	CaseOffset = [-(PinShank[LENGTH] + OverTravel + PinRecess),-(WallThick + GuideRadius),0]; // position around battery

	ThumbRadius = 10.0; // thumb opening at end of battery

	CornerRadius = 3*ThreadThick; // nice corner rounding

	LidSize = [-CaseOffset.x + LidOverhang,CaseSize.y,TopThick];

	LidOffset = [0.0,CaseOffset.y,0];

	//- Wire struts

	StrutDia = 1.6; // AWG 14 = 1.6 mm
	StrutSides = 3*4;

	StrutBase = [StrutDia,StrutDia + 4*WallThick,CaseSize.z – TopThick]; // ID = wire, OD = buildable

	//StrutOC = [IntegerLessMultiple(BatterySize.x – StrutBase[OD],5.0), // set easy OC wire spacing
	// IntegerMultiple(CaseSize.y + StrutBase[OD],5.0)];
	StrutOC = [IntegerLessMultiple(CaseSize.x – 2CornerRadius -2StrutBase[OD],5.0),
	IntegerMultiple(CaseSize.y + StrutBase[OD],5.0)];

	StrutOffset = [CaseSize.x/2 + CaseOffset.x,BatterySize.y/2]; // from case centerlines

	StrutAngle = atan(StrutOC.y/StrutOC.x);

	echo(str("Strut OC: ",StrutOC));

	//- RGB / Pirhana / Neopixel-ish LEDs

	RGBBody = [8.0,8.0,5.0]; // Z = body height

	PixelPCB = [4.0,10.0,3.0]; // Neopixel-ish PCBs, ID = chip window

	RGBPin = 5.0; // pin length
	RGBPinsOC = [5.0,5.0]; // pin layout

	RGBRecess = RGBBody.z + RGBPin/2; // maximum LED recess depth

	BallOD = 40.0; // radome sphere
	BallSides = 4*StrutSides; // nice number of sides

	BallPillar = [norm([RGBBody.x,RGBBody.y]),
	norm([RGBBody.x,RGBBody.y]) + 4*WallThick,
	StrutBase[OD] + RGBBody.z];
	BallChordM = BallOD/2 – sqrt(pow(BallOD/2,2) – (pow(BallPillar[OD],2))/4);
	echo(str("Ball chord depth: ",BallChordM));

	//———————-
	// Useful routines

	module PolyCyl(Dia,Height,ForceSides=0) { // based on nophead's polyholes

	Sides = (ForceSides != 0) ? ForceSides : (ceil(Dia) + 2);

	FixDia = Dia / cos(180/Sides);

	cylinder(r=(FixDia + HoleWindage)/2,h=Height,$fn=Sides);
	}

	//——————-
	//– Guides for tighter friction fit

	module Guides() {
	translate([GuideOffset,-GuideRadius,0])
	PolyCyl(2*GuideRadius,(BatterySize.z – Protrusion),4);
	translate([GuideOffset,(BatterySize.y + GuideRadius),0])
	PolyCyl(2*GuideRadius,(BatterySize.z – Protrusion),4);
	translate([(BatterySize.x – GuideOffset),-GuideRadius,0])
	PolyCyl(2*GuideRadius,(BatterySize.z – Protrusion),4);
	translate([(BatterySize.x – GuideOffset),(BatterySize.y + GuideRadius),0])
	PolyCyl(2*GuideRadius,(BatterySize.z – Protrusion),4);
	translate([(BatterySize.x + GuideRadius),GuideOffset/2,0])
	PolyCyl(2*GuideRadius,(BatterySize.z – Protrusion),4);
	translate([(BatterySize.x + GuideRadius),(BatterySize.y – GuideOffset/2),0])
	PolyCyl(2*GuideRadius,(BatterySize.z – Protrusion),4);

	}

	//– Contact pins
	// Rotated to put them in their natural oriention
	// Aligned to put tip base / end of shank at Overtravel limit

	module PinShape() {

	translate([-(PinShank[LENGTH] + OverTravel),0,0])
	rotate([0,90,0])
	rotate(180/6)
	union() {
	PolyCyl(PinTip[OD],PinShank[LENGTH] + PinTip[LENGTH],6);
	PolyCyl(PinShank[ID],PinShank[LENGTH] + Protrusion,6); // slight extension for clean cuts
	PolyCyl(PinFlange[OD],PinFlange[LENGTH],6);
	}
	}

