The Smell of Molten Projects in the Morning

Ed Nisley's Blog: Shop notes, electronics, firmware, machinery, 3D printing, laser cuttery, and curiosities. Contents: 100% human thinking, 0% AI slop.

Category: Electronics Workbench

Electrical & Electronic gadgets

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
Astable Multivibrator: 2N7000 MOSFET First Light

Taping a cardboard support under the soldering fixture helped hold all the parts in place:

Astable – 2N7000 soldering

The struts fit neatly into an NP-BX1 battery holder and the circuit began blinking merrily:

Astable – 2N7000 assembled

My photography hand is weak …

The circuit schematic / layout resembles this:

LED Schematic – MOSFET transistors

The missing 1 MΩ resistor at the LED would serve as a physical support to tether the loose end of the 100 (-ish) Ω resistor, which desperately needed some stabilization under the LED spider.

The simulation says it should blink about every 4s:

Astable – 2N7000 buffered – true model

The 2N7000 MOSFETs use a SPICE model from the ~~Motorola~~ ON Semi downloads, although they behaved about the same way using the LTSpice 2N7002 model.

It really does blink every 4s:

Astable – 2N7000 overview

The LED pulse width should be about 50 ms:

Astable – 2N7000 buffered – LED current – true model

The voltage at the bottom of the ballast resistor is directly proportional to the LED current:

Astable – 2N7000 pulse detail

So the pulse is actually 80-ish ms, which is Close Enough™ for my purposes.

The key advantage here is making both the astable’s period and the blink’s duration (roughly) proportional to the component values, so I can tweak them with some confidence the results will come out more-or-less right.

I love it when a plan comes together!

2019-01-10
Siglent SDM3045X Screen Shot File
As with the Siglent SDS2304X oscilloscope, the SDM3045M multimeter delivers broken screen shot files over the network: the actual file size doesn’t match the BMP file size field, causing kvetching in subsequent use:
```
[ed@shiitake tmp]$ lxi screenshot -a 192.168.1.41 -p siglent-sdm3000 test.bmp
Saved screenshot image to test.bmp
[ed@shiitake tmp]$ convert test.bmp test.png
convert-im6.q16: length and filesize do not match `test.bmp' @ warning/bmp.c/ReadBMPImage/831.
```
Files stored on a USB stick jammed into the meter’s front panel have the correct size, so it’s not clear where the fault lies.

Because the files contain extra data following the (intact) image, it will display correctly:

Astable – 2N7000 – IDSS cal

The BMP header contains the correct size at offset +0x02:
```
lxi screenshot -a 192.168.1.41 -p siglent-sdm3000 test.bmp
hexdump -C test.bmp | head
00000000  42 4d 36 fa 05 00 00 00  00 00 36 00 00 00 28 00  |BM6.......6...(.|
00000010  00 00 e0 01 00 00 10 01  00 00 01 00 18 00 00 00  |................|
00000020  00 00 00 fa 05 00 00 00  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  |................|
00000030  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  |................|
```
The horizontal image size at +0x12 and vertical size at +0x6 are correct: the screen is 480×272 pixels. Each pixel has three bytes = 24 bits, as specified at +0x1C.

So the file should contain 0x0005fa36 = 391734 bytes, but, as delivered, it’s much, much larger:
```
ll --block-size=1 test.bmp
-rw-rw-r-- 1 ed ed 1152054 Dec 26 08:45 test.bmp
```
Oddly, 1552054 bytes is exactly the size the oscilloscope files should be. I have no explanation, although it looks like a copypasta error.

As before, the simplest solution is to truncate the file and be done with it:
```
#!/bin/bash
lxi screenshot -a 192.168.1.41 -p siglent-sdm3000 /tmp/"$1".bmp
truncate --size=391734 /tmp/"$1".bmp
convert /tmp/"$1".bmp "$1".png
echo Screenshot: "$1".png
```
And then It Just Works:
```
~/bin/getsdm3045x.sh testfix
Saved screenshot image to /tmp/testfix.bmp
Screenshot: testfix.png
```
Sheesh & similar remarks.
2019-01-09
Astable Multivibrator: 2N7000 MOSFETs

Some poking around revealed an astable multivibrator using now-obsolescent ZVNL110A MOSFET transistors. The key idea seems to be large gate resistors putting the DC operating point exactly at the voltage required to hold each transistor in the linear region, pretty much guaranteeing the astable will eventually start up.

A bit of simulation suggests this variation ought to work:

Astable – 2N7000 buffered

Well, after the kickstarter in the lower left shorts the transistor for millisecond to enforce some asymmetry, whereoupon the simulation ticks along just fine.

The yellow trace shows the voltage across C2 ramping back and forth between ±1.3 V, with a period just over 4 s and almost exactly a 50% duty cycle: much better than the bipolar version, with sensible component values. As before, the cap sees both polarities, so an electrolytic cap isn’t appropriate.

The red trace is the drain voltage at M2 (presumably, “M for MOSFET”, rather than a plebeian “Q” or “T”), which is firmly at 0 V when it’s ON and ramps upward as R4 pulls C1 higher to turn it even more firmly OFF.

The green trace shows the LED current pulse when M2 turns ON at the end of each cycle. Rather than contort the astable into a very low duty cycle, I generate the pulse by dumping current through a smallish cap into the gate of M4. A few tens of milliseconds makes a perfectly serviceable blink and keeps the average current drain down around a milliamp or so.

In between, M3 buffers the astable’s output to deliver enough current to C4. Without the buffer, the cap draws enough current to mess with the oscillations; that’s how I got backed into this corner.

Figuring the LED at 20 mA for 50 ms, the astable at 10 µA, and the buffer at half of 40 µA, the average current of 1 mA comes entirely from the LED, so even a weak lithium camera battery should last a good long while.

If the low average drain ekes 1000 mA·h from the battery, the LED should blink for a month or two before the battery shuts down.

2019-01-08
Astable Multivibrator: 2N7000 MOSFET IDSS and Vthr Tests

Building an astable multivibrator from MOSFETs for longer time constants and more reliable operation suggests I should know a bit more about their operation with minuscule currents and low voltages. I have a small stock of low-threshold ZVNL110A MOSFETs, but using something less obsolete seems in order.

Dirt-cheap 2N7000 MOSFETs have a maximum I_DSS around 1 µA at room temperature, which would be way too high in this situation; there wouldn’t be much difference between their ON and OFF states.

The test setup is simplicity itself:

2N7000 IDSS – calibration

The initial reading from a 4 V bench supply was 0.00 µA on the Siglent SDM3045, my best low-current meter, so I put a 10 MΩ resistor across the drain and source terminals:

Astable – 2N7000 – IDSS cal

Close enough, particularly given the silver fourth band on that old carbon composition resistor and its no-doubt unclean surface.

The rest of the 2N7000 MOSFETs have I_DSS ≤ 10 nA, which you can’t distinguish from zero on that scale.

The 2N7000 datasheet specs give a threshold voltage from 0.8 to 2.5 V for 1 mA drain current, bracketing a 2.1 V typical value, which would be too high for a nearly dead lithium cell.

I calibrated the V_GS(thr)_{current at 11 µA with a 348 kΩ resistor:}

2N7000 MOSFET Id cal

Which produced 11.49 µA at 4 V, just as it should, so I plugged in a MOSFET and twiddled the trimpot for a nice round 10 µA:

2N7000 MOSFET Vthr test

Most transistors conducted 10 µA with the gate at 1.42 V, with a few outliers spanning 50 mV on either side. Close enough and low enough!.

Now, to conjure an astable.

2019-01-07