Merry Christmas to you Kent, thank you for all the videos and funny moments you've given us. I appreciate your contribution to my knowledge and overflowing stock of tinker projects. Thank you, and good health to you and your family :)
Subscriber 400! 😀 Thanks so much for the tip about cutting the socket in two. I'm a rocket scientist, and that it was not obvious how to get both the socket and LEDs soldered down on a similar board. A+++
Just remember that the supply and measurement grounds are connected together which can be a source of magic smoke. Whats a few 10's of mA between friends, just a bit of noise goes a long way. Merry Christmas and a happy new year.
You're close to 10k subs! Also there was something you soldered that shorted itself to one of the silver tracks. When you solder bridged too, it looked like a tiny, microscopic bit splashed over to the next ones right in the middle haha. I agree with your summation of the build though. Including all the parts and making the resistors and ceramic cap surface mount would've helped.
I have something that originally used a transistor with the "wrong" pinout. I can't believe I didn't think of putting tubing on the leads and crossing them, it's such a stupidly simple solution.
I had a good chuckle at the missing transistor, as I have a "pile" of c1815s that I won for a penny a piece in individual free shipping eBay auctions in 2019. I share your passion of hoarding cheap but useful "stuff".
ICL 7106/7 are quite precise for daily use. Remember that you find them (the 7106 with LCD driver version) in all cheap dmm sold today. I think that this is a panel mounted A-meter that I saw appear on 80s-90s industrial machines.
@@adam850 Many versions were available from Intersil, including ones with a BCD output, though the most popular were the versions that directly drove displays. Still made by various manufacturers, and there are improved versions with lower full scale reading instead of the standard 2.000V, and they are quite good. The LED version sufferers though from the on chip current limited drivers heating the die up, and you can see this if it is just on the edge of going between 1999 and overrange, where it will oscillate between the 2 readings as the die heats and cools. Same between 99 and 100, though that is not as obvious. Really good design though, only relies on having a stable reference, a set of stable low dielectric absorption capacitors, precise resistors, and a clock that does not have much drift to get the accuracy and linearity. Production between all the manufacturers must be in the billions now.
@@pileofstuff 23 pins for the display does not leave anything for other output, though you can use some DTL to get BCD out of the static display drive.
About the twitchy potentiometer Isn't it smarter to set it at a value closest to what you need, then remove it, measure its resistance and replace it with one around double that value? So let's say the 1K potentiometer was set to 250 Ohms, then replacing it with a 500 Ohms would give you 250 in the middle and tweaking it will be way more accurate than with the 1K. Using a 10K has made it more difficult and less precise to set it at the required value.
That reminds me of the meter I made in the late 80's. I made the pc board with the rub on transfer pads from radioshack and etched it. I think I got the schematic from Radio Electronics magazine. It was based on a ecg 2054 ic. It had less parts than the one you put together.
It looks like one of the pins got a bit bent on insert (near the notch end) but it must have made connection. This is a cool little kit. I might get on for myself as I have a couple of projects that a little digital ammeter would be beneficial for.
@@pileofstuff Got to love kits that come pre-damaged so you have something to troubleshoot lol :). I hope you had a good time over the Christmas / Holiday weekend.
Great video on what looks to be a very fun kit! But theres a high frequency (~9000hz) tone over the audio which is killer on my ear holes. Especially bad with headphones on
Towards the end of this video, you use a USB Load with a fan on it. What video was this shown originally (Mail Bag or build)? Thank You for the great videos. ET1(SW) USN (Ret)
Another good video, and where to you source the trimmer adjustment caps or extensions. I have a project on hold for such an item. The humbug mounted on the balcony is very original.
I forgot to ask you, (and I'm sure many others may want to know this too), what program do you use for your 3D printed design projects? You seem to get good print results from your prints. Do you use Slicer or FreeCad or something else? I know this has nothing to do with this particular video, but I have been wondering for some time, and thank you in advance.
Mostly I use FreeCAD. And Cura for slicing (with Chuck Hellebuck's profiles as a starting point). I think a lot of it comes down to making sure the mechanical parts of the printer are well aligned, though. When i was assembling it, I spent a lot of time making sure the Z axis gantry was absolutely perpendicular to the base, then verifying all the moving elements were well adjusted. Then making sure the bed doesn't move after you finish levelling/tramming.
@@pileofstuff I agree with assembly and alignment for sure. I was having issues with slicing, (since fixed), but you always seem to have a decent print as the end result. Cura is good and I do use FreeCad as well, so it has to be my settings and design lol. thank you for the feedback and answer :)
Didn't know you were color blind, I am too and always embarrassed to share that I am. Reason that in my job I do deal with wires, but I just follow where they go instead of worrying about the color. How do you deal with your color blandness?
