I've got extra adderall in my system that I need to burn off, so you're going to get the benefit of a decade of mechanical engineering and prototyping work in defense, consumer products, aerospace and medical. Not all of this will apply to a senior design project, but it is my thought process when prototyping.

1. Capture the voice of the customer (what EXACTLY does it have to do). Write it down. Verify it with the customer. Make sure you know exactly what success looks like. Translate this into the minimum viable prototype to achieve this success. Example of tradeoffs you can make at the prototyping stage: If it's a small portable device, but to go from phase 1 to phase 2 you don't have time to miniaturize the power supply, microcontroller, and secure batteries, the first prototype will be on a power and data tether from a laptop. If it's something mechanical that eventually has to weigh less than X, it can be fabricated quick and dirty as a proof of concept before you start adding expensive lightness.
   
   
2. Minimize innovation. Read that again. Minimize innovation. Don't be innovate anywhere you don't have to. Reuse whatever you can from the next closest thing, and only invent something new or do something unique/custom/cool/fun where you are adding unique value. Don't assume it is cheaper or easier or better to make something yourself instead of applying an industry-standard solution unless you already comprehensively know the pros and cons of the next best competitors and have a good idea why they made the tradeoffs that they did.
   
   
3. Try to only have one miracle per prototype. If you are inventing a new remote control something-or-other, don't try to test the controls and the mechanics and the motors and the battery all at once. Take an existing product and switch the motors out, put it back to stock and work the bugs out of the control system, then do the control system AND the motors, and once ALL of that works, try the control system, motors, and your new chassis all together, since you will be able to pinpoint what is going wrong much easier.
   
   
4. Know what questions you are trying to answer when you are going to consult with the customer. If you have a design decision, build prototypes far enough to be able to show them the difference (do you want it to work with a twist knob or a pull tab? How does this feel in your hand compared to this? Is this easy enough to adjust or does it need more friction?). Know before you talk to the customer what questions you want to ask.
   
   
5. Rapid prototyping can make beautiful parts...if you get good at sanding, bondo, and spray paint. It is worth a day of prep time to make your final version parts look nice. Anything that needs threaded fittings should get pressed and glued-in brass inserts, threads into plastic in prototype parts will strip exactly when you don't want them to and ruin your day.
   
   
6. For any actual fabrication, it will take twice as long and cost three times as much as you think it will right now. Always order a spare of anything with a lead time of more than 20% of your total project timeline if you can afford to, and if you can't afford to, think hard about if you should buy it anyway because when it breaks, not only will you be buying a new one, you will be expediting it. Don't be afraid to buy something that is 50% of what you want to make and throw away half of it, it's probably cheaper in the long run and the process of stripping down something similar to what you want to build might spark some ideas.
   
   
7. Get an account on McMasterCarr for anything physical like bolts, valves, fittings, bearings, etc. Get an account on Protocam for anything you need made of plastic--upload your parts to them, fill out a quick form, and they will give you quotes on whether they can make it, out of what material, and with which combination of machining or additive manufacturing (3d-printing). McMaster and Protocam can get you parts quicker than anybody else. Get a Misumi catalog. They are expensive but they are the industry standard for one-off fabrication of benches, tables, test rigs, etc for a reason--they are precise, modular, and durable.
   
   
8. If you want to add any electronics to your project, try to find something that is close enough and make it work--example, do not program your own temperature or flow control modules, just buy them. There are a whole lot of processes that can be controlled 'good enough' by a $30 PID controller off of Amazon. or clever use of limit switches and timer relays. If you can't do that, find someone who is good with Arduino and then google aggressively for similar projects (whatever it is, it has been done before) and steal as much of their code as you can get away with and still have it do what you want it to do. You will almost never need anything more than an Arduino unless you are a very CS-heavy group in which case you should know what you want to use instead.
   
   If you have specific or more focused questions around your project, I can reply to PM's if you'd like.

I've been looking into this space (best medium-cost maker/builder/fab tools) over the past couple of months, and here are my recommendations so far...