	// Position pins to put end of shank at battery face
	// Does not include recess access into case

	module PinAssembly() {

	union() {
	for (p = Contacts)
	translate([0,p.y,p.z])
	PinShape();

	translate([-(PinShank[LENGTH] + OverTravel) + PinChannel/2, // solder space
	ContactCenter,
	Contacts[0].z])
	cube([PinChannel,
	(Contacts[1].y – Contacts[0].y + PinFlange[OD]),
	PinFlange[OD]],center=true);

	for (j=[-1,1]) // wire channels
	translate([-(PinShank[LENGTH] + OverTravel – PinChannel/2),
	j*ContactOC/4 + ContactCenter,
	Contacts[0].z – PinFlange[OD]/2])
	rotate(180/6)
	PolyCyl(WireOD,CaseSize.z,6);
	}
	}

	//– Case with origin at battery corner

	module Case() {

	difference() {

	union() {

	difference() {
	union() {
	translate([(CaseSize.x/2 + CaseOffset.x), // basic case shape
	(CaseSize.y/2 + CaseOffset.y),
	(CaseSize.z/2 – BaseThick)])
	hull()
	for (i=[-1,1], j=[-1,1], k=[-1,1])
	translate([i*(CaseSize.x/2 – CornerRadius),
	j*(CaseSize.y/2 – CornerRadius),
	k*(CaseSize.z/2 – CornerRadius)])
	sphere(r=CornerRadius/cos(180/8),$fn=8); // cos() fixes undersize spheres!

	for (i= RGBCircuit ? [-1,1] : -1) { // strut bases
	hull()
	for (j=[-1,1])
	translate([iStrutOC.x/2 + StrutOffset.x,jStrutOC.y/2 + StrutOffset.y,-BaseThick])
	rotate(180/StrutSides)
	cylinder(d=StrutBase[OD],h=StrutBase[LENGTH],$fn=StrutSides);

	translate([i*StrutOC.x/2 + StrutOffset.x,StrutOffset.y,StrutBase[LENGTH]/2 – BaseThick])
	cube([2*StrutBase[OD],StrutOC.y,StrutBase[LENGTH]],center=true); // blocks for fairing

	for (j=[-1,1]) // hemisphere caps
	translate([i*StrutOC.x/2 + StrutOffset.x,
	j*StrutOC.y/2 + StrutOffset.y,
	StrutBase[LENGTH] – BaseThick])
	rotate(180/StrutSides)
	sphere(d=StrutBase[OD]/cos(180/StrutSides),$fn=StrutSides);

	}
	}

	translate([-OverTravel,-GuideRadius,0])
	cube([(BatterySize.x + GuideRadius + OverTravel),
	(BatterySize.y + 2*GuideRadius),
	(BatterySize.z + LidClearance + Protrusion)]); // battery space

	translate([BatterySize.x/2,BatterySize.y/2,0]) // recess around battery name
	cube([0.8BatterySize.x,8,2ThreadThick],center=true);

	translate([CaseOffset.x + CaseSize.x/2,BatterySize.y/2,-BaseThick + ThreadThick – Protrusion]) // recess around battery name
	cube([0.75CaseSize.x,8,2ThreadThick],center=true);
	}

	Guides(); // improve friction fit

	translate([-OverTravel,-GuideRadius,0]) // battery keying blocks
	cube(KeyBlocks[0] + [OverTravel,GuideRadius,0],center=false);
	translate([-OverTravel,(BatterySize.y – KeyBlocks[1].y),0])
	cube(KeyBlocks[1] + [OverTravel,GuideRadius,0],center=false);

	translate([BatterySize.x/2,BatterySize.y/2,-ThreadThick])
	linear_extrude(height=2*ThreadThick,convexity=10)
	text(text=BatteryName,size=5,spacing=1.20,font="Arial:style:Bold",halign="center",valign="center");

	translate([CaseOffset.x + CaseSize.x/2,BatterySize.y/2,-BaseThick])
	linear_extrude(height=2*ThreadThick + Protrusion,convexity=10)
	mirror([0,1,0])
	text(text="KE4ZNU",size=6,spacing=1.20,font="Arial:style:Bold",halign="center",valign="center");
	}

	translate([2*CaseOffset.x, // battery top access
	(CaseOffset.y – Protrusion),
	BatterySize.z + LidClearance])
	cube([2CaseSize.x,(CaseSize.y + 2Protrusion),2*TopThick]);