For wires, I do the same as you. For resistors I always measure. For those accursed bi-colour LEDs, I have a few apps on my phone. Other than that< I simply try to avoid situations where colour is the only differentiation. After 60+ years, I have mostly learned to not be too shy about it.
FYI, parts of this video have a very high pitch squeal. All the talking over the screen grab of the instructions are particularly bad. Might want to check for a faulty switching supply near that mic. Or just process through a low pass to cut off the squeal.
@@pileofstuff I'm in my mid-sixties, also have tinnitus, and I don't hear what they're talking about either, so - assuming it's real - the noise is probably well above 12kHz. Maybe you can ask one of your kids to listen to your recording and tell you what it sounds like to them? They can probably tell you if it sounds like the furnace, or something more/else.
Hope you had a good Christmas.
Merry Christmas to you Kent, thank you for all the videos and funny moments you've given us. I appreciate your contribution to my knowledge and overflowing stock of tinker projects. Thank you, and good health to you and your family :)
Seconded! 😀🎄
Subscriber 400! 😀 Thanks so much for the tip about cutting the socket in two. I'm a rocket scientist, and that it was not obvious how to get both the socket and LEDs soldered down on a similar board. A+++
Just remember that the supply and measurement grounds are connected together which can be a source of magic smoke.
Whats a few 10's of mA between friends, just a bit of noise goes a long way.
Merry Christmas and a happy new year.
You're close to 10k subs! Also there was something you soldered that shorted itself to one of the silver tracks. When you solder bridged too, it looked like a tiny, microscopic bit splashed over to the next ones right in the middle haha. I agree with your summation of the build though. Including all the parts and making the resistors and ceramic cap surface mount would've helped.
I have something that originally used a transistor with the "wrong" pinout. I can't believe I didn't think of putting tubing on the leads and crossing them, it's such a stupidly simple solution.
I had a good chuckle at the missing transistor, as I have a "pile" of c1815s that I won for a penny a piece in individual free shipping eBay auctions in 2019. I share your passion of hoarding cheap but useful "stuff".
I ordered a bunch of kits from banggood to do over the holiday and I saw a package from them yesterday and it was just effen Flux paste lol
I built that and used the pot to calibrate it. It's spot on and stable
ICL 7106/7 are quite precise for daily use. Remember that you find them (the 7106 with LCD driver version) in all cheap dmm sold today. I think that this is a panel mounted A-meter that I saw appear on 80s-90s industrial machines.
As I recall, it doesn't output BCD, it directly drives the LEDs.
@@adam850 Many versions were available from Intersil, including ones with a BCD output, though the most popular were the versions that directly drove displays. Still made by various manufacturers, and there are improved versions with lower full scale reading instead of the standard 2.000V, and they are quite good. The LED version sufferers though from the on chip current limited drivers heating the die up, and you can see this if it is just on the edge of going between 1999 and overrange, where it will oscillate between the 2 readings as the die heats and cools. Same between 99 and 100, though that is not as obvious. Really good design though, only relies on having a stable reference, a set of stable low dielectric absorption capacitors, precise resistors, and a clock that does not have much drift to get the accuracy and linearity.
Production between all the manufacturers must be in the billions now.
The chip is *also* capable of BCD. It's just not using it in this application
@@pileofstuff 23 pins for the display does not leave anything for other output, though you can use some DTL to get BCD out of the static display drive.
Thanks Kent. I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a fantastic New Year. I love the humbug story, what a tradition.
It doesn't matter if you're colour blind because I was checking the resistor colours as you were putting them in! :-)
I appreciate the support!
Merry Christmas .
About the twitchy potentiometer
Isn't it smarter to set it at a value closest to what you need, then remove it, measure its resistance and replace it with one around double that value?
So let's say the 1K potentiometer was set to 250 Ohms, then replacing it with a 500 Ohms would give you 250 in the middle and tweaking it will be way more accurate than with the 1K.
Using a 10K has made it more difficult and less precise to set it at the required value.
Hey bud you in Winnipeg lol. I’m in Selkirk hahaha. That’s cool.
That reminds me of the meter I made in the late 80's. I made the pc board with the rub on transfer pads from radioshack and etched it. I think I got the schematic from Radio Electronics magazine. It was based on a ecg 2054 ic. It had less parts than the one you put together.
I may still have an old project around here somewhere that I made the same way (probably around the same period in history)
It looks like one of the pins got a bit bent on insert (near the notch end) but it must have made connection.
This is a cool little kit. I might get on for myself as I have a couple of projects that a little digital ammeter would be beneficial for.
That's the power pin.
It is actually the socket that was damaged, causing the pin to malform when inserted.
@@pileofstuff Got to love kits that come pre-damaged so you have something to troubleshoot lol :).
I hope you had a good time over the Christmas / Holiday weekend.
The seize of the Trace xD
Nice kit and build video, thank you for sharing! I wonder if a slight tweak of the reference voltage might improve the displayed reading.
