Great idea. I'd probably add a delay to run the fan longer even when the sensor is not picking anything up just to help clear anything lingering. And then add a hood to the front to direct the fumes into the unit when first starting off. And it'd rival the big boys out there.
That is a great idea, it does slow down fairly quickly. I like the idea of a hood too, I also though about a stand where it could be angled slight might be useful.
Oh my god, I want to hug so bad! Hahahahaha This is something I was trying to figure it out by myself some time ago and now you explained the solution in a such simplified way with a calm sweet voice
clever stuff.... in the past I had thought of modding my soldering station not as clever as they way you did it, but using either a microswitch or a reed switch to turn the fan on as soon as I lift the iron off the holder with a capacitor to keep the fan running for a few seconds or so after the iron is put back down - as there would be no programming I'd just use a 10k potentiometer inline to set the fan speed
Brilliant idea, thanks! I have done about the same without the sensor years ago (just a switch on there), but DC and battery operated (DC charges the battery when plugged in) because I hate wires on the bench other than what I'm working with :D ... For the fan start, I'd probably give it a full blast pulse, then drive it down instantly, that way it will start (there's probably a condenser in there that need to fill up before it starts or some trickery of the sort). That way you wouldn't need to have it running all the time. As for the potentiometer for use outside of soldering, I would just add a button to manually start and stop the fan. Maybe add 1-2 additional pushes for 1-2 preset speeds (1st push on at low, 2nd push on at medium, 3rd push on at high, 4th push off). Maybe add 3 small LEDs for the states (all off, 1 on, 2 on, 3 on). Would be neat. Just my 2 cents, hope this helps :)
Nice Katie but I have a current sensor on my soldering iron and activate my fan once the current crosses a treshold. I use a Tasmoto Wifi socket with current sensor and a wifi relay for the solder filter. To start the fan with low pwm you need a capactior across your pwm output.
That's a great idea to use a current sensor, I hadn't thought about doing that before, but makes sense. The capacitor sounds good, no you mention it, I think I've seen that used before. I'll give it a go!
That looks great! I guess the only things I would change if I were to build one, would be to place the sensor on top and search for a fan that reacts more quickly ... or make it analog. I think I would try to make it all analog, I have a soft spot for that. ^^ (Now I want to make one) Thank you for the interesting video! I think you are very good at presenting the whole process!
Thanks, since the video I've actually found it works better if I put it upside down on my desk, so the sensor is at the top of the aperture. The fumes seem to be sucked in and around to the top of the fan.
Rather than using a sensor I would probably run them on the same power strip and have it such that when i turn on the power strip for the soldering iron it powers on the fume extractor. But sensors are cool!
Or just have the fan plugged into the same power strip as the soldering iron. It also turns out that if you put the fan on the other end of a flexible duct, it becomes a lot quieter and also makes it easy to direct it out an open window or into a bathroom.
GREAT idea for an air quality sensor! very practical, and something that more people should have (me included)! Also great to soo you use the screw inserts, as we have discovered on "The Electronics Inside" only the best products come with threaded inserts!
Thanks, glad you liked it. I hadn't tried the inserts before, looked tricky, but it amazed me how simple they were to put in. I'm definitely going to be using them a lot more now I've tried them!
I would appreciate if you went through the printed parts design in freecad (at least a sped up digest version). There is not much complexity in the rest of the project, apart from programming, which is also mostly skipped...
Thanks for the feedback, I've been into more detail on the freecad design in some other project, so didn't go quite so deep into it for this one, but I'll bear it in mind in the future and cover it a bit more. The video length is kept a little more concise here, but there is an extra video of bonus content which goes into the circuit and code in more detail on our community website which can be found here: bit.ly/3k75dG4
Great idea and proof of concept unfortunately most PMW fans (made for PC's) have a minimum RPM as they generally do not self start at speeds lower than the minimum speed...
My guess on the fan: Control its power as well. When you want to turn it on, first set the pwm signal, then give the fan power. I'm gonna bet that it checks for pwm right when it starts up, then goes into a sleep mode. If the fan is always powered you may catch it in the middle of a sleep mode and it won't turn on from the PWM until it wakes up again.
Thanks, and it sounds like a good theory, but it also happens if you take the speed right down to nothing and then start it back up without removing the power supply. There is an idea below that I should add a capacitor, so will try that and see if it helps.
@@hifromkatie "but it also happens if you take the speed right down to nothing" Yeah that's what I would expect, it goes into a sleep mode whenever there's no pwm (0% duty cycle) and then occasionally wakes up to check for pwm. I would wager that when power is first applied the speed controller on the fan checks for pwm before entering a long sleep cycle, so by applying pwm and then powering the fan's controller, the PWM will be seen by that initial check by the controller.
