Any questions for the stream tonight?

Clive has a video about this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWh2obSY0dQ

They are basically a scaled up version of a charger, but will have an option for grounding the output. If buying a bench PSU I recommend paying a bit extra and getting one from a prominent electronic supplier in your country so it complies with safety standards.

Big Clive

Big fat tracks and a sensible positioning of the components with generous pads for external connections.

Big Clive

It sounds novel. It would be a good idea to start small first to work out the construction.

Big Clive

Change the inductor to a higher value. That reduces intensity and current.

Big Clive

I avoid Tesla coil stuff due to the vicinity of delicate electronics.

Big Clive

The transition to props and theatre all just happened itself. Oddly, the theatre equipment installation was a result of initially working seasonally with Northern Light doing city centre Xmas light installation.

Big Clive

The colour organs (sound to light units) used to be very popular. Usually just a filter driving a triac for roughly bass, midrange and treble.

Big Clive

None yet, as it will inevitably result in making bangs.

Big Clive

Realy old car battery chargers are just a transformer and rectifier, disconect the mains power before dissconecting them from the lead acid battery.

Bench psu's these days are switch mode, does this mean that the output is coupled to the mains in the same way that USB chargers etc are ?

If the fuse is before the transformer and does not blow with no load on the transformer then it is not the transformer. Test for a short across the supply rails to output transistors and to the 0 volt line if it uses one.

It wasn’t always jackbox 😘 I remember jellyvision fondly he he he

Cerity

What was the most important step you learnt when designing a circuit board?

The modified sinewave steps can cause current spikes that may shorten the life of some electronics.

Big Clive

I'm not hugely into adding lots of random electronic modules into my home's wiring. Less so with 'net connected stuff.

Big Clive

I didn't even know you could do that.

Big Clive

No question, but if latency is greater than 5 seconds, just put playback speed to 1.25x, it will automatically reset to 1x when it has caught up

What higher power LEDs to use the Gallium board as a desk/soldering light?

What's the most efficient way to power my full size Dalek? (remote control)

Brendan Perkins

Ever thought of being naughty and building an etherkiller? basically an ethernet cable with mains on one end...

Eric Latour

The fuse on the power transformer in a stereo system I have blows as soon as I connect the power. It dosn't blow if i disconnect the cable that goes to the "motherboard". Can the problem still be the power transformer? Tried discconecting everything from the moterboard (Cd-player etc.), same resault.Cheers from Norway

Do you have any pictures of your strobes that you manufactured?

Jeff Larson

Will the "neon" pineapple from the previous post be making a decorative appearance, for atmosphere?

Hugo Dahl

How did those old (at least 20 yrs old) analog automotive battery chargers work? Mine has "activate" or "charge" switch positions. Needs to sense battery voltage to output a charge when set to "charge" so there isn't any spark if the leads touch before being clipped to battery. and there is over charge protection too, if the voltage is too low I have to switch to "activate" for a while. the leads are live in this mode and there is no over charge protection.

Any ideas for extending the run time of solar lights in cloudy northern climates?

Kevin Hardisty

I would check the old transformer for an open circuit thermal fuse under the tape. There are all sorts of regulator moduals available on ebay that are worth looking at, as used by Julian Ilett for his vocoder project.

It smells a little of the magic blue smoke when I plug it in too... Hmm, can you get an air freshner that smells of magic blue smoke, without doing it Medhi style and just putting a wire across live/neutral of a mains air freshner?

Steven Raith

I want to make a 3D super computer out of spare blinkers. Minimum size? How many layers deep 4, 6, 8?

Jim

I have a monitor for my computer (an old Samsung Syncmaster), and it's doing the 'fast light blink' which means it's generically broken - not a specific error code from the light pattern, just 'arrange service'. As it has it's own internal switching PSU, should I just have a beer or four, throw the thing on the bed, tear it to pieces with abandon and see if I can spot any bad caps? Because it's going to be bad caps in the internal PSU, isn't it? I mean, if it's knackered anyway, it's not like I can knacker it any further, after all...

Steven Raith

What are the component differences between a dimmable and a non-dimmable LED bulb?

Andrew Donaldson

Ionisation causes particles in the air to fall down to the ground more easily. That's why the area around the ionisers usually gets filthy AF. I'm not aware of a "buzz" around ionisers (though they can hum audibly :) ), but I suppose it's because of the pandemic. Ionisers are indeed likely to reduce the chance of infection significantly IMHO. Ozone generators would do the same, but those don't just kill viruses, but also hurt people and damage materials.

horrovac

USB Webcams: The common tech inside those cheap Chinese cameras. Various cameras for 1080p - Are the chips the same inside? Same motherboard and just charging more for looks only? Be a good video comparisons for teardown, this would be similar to TechMoan's Turntable PSA and possible looking at a lens or focus design to be wary of.

