Reddit mentions: The best electrical testers

Get a pi 3, because integrated wifi + bluetooth.

I would suggest that you buy a good quality power supply (Canakit is good, else the official rpi one). Just don't use chinese crap or a phone charger.

Also, get a good SD card. I strongly suggest a Samsung Evo+ 16GB bought from a reputable seller.

A breakout board of this type can be useful (albeit not essential at all)
https://www.adafruit.com/product/914

I personally bought a kit from Canakit including the previously mentionned stuff. It's a good kit, but not necessarily a great value. The SD card they include is good but not great, and I didn't like the case.

Then for everything electronics, Aliexpress and Ebay are your new best friends. You'll find the same stuff on Amazon, but you'll end up paying 2-3x the price. I cannot suggest a kit of electronic components, because it is a bit ridiculous to just buy 30 resistors. Get 600 of them for 5$ instead.

Edit: here is a copy of a previous answer I've given to a similar question.

Basic Power supply. You probably already have a 5v wall wart, check if it can supply 2.5A. If it came with a product you bought, it's decent quality. If you need to buy one, get it from Element 14 or an other reputable store. You can find cheaper ones, but I strongly advise against getting a random Chinese psu. Doing so would be asking for trouble.

Numerical signal doesn't require high quality cables. This would will do just fine. 3.72 CAD http://www.ebay.ca/itm/6FT-HDMI-1-4-3D-Cable-HDTV-High-Speed-Ethernet-ps3-bluray-1080p-FREE-SHIPPING-/131144973049?hash=item1e88d97af9:g:2gcAAOxyJX1TAj3K

I don't think this is essential at all, but the kit you linked contained one. I bought this one and I'm happy with it. If you want to save some money, I would skip this guy.
$4.10 http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Raspberry-Pi-model-B-plus-T-cobbler-expansion-DIY-kit-GPIO-cable-breadboard-GPIO-T-adapter/2046473508.html

$2.04 830 points decent cheapo breadboard. Maybe get more than one. http://www.ebay.ca/itm/181227589427?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Aligator clips. I think 50cm is too long, maybe get 2 sets and shorten the cables of one.
$1.55 http://www.aliexpress.com/item/1set-10pcs-Alligator-Clips-Electrical-DIY-Test-Leads-Alligator-Double-ended-Crocodile-Clips-Roach-Clip-Test/32580823346.html?spm=2114.01010208.3.11.Q66gPn&ws_ab_test=searchweb201556_0,searchweb201602_2_10017_10005_10006_10034_10021_507_10022_10020_10018_10019,searchweb201603_6&btsid=9259cb1d-c2e2-42ff-a599-3f468f6ecc6e

The kit you linked contains 5 resistors. That is a joke. Get this assortment and have fun sorting them.
$2.68 http://www.aliexpress.com/item/30-Kinds-1-4w-Resistance-1-Accuracy-Metal-Film-Resistor-Bag-600pcs-in-1-Set-Passive/1752861568.html

$1.10 http://www.aliexpress.com/item/100PC-Lot-3MM-5MM-Led-Kit-Mixed-Color-Red-Green-Yellow-Blue-White-Light-Emitting-Diode/32376627762.html You can also get RGB if you want, but they are a bit more expansive. LEDS sure are fun to play around with.

Jumpers. Essential to connect stuff to the pi. $2.84 http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Dupont-line-120pcs-20cm-male-to-male-male-to-female-and-female-to-female-jumper-wire/1490773403.html
More jumpers. Those are for connecting stuff on a breadboard. I don't really like those as your board will get messy quickly, but at least this kit contains shorter jumpers than the previous one, so it's a nice addition. I would suggest you get 6 colors x 25m of 22 AWG SOLID CORE wire. You can cut it to length and make your own jumpers. I got a kit from Elenco for about 20$ on Amazon. If you want to do some breadboarding, I consider than as an essential. $1.38 http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Hot-Sale-65pcs-lot-Jump-Wire-Cable-Male-to-Male-Flexible-Jumper-Wires-for-Arduino-Breadboard/32437796067.html?spm=2114.01010208.3.10.PzcAVY&ws_ab_test=searchweb201556_0,searchweb201602_2_10017_10005_10006_10034_10021_507_10022_10020_10018_10019,searchweb201603_6&btsid=ad849cd3-deff-4e0b-92ae-e3d15373fd4a

Cheapo potentiometer kit. $3.30 http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-Shipping-10pcs-Linear-Potentiometer-1K-Ohm-5K-Ohm-20K-Ohm-100K-Ohm-220K-Ohm-Assortment/533133005.html
Those with 4 leads are a pain in the breadboard. They keep jumping out and stuff. Plus you won't find any use for the extra pair of leads.

$1.99 http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-Shipping-100PCS-2-pins-6-6-5-mm-Switch-Tactile-Push-Button-Switches-6x6x5mm/1523104421.html

Not essential, but cheap and fun!
$0.99 http://www.aliexpress.com/item/5PCS-LOT-0-56-inch-1-Bit-7-Segment-Red-LED-Display-Digital-Tube-Plastic-Metal/32335395078.html

You will need those sooner than you think to make a a circuit you'll find on instructables. For one pezo, you can't go wrong.
$0.95 http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-Shipping-20PCS-LOT-New-NE555-NE555P-NE555N-555-Timers-DIP-8-TEXAS/32328453891.html

Because you won't do breadboarding with your pi all the time. Get a battery connector (next item) to power the board. I suggest you bookmark this shop! Robotdyn is the BEST SHOP on Aliexpress by far. Few items, but very high quality (like, amazing quality and the best packaging I've seen so far). Why not get an arduino nano or uno for a few dollars? Sometimes an arduino is better suited for a project, and they are so cheap.
$1.19 http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Breadboard-Power-Supply-5V-3-3V-1A/32581547480.html

$0.51 http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-Shipping-2pcs-90-DC-9V-Battery-button-power-plug-for-Arduino-Mega-2560-1280-UNO/32236294183.html?spm=2114.01010208.3.2.vdMJ0V&ws_ab_test=searchweb201556_0,searchweb201602_2_10017_10005_10006_10034_10021_507_10022_10020_10018_10019,searchweb201603_6&btsid=5c916f06-2c87-48bf-9075-e191078d3d89

Cheap cutters, but they cut very well! The only cutters you'll need for a while. $2.14 Wire cutters http://www.ebay.ca/itm/322001218703?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
You'll also need some long nose pliers. Again, no need to get anything fancy.

But if you want to make a gift to yourself, I am absolutely in love with those pliers (make in Italy) http://www.amazon.com/Hakko-PN-2007-Long-Nose-Outside-Serrated/dp/B00FZPHEW2/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1460924870&sr=8-1&keywords=hakko+pliers

I don't consider a case as an essential. But I love cases. And this one is one of my favorites. It's compatible with the pi3 and because it allows a good airflow, you won't need to add a fan. Just get a "heatsink for rpi" (1$ on Aliexpress) if it doesn't come with your pi.
$3.15 http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Raspberry-Pi-2-model-B-Acrylic-Clear-Case-with-logo-Compatible-with-Raspberry-Pi-B-plus/32334774743.html

Nice and cheap kit, but by no mean essential for a beginner.
$3.84 http://www.aliexpress.com/item/100pcs-set-RM065-Trimming-Potentiometer-Variable-Resistors-Assorted-Kit-10-Values-Each-10pcs/32596638037.html

If you get in the hobby of electronics, you'll need some caps. This kit has most values you'll ever need.
$6.50 http://www.ebay.ca/itm/15-value-120pcs-50V-Electrolytic-Capacitor-Assortment-Kit-Set-/131155968234?hash=item1e898140ea:g:w0QAAOxykmZTOlin

Finally, I strongly suggest you get a multimeter. Either get the cheapest one you can find like this one : http://www.amazon.com/General-Hand-held-Multimeter-Transistor-Function/dp/B00066ZZO4/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1460925081&sr=8-6&keywords=multimeter (it will do everything you need just fine) or get a Unity UT-61E for about $50. The absolute best meter for the electronic hobbyist, but by no mean required for a beginner. Just don't go in the middle. Don't.

Here are some of my personal supplies and tool recommendations.

An anti-corrosive spray, doesn’t hurt paint but I’d be careful about yours anyway.
www.amazon.com/dp/B000P1C8UO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_5v0NDb496VPF6

A good tire pressure gauge. www.amazon.com/dp/B01J8DLGU2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_dy0NDb58BP0WX

A basic multimeter. www.amazon.com/dp/B01ISAMUA6/ref=cm_sw_r_em_tai_c_VZPFDbGK9FQ5V

A great battery tender, a lifetime purchase. www.amazon.com/dp/B000CITKCE/ref=cm_sw_r_em_tai_c_ACFQCb40H0E0K

A very good spray on bike cleaner. www.amazon.com/dp/B0036GK83Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_XB0NDbJZZC76W

A good explanation about testing your battery and charging system, goes well with the multimeter and tender.

https://www.louis.eu/rund-ums-motorrad/schraubertipps/elektronik

These screwdrivers or ones like it are a must. www.amazon.com/dp/B00A7WAHTU/ref=cm_sw_r_em_api_i_c_kBB7AbGCN238A

A winter storage checklist, very detailed, and can probably pare it down a little but...

http://www.clarity.net/~adam/winter-storage.html

The best (IMO) winter gas treatment. www.amazon.com/dp/B001CAW2DK/ref=cm_sw_r_em_tai_c_ryNKDb9RRE8KF

One of many easy to use lift, works for both front or rear, may have a model for a smaller bike, this is for my Yamaha Raider www.amazon.com/dp/B016Z01QYW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_UH0NDbVMTEC9K

A great totally enclosed cover, find the size for your bike. I attach the battery tender, the cord comes out where the zipper meets.
www.amazon.com/dp/B001I7XYZW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_sJ0NDbTJAPEEB

For maintenance questions, a great sub is r/Fixxit.

That’s all I can think of at the moment, welcome to the Club and Happy Trails!

Dave from EEVblog recommends building power supplies. They're pretty simple, and it doesn't hurt to have a bunch of them. You can find kits, which will teach you how to solder parts onto a PCB, but it's not too hard to design a supply around an LM317 regulator, the data sheet will have the circuit you need right on it. This will also be a good chance to learn the non-electronics skills you'll need; instead of buying a plastic box, make one out of plywood and paint it up.

Once you have a power supply or three, start playing around with simple analog circuits. You should have a breadboard and jumper wires and at least one good multimeter, though the aforementioned EEVblog recommends two, and not cheaping out on them. He did a $50 multimeter shootout , if you don't want to watch an hourlong video this was the winner, but it's worth watching to see why it won. Anyhow, you can find kits and project ideas online, get some random parts and start playing around until you have a good feel for old school analog circuits. Try to make up your own project and build it, even if it's completely useless.

At some point, preferably after you have a good grasp of analog circuits, you're going to have to move up to digital. Arduinos are a good start, they're popular enough that you can't look at a single page of Instructables without tripping over an Arduino project. You're going to have to learn some programming to make it go, but there's a million tutorials online. To make the pinball machine go, you're going to have to learn how to use the Arduino (or something like it) to control analog components, probably while giving them their own external power source. You'll also need to know how to drive a display for the scoreboard, and of course you'll have to program the logic for keeping track of the number of balls left, current score, and what inputs translate to what increase in score. The programming alone is a big undertaking, so if you go forward on this, be prepared to spend years on it.

A good project to do would also be to make a MAME cabinet. It's much simpler on the electronics side, you either hack the buttons and joysticks into a USB keyboard controller, or buy one of these which does the same thing, and then use an old PC and monitor. The hard part is building an arcade cabinet, which is still a lot simpler than building a pinball table. You'd be looking at a couple hundred dollars in parts, but that's not too bad compared to what you want to end up doing.

Not sure on /u/Steammonkey restock times, you can always pm him. There are other vendors who carry it (shouldn't be hard to find) as well.

[This is my multimeter] (http://www.amazon.com/Equus-3320-Auto-Ranging-Digital-Multimeter/dp/B000EVYGZA), I'm sure many are similarly laid out. (I had this before I started building; not sure if there's a "recommended" multimeter out there.) You can see the little "OHM" on the dial, set it there :) The battery voltage meter settings on the side are under "battery load test", you put the pos to the pos end of your batt, neg to neg :) There are some youtube videos specifically for multimeters + vaping that are helpful and will also show you where to position the leads for checking ohms, etc. On the vids, pay attention to how to check your meter's internal resistance, esp. with lower ohm builds. Be sure to buy a digital multimeter, not the analog kind w/ the bouncy arm for readouts.

I use Panasonic CGR18650s, AW 18490s, and MNKEs mainly for vaping so I don't know those (I had to search for mine, not printed on batts most of the time); it may be easier to search for the "c" rating of your battery so you can calculate its amp limits. (Again, sm's monkey u has a nice walkthru; it's not hard, just math.) Off the bat I'd say you likely don't want to use your "mystery" blue batt unless you can verify mfr/c rating... most batts packaged with kits are okay for vv/vw devices, not really super for mechs esp. when you're cloud chasing/low ohms. Is the ncr panny protected? (I don't know.) You don't want to use protected batts.

The 2c for safety fuse ... is a nice idea, but I think it has a 8 or 10 watt limit? (Don't quote me, I'm pulling numbers from you-know-where.) It'll be tripped pretty fast with low ohms... I don't think you can use them effectively with anything over 1.5 ohms or so. They make resettable ones (along w/ ones that are one time use, and that would stink), but again, they'll just stop your batt from firing when you want it to put out the watts you'll be pulling w/ lower ohms.

Honestly, I'd start high-ish and work your way down. Totally honest again, I'm kind of loving higher ohm (1.5-2.0) on my vv device (Provari), using one right now as I type. You can push much higher volts with the amplification of vv than you can reach with mechs, won't come near amp limits (you'll hit your device's amp limit before your battery's), and will still get a super vape. I have [a post on some higher (than sub) ohm builds + vv here] (http://www.reddit.com/r/electronic_cigarette/comments/1g9c87/fun_with_contact_coils_higher_ohm_rbas_and/) to give you an idea of what I mean. Not saying don't go mech, I'm running 0.8 right now on my GV Sentinel and it's super, but ... I'm a ninny, "true" cloud chasing/sub 0.5 ohms freak me the f out ;) and some people have written off vv devices + RBAs when they really shouldn't. It may be harder to build/test on a PWM (pbusardo has a vid if you don't know about PWM) vv device, but firing is lovely once you get it on point :)

Happy reading, watching, building :)

Has he applied for any jobs yet? I was given one of those leather pads with paper inside and a holder for resumes (something like this) except it was from my undergrad university with their emblem. Definitely gives you some confidence for interviews and recruiting sessions. Also you can get him some nice resume paper to go with it. That lasted me for years.