I like the idea to use a particulate sensor. However, to really filter the fumes and not just blow them away, you should use a HEPA filter as well, as the fumes are mostly particulate matter which isn't affected much by the active coal filter which mostly filters VOCs. And then since the HEPA filter almost totally stops the air flow, one must also pick a fan optimised for static pressure...
Excellent job Katy, great idea, I've got really good extraction in my darkroom for chemical fumes (manual though, goodness knows how I would convert to auto?) but nothing in my workshop, like this very much, many thanks.
I've been flux sick. The little wisp of smoke that comes off a soldering iron is not going to get you sick. What made me flux sick was dumping a whole one pound spool of flux core solder into a molten pot of solder. That kind of cloud you should avoid. I'll tell you what getting flux sick is like. Just so you know if it is happening to you. If you're writhing on the floor and dry heaving you're flux sick. Take my word for it. Anything less than that and you're a big baby and it's all in your head.
that is a great fume extractor. 👍 i would certainly buy one. possible ideas: have it run off usb c for versatility and portability (powerbanks), see if there are design improvements for better responsiveness with the sensor… maybe more than one sensor strategically placed? slider is a great idea, but maybe auto mode also working on a small switch in addition to the slider since the slider might not be as intuitive that one end is auto? small, dim (not glaringly bright) leds for indicators such as auto mode is on, that the fan is running, and that the extractor is plugged to power. case design: is the volume size great as-is or can it be slimmed down slightly for more desk space and portability? two sizes maybe: one as a desktop and one smaller one for travel. travel one could have a small built-in battery option in addition to a usb c power port. carbon filter tray that can be slid in and out for easy replacement without a screw driver or tools. daisychain port for multiple extractors. 🙂
Thanks, they are all great ideas for modifications to the design. I like the second sensor idea, above the desk would be a great position for an auxiliary sensor
This is really great! I can't think of anything I would change or add. In fact, I don't have an extractor and need one, so I may try to duplicate yours. I don't yet have a 3D printer, but it's on my list and now so is this. There is a maker space not far from me, so I may go check them out and get it printed there.
I have a solder pot. It is an Eisco model 37. It's basically a cast iron cup with an electric heating element in it. Just the thing for tinning iron tips. It's good for stripping through hole circuit boards too.
Cool project, but seems a bit complicated. I'd have just put a current sensor on the solder station mains or an optical sensor to detect when the soldering iron leaves its holder. Add a 555 timer and you're done.
Probably not, I could start it much softer, but I sort of like it as part of the startup sequence. You know it's working correctly if you've seen it start up.
.....because sensing input current of soldering station with any type of current relay and turning on the fan with this signal is too simple and too reliable......
why don't you keep it simple and just bind the thing with your soldering iron? just wire the fans power source parallel with your soldering iron lady don't reinvent the wheel... if you really want to complicate things you can take temperature measurements from your soldering iron and activate the fan at soldering temps or measure the current drawn by iron or something which would still be pointless but still would be doable cheaper faster more reliable with analog jellybean parts. you don't even have to fool with your iron just use extension cord with inline switch or a relay or something with a 12v adapter. that way you cant forget to turn the fan on.
omg more i think about it more angrier i become. unnecessary complex possibly problematic and hard to fix/modify when needed solution to a non existent problem. just turn the fan on when you want to...
Great idea. I'd probably add a delay to run the fan longer even when the sensor is not picking anything up just to help clear anything lingering. And then add a hood to the front to direct the fumes into the unit when first starting off. And it'd rival the big boys out there.
That is a great idea, it does slow down fairly quickly. I like the idea of a hood too, I also though about a stand where it could be angled slight might be useful.
I love how many different people are hosting these bits
Oh my god, I want to hug so bad!
Hahahahaha
This is something I was trying to figure it out by myself some time ago and now you explained the solution in a such simplified way with a calm sweet voice
So glad you've found it useful!
A great idea and so well explained by Katie excellent 🖖
this was awesome and so well explained!! extremely well presented!
clever stuff.... in the past I had thought of modding my soldering station not as clever as they way you did it, but using either a microswitch or a reed switch to turn the fan on as soon as I lift the iron off the holder with a capacitor to keep the fan running for a few seconds or so after the iron is put back down - as there would be no programming I'd just use a 10k potentiometer inline to set the fan speed
Well done, Katie!
Superb video, thank you so much, Katie! I hope you do more and more projects in the near future! Quite practical, this is!