• CNC Mill (router) - For doing wood, plastic, and some light metal work, the Shapeoko 3 stands above the rest. It runs around $1.2k with a router included and can cut 16"x16"x3". You'll still need mill/router bits and materials, but pretty awesome for the price range. Note that they also just started selling larger versions (goes up to 33"x33"x3") for a few hundred dollars more. To move up to the next professional level but still on a budget, I'd consider building your own via CNCRouterParts Pro Kits (48”x48”x12”, $8k total).
  
  
• 3D Printer - The LulzBot TAZ 5 stands above the rest because of the range of materials it can print (with a special high temperature hot end) and its build area (11.7”x10.8”x9.8”). It's recently been reviewed by Make as the "Best Overall 3D Printer" which is a pretty high endorsement. It runs a little expensive ($2.2k) but looks like it's one of the best bets if you're looking to get into 3D printing.
  
  
• Lathe - You can get a mini lathe (7”x16”, $1.3k) in the price range you're considering, and while it may be a bit too speciality and manual, they're a great tool to have in your workshop. Especially if you like making round things.
  
  
• Laser Cutter - To get a decent laser cutter (not just engraving, but actually cutting materials) that won't break down, catch fire, release noxious fumes, or potentially blind you is currently around $4k minimum. There are a lot of cheap "eBay" laser cutters out there, but when you start to add up everything and weigh the risks they aren't really all that much cheaper. The two stand out models I've been considering are the FullSpectrum (40W, $6k) and the "coming soon" Glowforge Pro (45W, $4.8k).
  
  
• Electronics - You didn't mention this, but if you're looking at getting your hands dirty making things, electronics is now a pretty crucial component to support. The big ticket items (like an oscilloscope) are now a lot more reasonable than they were even 5 years ago and sites like SparkFun carry a lot of electronic components and tutorials that make it easy to get started even if you don't have much background in circuitry (yet!). My short list would include: a Rigol 50MHz, 4Chan, color disp, 4 probe oscilloscope ($450), a nice Weller soldering iron ($320), a soldering fume extractor ($70), some helping hands ($10), a Siglent signal generator ($360), and some nice boxes to keep your parts sorted ($20).
  
  Now go make some awesome things!
  

I assume you are running it off a CR2032. Not going to happen. You read adafruit's page on powering this thing right?

http://data.energizer.com/pdfs/cr2032.pdf

> Pulse drain of ~6.8mA.

EDIT: Your breadboard has just one issue. You really should solder the screw terminals to that board. I doubt you are going to get a very good electrical connection with the way you have it wired right now. It might work, might make it sound terrible, might not work at all. You can push the wires against the holes for a short term fix, but stuff like that is asking for trouble. You might put some capacitance in parallel with your button to do hardware debouncing. The capacitor would go from pin 2 to ground. The value doesn't matter much and you'll know if it's too small because you won't be debounced. 1n, 10n, 0.1u, 1u are all fine.

Check and make sure your speaker is either 4 or 8 ohms.

While you wait for your battery stuff from Adafruit you can try powering board from a cell phone charger. Don't do this with a USB port on your computer. You will likely either trip a resettable fuse, but you could possibly also damage the USB port drawing as much power as this thing takes. This idea probably won't work with two 4 ohm speakers, but should work with two 8 ohm or one 4 ohm speakers. As to the USB charger you want one that's rated for 5v 2a. From there you just use a wire to connect Vbus (pin 3) and Vin (pin 1).

Last bit of advice I have is use solid wires whenever possible. I pretty much only use stranded jumper wires when I need a female connector on one or both ends. Pull back the rubber boot over one of your alligator clips. If they look like this don't trust them. They're pretty much garbage which is why they are so cheap. The wire gauge is a lot thinner than the insulation leads you to believe. You can make them better by at least soldering the wire to the alligator clips, but really you would want thicker wire. At that point you should just buy good ones. You can get them from Amazon, but it's kind of a rip off. Better to get them from aliX and just be patient on the shipping.

https://www.amazon.com/Alligator-Clips-Heavy-Silicone-Jumper/dp/B07L29V4Z2/

I've bought leads from this aliX store before and have had good luck with them:

https://cleqee.aliexpress.com/store/group/Test-Leads/1810103_253379085.html

As to the actual clips I recommend these:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32352890876.html

Good luck!