I also enjoyed having one or two of these demotivational posters in my room. Depends on his humor and if he has barren walls like I did.

If you know more details about which raspberry pi he has, you could get some shield extensions. These are boards that expand its capabilities. There are also newer boards with better specs. Also with two boards you can of course make them talk to each other ;)

Depends on his area of interest and your budget, but you could get him some kind of [introductory FPGA kit] (http://store.digilentinc.com/fpga-programmable-logic/) or DE0-Nano.

Tools... so many tools he might be interested in. USB logic analyzers are so cheap these days and go well with hobby boards. Again not sure your budget, so you can go all sorts of ranges here (Open Workbench Logic Sniffer or scanaplus or Saleae Logic 8 or a china clone of Saleae Logic 8). Saleae or the knockoff I think are the better options for the software compatibility. He may be in need of a soldering iron or a multimeter.

Something else unique, you could get him a "gift card" (they don't really sell them) or an IOU to a PCB printing service. Ask him to design his own board and you'll pay $X of the service. You'll want to make sure he knows the price structure on the website because they charge per square inch and it depends on his design how many layers he may need. He makes the schematic and they will print some circuit boards for him. They won't mount the parts, just do the schematic and he would have to hand solder the components.

If he likes old videogames you could get him some old school USB controllers and tell him to install lakka on his rasberry pi, or just get him a new Raspberry Pi3 to dedicate it as an old-school console emulator. It is quite impressive how many consoles they have emulated.

And back to more tools... more micro screwdriver bits than you would actually need. You can get him a starter pack of resistors, capacitors, and other assorted electronics sparkfun. There are also so many buttons, switches, LED screen displays, etc. that he probably wouldn't want to buy on his own. Maybe you could get a container with an assortment of circuit components (resistors, capacitors, transistors, and other sensors). Careful! This can add up real quick. All types of sensors exist... ultrasonic rangefinder, stress, photocell, temperature, etc. etc. endless!.

Yes, the power unit or power box is what generates the signals and electrodes are what contacts your body to provide the sensations. When comparing units, there are several factors involved.

First is power level, this is strength of the signal. As a beginner, you probably won't need to worry about the power level since any of these options would provide enough power. TENS, PES, and ET-323 are all around the same power level. I believe all of them are alkaline battery power like a standard 9v. A step up is ET-312 which is powered by a 12v sealed led acid battery that can be recharged. Don't let the 12v vs 9v scare you. The voltage has nothing to do with the output signal level which is always going to be adjustable. The ET-312 does have a higher potential output which is important if you use electrodes in certain locations or want multiple channels of output.

The second factor is frequency. Low frequency generates a sensation like a dull throb and can sometimes feel like a vibrator. It can also create a fast thumping sensation if the power level is up a little higher. Higher frequencies can cause a wide range of sensations like buzzing to tickling to something impossible to describe. Typically, high frequency and low power is suggested as an initial setting and ramp up the power until you start to feel a tingling. All units will have a range of frequency with the higher end units like the ET-323 and ET-312 able to generate the highest. PES doesn't go as high but higher than tens.

Third is wave patterns. Typical wave patterns are the shape of the electrical signal. Some basic ones are triangle, square, or sine (smooth/rounded). Different wave patterns feel different. Sinewave signals feel the "smoothest" while square or triangle have a bit more bite. I believe the PES and TENS units just generate one pattern which is usually either sine or square. ET-323 and ET-312 have a number of patterns and even combine patterns together in some of the special modes.

Forth is pulse rate (and patterns). A pulse is when the signal comes on for some amount of time and then goes off. WIth TENS and PES, you have a pulse width setting only which is a fixed amount of time it's on and then off and then back on. With the ET-323 you have several options of different variations that are kind of preprogrammed variable pulse rates. With the ET-312, you have even more modes and can adjust the program to have a longer slower build up before ramping up to be more intense and faster. You can even use a computer to program your own modes.

Finally, there is a feature on the ET units that allow you to use audio input to drive the signal. On SmartStim, there is a whole area (or use to be) dedicated to sharing audio files (mp3/wav/etc). Listening to these files, they may sound like repeated noise but they can generate a unique sensation and be a complicated or simple as you like. Stereo files can be used to drive two channels. That brings up dual channels. Dual channels provides two separate stimulation signals. They can be used to stimulate to different areas or, if done right, they can be used to stimulate one area an cause sensations like something stroking you up and down from the inside.

Oh one last note. TENS units uses "pins" as a way to connect to electrodes. PES uses a snap connector. Eros-Tek units use banana plugs. You'll want to double check with the electrodes you buy to see if they will adapt. Generic alligator clip leads might be a good cheap way to connect pretty much anything.

Hope this helps.

It does not look like the switches are the problem... I have not done a minidox, but from this build guide it looks like you might have soldered the jumpers for the left and right side, SJ1 and SJ2 wrong. Your photo is too blurry to tell for sure but it looks like all three pads are soldered together? This is how it should look. Also, do you have a multimeter to test your reset switch and the diode orientation? Did you take any shots of your diode side before you soldered the switches and switch plate on?

Take a look at SJ1 & SJ2 and see if you can clean that up and test that they are jumpered correctly and lets go from there.

I am far from perfect, but here is how I solder my switches and components... Contra, and close up... Clean and Smooth :) This is a good shot of the PM, switches and diodes from my Gherkin See how the solder curves up the sides of the switch? Like cones and not globs or balls.

It is a dance... apply iron to hole and component, add the solder, remove solder then remove the iron in just the right time to not get a cold solder and not too long to warp the switch so it either doesn't work on give double presses and then it has to be removed and replaced.

The solder will flow to the heat... it like heat... I try to keep most of the contact with the pcb and less to the switch cause then the solder flows it will add heat to the switch... hope that makes sense. Once you get the groove, it feels so good.

Hope you can get your minidox working. looks like a cool board!

You'd be surprised a) how easy it is to use Arduino, and b) how helpful the online community is. The nice thing about Arduino is that the complexity remains the same, regardless of how many sensors you add, provided you have enough expansion breakout board.

For a first step, I would buy a starter kit and a cheap soldering iron and a half-decent multimeter and just start making little projects, like light sensors and temperature sensors and making those projects both wireless and online.

After that, it's just a matter of interfacing the larger, higher-voltage components (like pumps and valves) with the lower-voltage Arduino. This is easily accomplished with a relay, which is also useful for electrical isolation between the two subsystems.

Start small. I would recommend making an Arduino into a timer, and then using the timer to control a pump. Then add an online API that allows you to adjust the on/off time of the pump. Then add water level sensors, then temperature sensors, etc.

Also, make sure you prototype everything on a small scale first, like the guy in the video was doing on his desk. It will save you a lot of money if you mess anything up.

Once you develop the skills necessary to build your smart-system, I cannot stress how important a good, detailed electrical diagram is. It doesn't matter if it's professional-quality, or done with pencil and a ruler. It will save you so much time.

Not worth $60 IMO. I have one of these guys and highly recommend it -
https://www.amazon.com/Mastech-MS8268-MS8261-Digital-Multimeter/dp/B000JQ4O2U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474646922&sr=8-1&keywords=mastech+8268

Looking through the reviews it seems like they send out the occasional lemon unit, but I've had mine for 3 years now on the same battery and it's awesome, especially for a $25 multimeter. I've tested it alongside a friend's $400 Fluke meter and it's very accurate. It also includes an attachment for reading transistor gains, which is especially helpful if you get into using germanium transistors. It's rated for 1000VDC so I use it when working on tube amps as well.

If you get into building pedals these are also worth picking up -
https://www.amazon.com/DROK-Multifunction-Transistor-Resistance-Inductance/dp/B00NKY3M1W/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1474647579&sr=8-13

It will measure inductance & and it's invaluable for getting quick gains and pinouts for transistors. It's not a substitute for a meter but it makes stuff like identifying a mystery transistor or matching FETs a breeze.

Here are some useful links: Link; Link; Link. The Marantz cost about $58 using good quality replacements. I did a H/K 330B for $9.58. The Marantz 2285 I am working on cost about $90 for parts.

 

You will need a decent soldering iron; solder sucker; desoldering braid; lead solder; flux; and most importantly a multimeter. Here is another gear thread. Most of the manuals are available on Hifiengine. What you can't find there you can check the forums or Sams. Manuals on Fleabay should be an absolute last resort.

 

I would recommend going to a local thrift store and getting some practice junker units. It will take you some time to good at it and you certainly don't want to screw up your good unit. I still don't know anywhere near enough to do more than replace the parts and do basic troubleshooting. Fortunately for people like us, there are a lot of very helpful and knowledgeable persons on the forums who are always willing to lend a hand. Edit: Forgot about the Dim Bulb Tester.

That's basically what I wanted to do but everything is really really really rigged to prevent up and coming people from developing anything to help customers. My work around was basically just to do "consulting" for people wanting to DIY with the various systems and to offer my support i/e I basically come by and build it for you but you still gotta be there because otherwise it wouldn't be a DIY it'd be a me doing it which would require me to have all kinds of stupid expensive licenses that ultimately make everything too expensive. There's just so many people going around telling others how "complicated" everything is and that they need to hire a contractor to do it but it's just a huge huge huge lie. It's not complicated at all and really the biggest and most important thing to know is safety. What sort of systems are required for you to have them on your house, that kinda stuff. Most regions a simple island protection is the main thing you need for your inverter which is what basically any grid-tie inverter will have. It's setup so it can sense when the grid goes down and will shut down the system when that happens so the lines aren't energized when they are being worked on. HOA's are another gigantic pain in the ass because it's basically just ignorant lazy stay at home mom's or old people who know nothing about technology who want to tell you what you can and cannot do to make your house better. I actually had a HOA down in georgia try to tell me that putting up solar panels will drive down the value of the other houses around me....seriously they said that. I have no idea how anyone could think that's a possibility but oh well. So I got around their control by just installing the panels on PVC pipes on the ground and attached wheels on them so they were mobile when I wanted them to be. They were no longer a "permanent structure or addon" so the HOA couldn't do or say anything. Loved that one. Also had my neighbor try to tell me that I couldn't do solar because "global warming is a lie"..... I didn't even need his permission I was just asking how he felt about it.

I got into it at first because my dad wanted a solar panel system and so I started researching it for him for pricing. I would get quotes for 2kW systems(generates 2kWh's per hour) for like $20,000 and I just didn't understand how it could be that expensive. So I researched it by physically building my own panels and systems. Was able to build my own solar panel, cells and all for 72 watts at $50 and being able to make one per day or so based on materials. Then I found pre-made things solar panels, inverters, batteries, etc.... and put together a 2kW system and it only cost roughly $2000 or 10x less than what that company wanted to sell it for. Basically it just seemed to me that they didn't actually WANT to have people adopt more solar and were just in it for a quick buck. I hate that. A standard house uses anywhere between 30-50 kWh's per day so buying a 2kW system is almost enough to go off the grid entirely since a kWh is calculated at kW's times hours so a 2kW system will generate 2kWh's per hour or 16+ kWh's per day. You can also cut down on your power consumption drastically by doing away with all the converters in all your system i/e those power bricks on the cords. Pretty much everything you have uses DC power but it converts it from AC so if you were to just use DC it would cut out a good amount of waste. Only issue would be to make sure you have the correct voltage but that's simple by using a buck-boost converter on each socket so you can just set the voltage you want and you're good to go. It'd actually be super cool looking. https://www.amazon.com/DROK-Converter-Adjustable-Regulator-Transformer/dp/B00J03PBW0/ref=pd_cp_23_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00J03PBW0&pd_rd_r=TMDYZV4BN1T9BFJNRN58&pd_rd_w=bRJs2&pd_rd_wg=4RLeo&psc=1&refRID=TMDYZV4BN1T9BFJNRN58 basically you could even cut out a little section so the controls and display are visible to you. Idk about you but I think it would look awesome and really really high tech. Only areas that you can't do that would be anything with motors in them because they do actually usually need AC power so your fridge and central air/window unit would still need AC.

Hey there! I started circuit bending a year or so ago and I was asking a lot of the same questions as you.

Google around for circuit bending tutorials and you are bound to find some.

Here's what worked for me:

• Find toys/electronics to circuit bend.
  
  -These are usually found in thrift stores, like Goodwill.
  
  -Don't buy new toys from a department store, they usually have electronic components that are more modern and harder to mess with.
  
  -Don't spend a lot of money on a thing unless you are certain you know exactly how you are going to mess with it. I'm poor, so saving money was a huge aspect for me.
  
  -Look for stuff that was made somewhere between 1980 - 2005ish. test it out in the store first to make sure it makes noises, the more the better. (You can sometimes hear if a toy is older, its sounds sometimes sound a bit more 'low-quality' or something... At least to me. One indicator is this: If the batteries are running low, a good toy to circuit bend will make some odd sounds.)
  
  
• Buy the crud you need, but don't overdo it. Here's my motto: cheap is fine for first projects, but invest in better if you stick with it. You need:
  
  -solder
  
  -a soldering iron
  
  -Alligator leads(clips)
  
  -Several screwdrivers of varying sizes.
  
  -Several smaller screwdrivers
  
  -wire
  
  -resistors (look online for more details)
  
  -These are the basics, but there may be more you need. Look online more.
  
  
• Circuit bend.
  
  -Use an area with good light.
  
  -Google for tutorials for your specific item. You might have gotten lucky and gotten a commonly circuit-bent item.
  
  -Google for tutorials for specific effects. You might want to make your item make certain sounds. Google will help you find people who have done it before you, if it has been done.
  
  -Google for tutorials for any questions you have. People have probably asked it before. If you get stuck, phrase your question as many ways as possible and Google the variations. You will find answers, even if they are not the specific ones you were looking for. All information you digest will help you better learn this game of circuit bending.
  
  Yeah man... I dunno. Just use Google and if you're really into it, keep reading more about it. Stop by every thrift store you see or if you're loaded, buy whatever shit you wanna bend on Ebay. Buy the stuff you need online, at local electronic stores, or if you absolutely have to, radio shack.
  
  Here's a good site to start. Just read.

You are going to want to balance tools and parts.

TOOLS (must haves)

• Multimeters (At least two, I suggest starting with one cheapo ($5-$10) and one in the $30-$50 range)
  
• Variable regulated power supply with current limiting (Skip the cheap/dangerous chinese crap and get a used HP/Agilent/Keysight one off ebay like this or this.)
  
• Breadboards (several)
  
• Jumper wires
  
• Wire strippers and cutters
  
• Decent soldering Iron ($50-$100) (DO NOT CHEAP OUT ON THIS)
  
• Desoldering pump and/or wick (The ctrl-z of the soldering world)
  
• Heat shrink tubing for sealing connections (Especially if you are going to be doing outdoor stuff)
  
• Microcontrollers (I suggest starting with an Arudino Uno since it has the largest amount of online support material, you could get an Uno kit, any of them will be fine)
  .
  .
  TOOLS (eventually)
  
• Logic Analyzer (Let's you see the logic signals in your circuit which is super helpful for debugging, I have a bitscope micro which is decent, but the software kinda sucks and is more than just a logic analyzer)
  
• A function generator (variable voltage and frequency for sine, square and triangle waves) (Again I suggest used off ebay, something like this.)
  