Great video on what looks to be a very fun kit!
But theres a high frequency (~9000hz) tone over the audio which is killer on my ear holes. Especially bad with headphones on
"Even the bloody obvious mistakes can happen.." yup like ordering 3.9mm screw terminals but using 3.5mm footprints on a PCB !
Towards the end of this video, you use a USB Load with a fan on it. What video was this shown originally (Mail Bag or build)?
Thank You for the great videos.
ET1(SW) USN (Ret)
ruclips.net/video/S-rH_pzdlfo/видео.html
Enjoy.
bent pin on ic. have a good christmas.
Mechanically bent, but electrically connected.
Another good video, and where to you source the trimmer adjustment caps or extensions. I have a project on hold for such an item. The humbug mounted on the balcony is very original.
great vid as always .and have a wonder-full Christmas and new year see you in 2022,.//.,
I forgot to ask you, (and I'm sure many others may want to know this too), what program do you use for your 3D printed design projects? You seem to get good print results from your prints. Do you use Slicer or FreeCad or something else? I know this has nothing to do with this particular video, but I have been wondering for some time, and thank you in advance.
Mostly I use FreeCAD. And Cura for slicing (with Chuck Hellebuck's profiles as a starting point).
I think a lot of it comes down to making sure the mechanical parts of the printer are well aligned, though.
When i was assembling it, I spent a lot of time making sure the Z axis gantry was absolutely perpendicular to the base, then verifying all the moving elements were well adjusted.
Then making sure the bed doesn't move after you finish levelling/tramming.
@@pileofstuff I agree with assembly and alignment for sure. I was having issues with slicing, (since fixed), but you always seem to have a decent print as the end result. Cura is good and I do use FreeCad as well, so it has to be my settings and design lol. thank you for the feedback and answer :)
@@markusallport1276 I always *display* a good print. I don't always get a good print first try...
It looked like you shorted out two of the decimal point selection points, looked like you have a small flake of solder across the 20 spot
16:28 I know you're happy to short something intentionally for once but you can short only one pad 😆
Not sure why you knock the accuracy. Why not turn the calibration pot until ...you know... you calibrate it to match measured values?
Depends if that would track accurately to other measured values.
@@pileofstuff - worth at least trying, right?- it's just adjusting the ratio of the voltage divider..
What's the name of the second hand you used to hold on to the circuit board?
Looks like "Aven 17010 Adjustable Circuit Board Holder"
"adjustable pcb holder 360 rotation" as a search term on ebay should find them. (i always sort by "cheapest first)
Search link: pileofstuff.ca/r/r3zx9
Yup, that is a good search term to find them on ebay
It's a "Pro's Kit", mailbag #55, April 2019. He also did a couple of review videos shortly after that: a long and short review.
Thank you everyone!!! ❤ 💙 💜 💖 💗 💘
Didn't know you were color blind, I am too and always embarrassed to share that I am. Reason that in my job I do deal with wires, but I just follow where they go instead of worrying about the color. How do you deal with your color blandness?
For wires, I do the same as you.
For resistors I always measure.
For those accursed bi-colour LEDs, I have a few apps on my phone.
Other than that< I simply try to avoid situations where colour is the only differentiation.
After 60+ years, I have mostly learned to not be too shy about it.
FYI, parts of this video have a very high pitch squeal. All the talking over the screen grab of the instructions are particularly bad. Might want to check for a faulty switching supply near that mic. Or just process through a low pass to cut off the squeal.
All I'm hearing on those parts is fan noise (unless my tinnitus is masking something)
@@pileofstuff I'm in my mid-sixties, also have tinnitus, and I don't hear what they're talking about either, so - assuming it's real - the noise is probably well above 12kHz. Maybe you can ask one of your kids to listen to your recording and tell you what it sounds like to them? They can probably tell you if it sounds like the furnace, or something more/else.
It looks like pin 1 is not inserted fully...bent over possibly.
It got a bit crumpled, but I verified that it's making electrical contact.
Is it just me or is there an unbearably high pitch noise that kicks in occasionally?
Probably the furnace fan kicking in. It's in the next room.
@@pileofstuff I wasn't sure if I was cracking up haha
@@MarkusSimpson As much as i try to keep the background noise under control, at the end of the day I'm just some guy in his basement..
Pin 1 is bent
pin 1 is the power input. If it wasn't connected, nothing would happen.
@@pileofstuff I know but I'm just saying :D
Your being kind, its a mile out and pretty useless ! did you see pin one was bent ? have a great chrissy mass...cheers.
It doesn't have much chance when he mutilated Pin1 and it never got plugged in properly.
Cheese!!!
@@fredflintstone1 MerrySqueakmass!!!
Mechanical/cosmetic state aside, it is making solid electrical contact (pin 1 is the V+ input), and that's all that really matters.