>I'm not sure an impedance sweep would work for me

Well, a REAL impedance sweep would work, but the voltage drop test wouldn't. You can get a clamp for a very little amount and use it to measure the AC amperage at the positive output on your amp. Hook your dmm up to the positive and negative amp outputs, play a single freq. record the volts and amp, play another freq. etc. Divide the numbers and here's your impedance curve. I think that information will be incredibly useful for you because it will remove a lot of the guesswork when you build and rebuild.

>how would that react with the front phase

In a transmission line, the front and back waves are in phase so it's all good. Here's an example. And another

> tapered t-line

Awesome, remember the more you taper the more bandwidth you gain and output you lose. Don't go over a 3:1 ratio. Here's an incredibly helpful table that will show you determine the length of the line: http://i.imgur.com/DA1zW0B.png

S0= cross-sectional area at the closed end, SL= cross-sectional area at the open end.
So, a 2:1 would be a .5 on his table. Source if you want to read it.

> Those are safer, but still pretty expensive. It depends on what your limiting variables are.

They seem like they are cheaper and heavier than LiPo's, while also being more expensive and lighter than SLA's. Maybe not cheap enough, but maybe.

> Lightweight, high capacity, cheap -- choose two.

Ha, I see your point.

>I'm guessing you're price-limited, - you'll run out of money for panasonic lithiums before you run out of backpack space.

>12 V SLA is great because it's exactly the same as your car's chemistry so it's very easy to charge. As a side effect, you can use them to jump-start your car! It's gonna be heavy as fuck but realistically you can just leave it in your car.

>Basically, getting 20 v out of Lipos requires you to put like 5 or 6 in series and by that point it's a bitch to charge because you need to balance all the cells and run wires and the ICs are tiny as fuck, now you have to print circuit boards etc...

>You can get 24v out of two car batteries with some alligator clips, way easier.

Ya, I am out of the 18650 market for the next few years anyway. Definitely looking towards the SLA's now. I would want to get a bag with wheels for transporting, but that should be easy enough. I also want to be able to charge the thing on the road (to an extent).... and I guess with the 12V setup, I could potentially charge from vehciles and AC outlets. My next issue is the 24V to 20V converter.

I found this on amazon (http://www.amazon.com/DROK-Converter-Constant-Regulator-4-5V-30V/dp/B00NXF9LKO) thoughts? I wish it had a datasheet, but it looks like it would work for both voltage, and current limitting (listed as electrical adjust in image). I didn't find much on digikey or mouser, but I'm hardly an expert at searching those sites. I also need to look at the drop-out voltage of SLA's and looking for deep cycle batteries.

Thanks Again!

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.

Dacă ai fast charge pe device-uri (adică un telefon modern, puternic sau o tabletă se încarcă în 1-2h), și nu ai cabluri normate la 2-2.5 amperi, ceva se va topi/mișca prin el. Idem dacă sunt niște chinezării care pot duce 5v, dar nu 9v. Trebuie să ții cont de cum le încarci. De exemplu, pe laptop/PC poți scoate cam 0.5A max, de pe încărcătoarele vechi 0.8-1A, și de pe încărcătoarele pentru telefoane moderne, cam 2-2.5A. Dacă schimbi modul de încărcare, de ex de pe charger pe laptop, e normal să se încarce mai lent

Ce pot păți cablurile (și nu prea le poți repara, pentru că sunt turnate):

1. Curgerea (deformarea plastică) a izolației dintre fire - în functie de fir, poate ajunge să apară ca rezistență între V+ și masă, adică o parte din energie va fi în scurt prin fir, o altă parte va ajunge în telefon. Cumva echivalent cu o rezistență electrică pe alimentare.
   
   
2. Fast-charge pe cabluri ieftine = căldură. Dacă simți că mufa dinspre telefon se încălzește când încarci, ori dezactivezi fast-charging, ori îți iei un cablu pe care scrie că e ok cu fast-charging (poate avea diferite denumiri: IQ, IQ+, IQ2, QuickCharge, etc) sau ăla de la producător. Dacă se încinge - ori topești izolația și scade rezistența între semnale (ie - pierzi din putere), ori se mișcă (foarte puțin) contactele între fir și mufă - gândește-te că le favorizezi o poziție si le tensionezi să stea așa, după ce se va răci.
   