	for (i2 = RGBCircuit ? [-1,1] : -1) { // strut wire holes and fairing
	for (j=[-1,1])
	translate([i2StrutOC.x/2 + StrutOffset.x,jStrutOC.y/2 + StrutOffset.y,0])
	rotate(180/StrutSides)
	PolyCyl(StrutBase[ID],2*StrutBase[LENGTH],StrutSides);

	for (i=[-1,1], j=[-1,1])
	translate([iStrutBase[OD] + (i2StrutOC.x/2 + StrutOffset.x),
	j*StrutOC.y/2 + StrutOffset.y,
	-(BaseThick + Protrusion)])
	rotate(180/StrutSides)
	PolyCyl(StrutBase[OD],StrutBase[LENGTH] + 2*Protrusion,StrutSides);
	}

	translate([(BatterySize.x – Protrusion), // remove thumb notch
	(CaseSize.y/2 + CaseOffset.y),
	(ThumbRadius)])
	rotate([90,0,0])
	rotate([0,90,0])
	cylinder(r=ThumbRadius,
	h=(WallThick + GuideRadius + 2*Protrusion),
	$fn=22);

	PinAssembly(); // pins and wiring

	translate([CaseOffset.x + PinRecess + Protrusion,(Contacts[1].y + Contacts[0].y)/2,Contacts[0].z])
	translate([-PinRecess,0,0])
	cube([2*PinRecess,
	(Contacts[1].y – Contacts[0].y + PinFlange[OD]/cos(180/6) + 2*HoleWindage),
	2*PinFlange[OD]],center=true); // pin insertion hole

	}

	}

	// Lid position offset to match case
	// The polarity indicator recesses are pure bodges

	module Lid() {

	union() {
	difference() {
	translate([-LidSize.x/2 + LidOffset.x + LidOverhang,LidSize.y/2 + LidOffset.y,0])
	difference() {
	hull()
	for (i=[-1,1], j=[-1,1], k=[-1,1])
	translate([i*(LidSize.x/2 – CornerRadius),
	j*(LidSize.y/2 – CornerRadius),
	k*(LidSize.z – CornerRadius)]) // double thickness for flat bottom
	sphere(r=CornerRadius,$fn=8);

	translate([0,0,-LidSize.z/2]) // remove bottom
	cube([(LidSize.x + 2Protrusion),(LidSize.y + 2Protrusion),LidSize.z],center=true);

	translate([LidSize.x/8,0,0])
	cube([LidSize.x/4,0.75LidSize.y,4ThreadThick],center=true); // epoxy recess
	}

	translate([0,0,-(Contacts[0].z + PinFlange[OD])]) // punch wire holes
	PinAssembly();

	for (n=[0,1]) // polarity recesses
	translate([-LidOverhang/2 – 0.40,Contacts[n].y,LidSize.z – ThreadThick/2])
	cube([4,4.5,ThreadThick + Protrusion],center=true);

	}

	for (n=[0,1]) // polarity indicators
	translate([-LidOverhang/2,Contacts[n].y,LidSize.z – 1*ThreadThick]) // … proud of surface
	rotate(90)
	linear_extrude(height=2*ThreadThick,convexity=10)
	text(text=Contacts[n][3],size=5,font="Arial:style:Bold",halign="center",valign="center");
	}

	}

	// Spider for RGB LED + radome atop vertical struts

	module RGBSpider() {

	difference() {
	union() {
	for (i=[-1,1], j=[-1,1]) {
	translate([iStrutOC.x/2,jStrutOC.y/2,StrutBase[OD]/2])
	rotate(180/StrutSides) // doesn't quite match crosspieces; close enough
	sphere(d=StrutBase[OD]/cos(180/StrutSides),$fn=StrutSides);
	translate([iStrutOC.x/2,jStrutOC.y/2,0])
	rotate(180/StrutSides)
	cylinder(d=StrutBase[OD],h=StrutBase[OD]/2,$fn=StrutSides);
	}

	for (m=[-1,1]) // connecting bars
	rotate(m*StrutAngle)
	translate([0,0,StrutBase[OD]/4])
	cube([norm(StrutOC),StrutBase[OD],StrutBase[OD]/2],center=true);

	translate([0,0,0]) // pillar for RGB LED and ball
	cylinder(d=BallPillar[OD],h=BallPillar[LENGTH],$fn=BallSides);
	}