• Oscilloscope (a really amazing tool for actally seeing what is going on in your circuit)
  .
  .
  PARTS (vaguely in order of usefullness)
  
• Elenco Resistor Kit
  
• Elenco Capacitor Kit
  
• Elenco Transistor Kit
  
• Elenco Diode Kit
  
• Elenco LED Kit
  (Of couse you don't have to get the Elenco kits, those are just the ones I use and really like)
  
• Voltage regulator ICs (Great for providing regulated power to things that need more than what your arduino can provide)
  
• Trimmer Potentiometer Kit (really useful to have around for many projects)
  
• Old electronic equipment to scavenge parts out of (Many of my parts have come from old equipment or broken ATX computer power supplies. Tearing stuff apart is both fun and yields great parts.)
  .
  .
  .
  I think that's all for now...

the buy it for life crowd will always argue for superior quality and buying a good tool. However another random redditor once summarized a different pragmatic:
"Buy a cheap tool, if it does the job you win. If you use it enough to break it you now are justified on buying the good version that might last you a lifetime."
I love harbor freight for economy cheap hand tools.

My exception is buy a good drill/driver. My current house might be close to 50% held together by work from my Milwaukee at this point.

Other tools no one mentioned that will come in handy: Outlet tester/live circuit detector, A stud finder, a set of allen wrenches.

Mine's usually pretty good about it. It plays a little tune when it's done that's quite loud. She will at least pull them out and stick them in the basket to fold that day.

So I'm using this guy: https://smile.amazon.com/Aeotec-Energy-Z-Wave-electricity-monitor/dp/B00XD8WZX6/

It clamps around the main wires coming into the panel. It then connects via z-wave to my Vera hub which talks to HomeAssistant. HomeAssistant also pushes to Grafana for much nicer graphs.

There are tons of options though. I picked HomeAssistant since it was open-source and not Internet dependant. Their z-wave implementation sucked though so I got the Vera hub for that. And I picked z-wave since it operates at 900mhz so doesn't step all over bluetooth or wifi.

Any other questions happy to answer them if I can. :) I'm still pretty new to the home automation stuff though. Started ~9 months ago with bits and pieces.

EDIT: Also feel free to join us over in /r/homeautomation if you want to go down the rabbit hole. :D

• Get an arduino starter kit and start building projects.
  
• This is a good one for a good price.(it's twice that or more on amazon)
  
• and this is a good price for a batch of sensors(no arduino included)
  
• if you want to move stuff a batch of servos is fun
  
• a soldering iron is good
  
• this one is good for the price. I don't like the ones that adjust at the handle. I prefer a base station.
  
• need solder as well
  
• and a solder sucker
  
• flush cut wirecutters are good to have
  
• a good pair of wire strippers is a life saver
  
• Good idea to have a multimeter around for verifying resistance values and voltages
  
• this is a decent one for the price
  
• Need some breadboard for prototyping. I'd suggest at least 3
  
• and some protoboards to finalize your circuit(until you start getting pcb's made)
  
• some solid conductor wire
  
• I like these storage cases for keeping my mess semi-under control.
  
  That's about all I can think of for now.
  

I'm still pretty new to this myself, but like you I have some electronics experience in the past. I just got this Weller 40w iron station with a desolder braid/sucker and a solder tip cleaner. Oh and a more precise tip for the solder iron

I'm really happy with it all so far, and couln't imagine needing more for a while. A heat gun would be nice for de-soldering and reflowing premade boards (like modding Boss pedals), but that can also be done with a regular solder iron as far as I know. You can get the above for about $60 total, so it's a nice way to get your feet wet without a huge investment. Then you gotta add on components/enclosures/pots/switches etc. Maybe get a helping hands and/or circuit holder if you need

Oh and get a good multimeter. I went a step up from the $20 ones and got this one which I'm also really happy with.

The uno is going to be the most compatible with just about anything you encounter.

For components, get leds, caps, transitors, resistors, diodes, buttons, switches, breaboards, jumper wires, hook up wire, and other odds and ends from aliexpress, deal extreme or ebay. The shipping times can be a bit lengthy, but you'll get the best selection and prices this way.

For tools, check out dave's amazon list or ladyada's tool list. You should at least get a multimeter and a wire cutter. Don't skimp on tools.

After that, check out sparkfun, adafruit, seeedstudio, hackaday, the eevblog, and this subreddit to get some ideas flowing. By the way, in addition to the eevblog, Sparkfun and adafruit have youtube channels that are really good. To get started, try out some simply shields: anything with audio or video is always fun; also anything with motors can be cool, but robotics can get expensive. Or, perhaps go shield-less and try doing stuff with just the arduino. You can do a lot with just LEDs, a speaker, some resistors and the uno.

>Current will flow from the battery to power the device when it is on.
>

This I understand. Would the current be dropping because the device doesn't have the battery life to keep itself on to charge?

>Not totally sure, but it sounds like your multimeter has some function to measure how much energy has been put into the battery during charging? So if you measure this from a fully discharged battery to a full charge, it would give you the energy capacity of the battery.
>
It's one of these if you have any experience with them.

So as I thought, it's only measuring what should be going in. The only way to measure what's actually in the battery would be to use it to charge something else until it dies?

>I guess this might depend on what defines a "dead" battery. Its possible your battery can still hold some sort of a charge, but can no longer provide the voltage required to power your device.
>
>One thing you could do to determine if the issue is the battery or the device is to disconnect the battery. Then get a DC power supply to provide the nominal voltage of the battery to the device directly.

That is a good idea but I am not sure how to do that without a lot of temporary wiring. I believe at some point the ios was corrupted (or lost) and is causing the startup loop. A computer doesn't generate enough voltage to charge the iPad and the charging and connection port are shared. I guess I'll find out replacing the battery. Though I'm 99% certain that's the problem I'm more so interested in learning how to interpret what I'm seeing.

Thank you for all your help!

Soldering iron: https://www.amazon.com/Hakko-FX888D-23BY-Digital-Soldering-FX-888D/dp/B00ANZRT4M

Edit: most people recommend getting a chisel tip for the soldering iron. Big tips for big jobs, small tips for small jobs. Just having the pencil tip and one chisel will get you by for a long time.

Desoldering braid: https://www.amazon.com/Aven-17542-Desoldering-2-5mm-Length/dp/B003E48ERU/

Desoldering pump: https://www.amazon.com/WEmake-WM-SP4-Solder-Sucker-desoldering/dp/B0002KRAAG

You want both the pump and the braid. Get thin solder for electronics. You should probably use lead-free, but I like good old 60/40.

There are a ton of suggestions on multimeters. The exact right one for you depends on what you eventually want to do. Dave Jone's EEVBlog has some good suggestions. As does Adafruit. Anything Adafruit recommends isn't too far off the mark. If you just want a suggestion: Extech EX330 for $45 https://www.amazon.com/Extech-EX330-Autoranging-Multimeter-Thermometer/dp/B000EX0AE4 Cheaper ones will do the job, but this is a better one. The next step up are True RMS meters for about $100.

I bought an Extech EX330 for the exact same purpose as you. Eventually I will upgrade to a higher end model, but this one is a good balance of price, size, and durability to keep in a toolbox or have banging around in my backpack. I expect it to last for many years, so I plan to keep it as a backup when I upgrade. Right now, looks like Amazon is running a discount on them, as well. http://amzn.com/B000EX0AE4. Also, the EX430, which adds RMS capability, is about the same price right now: http://amzn.com/B0000WU1AC.

Good luck!

Klein Tools 92906 ProPack 6 Apprentice Tool Set for Trade Professionals (6-Piece) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004EKONLY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Qm5EAbQVA3JFH

That’s a good deal. It has lineman pliers, diagonal cutters, needle nose, wire strippers, and flat/ Phillips screwdrivers.

Screwdriver and Nut Driver 11-in-1 Multi Tool, Cushion Grip Handle, Industrial Strength Bits Klein Tools 32500 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015SBILG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_yp5EAbSKE4D2A

This is a good all purpose screwdriver to carry around

Klein Tools NCVT-2 Dual Range Non-Contact Voltage Tester https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004FXJOQO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_qq5EAbTTZ8GYW

This is a non contact voltage tester and it might just save you some pain/your life

Channellock 440 12-Inch Tongue and Groove Plier https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004SBCU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_xr5EAbWNKDP5C

You should probably get 2 pairs of these. It’ll help you twist on couplings and stuff

Stanley 33-725 25-Feet FatMax Tape Measure https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00002PV66/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Xs5EAbGVWXZDV

A lot of people like these tape measures for their larger claws

Klein Tools 98002BT Bottle Opener https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00093GENU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_4u5EAb52FZ742

This will help for when you go home

As far as the electrical goes, its easy to do but, for the love of God, turn the power off while working on it! Networking your house ain't worth your life!! Watch some YouTube videos on how to wire the the receptacle.

Buy this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002LZTKIA/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1451424239&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=receptacle+checker&dpPl=1&dpID=51hlg2obNeL&ref=plSrch

After you wire the receptacle, turn the power on, and plug this in. It will show you if you made any mistakes. Just read the instructions.

The hardest part you're going to run into is getting from the crawl space to the attic. Try and find a plumbing drain. Plumbers generally cut the holes way bigger than needed and you can slide in beside them.

Another option is using a fireplace if you have one. The framing around it should be loose enough for you to fish wires down beside it.

The easiest thing you can do is run a PVC pipe on the exterior of the house in an inconspicuous spot and paint it to match your house.

Save yourself a million headaches by pulling a pull string along with your wires for subsequent runs. Twine is cheap.

Feel free to ask me anything else you might be curious about!

Source: am electrician.

hey, the relay won't work very well if you're using RGB LEDs. One of the coolest features of RGB is the ability to mix colours by pulsing each in sequence for different amounts of time. The relay may not be able to switch fast enough, and you'd need of for each 'colour'.

Personally I don't find the Reddit format to be the best for asking these types of questions, as often the 'popular vote' goes to the answers that are short and easy to understand, which may not be the 'best' answer. I prefer http://www.eevblog.com/forum/index.php and the related electronics vblogs, and https://electronics.stackexchange.com/.

For a great mid-range multimeter I love the Extech EX330 (https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B000EX0AE4/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1), especially with its built-in non-contact voltage detection for working on household wiring (not related, but it's so handy!). The Fluke 87-V is, in my opinion, the cream of the crop and priced accordingly. There are cheap multimeters for $5 that will get the job done, and I do keep these in my vehicles -- eBay and a month of shipping time works well here. Searching eevblog.com for "shootout" (search Google for "site:eevblog.com shootout") reveals great comparisons, too many to read through but indulge the a bit to get a feel for what to look for.

Oboy, I'm probably the wrong person to ask. However, /u/BriThePiGuy recommends Joe Knows Electronics boxes, and /u/NeoMarxismIsEvil recommends the following:

> I would order some cheap assortment kits from people on aliexpress. These are the sort that come with like 10 of most common values of resistor, capacitor, etc.

> Other stuff:

> - WeMos d1 mini or mini pro
> - small i2c OLED displays
> - small LCD display
> - tacswitches (buttons)
> - SPDT switches
> - 74HC595 and 74HC165 shift registers
> - either bidirectional logic level shifter modules or mosfets and resistors needed to make them
> - 7 segment led displays (individual)
> - 8x8 led matrices
> - various environmental and physics sensors (often come as a kit of 20+ different modules)
> - extra breadboards
> - jumper wires
> - male and female header strips (for modules that lack pins)
> - cheap breadboard power supplies
> - voltage regulators (both LDO ICs and buck converter)
> - possibly some 4xAA or 4xAAA battery holders
> - trim pot assortment

> Those are just ideas. Some things like 7 seg led digits are pretty cheap and worth having a few of but not terribly important if you have a real display of some sort.

I personally like the assortment of bits I got in my Sparkfun Inventor's Kit, but found that I wanted more of the following:

• Jumpers, though it's since been recommended to me that I just use solid-core 22 AWG wire so I bought this wire kit and these automatic strippers
  
• Breadboards, both self-adhesive and solderable, and maybe some mini ones of each type.
  
• LEDs (RGB and single-color)
  
• A good selection of potentiometers and trimpots, both slide and radial, plus knobs for them if applicable
  
• More buttons of varying types, both clicky and quiet momentary ones (here's a quiet button that's nice)
  
• A good multimeter and maybe some extra probes
  
• Some power supplies, both 12v and 5v. Here's one that's supposed to do both simultaneously, but you'll need a molex plug (which Sparkfun inexplicably doesn't carry) unless you want to strip the end. You might also want some barrel jacks, and this cheap extension cable provides the male end.
  
• A variable power supply would probably also be very useful, but I haven't yet invested in one of those so I can't make a recommendation at this time.
  
• A good selection of resistors
  
• Alligator test clips, plus some with pigtails for prototyping on a breadboard with components that won't fit in those little holes
  
• Some heat shrink tubing and a heat gun that you should only use on the lowest setting for this purpose. When selecting heat shrink tubing, pay attention to it's shrink ratio and what size it'll end up being when you're done.
  
• A soldering kit and some solder. Note that all solders aren't created equal but the one I linked is supposed to be decent.
  
• If you get into larger gauge soldering (for home or automotive wiring), a propane torch will be handy, but you can get something like that for $20 with a propane tank at your local hardware store
  
• Some project boxes

As others have stated that's an equipment ground plug so it shouldn't be any problem but to be safe when removing any broken cord prongs from an outlet.

1. Turn off the power. Use a handy plugin or induction tester to ensure the power is off.plug in tester induction tester
   
   
2. keep both feet squarely on the ground and wear rubber soles. Do not take a knee or touch the ground with any other part of your body. Do not lean against the wall in any way. Do not touch any exposed metal surfaces, counter tops or sinks.
   
   
3. tuck one hand behind your back and use the other hand to pull out the object with a pair of pliers.
   
   When in doubt hire a professional. Safety first.

I believe you are wasting money. The 3 lithium batteries at 100AH each are great. Is there a reason you need 300AH worth of batteries? Have you done an energy audit (easier than it sounds). I would look at the Life Blue batteries. The battery management is built in, it is bluetooth capable for monitoring. Essentially they replace your existing batteries and just work. The VictronBMV-712 is available on Amazon for $200. A Samlex PST-3000-12 runs ~$1,000.