   
3. Dacă ții telefonul de fir, scoți mufa din telefon scuturând firul și așteptând/aruncând telefonul sau "smucești" firul, dacă îl ții prin buzunar (de ex cu o baterie externă) sau îi faci noduri/bucle/etc e posibil să busești una sau ambele mufe: fie smulgi o parte din fire din contacte (daca un semnal e pe multifilar) - scăzând astfel puterea pe care ar putea-o livra, fie - din nou, faci izolația din interior să curgă.
   
   
4. Dacă viteza cu care se încarcă telefonul pe un cablu "folosit" + încărcător bun e egală cu viteza cu care se încarcă pe un cablu "bun" și port usb PC SIMPLU (nu e albastru, nu scrie high power pe el, sau are alte iconițe în afară de USB) ai o problemă foarte comună. Prima generație de smartphoneuri care au avut nevoie de putere mai mare decât aveai dintr-un port USB de PC/laptop au făcut mufe "de încărcare" și cabluri "de date"; mufa de încărcare punea în scurt semnalele de date (D+ și D-) astfel încât telefonul știa că nu e legat la un PC (un PC ar folosi semnalele de date, ca să poți să te "uiți" in telefon și să-l "vezi" în My Computer), dar un încărcător nu. Au apărut apoi cablurile "de încărcare" care aveau scurtul direct în ele, și mergeau cu orice fel de încărcatoare - dar nu mai mergeau să legi telefonul la PC. De multe ori însă, izolația pe D+/D- e foarte foarte nașpa, mult mai nașpa decât cea de pe firele "de alimentare" (V+ și GND), astfel încât se poate străpunge/face scurt cu altceva sau pur și simplu rămâne "în aer" (D+ nu mai e în scurt cu D-). Dacă se întâmplă asta, atunci telefonul vede că D+ nu mai e în scurt cu D-, și încarcă lent. Telefonul comută viteza de încărcare, ca să nu blocheze portul USB (dacă telefonul vrea mai multa putere decât îi permite portul USB de pe PC, PC-ul va considera că portul e în scurt-circuit și îl va bloca)
   
   Cum le poți repara?
   Nu prea poți.
   
   Cum le poți testa?
   Nu foarte ieftin. Fie cu o su]rsă de laborator, și cu câteva rezistențe (sau niște rezistențe decadice), fie cu niște jucării d-astea: sarcină și tester. Nu prea le poți testa înainte sa le cumperi
   
   Cum alegi cabluri și cum te comporți cu ele?
   În experiența mea, Anker și cele OEM.
   
   
5. Cu cât e mai lung, cu atât pierzi mai multă energie "pe drum" și ce încarci se încarcă mai lent.
   
   
6. Asta se întâmplă indiferent de material; când chiar contează, diferența de preț va fi mult mai mare (think: aliaj cu aur)
   
   2.5 Singurul caz in care poți avea cabluri și lungi și care încarcă rapidă e atunci când cablul e gros. Foarte gros. De exemplu cu tool-ul ăsta, pe 5V/2A și pierderi de 5% ai secțiune de cupru în cablu de 1.5mm^2 și pentru pierderi de 1%, ai secțiune de 5mm^2. Distanța între pinii din mufa USB micro e de 0.5-0.6mm. Ai nevoie de 4 fire d-astea într-un cablu
   
   
7. Nu brusca cablurile și nu le fă bucle. Dacă chiar trebuie să le faci bucle, nu mai mici de 8-10cm, și fixează bucla în 2-3 locuri cu "șoricei" sau panglică de cabluri.
   
   
8. Contează atât calitatea firelor, cât și a conectorilor.
   
   
9. Conectorii turnați sunt aproape mereu superiori celor cu carcasă de plastic care se asamblează (personal nu am găsit contraexemplu). Dacă mufa din cablul tau se "desface" în 2 piese de plastic, si vezi firele și mufa, atunci nu e turnat, e probabil lipit prin cu adeziv. Problema nu e neapărat asta, ci faptul că un chinez îți va lipi cablul de mufă, comparativ cu lipirea automată pe cablurile turnate. Suplimentar, mufele turnate "umplu" mufa cu material, astfel încât devin mai rezistente la smulgeri, îndoiri repetate, etc, și sarcina e preluată de fir, nu de mufă. Cum le deosebești: e turnată dacă e dintr-un material similar cu cauciucul la atingere, sau pe două laturi opuse, unde observi o linie - linia nu e în interior. Linia reprezintă planul unde se închid cele două părți ale matriței de injecție, și fie va fi o nuanță ușor diferită, fie va avea altă textură. Poate fi prin turnare și dacă nu are nici o linie vizibilă. Dacă linia respectivă e înăuntru, atunci e planul unde cele două piese ale mufei se închid - și mufa e din două piese.
   