	for (i=[-1,1], j=[-1,1]) // strut wires
	translate([iStrutOC.x/2,jStrutOC.y/2,-Protrusion])
	rotate(0)
	PolyCyl(StrutBase[ID],StrutBase[OD]/2,6);

	for (m=[-1,1], n=[0,1]) // RGBA wires through bars
	rotate(mStrutAngle + n180)
	translate([StrutOC.x/3,0,-Protrusion])
	PolyCyl(StrutBase[ID],StrutBase[OD],6);

	translate([0,0,BallOD/2 + BallPillar[LENGTH] – BallChordM]) // ball inset
	sphere(d=BallOD);

	translate([0,0,2*RGBBody.z + (BallPillar[LENGTH] – BallChordM) – RGBRecess]) // LED inset
	cube(RGBBody + [HoleWindage,HoleWindage,3*RGBBody.z],center=true); // XY clearance + huge height for E-Z cut

	translate([0,0,StrutBase[OD]/2]) // Neopixel recess
	PolyCyl(PixelPCB[OD],3*RGBBody.z,BallSides/2);

	for (m=[-1,1]) // RGBA wires through pillar
	rotate(m*StrutAngle)
	translate([0,0,StrutBase[OD]/2 + WireOD/2 + 0*Protrusion])
	cube([norm(StrutOC)/2,WireOD,WireOD],center=true);

	}
	}

	// Spider for single LED atop struts, with the ball
	// Aligned to struts at terminal end of battery on Y axis

	module Spider() {

	difference() {
	union() {
	for (j=[-1,1]) {
	translate([-StrutOC.x/2,j*StrutOC.y/2,StrutBase[OD]/2])
	rotate(180/StrutSides)
	sphere(d=StrutBase[OD]/cos(180/StrutSides),$fn=StrutSides);
	translate([-StrutOC.x/2,j*StrutOC.y/2,0])
	rotate(180/StrutSides)
	cylinder(d=StrutBase[OD],h=StrutBase[OD]/2,$fn=StrutSides);
	}

	translate([-StrutOC.x/2,0,StrutBase[OD]/4]) // connecting bars
	cube([StrutBase[OD]*cos(180/StrutSides),StrutOC.y,StrutBase[OD]/2],center=true);

	translate([-StrutOC.x/2,0,0]) // pillar for RGB LED and ball
	cylinder(d=BallPillar[OD],h=BallPillar[LENGTH],$fn=BallSides);
	}

	for (j=[-1,1]) // strut wires
	translate([-StrutOC.x/2,j*StrutOC.y/2,-Protrusion])
	rotate(0)
	PolyCyl(StrutBase[ID],StrutBase[OD]/2,6);

	translate([-StrutOC.x/2,0,0]) // wires through bars
	for (n=[-1,1])
	rotate(n*90)
	translate([StrutOC.x/3,0,-Protrusion])
	PolyCyl(StrutBase[ID],StrutBase[OD],6);

	translate([-StrutOC.x/2,0,-Protrusion]) // center hole for Neopixel
	rotate(180/6)
	PolyCyl(StrutBase[ID],StrutBase[OD],6);

	translate([-StrutOC.x/2,0,BallOD/2 + BallPillar[LENGTH] – BallChordM]) // ball inset
	sphere(d=BallOD);

	translate([-StrutOC.x/2,0,2*RGBBody.z + (BallPillar[LENGTH] – BallChordM) – RGBRecess]) // LED inset
	cube(RGBBody + [HoleWindage,HoleWindage,3*RGBBody.z],center=true); // XY clearance + huge height for E-Z cut

	translate([-StrutOC.x/2,0,StrutBase[OD]/2]) // Neopixel recess
	PolyCyl(PixelPCB[OD],3*RGBBody.z,BallSides/2);

	translate([-StrutOC.x/2,0,StrutBase[OD]/2 + WireOD/2 + 0*Protrusion]) // wire channels
	cube([WireOD,StrutOC.y/2,WireOD],center=true);

	}
	}

	//——————-
	// Build it!