Whether you buy from Larry at Starlight Solar or not, it is worth a call to him to get his opinion on your proposed system as well as his thoughts on a Life Blue system. There is a good chance that a small Honda or Yamaha generator hooked up to your trailer will allow the converter built in to your trailer will charge the Lithium Life Blue batteries without needing to buy a separate charger made for Lithium.

​

With a 3000 watt inverter you will be able to run microwave, hair dryer, and air conditioner. The amount of batteries will be what limits the length of time you can run those items. I would be very surprised if you need more than 200AH worth of Lithium. Remember that you get to use almost all of a Lithium battery, not 50% like lead acid batteries. Lithium batteries also charge up a lot faster than lead acid.

​

And you should really think about solar being integrated. You don't have to buy fuel for panels.

​

If you have any questions, DM me and I can go into further detail.

​

Where you need to be careful is in choosing how to charge the batteries.

Nice - you'll be glad to have that variety of tips, depending on what you are working on! If you have any spare Christmas money, I'd recommend picking up one of these self-adjusting wire strippers - it sort of matches your color scheme too! And if you do a lot of de-soldering (anything with lots of headers or through-hole IC sockets), a desoldering iron can save a ton of time compared to your solder wick and desoldering pump.

A few other things that I've found useful (mostly repairing electronic keyboards / synthesizers, although I'm hoping to get more into Arduino / Pi soon):

Hakko wire cutter

Helping hand

Hemostat / Forceps

Digital multimeter with audible continuity tester

I've had one of these for a few years now. I consider it a pretty great investment as it's helped me out several times. Power supply tester.

Personally, I'm now in the habit of always using a UPS. The best part? I keep my internet stuff on a UPS too and I usually have internet during power outages. It's great.

This is some information about power strips.

When you hit the power button, does anything at all happen? Is there any clicking? Do the motherboard lights eventually go out? Do you have to reset the PSU before you can do anything? Or is it just absolutely flat out nothing when you press the switch?

To add to this:

Do *NOT* under any circumstances rely on a no-contact tester to tell you that a wire is safe to touch. They are good for helping you make a determination between two wires as described above, but they can and do give false readings in both directions.


The voltage reading off a good multimeter (with contact probes) should be used to be certain that a circuit is indeed turned off. Make sure you get one with a separate current lead socket (usually this means they have 3 holes at the bottom of the meter) this will save you from blowing up your meter if you accidentally switch to current sensing while connected to high voltage (been there, done that, its not pleasant avoid the headache)


There are a wide variety of multimeters available in all price ranges, but here's a very inexpensive one on Amazon that should work OK for this use case. It might not be 100% accurate, but I'm sure it'll be able to tell you if there's 120v or not :) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ISAMUA6

I just ordered the Victron BMV-712 Battery Monitor, it seems to be almost perfect for my use case. I can then configure the DoD (Depth of Discharge) to whatever level I'd like and it'll flip a relay. From there, I can use a switch (and some other jazz) to 3D print an enclosure to contain a simple two position switch:

Low Battery (reached configured DoD). Either start generator, or turn off Inverter.

​

It may be worth using a three position switch instead, which will turn off and keep the inverter off. I have a somewhat small 400Ah bank and I don't know if the fridge (the other large energy consumer) will make it through the night without switching over to propane. It may just be a nice feature to have anyway.

​

Other considerations:

• The generator has a manual push button electric start. It's unclear until it arrives if the button must be held (manual starter actuation), or a single press starts the generator. I'll also need to control pushing the generator off button. That's two momentary switches
  
• The inverter doesn't seem to have an easy external method of controlling the power switch. I'm hoping that it's a low current switch so I can just control it with a relay. The docs state that with the remote panel installed, whichever is used to switch it off and on takes priority. Meaning that, if my system turns off the inverter, I can use the control panel to control it manually. (need to map out the logic there so it behaves as expected)
  
  So in the end, I will need to use some sort of logic such as an Arduino, or a custom circuit to accomplish my goals.
  
  ​
  
  The Victron BMV-712 Battery Monitor just allows me to monitor the DoD (which the inverter doesn't have, it only has a hard 10V low voltage cutoff) and flip a relay. I'll need to do something custom to get the automation I'd like! (I think)
  
  ​
  
  I'll have parts here this week, and the tinkering will begin! I'll have a more solid footing soon.

Flukes are definitely the best, but for automotive use, you're not really going to be super demanding. Less expensive + disposable may be a better way to start off your career on this specific item.. i'm sure you have other expensive tools to buy ;-) You can always upgrade later.

I have one of these guys, and it does what I need it to, personally: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EX0AE4

> but I'd ideally like to do whatever that guy in the video did, because whatever he did it works.

He probably had the parts on hand. To replicate what he did, you'll need 4 C-sized NiMH batteries at $18 plus a charger for $20.

It's difficult to estimate your power requirements because on top of the Pi/modem/i2c sensor, you'll have high-power IR leds, a camera, etc.

I recommend you build a prototype first, running from DC power, then get something like this USB meter, and let the prototype run for 12 hours or so at night. That will tell you the power usage, and in turn what kind of batteries or battery packs you need.

It looks like you have damaged contacts, may have caused bridges, and who knows what all else. If you want to attempt to fix it, I'd say you need to be prepared to spend a lot of quality time with at least a cheap multimeter or other circuit continuity tool in order to determine where circuits are failing when they should succeed and where they are succeeding when they should fail. And you should definitely be prepared to discover in so doing that the damage is indeed too extensive to make a repair worthwhile.

Given that, it may well be more prudent to accept that pcb as a write-off and begin disassembling and desoldering everything and buying a relatively inexpensive replacement pcb.

Mostly it comes down to how you want to spend your time.

If you want to hone your circuit troubleshooting skills, this is an excellent opportunity to get more hands on experience with digital electronics and learn quite a bit.

If you just want a working Ergodox as quickly as possible, then I'd say accept the loss and begin rebuilding now.

modifying them to accept external voltage is both cheap and effective.

I have 4 dc boost modules, one per axis + single extruder. with the printer running and the heated bed off (since it cycles on and off when it only needs to be at 60degC), the control board + the boost modules + the fans + the heater cartridge + the LCD screens (I have a TFT28 and RepRap discount controller hooked up at the same time), the printer consumes about 84 watts when printing (measured at the AC input).

You could do what I did a lot easier by using just one unit like this 150W one: https://www.amazon.com/Gowoops-10-32V-Converter-Adjustable-Voltage/dp/B00J1X4XXM/ref=pd_sbs_328_1?_encoding=UTF8&refRID=GBF90A2DQJT7VEMF415F&th=1

or perhaps even this one since it's about 100W

https://www.amazon.com/DROK-Converter-Adjustable-Regulator-Transformer/dp/B00J03PBW0/ref=pd_bxgy_328_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=M4D39ZHV4RJRJHK4A93Y

I think the total power consumption at 30V is around 60-65 watts (at the AC Input), so with air cooling that should work fine.

Hi. There's a couple things you can do to reduce RFI. Like you said, you can use a shielded cable. It would help if you can connect both ends to ground -- but make sure your electrical mains entrance ground is correct and up to code. You should have a ground rod right below the entrance, and it should be connected to your panel. All lines should be grounded lines, and you should have 3-prong outlets for all circuits. Get an outlet tester to be sure all sockets are wired correctly.

Another thing you can do is add ferrites on all wires going into and out of the HVAC units (power, data, everything). These act as RF filters.

Now bluetooth and microwave ovens use the same frequency band (2.4 GHz). Its not unusual for some low level RF energy to leak out of microwave ovens, and overpower a low-power data connection like bluetooth. But if its more than a low-power leak it may indicate a faulty oven, or a bad ground.

Its possible you have a nearby intermittent transmitter that is affecting things. It could be an airport thing, or maybe a two-way radio like for police or fire, or maybe a neighbor with a CB radio or ham radio. If this is a licensed user and they have a correctly engineered installation, its up to your devices to accept interference. Proper grounding and filtering will help though.

I hope this gives you someplace to start. Good luck.

It seems like it is ok. One good way to test the power output of a PSU is with a tester. One like this is nice to have on hand.

Or you could use software, such as HWiNFO. It can monitor your PSU as well as other aspects of your machine.

I'd recommend that you put in the extra money and get a nice second tier DMM. You can get away with a cheapy $25 one, but when it's your eyes and ears, I've found spending a little extra is worth it.

I love this multimeter, and Dave from the EEV Blog liked it as well. He did a whole teardown on a bunch of $50-$100 meters.

The box you're looking at is called 2-gang, which is twice as wide as a single gang standard outlet box you're seeing everywhere else. Pull the plate off (looks like just one screw in there) and you'll see two different outlets. You can replace them both, but it's a good idea to figure out why the right one is different. Does the plug type look different? Are they on different breakers? Is the right one upside down (standard convention for an outlet connected to a light switch)?

If there's no difference you can replace both with the same two plug outlets. Having two plugs doesn't require different wiring, they're already tied together (though you can break the connection if one needs to be connected to a switch).

Before you touch anything make sure to flip all breakers that bring power to the box. Typically there's only one but there could be more than one. For example, there could be a a connection between two wires on a different circuit in the same box, unrelated to your plugs. I'd recommend a set of voltages testers like this: Sperry Instruments STK001 Non-Contact Voltage Tester (VD6504) & GFCI Outlet / Receptacle Tester (GFI6302) Kit, Electrical AC Voltage Detector, Yellow & Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002JGQAQ6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Zi9wDbA8G76M5

Test the outlets with the plug tester to ensure they're off. Use the non-contact tester for any other wires you see in the box.

I would also suggest popping onto /r/fixapc/ and posting this if you haven't already.

Did you build this PC yourself?

I would suggest checking to make sure that the stand-offs are properly installed. Also check your ground connection. It's definitely power related. Like something is retaining power that shouldn't or something is getting power that it shouldn't or something is not getting power that it should. Which is why I am checking for a short (the standoffs and ground). The other thing I would suggest is trying another power supply. You could also get yourself one of these to test your power supply. You don't need to get that fancy of one if you are OK with basic readouts. I just don't know what you skill level is when it comes to electrical work. If it's not the powersupply and not the standoffs I would lean towards the MoBo.

Good luck!

No idea about the cost, but if you have a level of confidence and have some idea what you're doing, you could pop the cover off that electric panel and see what type of wires run into the circuit breakers and what they feed. If modern wires run into breaker #1, and you turn that off and the wall fixtures turn off.. well there you go.

K&T should be easier to spot inside the box, no ground, probably dusty, and wrapped in cloth. Mapping the breakers, figuring out what controls what room/wall/fixture is a good idea. Flip them off one at a time and have someone upstairs plugging something in an checking them..

Also, I highly recommend one of these guys to quikcly test and tell you if the wiring is correct:

http://www.amazon.com/Sperry-Instruments-GFI6302-Outlet-Tester/dp/B000RUL2UU/ref=pd_cp_hi_0

https://www.amazon.com/Neiko-40508-Digital-Multimeter/dp/B00066ZZO4/ref=asc_df_B00066ZZO4/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309722091285&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=18374242808627692046&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1018127&hvtargid=pla-436226440025&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=60439548223&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=309722091285&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=18374242808627692046&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1018127&hvtargid=pla-436226440025

$8 will give you peace of mind my friend! I wish you good luck!

I bought one of these in 2010 and another in 2017; the first one is still working fine. It's worked great for basic troubleshooting and measurements. I've used it for power consumption measuring and it seemed accurate enough. I've used them a lot, but none of it requires super accurate readings and I haven't had a single issue. If you buy one I can't guarantee the same experience, but they've been great for me.

Currently $18.80 https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EVYGZA/

You can use nay 12v battery you'd like to that can supply the cca (cold cranking amps) to the motor to get it started, I have a designated large car battery to do this.

I wouls strongly suggest that you invest in a multimeter of some sort. I do not own the one linked but based on the reviews it can't be that bad for the price. and see what the voltage of the battery is, if it is above 11v I would consider the battery to be salvageable and try to recharge it. if not, yes I would get a new battery. Just know that while you are troubleshooting the bike that you should have a way to charge the battery. I used to just hook up leads from my car battery to my bike to do the testing; relying on the alternator of the ca to get the battery charged as I drove it.

Yes, a good place to start would be the battery, next I would test for spark: take the spark plug cap off, unbolt the plug, put the cap backon and ground the plug to the engine by holding threads up to the engine case (bare metal). and then try turning on the bike looking for small spark jumping at the tip. That should be good if he said it was running sporadically. then, again I would assume the carb is the main problem.

Sorry lots of electronics technical stuff I just spat out there... this video might help

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWA9WqSEjg8

The issue is it's a bit of "chicken and egg" problem, you need a powerful enough supply (high enough amp output) to make sure the load has as many amps as it will draw if the power supply can't supply enough current then your current you measure will be that limit instead of what the device actually wants to draw. If the power supply isn't able to supply enough amps for a given load (a device drawing current like the raspi) then it may overheat or shut off to protect itself or switch on and off depending on the power supply design.

Regarding a bench power supply this video shows how to DIY and compares with bought version and shows how they work:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI-KYRdmx-E

Basically any multi-meter can measure voltage and amperage:
https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Multimeter-MSR-R500-Electronic-Multimeters/dp/B01N9QW620/

For higher current stuff or measuring AC current without hooking the meter physically into the circuit can use a clamp meter like this instead:
https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Multimeter-MSR-C600-Auto-Ranging-Multimeters/dp/B00NWGZ4XC/

^^ second one also does auto-ranging so it works out what the right unit is to show you is based on the power going through it (shows mV or V or A and mA or milli-ohms, ohms, kilo-ohms, and mega-ohms depending on what you're measuring)

A simpler video just covering the whole concept of "load" and current here too (youtube suggestions did a good job)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxkVxi9P0EA

Couple thoughts. Is there maybe a problem with wiring? I would get one of these and try all the plugs to see if you have an issue like a bad ground. There are others that look like this one, but most will not give you as good of a test. Sperry Receptacle Tester ($8) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000RUL2UU/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_hg-rDb7HMV8WX

For a good whole house protection from a unit like the Square D HEPD80, its common to run into issues with placement. I like using the EATON CHSPT2ULTRA, but similar specs. Its a little more difficult, but I have run them outside directly through the back of the breaker panel to a small metal wall box on the outside. Little more work, but this keeps the leads short (important) and even lets me check on the surge protector LEDs very easily). They normally have something like this at HD/Lowes - here is something similar: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005T5BRO4/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_tr-rDbAYB73ZJ

As little as possible. The more crap you have, the more it weighs you down.
That said, every home needs some necessities to get by. For me those generally involve cooking, sleeping, and repairs. I just finished watching Parks & Rec and am in a bit of a Ron Swanson mood.