Brilliant idea, thanks! I have done about the same without the sensor years ago (just a switch on there), but DC and battery operated (DC charges the battery when plugged in) because I hate wires on the bench other than what I'm working with :D ... For the fan start, I'd probably give it a full blast pulse, then drive it down instantly, that way it will start (there's probably a condenser in there that need to fill up before it starts or some trickery of the sort). That way you wouldn't need to have it running all the time. As for the potentiometer for use outside of soldering, I would just add a button to manually start and stop the fan. Maybe add 1-2 additional pushes for 1-2 preset speeds (1st push on at low, 2nd push on at medium, 3rd push on at high, 4th push off). Maybe add 3 small LEDs for the states (all off, 1 on, 2 on, 3 on). Would be neat. Just my 2 cents, hope this helps :)
Nice Katie but I have a current sensor on my soldering iron and activate my fan once the current crosses a treshold. I use a Tasmoto Wifi socket with current sensor and a wifi relay for the solder filter.
To start the fan with low pwm you need a capactior across your pwm output.
That's a great idea to use a current sensor, I hadn't thought about doing that before, but makes sense. The capacitor sounds good, no you mention it, I think I've seen that used before. I'll give it a go!
Fun project, thanks Katie!
I've been working without a fume extractor for too long. I might just have to build one of these. Great project!
Thank you Katy!
That looks great!
I guess the only things I would change if I were to build one, would be to place the sensor on top and search for a fan that reacts more quickly ... or make it analog. I think I would try to make it all analog, I have a soft spot for that. ^^
(Now I want to make one)
Thank you for the interesting video! I think you are very good at presenting the whole process!
Thanks, since the video I've actually found it works better if I put it upside down on my desk, so the sensor is at the top of the aperture. The fumes seem to be sucked in and around to the top of the fan.
Yes i make one of them. The thing i would add to this is. A senor that you up when u r near the fume extractor.
Rather than using a sensor I would probably run them on the same power strip and have it such that when i turn on the power strip for the soldering iron it powers on the fume extractor.
But sensors are cool!
that is exactly a problem I have, and a solution that would be ideal..gotta look for the bom on the page right nnow!" awesome job katie!
This a great idea. Another option would be an ac current sensor on your iron's power lead.
Or just have the fan plugged into the same power strip as the soldering iron. It also turns out that if you put the fan on the other end of a flexible duct, it becomes a lot quieter and also makes it easy to direct it out an open window or into a bathroom.
@@NiHaoMike64 Like the air sensor a current sensor is an analog reading. When the iron is melting solder it will draw more current.
GREAT idea for an air quality sensor! very practical, and something that more people should have (me included)!
Also great to soo you use the screw inserts, as we have discovered on "The Electronics Inside" only the best products come with threaded inserts!
Thanks, glad you liked it. I hadn't tried the inserts before, looked tricky, but it amazed me how simple they were to put in. I'm definitely going to be using them a lot more now I've tried them!
Nice project! Well done!
Great step by step guide with clear explanation!
🤩 Auto-Sensing Solder Fume Extractor🌟
I would appreciate if you went through the printed parts design in freecad (at least a sped up digest version). There is not much complexity in the rest of the project, apart from programming, which is also mostly skipped...
Thanks for the feedback, I've been into more detail on the freecad design in some other project, so didn't go quite so deep into it for this one, but I'll bear it in mind in the future and cover it a bit more.
The video length is kept a little more concise here, but there is an extra video of bonus content which goes into the circuit and code in more detail on our community website which can be found here: bit.ly/3k75dG4
Great idea and proof of concept unfortunately most PMW fans (made for PC's) have a minimum RPM as they generally do not self start at speeds lower than the minimum speed...
My guess on the fan: Control its power as well. When you want to turn it on, first set the pwm signal, then give the fan power. I'm gonna bet that it checks for pwm right when it starts up, then goes into a sleep mode. If the fan is always powered you may catch it in the middle of a sleep mode and it won't turn on from the PWM until it wakes up again.
Thanks, and it sounds like a good theory, but it also happens if you take the speed right down to nothing and then start it back up without removing the power supply. There is an idea below that I should add a capacitor, so will try that and see if it helps.
@@hifromkatie "but it also happens if you take the speed right down to nothing" Yeah that's what I would expect, it goes into a sleep mode whenever there's no pwm (0% duty cycle) and then occasionally wakes up to check for pwm. I would wager that when power is first applied the speed controller on the fan checks for pwm before entering a long sleep cycle, so by applying pwm and then powering the fan's controller, the PWM will be seen by that initial check by the controller.
@@b5a5m5 ah, yes, I wouldn't be surprised if it did. An, if I'm active keep checking, if I'm not active only check every 10 seconds
I like the idea to use a particulate sensor. However, to really filter the fumes and not just blow them away, you should use a HEPA filter as well, as the fumes are mostly particulate matter which isn't affected much by the active coal filter which mostly filters VOCs. And then since the HEPA filter almost totally stops the air flow, one must also pick a fan optimised for static pressure...