	if (Layout == "Case")
	Case();

	if (Layout == "Lid")
	Lid();

	if (Layout == "RGBSpider") {
	RGBSpider();
	}

	if (Layout == "Spider") {
	Spider();
	}

	if (Layout == "Pins") {
	color("Silver",0.5)
	PinShape();
	PinAssembly();
	}

	if (Layout == "Fit") { // reveal pin assembly
	difference() {
	Case();

	translate([(CaseOffset.x – Protrusion),
	Contacts[1].y,
	Contacts[1].z])
	cube([(-CaseOffset.x + Protrusion),CaseSize.y,CaseSize.z]);

	translate([(CaseOffset.x – Protrusion),
	(CaseOffset.y – Protrusion),
	0])
	cube([(-CaseOffset.x + Protrusion),
	Contacts[0].y + Protrusion – CaseOffset.y,
	CaseSize.z]);
	}

	translate([0,0,BatterySize.z + Gap])
	Lid();

	color("Silver",0.15)
	PinAssembly();

	if (RGBCircuit) {
	translate([StrutOC.x/2,BatterySize.y/2,2*BatterySize.z])
	difference() {
	RGBSpider();
	rotate(180-StrutAngle)
	translate([0,0,-Protrusion])
	cube([norm(StrutOC),StrutBase[OD],2*BallPillar.z],center=false);
	}
	color("Green",0.35)
	translate([StrutOC.x/2,BatterySize.y/2,2*BatterySize.z + BallOD/2 + BallPillar[LENGTH] – BallChordM])
	sphere(d=BallOD);
	}
	else {
	difference() {
	translate([StrutOC.x/2,BatterySize.y/2,2*BatterySize.z])
	Spider();
	translate([-BallPillar[OD],BatterySize.y/2,2*BatterySize.z – Protrusion])
	cube([BallPillar[OD],StrutOC.y,2*BallPillar.z],center=false);
	}
	color("Green",0.35)
	translate([0,BatterySize.y/2,2*BatterySize.z + BallOD/2 + BallPillar[LENGTH] – BallChordM])
	sphere(d=BallOD);
	}
	}

	if (Layout == "Build") {
	rotate(90) {
	translate([-BatterySize.x/2,-BatterySize.y/2,BaseThick])
	Case();
	translate([-CaseSize.x + LidSize.x,-(LidSize.y/2 + LidOffset.y),0])
	Lid();
	if (RGBCircuit)
	translate([StrutOC.x + BatterySize.x/2,0,0])
	RGBSpider();
	else
	translate([StrutOC.x + BatterySize.x/2,0,0])
	Spider();
	}
	}

	if (Layout == "Show") {
	Case();
	translate([0,0,(BatterySize.z + Gap)])
	Lid();
	color("Silver",0.25)
	PinAssembly();
	if (RGBCircuit) {
	translate([StrutOC.x/2,BatterySize.y/2,2*BatterySize.z])
	RGBSpider();
	color("Green",0.35)
	translate([StrutOC.x/2,BatterySize.y/2,2*BatterySize.z + BallOD/2 + BallPillar[LENGTH] – BallChordM])
	sphere(d=BallOD);
	}
	else {
	translate([StrutOC.x/2,BatterySize.y/2,2*BatterySize.z])
	Spider();
	color("Green",0.35)
	translate([0,BatterySize.y/2,2*BatterySize.z + BallOD/2 + BallPillar[LENGTH] – BallChordM])
	sphere(d=BallOD);
	}
	}

view raw Astable Multivibrator Battery Holder.scad hosted with ❤ by GitHub

2019-01-17

Just A Typo. It Could Happen To Anyone: Capacitor Edition

A bag of 100 nF ceramic caps arrived from across the continent (“US Stock”) and failed incoming inspection:

Mislabeled 100 nF ceramic capacitor – actual 50 nF

The capacitor mark says 104, which is what you’d expect on a 100 nF cap, but the first half-dozen out of the bag measured around 55 nF, far outside even the loosest -20%/+50% tolerance.

Stipulated: the factory can ship every capacitor it makes with a proper mark.

Given their (lack of) provenance, they could be mis-marked 47 nF caps.

Somewhat to my surprise, a refund occurred instantly after I reported the problem.

Trust, but verify.

2019-01-11

Category: Electronics Workbench

Vacuum Tube LEDs: Arduino Pro Mini vs. NP-BX1 Battery

DMM Probes

So(l)der Wick Variations

Astable Multivibrator: DSO150 vs. Capacitor Voltage

Tensilizing Copper Wire

Astable Multivibrator: Monochrome Pirhana LED

Just A Typo. It Could Happen To Anyone: Capacitor Edition