For the kitchen (all recommended by America's Test Kitchen):

Victorinox 8" Chef's Knife

Victorinox Paring knife

CDN Instant Read Thermometer

Lodge 12" skillet - cheap and will last you forever

Crockpot, 6qt - the one kitchen appliance I'd cheat with. Easy delicious meals. Toss in a cheap cut of meat (chuck roast, etc), salt, pepper, garlic, onions, carrots, whatever. Let it sit for 6-8 hours. Dinner for 3 meals.

Tools:

I'd probably just pick up a cheap set of craftsman stuff (screwdrivers, hammer, sockets, pliers). Splurge on the ratchet and any power tools you need:

Bahco 3/8" ratchet - same as snapon F80 at 1/2 the price

Other misc. tools that are quite handy:

Magnetic stud finder - in a new place you're going to be hanging pictures, installing shelving, and mounting curtain rods. These are dirt cheap and super convenient.

Multimeter - Flukes will last you for life. If you need to do any electrical work, these are great. If you don't want to splurge up front just borrow them or buy a cheap $15 one at home depot.

Bedroom:

Get comfortable pillows and nice sheets. Don't get all caught up in the 1000 thread count crap, it's a hoax. Just get at least 400tc or so, and preferably egyptian or pima cotton. My favorite sheets are actually a super cheapo brand that are 60% cotton 40% polyester. I prefer them because they feel more "smooth and cool" rather than "soft and warm".

Obviously get real furniture: dresser, bed with headboard, etc.

Electronics

I won't go into too much detail here, but consider cutting the cord (/r/cordcutters).

A cheap Roku3 + netflix + an OTA antenna can go a long way.

If you have a lot of pictures/media/etc, don't forget about backups. I'd look into an inexpensive NAS, or at least a USB harddrive. They are dirt cheap and worth the insurance.

Insurance

Lastly, don't forget renters or homeowners insurance. If you are renting, you can get rather good coverage for quite cheap. I just paid around $50 for 12 months of coverage on my apartment ($15k coverage, $1k deductible). I shopped around at 5 different places and Amica came out the cheapest by FAR.

Other than that, you don't need much. Buy less crap. Don't buy some $50 automatic electronic wine opener when a $1 wine key will do the job. Same for a can opener.

Well, its certainly not a bad PSU (model-wise), but its possible something could be wrong inside it. You would need to test it, either with a tester, or with an alternate PSU.

Tester: https://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-Automated-Supply-Oversized-Supplies/dp/B005F778JO/

If you haven't already, try to open your case, inspect all the cables and cords carefully. Make sure nothing is touching your fans or poking against any electronics. Also, make sure you are using zip-ties or velcro for cable management. NEVER use twist-ties, they have an aluminum core in them.

Give your PC a good dust-out with air cans. Once you are done, recheck for the noise. If there is ANY concern that its the power supply, do not keep using it until you have it tested or test it yourself. Some PC shops and Micro Centers can test power supplies but I don't know if they do it for free or charge.

Digital multimeter... here's a couple decent looking ones that should do most of what you want.

Of course Fluke makes the best, but they certainly charge for it.

I have a Craftsman Professional myself and it's perfectly fine.

So it sounds like the thing to do would be to fix the broken speaker wire. There's a number of ways to do that. I'll list them in decreasing difficulty, and also decreasing quality of fix.

You could:

• Run entirely new wire from the factory wiring harness to the speaker in the door.
  
• Find the break and run new wire from the break to the speaker.
  
• Find the break and just splice in a new bit of wire.
  
  The DMM will come in handy for a lot of things (checking grounds, seeing if your RTO is working, checking fuses, verifying continuity of wires - which you're doing here). If you get a good one now, it'll last you years (I've had mine for more than 10 years and I use it at least a couple times a month for all sorts of automotive and household things!).

It is possible that irregular voltages could have damaged the GPU, but likely it's OK.

The best way to test a PSU is with an actual tester, this is the one I use: http://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-Automated-Supply-Oversized-Supplies/dp/B005F778JO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1463180347&sr=8-2&keywords=power+supply+tester

You can also test each rail manually with a multimeter: http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/ht/power-supply-test-multimeter.htm

I can say with about 85% certainty that a new PSU will clear up your issues, but there is a small chance it's damaged another component.

doorbells are easy enough to handle, as long as the transformer is still good. the transformer converts your home's 120volt electricity to 12 volts (usually) via this large, fist sized looking block, usually located nearish to the breaker box.

doorbells are run in a low voltage loop. the power is supplied from the breaker box or a nearby junction box to the transformer. then it runs from the transformer in a big circle to the chime and the buzzer. when you press the doorbell buzzer, you're completing the circuit and it causes the chime to sound.

1. turn off the power to the transformer, check with a voltage tester.
   
   
2. unscrew buzzer or chime. you can do either one first. it doesn't really matter. just make sure you have a clamp or something like that hand. sometimes those little wires like to fall back into the wall. clamp the wires so that they don't.
   
   
3. once either part is unscrewed from the wall, you'll see two contacts. usually it doesn't matter which wire connects to which contact, provided you get a standard two wire doorbell system. disconnect the two wires from the existing contacts.
   
   
4. clean off the wires a little bit. they're probably dirty and oxidized. if they're really nasty looking, you can cut them back a little and strip the coating off the wire for some fresh copper.
   
   
5. reattach the wires. you'll probably need a little screwdriver for this.
   
   
6. i like to seal around the doorbell buzzer with some caulk. helps protect it from the elements a bit.
   
   
7. attach the chime/buzzer back to the wall. some just fasten with screws. others have mounting brackets that fastened to the wall with anchors or something. then the actual faceplate of the chime/buzzer snaps on to that.
   
   
8. turn your power back on at the breaker.
   
   
9. test it out.
   
   
10. act smug and cocky with your SO about how easily you completed this and never let him/her forget it by always saying "remember that time..."

Yeah. I use this one because it is a lot nicer than the even cheaper ones while still being pretty cheap. And its auto-ranging which is a big plus in my book. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EVYGZA/

And https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014ERIFU6 those for drivers. I too was fed up with the cheap ones stripping. Again, not the best in the world but a lot better than the harbor freight special. They bite well and I haven't stripped anything with them yet.

You might want to check the output of your controller just to make sure that the problem isn't deeper. Idk what anything is supposed to measure, but if you compare the z outputs to the x or y outputs it should be pretty easy to figure out if something is wrong. If you don't have a multi meter you can get a pretty basic one for ~$10. Or if you have good neighbors you can probably borrow one -- it is standard kit in most middle-aged men's toolboxes.

https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Multimeter-MSR-R500-Electronic-Multimeters/dp/B01N9QW620?ref_=Oct_BSellerC_15707471_1&pf_rd_p=2bd56caf-41c7-5afe-a16b-f91d83e8f5ca&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-6&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=15707471&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=RWEXC9AQXED7VJG8FQE0&pf_rd_r=RWEXC9AQXED7VJG8FQE0&pf_rd_p=2bd56caf-41c7-5afe-a16b-f91d83e8f5ca

Yes. Make sure you turn off the breaker. If you want to feel extra comfortable turn off all the circuits haha. Or get a circuit tester like this: http://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-NCVT-2-Non-Contact-Voltage/dp/B004FXJOQO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1426008999&sr=8-3&keywords=circuit+tester

For the multimeter, I have this one and it works perfectly fine. That module you linked won't work, though. That mudole's module's minimum input is 4V, and the Pocket runs on 3V with fresh batteries. Something more like this module would work. I could be wrong though, as I've never done this mod; I just shoved a lithium-ion battery into my Pocket and it works great.

Also, going down the rabbit hole is really fun! I started with the backoight backlight mod, then I did a prosound, then a USB rechargeable battery, then a bass boost, then an amplifier, and I'm debating doing a bivert, though with how little space is left after the preceding mess, I probably can't. :P

EDIT: Wow I butchered the spelling of "module"

EDIT2: And the spelling of "backlight"

Here are some links for the product in the above comment for different countries:

Amazon Smile Link: Try something like this


|Country|Link|Charity Links|
|:-----------|:------------|:------------|
|USA|smile.amazon.com|EFF|
|UK|www.amazon.co.uk|Macmillan|
|Canada|www.amazon.ca||




To help add charity links, please have a look at this thread.

This bot is currently in testing so let me know what you think by voting (or commenting). The thread for feature requests can be found here.

No idea about the helmet. As far as tools go

non contact voltage tester https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004FXJOQO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_XxzgAb8RCT4Y9

Works great for double checking the utilities are off or isolating a particular circuit if you don't want to leave someone's house entirely without power

4 in 1 screwdriver
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00009V431/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_vzzgAbASETAEA

For screwing and unscrewing things

Reasonable sized channel locks
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004SBCS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_ZAzgAbD9C5JND

For a while I had vice grips instead of these but found with gloves on they were a little too clunky to manipulate. Works great for grabbing and loosening like gas connections to dryers

And this rescue tool dealio
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057UMN3A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_ZCzgAbQY3EK8Z

Works as your battery cutter, prying tool, gas shutoff and a spanner. I cut one of those little locks that secures piv valves and commercial sprinkler systems with this thing before my partner could make it back with bolt cutters so that alone was worth half the price

Not exactly REQUIRED, I didn't solder anything on my first 100w cob experiment and ran it for several weeks when I was trying to figure everything out.


I first plugged in a 2.1mm X 5.5mm plug into my laptop charger, then stuck two wires in it and screwed it down. - terminal ends!


Stick the other end of those two wires into the buck converter inputs. Then Stick two more wires into the buck converter outputs.


Then I got two alligator clips and connected one end of them to one of the buck converter outputs. Then I clamped the gator clips onto the led. Gator Clips!

This is not recommended at all for long term or a permanent build. But it is a great way to become friendly with LEDs and electronics and help build your skill while you become more comfortable.

I would advise learning how to solder, in this case its REALLY easy because we are not soldering on a board or anywhere that requires precision. I just wrapped all the wires together, stuck some solder and heat to it. Then sealed it off with shrink wrap and tape.

Instead of radio or lamp, buy a circuit finder. It’s about $30 but you’ll never have to waste time turning every circuit on and off for every outlet. A circuit finder comes in two pieces - a wand and an outlet plug. Insert the outlet plug in the socket you want to turn off. Take the wand and scan the circuit panel to calibrate it. Scan again and the wand will beep when you are directly over the circuit. It’s makes life super easy. It’s sort of a one time use if you map your entire house in one sitting, but if you ever need to do electrical work anywhere, you don’t have to fumble with every circuit breaker

Klein Tools ET300 Digital Circuit Breaker Finder https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003LHJSY8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_OnXEAbZ6KFJ7X

It’s

flukes are the best, but you don't need that. a cheap one at lowes should work fine if you want something a bit better, i recommend this one:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000JQ4O2U/ref=pe_175190_21431760_cs_sce_dp_2

Yep, just start with the basics before you get more complicated. Make sure you have power, then follow power along until it's not there, and figure out why. If power is going everywhere and the HU still won't work, it's busted or has a blown fuse.

A test light is cheap and easy to use, just make sure it'll work with 12 volt DC. A multimeter is much more versatile and not too expensive. I have this: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00066ZZO4/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and it works OK for a cheap thing. For basic testing, at least.

Fluke makes great equipment, of course, but I would also consider Extech. While they don't cater to the professional market as much as Fluke, they make great meters and you can find a full featured one new for well under $100. Extech also manufactures Sears Craftsman branded meters. The one I use is similar to this one

Remember you get what you pay for, but since you're just trying this out I found some cheap options on amazon:
Volt meter
3 position switch Keep in mind you need to make sure you match your inputs and outputs to the voltage the PLC I/O wants (120v AV or 24v DC)
Indicator light you can use as an output to turn on/off
Looks like the PLC wants 24vDC power so you'll need something like this to switch your 120 power from the wall.

I actually just bought one of these multimeters that arrived today and I'm loving it, so much. It's only $30 and works amazingly well. It's full-featured and includes a helpful little socket with holes that you can put an electronic component (i.e a resistor) into so you don't have to wrestle with the test leads. I'd highly recommend it.

How much per kWh does your electricity cost? 19 Cents per Kilowatthour?

https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_6_a



It really does not sound like the PC is causing this..

You said you purchased an electricity usage monitor?

What did it read? what is it currently reading? You should keep it hooked up so you can get an over time look at your power usage..

Your PC should not cost more than about $15 -$20 a month to run MAX..

It can not even imagine a faulty PSU causing this.. and if it was a power strip it should have blown up by now and burned your house down..

You could get a outlet tester: like this
https://www.amazon.com/Sperry-Instruments-GFI6302-Receptacle-Professional/dp/B000RUL2UU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1511526107&sr=8-3&keywords=outlet+tester&tag=gamersnexus01-20

To make sure you do not have a faulty outlet..

What you can do is hook up the Kill-A-Watt meter and put your PC to sleep see if the Power Supply is still drawing that god awful amount of power.. and Check your monitor make sure the power brick is not faulty..

That kind of power would generate a LOT of heat your room should be a sauna if it is the PC

If you check your PC parts Picker it is showing your Power draw at
36W to 146W max..

https://www.pcmag.com/article/343177/how-to-measure-home-power-usage

Watts / 1000 * Hours used x (Cost per Kilowatt-hour)= Total Cost..

Your PC Max should be about 146W + 30W for the monitor MAX

Intel - Core i5-6500 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor 8W - 65W

MSI - H110M Gaming Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard 15W - 60W

Avexir - Core Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory 11W - 11W

Crucial - MX300 750GB 2.5" Solid State Drive 2W - 10W

Monitor is 30W

So do the math 176W

176/1000 = .176 of a Kilowatt

• say $.19 (cost per kWh) so $.033 per hour
  
• say 16 hours a day thats about 54 cents a day..
  
• 30 days is about $16
  
  Say your PC uses 350 watts, including monitor, while playing a graphically-intensive game, and your kWh cost is $0.19. If you were to play for one hour straight, it would cost you:
  
  350 / 1000 * 0.19 = $0.07 per hour
  
  Lets say for arguments sake you used all 550W of your Power supply + Monitor 30W that would be 580W 10 cents per hour or $1.76 per day or about $53 a month.. MAX and your PC should be pumping out enough heat to make you sweat. ( Not to mention your Power Supply would not last very long )
  
  This still does NOT account for the increase in your bill... It is NOT the PC it can NOT be the PC
  
  Hook a Kill-A-Watt meter to the PC and give us the numbers..
  
  If it is over 100 Watts while your doing nothing there is a problem..
  
  If it is over 350 Watts while your working there is a problem..
  
  
  

You laugh but I was super excited to get my cheap Chinese multimeter in the mail today. I will deffo use it for completing my lab work tonight.

Sure, and they are an excellent troubleshooting tool to have around. One example, on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/AstroAI-Digital-Multimeter-Voltage-Tester/dp/B01ISAMUA6/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=multimeter&qid=1559002606&s=gateway&sr=8-3

If there's a Harbor Freight near you, they frequently have coupons for their cheap multimeter for free, or close to it, if you buy something else.