Excellent job Katy, great idea, I've got really good extraction in my darkroom for chemical fumes (manual though, goodness knows how I would convert to auto?) but nothing in my workshop, like this very much, many thanks.
Great idea and I like you add functional ideas as you go . Thanks
I was planning to build something along these lines =) Thanks for making this, really helpful!
Pretty damn awesome, love the idea and it came out beautifully! Thank you for sharing.
I've been flux sick. The little wisp of smoke that comes off a soldering iron is not going to get you sick. What made me flux sick was dumping a whole one pound spool of flux core solder into a molten pot of solder. That kind of cloud you should avoid. I'll tell you what getting flux sick is like. Just so you know if it is happening to you. If you're writhing on the floor and dry heaving you're flux sick. Take my word for it. Anything less than that and you're a big baby and it's all in your head.
that is a great fume extractor. 👍 i would certainly buy one.
possible ideas:
have it run off usb c for versatility and portability (powerbanks),
see if there are design improvements for better responsiveness with the sensor… maybe more than one sensor strategically placed?
slider is a great idea, but maybe auto mode also working on a small switch in addition to the slider since the slider might not be as intuitive that one end is auto?
small, dim (not glaringly bright) leds for indicators such as auto mode is on, that the fan is running, and that the extractor is plugged to power.
case design: is the volume size great as-is or can it be slimmed down slightly for more desk space and portability?
two sizes maybe: one as a desktop and one smaller one for travel. travel one could have a small built-in battery option in addition to a usb c power port.
carbon filter tray that can be slid in and out for easy replacement without a screw driver or tools.
daisychain port for multiple extractors. 🙂
Thanks, they are all great ideas for modifications to the design. I like the second sensor idea, above the desk would be a great position for an auxiliary sensor
This is really great! I can't think of anything I would change or add. In fact, I don't have an extractor and need one, so I may try to duplicate yours. I don't yet have a 3D printer, but it's on my list and now so is this. There is a maker space not far from me, so I may go check them out and get it printed there.
It's kinda funny that this should be a posted vid today. I was just looking for how to make your own Soldering Pot.
Ideal, it's great when timings align and you you find what you need at the right time!
I have a solder pot. It is an Eisco model 37. It's basically a cast iron cup with an electric heating element in it. Just the thing for tinning iron tips. It's good for stripping through hole circuit boards too.
Cool project, but seems a bit complicated. I'd have just put a current sensor on the solder station mains or an optical sensor to detect when the soldering iron leaves its holder. Add a 555 timer and you're done.
A great project,well done.
Nice build! 🔌
Excellent my dear. Can the fan handle HEPA filter as well as the carbon filter
Interesting project_vid... but REALLY joyfully presented! 👍
Well done!
Great video, thanks for a need piece of equipment.
Very cool project!
I wonder if you need to start the fan at the fastest setting and ramp down to your desired setting once it’s had time to start.
Probably not, I could start it much softer, but I sort of like it as part of the startup sequence. You know it's working correctly if you've seen it start up.
Do you have to turn the extractor apart to change the filter? It would probably be nicer if you could pull it from the top or bottom.
Awesome idea. I think you might be able to accelerate detection by putting the detector in the upper part of the intake. (turn it upside down)
Yes, that helps. I realised when looking at the videos that the path in to the fan was at the top, so am now using it upside down!
Very cool project
well done lovely video thank you keep up the good works
Using Ubuntu, I love it!
I think I may be having a senior-moment. I don't see the link to the files you mentioned at 1:37
Cool project!
cool project, kudos!
Very nice Project!
Hi is it better to have the filter before the fan or after?
ace!
I need this !
how far away does it pick up the fumes? you seem to have tested it by soldering very close to the intake...
Why not just sense power going to the solder iron, then powering the fan on with a delay…?
I would love to make one of these to smoke near!
I don't know what device do but The shape rimandmy to Xbox series x
.....because sensing input current of soldering station with any type of current relay and turning on the fan with this signal is too simple and too reliable......
why don't you keep it simple and just bind the thing with your soldering iron?
just wire the fans power source parallel with your soldering iron lady don't reinvent the wheel...
if you really want to complicate things you can take temperature measurements from your soldering iron and activate the fan at soldering temps or measure the current drawn by iron or something which would still be pointless but still would be doable cheaper faster more reliable with analog jellybean parts. you don't even have to fool with your iron just use extension cord with inline switch or a relay or something with a 12v adapter. that way you cant forget to turn the fan on.
omg more i think about it more angrier i become. unnecessary complex possibly problematic and hard to fix/modify when needed solution to a non existent problem. just turn the fan on when you want to...