Category Archives: Electronics
Simulate Circuits Online
PartSim is a online circuits simulation. It allows one to draw and simulate schematics in your web-browser: PartSim includes a full SPICE simulation engine, web-based schematic capture tool, and a graphical waveform viewer.
CadSoft Eagle Tutorial Videos
Jeremy Blum is about to post a series of CadSoft Eagle Tutorial Videos. I think they are very well done and easy to follow. Thus, if you are about to learn Eagle, they might come in handy.
LTs Switching Regulator Circuit Collection
As noted on dangerousprototypes.com, Linear Technology provides a nice application note containing a circuit collection for almost all power supply needs: Battery, Boost, Buck, Buck-Boost, Flyback, Forward, High Voltage, Multioutput, Off Line, Preregulator, Switched Capacitor and Telecom. Download the application notes as PDF from LT
Multiple Time Bases on a Single MSP430 Timer Module
On dangerousprototypes.com, they refer to an other interesting TI app-note which describes how to use multiple time bases on a single MSP430 module: However, in some applications, multiple time bases are needed to generate multiple output frequencies. Normally this is done using multiple timer modules, but this might require upgrading to a part with many [...]
Simple RS232 to TTL Level Converter
This webpage describes how to build a simple RS232C level converter using transistors.
Interfacing the 3-V MSP430 to 5-V Circuits
On Dangerous Prototypes, they point to an app-note from TI which shows various ways of level-shifting between a 3V MCU (like the MSP430) and 5V peripherals. The paper includes various examples for input, output and bi-directional level-shifting. They also cover the topic power-supply, giving examples on how to provide both: 3V and 5V to your [...]
Finally: E-Big Jake
Today was the day where we decided, that E-Big Jake was ready for a ride. We checked the tractor with a throttle of 1/3 of what is possible. This resulted in a child friendly 5km/h speed. We also gave a throttle at 2/3 a try, and we got a speed of about 15 km/h. I [...]
E-Big Jake’s First Drive
OK, I received the new motor controller (a 24v23 this time) and I managed to roughly hack the toy tractor together so that it is able to drive on it’s own wheels. Very hackish so far, and improvement is needed, but the tractor easily was able to drive me through my shop (since it is [...]
Getting Closer …
Big Jake (the toy tractor) is now almost mutated to “Electric Big Jake”. The build seams fairly stable (tractor was able to carry me), and I managed to put back the top cover on the tractor. In the movie you see “Electric Big Jake” test-driving on a stool (I was only giving about 1-10 Volts to the [...]
Tractor Update
Here is a short update of the e-tractor project. I managed to mount the motor, add a hall sensor based throttle to the motor controller , and, … well … , OK damn! I fried that motor controller . And no, everything was wired correctly, it was just stupidity: When I was testing the throttle with the motor, the controller [...]
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