So it sounds like the outlets weren't grounded as someone already stated. The surge protector had nowhere to shunt any excess current to so it just went to your equipment. It's strange that your mother board was blown and not your power supply.

Nevertheless, I wouldn't plug a computer into any outlet unless I new it was grounded. If you do run an extension cord, there's three things to remember. Firstly, make sure the extension cord is a grounded one. Secondly, make sure the outlet is properly wired. Thirdly, make sure to make the cord as short as possible and don't cover it up with anything (rugs, carpet, etc.)

How do you check an outlet? The simplest method is to use a circuit tester. It's pretty cut and dry and it's a non-invasive way to make sure every wire is in the right place.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000RUL2UU/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1451367300&sr=1-1&pi=AC_SX220_SY330_FMwebp_QL65

You don't need a super expensive multimeter to work on bikes. The $6 one from Harbor freight will work fine, but the lead are short and the wire inside is thin.

I often use the AstoAI one from Amazon that runs about $11. I picked this one because I didn't need a crazy meter and It had a decent clamshell case for it.

I combine the meter with this kit . . . super sharp / low profile meter leads are a GOD send.

As for your connectors. I've never used those personally, but the waterproof bullet insert type that have a male/female end are often found on bikes from the factory.

My first thought is to get actual information on what outlets are on what circuits. That way you have a starting point for figuring out your best options.

This is pretty easy to do you just need access to the breaker panel and a circuit finder. Something like this.

As long as your doing it label each outlet you test (label tape, sharpie, whatever) with it's circuit number.

Even if you can only test the open circuits on/near the stage you'll have a base of information to start from.

I have heard good things about the Extech EX330 and its thermocouple-less cousin the EX320. They are $60 and $40 on Amazon, respecively.

If you plan on measuring AC signals that aren't perfect sine waves, you probably want a True RMS multimeter (see why in this pdf). I use a BK 2707 ($95) that has stood up excellently compared to $200+ Fluke meters I've tried.

Note to self: look into a multimeter.

Edit: Would this be sufficient for around-the-house use?

So here's a question... in the future, with a wiring setup like this, would it have accomplished the same thing (if I only had one switch controlling both the light and fan to nut the fan's black and blue to the ceilings black and then nut off the extra blue from the ceiling? Would that accomplish the same thing?

I'd recommend getting an inexpensive outlet/receptacle tester and testing any outlet that you will be plugging equipment into. If it doesn't test correctly, notify the staff at the building and don't use it. It's not the complete solution, but it is a great start.....

Something like this...... https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RUL2UU/ref=s9_acsd_top_hd_bw_bxldN_c_x_1_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-3&pf_rd_r=HWWEYSS763CCFCJ6GS1R&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=e32b96c7-50a4-5f19-ae33-9408ab96b97e&pf_rd_i=14244461

Electrical outlet tester - Use on each outlet in the home to make sure all is working properly and not needing work done. I used Sperry Tester
Test the sinks, toilets and showers. Run both cold water and hot water through each sink/shower and flush the toilets a couple of times.
Ask about pest control, how often, who does it.
How do you contact maintenance for any requests? How quickly can they come out to assist?
Check the windows and make sure they can open, or are securely locked.
Who has keys to your location? Did the last tenant turn in all keys? Can you get the location re-keyed for a small fee?
Hope this helps!

The sub panel being hooked to a 50A breaker on the main panel is normal. Someone installed a 50A sub panel. This is great for you as you can shut off the entire sub panel by fliping the 50A breaker in the main panel. That way you do not have to worry about anything being live when you install a new circuit. Buy an electrical tester pen first just to make sure the sub panel is off.

You are correct about how to install the new 15A breaker, and it will need 14 gauge wire. You need to make sure its the same type of breaker that is currently in your sub panel as there is more then one kind.

As to the white wire to the copper bus unless someone else posts a good reason for that its wrong. I would pay someone to inspect your sub panel just to be sure there are not other wiring issues.

Also make sure the fuse holder is rated for the fuse. Some are only 100amps or 150a etc.

Check the max discharge rate on the batteries too. You don't want to go more than they can handle either.

I also find this battery monitor very handy and it's Bluetooth. It's not cheap, but if you're going with victron (is the charge controller Bluetooth? If not, get the smart version! It's way easier to monitor and program and only a few $ more usually) it may be a worthwhile addition and doing it while you cut the cables is more efficient than later in terms of materials.

I've had the same problem before. Most of the time it was just a loose light in one of the sockets. Finding that bulb and replacing it or re-working the wire connectors on the bulb so that they fit the socket better seemed to work. I've also had some success with this guy. Though I only paid five bucks for it in an after Christmas sale, and I really use it mainly for popping out light bulbs more easily. It does seem to help sometimes though.

I've thought about picking up a circuit breaker finder, like this one to help identify all my circuits. If I were starting over and moving to a new house that didn't have all the breakers labeled I'd definitely do it. Much easier than the idea of testing each one with a lamp and two people yelling (or phoning) back and forth.

The ohm/volt meter I have from MyVaporStore is nice. I'm sure you can find it cheaper but I like their customer service and reliability.

However, if you're wanting a good multimeter, this one from Amazon is cheaper than most ohm/volt meters.

Gotcha.

Go pick up an arduino kit, a few boards, an iron and solder.

The arduino kit will help with the physical electrical aspect, resistors, leds, servos, positive and negative, and it help with the theory/text book stuff such as amps, ohms, voltages etc.

Pick up a multimeter and look up how to test resistance , voltages, conductivity.

You can practice the soldering by putting led and resistors on a board. The arduino has tons of material for simple projects that include the code. So if the coding part doesn’t interest you, just copy the example
Code and build the circuit on the included breadboard. Then move the circuit into a blank soldering board

And make sure to research any questions instead of just asking someone who knows the answer. The reason I suggest research on your own first is there’s a lot to learn in the tech industry. The more you read the more you’ll familiarize yourself with key words, go to forums, and terminology.

Ham radio operator here. Make sure you have proper grounding. That is, make sure you have a shielded PC case (NO BIG PLEXIGLAS WINDOWS), and make sure your power cord is properly grounded (3-prong plug into a 3-prong outlet). Make sure your outlet is appropriately grounded (get one of these). Make sure your home/building uses an appropriate ground rod at your mains feedpoint (where the power lines enter your building).

Then, ferrites on all cords leading to your audio amplifier (amplified speakers). That includes, the audio input, the power line and any speaker outputs.

Thanks for the input. I agree on second thought, rather than have angrier pixies and try and calm them down, would be better have calmer pixies and try and get them angrier.

Any idea for a good board for this?

DROK®Micro LED DC-DC Digital Boost Voltage Converter LM2577 3-34V to 4-35V 5V/12V 2.5A Step-up Adjustable Volt Regulator Board Module Power Supply Transformer for Solar Panels Car Battery Charging https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00J03PBW0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_W-eTybWN408CA

It would miss out on the coolness factor of dropping a tool battery in the wife's jug pumper though.

My Extech EX330 just survived a pit bull, so I'm impressed with it. It's a pretty good multimeter for the price. I bought mine at OSH for $49.95.

I wouldn't assume that three prong outlet is properly wired, Someone could have just thrown it in there even if there isn't a ground wire ran to the box. You could buy a plug tester like this and it will tell you if it's wired correctly. It is possible someone could have wired the outlet to trick a tester into thinking there was a ground by jumping from the neutral to the ground.

Ultimately i would recommend having an electrician inspect the wiring in your house. Your houses original wiring is old and may not have a means to ground available at every outlet. I would find someone you can trust to take a look at everything, You don't know how many people, qualified or not, have worked in your home.

Thanks for the thorough answer! I really appreciate the help! I don't have any tools unfortunately but I can get them. Would this be a good voltmeter? (Innova 3320)
So to confirm, I would connect the voltmeter to the crankshaft sensor and test whether there is any output? I can also rent a fuel gauge and try your second suggestion. I'll keep you posted. Thanks so much again!

Do yourself a favor and buy a circuit breaker finder, the tool has paid for itself for the time it saved me.

https://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-ET300-Electrical-Standard/dp/B003LHJSY8/

Just for the love of god what is Kline's fascination with stupid push buttons that get activated in the back of the van so i gotta hear beeping from that and the five wireless testers i have lost in other bags?

There's a couple handy tools you'll want.

A receptacle tester: https://www.amazon.com/Sperry-Instruments-GFI6302-Receptacle-Professional/dp/B000RUL2UU makes it easy to see if your GFCI outlet is A. wired correctly and B. trips properly. A perk here, is you can also use this tester to see if your normal outlet is chained to a GFCI outlet or on a GFCI breaker, as they'll trip just as well if you use the test button on this tool.

Actually, you can get both in one: https://www.amazon.com/Sperry-Instruments-STK001-Non-Contact-Receptacle/dp/B002JGQAQ6 but you want something handy to check if a wire is live. After I believe I've turned off a circuit, I test it a couple times, usually going to a live circuit too to make sure the tester is also working. I want to be super confident before I touch it.

And yeah, I usually never do electrical work without a friend present, just in case I do something dumb. Never work with electrical alone if you can avoid it.

Look into code, don't cut corners and get yourself one of these outlet testers to check your work. Like someone else said, hooking up sub panels and big jobs, have someone come in.

I'm lucky my brother in law is a very professional electrician, I always check my plans with him and I do all the work. He'll come and make the connection at the panel just to be safe, but after watching him I'd feel comfortable doing that.

That's a great one too, cheap, reliable, moderately fast auto ranging. I wouldn't use it for measuring high current/voltage but for hobbyist purposes it's great.

http://www.amazon.com/INNOVA-3320-Auto-Ranging-Digital-Multimeter/dp/B000EVYGZA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419118140&sr=8-1&keywords=multimeter

Extensions are easier to make, as you said 1 to 1, no hassle. Custom cables for modular PSU requires pin-out diagrams and a tester to insure that the cables are correct and won't "blow your rig." You may also run into double wires, which require a little more work to make them look good and function correctly.

In the end extensions are cheaper, less time consuming, and easier to install for most people. Custom cables are a lot more time consuming and require more tools to ensure that everything is kosher.

Lutro0's double wire guide.

Extech EX330 Autoranging Mini Multimeter with Built In Thermometer with Type K Remote Probe by Extech http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EX0AE4/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_-TGntb18D6ZH8

I bought that one in 2011, so it may be a bit outdated, but it's still working fantastically if you're looking for a good meter for more than building coils. The auto ranging is pretty spiffy.

I've had good success using something like these to at least test power to the board, the LCD and the on-board switches before mounting the board in the box. You can just clip them to the Bat+ and Bat- and run them to a battery pack.

http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-TL-6-Standard-Alligator-10-Piece/dp/B0002JJU28/

Extra string of lights is a great tip. Also consider one of these light repair guns!

Light Keeper PRO 01201 The Complete Tool for Fixing Miniature Light Sets https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000R8KBOK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_3EohAbZQ5ZA8S

I only bought it because it was so cheap. I thought if it didn't work very well I was only out a few bucks so what the hey. Boy was I wrong! This thing has fixed my strands so many times it has payed for itself 10 times over!

Happy Holidays everyone!

It sounds like some of the outlets might have a reversed hot/neutral. Get a cheap outlet tester to find out. And a pigtail adapter to test the 2-prong outlets. Fixing it is pretty simple if you are comfortable working with wiring.

Those kits are OK, but I might suggest getting yourself some boards like these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00CGV6TZG

And a basic component kit such as this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01EROKLBC

With those you can practice all you want and come up with your own configurations. Start with getting an LED to light up and go from there.

For a cheap multimeter I like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000JQ4O2U

Buy one of these. It will pay for itself the first year you use it.

http://www.amazon.com/Keeper-01201-Complete-Fixing-Miniature/dp/B000R8KBOK

It seems like a crap money-grubbing scam, but it really works and will save you from buying new strings and bulbs every year. It's amazing.

You should be fine with a Harbor Freight tool box. To be honest you can also buy tools and other things from there as well with out much worry. Just don't buy anything from them that will get heavy use under stress. Small tools like screw drivers, allen/hex keys, and grip tools like pliers aren't too bad from them. Just remember that they do deal in cheap tools so don't be surprised when some of them break. The below tools are suggestions and the links are examples for reference only.

• gerber multitool Comes in handy more times than I can count.
  
• ratchet wrenches Great for tight spaces where a ratchet doesn't fit.
  
• mechanical fingers tool Drop something and can't get to it?
  
• flex magnet tool Drop something and can't get to it or see it?
  
• mirror tool Need to see the back of the engine from a different angle?
  
• rechargeable worklight
  
• multimeter For electrical testing purposes
  
• wire crimper For cutting/stipping/crimping connectors onto wires
  
• magnetic tray For holding nuts and bolts or anything metal you don't want to lose.
  
• air compressor For air tools and don't forget to get an air hose attachment.
  
• impact gun Air tool, great for taking nuts/bolts off quick such as wheel lug nuts.
  
• impact sockets For the impact gun.

Thanks, this was really helpful! Since with this blog I finally better understood the process of building pedals, I’ve made up my mind about getting into this and learning as much as possible. It’s a great blog.

I do have a follow up question thou. I’m now making a list of tools I’ll need to get for the job, I already have a few but I’m missing a multimeter. Would [this one](Innova 3320 Auto-Ranging Digital Multimeter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EVYGZA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_A3m-AbTVDFTA0) be good enough?

do you think the higher soc voltage affects ram overclocking? with +0.00 SoC (1.15 with a multimeter), GFX SoC at 1.175 and DRAM at 1.38 I could get 3066mhz, c14 stable (haven’t tried lowering voltages).

have you tried measuring with a multimeter to make sure that HWINFO is accurate? the more results we have the better.

copied from another comment:

the only way to know the actual voltage is to go in and check it with a multimeter. something like this should work just fine for the job. you'll want to take off your case's back panel, put your PC on some gpu load like furmark or firestrike or something, and put one multimeter lead on one circled pin and one lead on the other (if it's negative just flip the leads around) if you've never used a multimeter before, it's easy---just put the red in the red, the black in the black, and set the dial to what's in green.
be careful not to short the two pins together, though.

Thanks for the advice!
Would something like a ULN2803 work for the driver? https://www.sparkfun.com/datasheets/IC/uln2803a.pdf

And something like this for the dc-dc step up?
https://www.amazon.com/DROK-Converter-Adjustable-Regulator-Transformer/dp/B00J03PBW0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1468354392&sr=8-5&keywords=step+up+converter

If you don't already have one, I recommend picking up a cheap battery meter with a shunt. The one I bought was only $20, and it measures the actual current coming out of the battery over time as Watt-hours. Similar to how a home electrical meter works. It's the only accurate way to know how much battery power you've used. It can be reset each day in order to track usage per day.