Bungeeskunk

Cats love laser pointers! Another idea: Setup a motion captured video recording of your local cats passing by. Then, an automated low power, safe exposure laser pointer to randomly move for keeping the cat busy. Time limit: 5 minutes, then turn off for an hour, then re-trigger. Keep recording for 2-3 minutes after power off to capture the kitty still trying to find the laser. Next go back to motion triggered recording for the next cat to pass by. Set a time limit to daylight hours only. You can then post these funny videos! Now the tech fun: Show the design of the project of the hardware and electronics involved and 3D printing. This educational project can get many happy kitties on YouTube. What do you think of this project idea?

Bungeeskunk

Do you mean "efficient" in the sense of "least wasteful" or in the sense of "with least effort"? The least wasteful would be a stepdown (buck) converter. The least-effort way would be a voltage regulator like, say, L7805.

horrovac

The Superchats is up to those who might want to use it. It is not too distracting. Ok, here's another streaming idea for perhaps a Patreon only stream to test out, once you get a desktop system: JackBox games? Think of those trivia games you see on the screen at a pub. Those trivia games are often multi-player at the pub. Jackbox is the home version, but can be streamed. Imagine 100 players all in the same game, 8 in the game itself and all those in the audience. I stream on Twitch those games along with others, usually with many others streaming games too. I tried a YouTube test stream and that worked too. Anyhow it is an idea for the pub type virtual meetup.

Bungeeskunk

Will you make a Tesla coil one day

I'm rebuilding the power supply on a Marantz 2010 (ca. ~1970) after it came to me with a dead transformer and an original replacement is not feasible. I've been experimenting with the TL431 and linear rated power MOSFETs as linear regulators. I have LM317HVs coming as well. I have rectified ~53VDC CT and I am stepping the voltage down to 44, 34, 24, 14 VDC rails. The power needs of the stereo are about 2A. Do you have any tips or suggestions on making custom DC to DC step-down linear with low noise and low drop out? I know this is complicated but I'm suffering from analysis paralysis and always respect your POV. Thanks in advance! Alex Z.

Alex

You've probably answered this already, before I started watching the streams. However... You started your career in industrial electrics, at the steelworks. You did some work in residential or commercial construction. But how did you end up transitioning to the event/concert/theatre and tv/movie/props work that seem to be your focus today? Was it a deliberate thing on your part, or just random chance? Thanks, Charles

Charles

Have you made Color organs? I understand how they work Id likke to build one that could sink 1000 or 1kw. I need a high amperage triac that is sensitive on the gates I have a old vellman kit its a scr and rated 100watts good for a few leds Ill try and catchbthe cast today my knee is being a bitch stay safe my mentor

William Nimmo

Hi I’ve had a few 0volt 18650’s I managed to recover 70% of them just using a single cell battery bank. At first they take a few hours before they go into charge mode but always show full capacity. The other 30% maybe need a different method or there just faulty from the manufacture. I’m no expert just built a few battery packs but hopefully this may help.

Peter Burrows

Have you done any experiments with the calcium carbide or waiting for warmer weather?

Peter Burrows

Do lithium cells recovery from long-term discharge? More specifically what sort of capacity loss could one expect?

from what I understand their pronunciation is more correct than ours!

Mark Chapman

With the latest buzz about "ionizers", what effect do you think the actually have?

NightshadeLenar

Next year, I will be converting a van into a camper, selling my house and living in it full time. For little gadgets I'll be making, I will need to drop the voltage to five is volts. What would be the most efficient way on a pcb to do that please? Thank you.

Question - How will components' lifespan be affected with an electrical supply from a modified sine wave inverter versus a pure sine wave inverter or standard AC?

Not wanting to get you in trouble with your American fans "But does Sodder! not get on your tits" ?

I'm personally big about home automation. To do this I use the cloud-less Home Assistant, it's great. I've noticed you're not into home automation, which seems strange to me considering your knowledge and interests. Also it can be a trigger for a lot of cheap home automation device teardowns and reviews. Why aren't you interested in a cloud-less smart home?

Bas

Would a pinned comment like on this stream help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIeivH_um64

Simon Pain

Question, snow and electronics. Do you have a story about a fun fair or other kind of installation where snow was involved or an issue?

Frank

I'll send a super chat if I want, YOU'RE NOT MY REAL DAD. (nah, I'll play nice this week :) )

Steven Raith