You can even buy two of them and wire the second one so that it measures current going into the battery. Then you know exactly how much power your panels provided during the day, and therefore how much you can use over night.

Or there are intelligent meters that do both and have Bluetooth and a phone app, if you want to spend $200. I'm probably going to buy one eventually. Or design my own.

Here's the model I have for now:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KXCF8F8

That's not the exact brand I bought, but it looks identical, and I think they're all the same and just sold by different resellers. The exact one I bought is no longer in stock.

There are plenty of others to choose from. Some have "fuel gauge" style readings, too. Such gauges generally aren't very accurate unless they are programmed with the discharge curve of your specific battery type. They are probably tuned for 12V lead acid, and might be reasonably accurate for those, but then it wouldn't work for lithium ion, which is what I have. Then again, if they are smart enough, they might "learn" the behaviors of your battery, but at these prices, I doubt it.

Here's an example:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CTKYFTG

Whatever you get, if you get one, make sure it has a shunt. The shunt is just a chunk of metal with a small, precise resistance value, and the meter continuously measures the voltage drop across that known resistance to determine how much current is flowing. The shunts are rated by maximum amperage, with 100A being quite common. The smaller the maximum amperage, the more accurate they are, but you need one big enough to cover your usage. 100A is a good bet.

And just for the sake of completion, here's the expensive one I mentioned:

Victron BMV-712 Battery Monitor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075RTSTKS

Hmmmm, about all I can think of other than bad luck is either get a good surge protector if you don't have one or better yet a UPS as someone suggested. And while probably not super necessary having something like this isn't a bad idea to have on hand (this was just the first receptacle tester I found): https://www.amazon.com/Sperry-Instruments-GFI6302-Receptacle-Professional/dp/B000RUL2UU/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_263_bs_lp_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=EE0D91J1R8YBHMQEW8P5

Otherwise I think it is just bad luck or someone is coming into your home and randomly breaking your PS4.

uhhhhhhhh If you say so...

You wouldn't know of good how to for dummies / videos that would go over these?

Also does the quality of mulitmeters really matter if it's just for motorcycle diagnoses? was thinking of getting this, but some of the reviews say it's not that great, what distinguishes a great multimeter from an okay one?

http://www.amazon.com/INNOVA-3320-Auto-Ranging-Digital-Multimeter/dp/B000EVYGZA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426173691&sr=8-1&keywords=multimeter

Get a multimeter. If you buy from the following link, you support an excellent Youtube channel as well:

http://astore.amazon.com/afromods-20/detail/B000JQ4O2U/190-8350356-1062150

Why not just get something like this? Walking back and forth or having someone help you seems like it would be a better idea than drop lights all over the place.

I'd highly recommend getting a halfway decent multimeter if you don't have one. Given that you'll have more electrical work to do (and test) after initial diagnosis, you'll get a LOT of value out of a decent multimeter.

Something like this won't break the bank, and all the major functionality you will need to troubleshoot:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EVYGZA/

I think you might need an electrician. To me, it sounds like something is shorting the coax with the electrical outlet. You indicated when he tugged on the coax, a breaker tripped.
Right there, that set off flags as I was reading it. The problem may not be in the outlet right next to where he was working, but somewhere up the line from there.

I would start with a voltage tester like this
https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-3-Wire-Receptacle-50542/dp/B002LZTKIA/ref=lp_14244481_1_12?s=lamps-light&ie=UTF8&qid=1487627980&sr=1-12
and go from there.

If the problem is electrical, comcast wont touch it (even if they caused it, but good luck proving that).

I use this, but there are probably slightly better ones at that price point if you go looking. I like this one because it's auto-ranging, but the whole "battery test" thing seems like nonsense. Hasn't failed me yet in my light usage.

I'd buy a fluke if I could justify it... but i can't so i bought this https://www.amazon.com/Mastech-MS8268-MS8261-Digital-Multimeter/dp/B000JQ4O2U/ . Its a good balance of good, cheap, and tough.

You might also want to look at the fluke 12E. Its made for the chinese market but makes it way over here. here is a video from AvE talking about it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJm9iCha-jM

This is pretty creative solution to your problem. If you dont have an iPad around, you might be interested in investing in one of these: http://amzn.com/B003LHJSY8

I did. I searched this subreddit as I trust a group of redditors more than random google results.

I found this multimeter from a post from 2 years ago.

Is it still a good bargain?

Use an IEC splitter cable with a clip-on ferrite. The IEC splitter allows you to neatly wire up all of your power supplies from a single cable. You can fix it in place on your pedalboard, so you'll only need to plug in a single power cable to run all of your Pedal Power units. The ferrite will help dissipate RF interference coming from the mains wiring.

While you're at it, get yourself an outlet tester and a GFCI - it could save your life.

If you’re going to go with option 1, I would recommend buying the book first to see what parts you need. You also might want to consider just buying the parts you need from some place like mouser electronics or sparkfun.

This meter will probably suit your needs better:

https://www.amazon.com/AstroAI-Digital-Multimeter-Voltage-Tester/dp/B01ISAMUA6

>(Also, in the schematic, the LED being on will not indicate that the battery is charging, simply that power is connected)

Yeah that's all I care about.

Here's the BMS

Here's the boost converter I was going to use... until I fried the POT on it - lol. My 3A power supply must be slightly >3A. I've got some POTs on order, I'll fix it tomorrow, and use a 2.5A power supply instead. Gotta love the smell of magic smoke in the morning.

I guess I could just get a 13v power supply instead but they're not easy to find, so, 16v and a buck converter?

>Most BMS/battery chargers will have an output that indicate when they are charging.

Is that what the 2 terminals with the diode symbol are for between P+ and P- maybe?

It's a good sign they tested it and some battery places like that do indeed set them up properly. I'd call and tell them your situation and see if they can test the battery they sold you.


I'd pick up a cheap meter. They can be found for less than $15 and have many uses. For most things, a basic cheap one is fine.



https://www.amazon.com/AstroAI-Digital-Multimeter-Voltage-Tester/dp/B01ISAMUA6/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1521913651&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=dmm&psc=1


edit: Make sure you aren't turning the key too far counter-clockwise and leaving the tail light on (parking light) Not sure if that model has that built in to the key switch and it is not uncommon to have that happen)

-Even metric sockets/wrenches from 8-14 mm
-#2 Phillips screwdriver
-flat blade screw driver
(All above are used for removal and disassembly of the battery)
-multi-meter (for testing battery voltage and checking to make sure you're not grabbing a hot lead) You can get one super cheap at Walmart. You don't need a $100 meter for most basic multi meter usage
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01ISAMUA6/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1502035847&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=multimeter+digital&dpPl=1&dpID=51BVqQYiV1L&ref=plSrch
-balance charger (for rebalancing the batteries)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B017Y2G4Y2/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502036066&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=imax+b6ac+v2&dpPl=1&dpID=51GvA3h-MNL&ref=plSrch
-18 gauge wire (I made my own wire harnesses)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01LZRV0HV/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1502036364&sr=8-8&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=18+gauge+wire&dpPl=1&dpID=51CpIxqIWbL&ref=plSrch
-wire strippers
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000OQ21CA/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1502036896&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=wire+strippers&dpPl=1&dpID=415oINm8uRL&ref=plSrch
-spade connectors
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01B1753K2/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1502036854&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=red+spade+connector&dpPl=1&dpID=31HVegxklVL&ref=plSrch
-banana plugs
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00APVQZ8U/ref=mp_s_a_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1502036751&sr=8-13&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=banana+plugs

Step one: disconnect the isolator cable from the starter battery.

Step 2: find or become a person who understands the electric system you want and has the tools to diagnose what you have. Note, the 12.9 volts on the isolator box or document doesn't make your starter battery have 12.9 volts.

If you get a meter, separate your 2 systems, post here the voltages of the two there will be help.
Harbor Freight has a meter like this one except red
I have a coupon for it free. It comes with enough instructions to measure your battry voltage.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00066ZZO4

Well it has to be something with the electricity in the house, and the chargers are smart enough to sense that and not work (I guess). There is a device you can plug into outlets that can detect issues (really long link below). This is a very useful, cheap, tool that you will use several times over the decades you live/own a home.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000RUL2UU/ref=sxr_zg_dy_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=3525596382&pd_rd_wg=OOxLD&pf_rd_r=25QHY3ETGE3FYBZQ6PF0&pf_rd_s=desktop-rhs-carousels&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B000RUL2UU&pd_rd_w=cmB9C&pf_rd_i=electrical+tester&pd_rd_r=c6e22401-47d8-437c-8bcf-4a91ca469380&ie=UTF8&qid=1523146792&sr=1

Get somethign like this http://www.amazon.com/Sperry-Instruments-GFI6302-Outlet-Tester/dp/B000RUL2UU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452385389&sr=8-1&keywords=outlet+tester make sure the outlet is wired correctly.

If it is then get a really good spurge suppressor possibly one with filtering

Personal favorite cheap dmm https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000JQ4O2U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_scIuyb89GBR67

A bigger breadboard might be nice as well

Those are the smart sensors, They control the 3 exhaust fans per temp readings. They also act as motion sensors and turn the lights on in the room when I walk in. The white boxes on the right wall are 240v smart switches that control power on/off from my phone manually or triggered by scene i.e. temp to high, or ping failure reboot rig. Energy monitor installed inside breaker box also smart home (Z-Wave). All is controlled by a Vera smart home controller. Links below.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0151Z8ZQY?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00MBIRF5W?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00XD8WZX6?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01BX9P89Y/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519912082&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=vera+plus+controller&dpPl=1&dpID=31jWnlwJITL&ref=plSrch

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007ZU69DU?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd

> The wall outlet may not be grounded but is 3-prong.

Pick up one of these puppies and get that outlet tested, stat. If the outlet checks out, check the power cord for any frays/cuts, then check the PSU and consider replacing it.

Either way, definitely sounds like something isn't properly grounded.

I have this set: Sperry Instruments STK001 Non-Contact Voltage Tester (VD6504) & GFCI Outlet / Receptacle Tester (GFI6302) Kit, Electrical AC Voltage Detector, 2 Pc. Pk., Yellow & Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002JGQAQ6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_PR6GAb5KTG4Y6

Basically the plug tests to make sure the outlet is wired properly. You can also use it in a short GFCI run and it will ensure it's wired properly and let you trip the GFCI outlet for testing sake.

Or if you pull the outlet out of the wall you can check to see if it is truly wired properly.

Edit: just remember too, just because that outlet is wired properly doesn't mean the whole run is. This is in regard to physical inspection.

Try to buy cheap junk from Walmart or Amazon until you know exactly what you want. You don't need a $60 pair of pliers or a $300 drill when you're learning.

• Safety glasses
  
  
• Linesman pliers (high leverage pliers that can also cut wires)
  
  
• Diagonal cutting pliers (wire cutters)
  
  
• Long reach needle nose pliers
  
  
• Wire strippers.
  
  
• 25 foot tape measure
  
  
• Hammer
  
  
• Multimeter that can check voltage and resistance. It doesn't need to be accurate.
  
  
• Receptacle tester that looks like this
  
  
• No contact voltage tester like this
  
  
• A magnetic dish for holding screws. Seriously. Losing screws is not fun. A big magnet can also be useful if you drop a bunch of screws or nails on the floor.
  
  
• Ziplock bags. I always end up needing bags for things. A small bag full of clean napkins is a great thing to have.
  
  
• Knife with a sheepsfoot blade like this
  
  
• Tool box. Get one that is big and cheap. I paid $10 for mine and it holds everything listed above.

I don't know what kind of work you do, I do everything, and once in awhile these save the day. They aren't tools I use often but they make life easier sometimes

Screw Extractor set

Knipex Plier Wrench

Klein tube cutter

Deep sockets in small case with an Impact Adaptor

Klein cct finder

Personally I am going to try and avoid parts for his build because of not knowing exactly what he has.

You could get him zip ties, velcro strips, tool kit (just search computer tool kit on amazon), usb drive, DAC/AMP, nice router, custom mouse pad, nice pair of head phones, power supply tester, Electricity Usage Monitor, Electric Duster, Microfiber Cleaning Cloths, 99% Isopropyl Alcohol (rubbing alcohol),... I could keep on going but I think you get the idea. Hopefully when you post your build I'll come back to edit my comment.

This is probably part of the issue.

Do you have a voltage meter?

You could try connecting the ground lug of the receiver to the ground pin at the wall socket. Or convert the receiver to 3 pin plug.

It would be good to verify with an outlet tester that everything is wired correctly (they are supper cheap) https://www.amazon.com/Power-Gear-Receptacle-Indications-50542/dp/B002LZTKIA

Many people will disagree with me, and with valid reasons. But if the outlet is wired correctly, there really isn't anything wrong with removing the ground pin from the sub.

You would obviously want to use a GFCI outlet for all that equipment.

Ground loops and the really difficult stuff, and sometimes it is actually an engineer defect in the equipment.

That PDF file recommend in the other comment is very good, and you should read it even if most of it seems advanced. They do a good job of explaining the concepts.


Let me know if you have specific questions about what to measure.

I generally go with Dave Jones' opinion on these matters. Lucky for you, there's an EEVblog $50 multimeter shootout video. Don't think you'll find a more qualified opinion or thorough comparison anywhere.

Spoiler: The Extech EX330 is the winner.

Start with a good meter. A Fluke 115 or a 117 is a good first choice for a entry-level avionics work.

I stayed strictly in avionics and never dumped money into a toolbox --- I bought a Snapon bag, and a good tackle / pin box for my contacts, terminals, splices, etc. I love that it's more portable, but big enough for everything I need.

Lol. Chuckle Butt has been in your same shoes before! Folks call it different things. https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Multimeter-MSR-R500-Electronic-Multimeters/dp/B01N9QW620

And then can test it https://itp.nyu.edu/physcomp/lessons/electronics/understanding-dc-power-supplies/

It's fairly common. Worth at least asking around.

I wouldn't rely on anything that cheap, it's just in my truck toolbox for quick charging system checks. Something I can run over and not care about.

Generally anything sub-$100 is considered "cheap" by multimeter standards, Fluke makes the most popular meters, really the industry workhorses. They have a new entry level model called the 101 for $70.

The Extech EX330 is a popular cheaper model, I've seen it as low as $40.

Edit: Check out this video, the EX330 was the favorite of the bunch.

I have an Extech EX330, the auto ranging is a little slow, but otherwise it's a great accurate budget minded meter.

http://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-Automated-Supply-Oversized-Supplies/dp/B005F778JO/

That's what I use, personally. It makes it fairly easy to test a supply since it will turn red and start beeping furiously if you are not getting enough juice. I don't test a ton of power supplies, so I can't speak to bulk usage/lifespan, but it has been great for my needs.

Get one that can check continuity. Continuity is continuous flow electrons through wiring. I bought this one for $10.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N9QW620

You want to test the connections to the RCA terminations. RED and WHITE wires are the center post on the RCA. GREEN is the barrel of the connection on the Red RCA. Blue is the barrel of the connection on the White RCA. Specifically, you are looking for see if there is a short. This would be indicative of continuity being crossed in the wires. Specifically, hum will occur if you get cross polarity. So you should as an example, only have continuity from the GREEN wire to the barrel of the Red Connector. If you also have continuity to the post, you likely have a broken solder joint in the RCA. Or you have a broken wire in the tonearm. You are doing diagnostics, you'll have to use your brain to actually figure out the proper fix. I will state that terminating a new RCA plug to a turntables wiring can be tough. There are very small wires. You'll need a really good wire stripper for the positive wires. There are very few strands of wire in a tonearm conductor, so you really can't afford to break any of them. I've done it and I'm better at mechanical than I am at electrical stuff. So, it can be done. But you have to be patient. If you don't thing you have the right tool, it's good chance you don't. The wire is generally something like 30AWG. So look for a pair with 20AWG - 30AWG. Typically, house hold wire strippers only go to 18AWG. Don't even try to use ones you have lying around. The one's I've linked might work.

20-30 gauge wire strippers

I can recommend this $25 Mastech for hobby usage. I picked one up five years ago and it's still going great.

i went with this Extech EX330, all the good features including non-contact voltage widowmaker, includes a temp probe too, good quality as evidenced by the eevblog shootout, moderately cheap. im not a mechanic though :/

You're still going to want to make sure nothing is live even after shutting breakers off. Definitely get one of these, lol. I've learned not to trust any of the electrical work in my house.

I'm not an electrition, so this may not be a perfect explanation. but the ground pin gives your device a way to discharge static electricity or overvoltage by giving the electricity a way to "escape" from the system. Remember the First Law of Thermodynamics:

> Energy cannot be created or destoyed, only transfered.

So if you want to deal with a voltage spike, you can't just eliminate that electiricity. It has to be transfered, converted, or similar. In the case of modern homes, it is transfered into the earth via a third ground wire. Ordinarilly the path of least resistance will be your electronics, and power will flow through that instead of the ground wire. In an overloaded circuit that path of least resistance should be the ground. So it effectively works as a primitive form of voltage control.

From this site

>A surge protector used at a non-grounded receptacle is a glorified extension cord, and provides no additional protection, only a false sense of protection.

Something like this outlet tester will let you know if your house is wired up correctly or not. Just because an outlet has 3 pins doesn't mean that third pin is necessarily connected to anything.

>If an outlet isn't grounded, what can it do to your gear

Overcharge and destroy it. Possible fire risk.

For something that's off, it generally won't matter, so don't freak out if your vacuume or toaster only has a two-prong outlet. But for something you might use in a storm and that uses a substantial amount of electricity (i.e. a computer, air conditioner or heater), or that is particularly sensitive, that ground wire is important.

You'll find most modern TVs and light fixtures don't have a third prong. I am not 100% sure why but I assume it's because they have such a low power draw.

>and how would one go about addressing that?

The only real way is to hire an electrition, rewire your outlets yourself (be safe! Turn off your circuit breakers first!) or choose a different, grounded outlet. There's no quick fix or adapter to "ground" an outlet that I know of, at least not that are safe and to code.

You'll find

IMPRESSIVE!

We need to go deeper! But seriously, well done! so for a USB killawatt you could always use something like this. Do you have any plans to enclose it in some kind of a case?

My 92 e350 diesel struggled to start in the cold last weekend, and I thought it was the battery. I probed it and it was fully charged. So I just put it in 2nd gear and let it roll out of the driveway. The movement of the engine allowed it to turn over and I guess warmed it up, and then it started just fine.

So it may not be the battery, it may just be the cold. Diesels have a much harder time starting in the cold than gasoline engines. So, I'd recommend getting a voltmeter. When its not starting, check the voltage. If the voltage is 12.8, then its fully charged. If its down to 11.2, then its empty. I am not sure what voltage is required to start, probably around 12, maybe a little less.

This cheap one on amazon should do the trick: https://smile.amazon.com/AstroAI-Digital-Multimeter-Voltage-Tester/dp/B01ISAMUA6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1518214456&sr=8-3&keywords=voltmeter&dpID=51BVqQYiV1L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

If it is the battery, likely there is a power drain somewhere. Those can be very hard to track down, so the best option in that case is to disconnect the batteries. There are battery disconnect switches you can put in the engine compartment. Those are also super useful to not get your rig stolen, as you can make it hard to find / not obvious.

Or maybe its the battery. Look for a battery mechanic in your area. Often they will test your current battery for free, and my experience has been that they don't try to scam you.

If you don't have one, they're pretty cheap on Amazon: link
I use one of these on every electrical project on my jeep for sure

I used this one for 5+ years and it never let me down, good features and a nice big display while being cheap. Only downside is the amp mode doesnt have a fuse so be careful not to put it across a battery like that.

One tool you may not have that will make it a lot safer is a Non contact voltage meter basically you touch the outlet and it will beep if it detects a current. Just incase your breakers aren’t labeled correctly, etc, it’s cheap peace of mind.

Then it’s basically a Phillips head and flat head screw driver. The screws on the sides of the outlets are different colors, make sure they are connected to the correct wire, take pictures of the outlets before you unhook any wires so you’ll know how it goes.

The First thing you should do when having these types of issues, is reduce your hardware down to just the core parts needed to boot the system.

1. Remove any unnecessary add-in cards, take out all memory, except one stick.
   
   
2. All you should have in the system is, Power Supply, Motherboard, 1 stick of Ram, CPU+cooler, and Hard drive.
   
   
3. If the Problem still occurs try a different stick of Ram.
   
   
4. If the problem still persists, try re-seating your CPU.
   
   
5. If the problem still persists, replace your power supply.
   
   
6. If you replace the PSU, and you still have the issue, then its your motherboard.
   
   Pro-Tip* It really sounds like it's your PSU, but if you want to truly rule it out, you have to use process of elimination, unless you have a power supply tester, which has saved me many headaches.

If you've got a cheap charge controller that's already working, or one that will fulfill your needs, perhaps you'd be better off, as Syonyk said, building your own or using a stand-alone monitor that can communicate with your computer.

An Arduino can do most of that with some extra stuff and a little effort, or if you want a pre-built charge monitor solution, check out Victron Energy's battery monitor:

https://www.amazon.com/Victron-BMV-712-Battery-Monitor-Bluetooth/dp/B075RTSTKS/

This has built in bluetooth and I believe you can talk to it with a computer or smartphone fairly easily. It's not a very DIY solution for this part of the system, but if you're not comfortable with computer-electronics, it might work well for you!

Oh, they are way cheaper than that in places. And also, you can get a simple LED test light for a few bucks. Only tells if there's power, but it's often enough to do the job.

EDIT: LOL this is the el cheapo beater I got: https://www.amazon.com/AstroAI-Digital-Multimeter-Voltage-Tester/dp/B01ISAMUA6 It's all you need!

I've heard good things about this one http://www.amazon.com/Equus-3320-Auto-Ranging-Digital-Multimeter/dp/B000EVYGZA as an entry-level unit. Unlike the HF one, it is auto-ranging so a little more beginner friendly.

If your budget allows, get yourself a Fluke. If you're only scraping by, a Harbor Freight one will get you started.

An auto ranging multi meter with A K type thermocouple provides a very good thermometer, or you could order a standalone K type thermocouple display.

The extech 330 is a good quality to price ratio:
http://www.amazon.com/Extech-EX330-Autoranging-Multimeter-Thermometer/dp/B000EX0AE4/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1375668730&sr=8-15&keywords=Multimeter

The fluke 116 HVAC is the "buy it for life" meter.
http://www.amazon.com/Fluke-116-Digital-Multimeter/dp/B000NI69YA

Are you properly grounding the amp and is your house properly grounded?

You can get something like this on amazon for pretty cheap to test your outlets.

Something is improperly grounded in/on your case, or there's voltage on the ground in your outlet. Make sure you don't have any loose screws behind your mobo or something, and that all your connections are secure. Go to Walmart or something and pick up one of these to make sure your outlet isn't screwed up.

If you are going to be carrying on for a while in this hobby (and I highly recommend it!), then adding a cheap multimeter to your toolkit (and learning a bit about how to use it) would be a good plan.

You can buy a little device very cheaply to tell you if three-prong outlets are grounded. If they're probably not even grounded the lazy way (to the outlet box) and simply have a wire missing, you could repair this yourself for <$10.

Obviously two-prong outlets will not be grounded. That's a convenience issue, but not a safety issue. The lack of GFI outlets in the kitchen (or bath, or anywhere near water) could be a safety issue, and that would be the one thing I think it'd be reasonable to ask the landlord to do. GFI outlets are ~$10 apiece and those can safely be grounded to their box as well.

I also strongly recommend a receptacle tester. Good for quick checks like OP is talking about. It also indicates any wiring faults.

I've only had to repair an outlet a few times but this method is pretty safe:

Flip the breakers for the outlets in the room (do NOT trust the labels on a breaker box, lazy contractors often fail to label properly), then take an outlet tester and plug it into both outlets on the one you're working on AND a neighboring outlet. If it doesn't light up, you're good to start opening up the outlet.

Triple-check that the wiring is done right when you're finished and cable nuts/clamps fully secure all wires then power back on the breaker. Test again with an outlet tester before plugging in any electronics. IMMEDIATELY flip off the breaker again if the tester does not show the correct led light set.

The important part of doing any home repairs is never assume that something is off, or that there's no juice going to that wire. Check always anyway. 10 seconds of testing saves 10 days in a hospital.

Testing the outlet is easy, I think something like this would work?

Power Gear 3-Wire Receptacle Tester

50542 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002LZTKIA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_6CmHzb4P7QZQV

That's perfectly safe to use.

As for risk to yourself, I'm not an electrician so I can't speak authoritatively to any additional risk from an ungrounded amp. I'm pretty sure there is some added risk though. Low, but still.

It's a good investment, you can test batteries, check if an outlet is powered, and all kinds of useful stuff. Here's one for $11.99.

Lady Ada sums it up nicely: http://www.ladyada.net/learn/multimeter/ I will say I disagree with her/Bob Pease's comments on the usefulness of a temperature probe. I had an apartment once with an oven that lacked markings on the control knob. A sharpie and my multimeter with thermocouple fixed that problem. 8D

They are mostly a commodity item at this point, unless you got Fluke money (I got a used Fluke 89-IV for ~$175 on eBay a few years ago, score).

I'd think this one should work well: http://www.amazon.com/Equus-3320-Auto-Ranging-Digital-Multimeter/dp/B000EVYGZA/

Well then buy a 117 and be done with it. Happy day.

GFCI outlets on a GFCI circuit breaker? I think that's overkill unless there was some funny wiring going on.

Here is a tester that will show if the outlet is wired correctly and if it's GFCI protected. Might be worth the $5 for piece of mind:

Sperry Instruments GFI6302 GFCI Outlet / Receptacle Tester, Standard 120V AC Outlets, 7 Visual Indication / Wiring Legend, Home & Professional Use, Yellow & Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000RUL2UU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_cUWeAbQG51J7V

ETA: There could also be another GFCI outlet on the circuit that you don't know about that is providing GFCI protection. The GFCI outlet that was protecting the other outlets in our bathroom was under the sink, tucked under a shelf that I did not notice for two years until the outlets stopped working and I needed to find out why.

It wasn't the fuse, it was a short somewhere else. Removing the fuse just made it so that no electricity went through that circuit, therefore the battery wouldn't get drained. It is like turning a breaker off in your house - a whole bunch of systems will suddenly not be getting any electricity.

​

The idea is to figure out "Is power being drained out of the battery when nothing is happening?" I tested it with a very typical multimeter like this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ISAMUA6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

I detached one side of the car battery terminals. My friend held the multimeter leads, one multimeter lead on the battery and the other on the loose wire that would normally attach to the battery terminal. When the element was off, about 0.2 amps registered as being used on the multimeter, meaning that it was using power when nothing should be happening.

There are two sets of fuses, one under the steering wheel by the pedals and one under the hood. There is a fuse puller inside one of the fuse boxes. Look in your car manual and it will show you a diagram of your fuses. While he watched the multimeter, I would detach fuses one-by-one. I would pull a fuse, yell "OUT" and he would yell "NO" if the amperage usage did not change after the fuse was pulled. Eventually I pulled as fuse called "Back Up" in the fuse diagram and that 0.2 amps went down to 0. That was our problem circuit. Luckily for me that circuit has things that are not necessary on it, so I just left the fuse out.

> Firstly, that ground wire must be sufficiently large

I am guessing I will have to measure the thickness of it with a caliper.

In terms of checking all the outlets to find which ones are truly grounded, would I use a tool like this?

You're certain the fan is on same breaker? In my place, most of the breakers were labeled correctly, but i had a couple of outlets and switches that were tied to other breakers. Also, mine has switches and outlets separate. I believe I have upstairs outlets, upstairs lights, downstairs outlets, downstairs lights. I'm not sure what the norm is for this, but getting a little klein pen tester and tying your rooms/fixtures to their actual breakers in a google doc will be really helpful now and in the future.

Id start with something line this starter set, a 3/8 breaker bar, 1/2 breaker bar, a Decent torque wrench, a plier set, vice grips, channel locks, adjustable wrench, screw driver set, a multimeter, decent scan tool, a jack, a funnell some drain pans from walmart, pb blaster, jack stands and make some wheel chocks. I'm sure I'm missing something pertinent, but remember you can rent some tools at your local parts store for free with a deposit so check to see what they rent before you buy. Also buy the remainder of the tools as you need them, its tough buying a lot of tools at once especially once you develop an affinity for some quality tools. A lot of the youtube guys have videos on what they use they most, but what I've listed should cover most maintenance tasks for your car.

The top GPU is probably toast, and some component that we can't see probably fried. Whether or not it was due to the PSU, or just the GPU going out, I don't know.

I'd get a PSU tester (Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-Automated-Supply-Oversized-Supplies/dp/B005F778JO/ ) to see if the PSU is still good before putting it into any rig again.

I purchased a Mastech Multimeter about 6 years ago for about 25 dollars, and it's working just fine for me. Yes, it doesn't have the name as a Fluke, but it works just fine for everyday purposes. Unless you really need the accuracy, a Mastech meter will work fine, especially as a student. This is the model I purchased. 25 dollars, and has everything you will need.

I have an aeotec home energy monitor attached to the phases in my panel box and reports to an app

Aeotec by Aeon Labs ZW095 ZW095-A Home Energy Meter Gen5, Small, White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XD8WZX6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_2eI4CbX4944QA
You could just as easily attach it to the wires going to the circuit the washing machine is on to monitor it