   5.2 Excepția e lipirea prin ultrasonare când ai tot două piese, dar lipitura nu e prin adeziv, ci forțezi piesele să vibreze la frecvențe suficient de mari încât se topesc în punctul de contact și masele plastice se amestecă. Arată mult mai bine decât o mufă din două piese lipită cu adeziv, și lipitura nu se vede, ci pare că e dintr-o singură bucată.
   
   
10. Also, nu cumpăra cabluri prea ieftine. Dacă se încinge și ai sub cablu ceva ușor inflamabil, ai pus-o.

VO Mixes

Nigeria was pretty fun but Argentina was on a new level and fast became my favorite mix to do. Also tagging on r/vintageobscura is sometimes off and that is how a Brazillian MBP artist is on here. But besides that the Argentinan mix is a nice mix of progressive, psych and tango and cements my love for spanish as a premere language for dreamy music.

Ghost Hunting

This weekend i my wedding anniversary and it is becoming a thing for my wife and I to go ghost hunting / ghost tours. We are staying in a supposedly haunted hotel and going to a colonial village for ghost tours. I think I talked about ghosts before and even a few weeks ago I shared my one phobia (besdies insects) which is death which I feel this interest stems from. I like to say I do not believe in ghosts or have yet to believe it but I would like to amend that to a strong belief in the possibility of the supernatural or unexplainable but as current ghost culture stands (haunted hospitals, castles, victorian houses) I feel that is just a composite of modern folklore. Regardless our tour will have EMF detectors so we can find anomalies which I am sure will be someones phone. Although I should have my own.

https://www.amazon.com/The-Ghost-Meter-EMF-Sensor/dp/B000ZH7G1E

The Disaster Artist

I am currently halfway through this book about the making of the cult film The Room written by one of the actors who played Mark. I am less into The Room and the fandom behind it but the book is a fascinating character study on the film's creator and adds l;ayers of complexity on an already baffling film.

Shows

So I finally got through Westworld and despite the show having everything I love (genre fiction, sci fi, philosophical undertones) I feel that it spent way too long patting itself on the back for being clever. I was actually more interested in the mundane details of the park (loops, cleanup, development, history) than I was about the overall story of hosts gaining sentience. The end of the first season was engaging but holy shit the second half of that first season was taken over by the guy in philosophy class that starts out his rant with a Matrix quote.

I am currently in search for a new show and I am debating on going through Black Mirror or the Leftovers. I have netflix and HBO if that narrows it down.

You can buy an RF explorer from amazon for like $130. I got the basic silver model, but they have one that can scan the 2.4ghz range, as well. We run all Sennheiser, so I take scans with the RF explorer, which is plugged into my laptop via USB. I use Vantage to take the scans, convert it to WWB, and then coordinate. There are other programs for both PC and MAC for cheaper that takes in scans and converts them to WWB. Shure has an hour long tutorial on youtube that will teach you almost everything you need to know to get started.

​

The RF explorer comes with an antenna that screws on to the device itself. You can buy a SMA to BNC so that you can hook up your explorer to your wireless distro. I would check out Drew Brashler on Youtube about wireless coordination. He has a video that goes through RF coordination from beginning to end, and has some really good tips.

​

It you run all Shure wireless that can connect via cat cables, you can really do some cool things with WWB. It would let you monitor RF in real time, push new freqs without having to go to the receivers, and etc.

​

Best of luck!

Things you should do now:

• Contact the power company. Someone may be stealing electricity from you. Your meter may be broken. Someone may have shifted a decimal place in your cost per kWh.
  
• Buy some kind of watt meter and check the appliances and electronics in your home to see what's using the most power.
  
• Get an energy audit. A lot of times your energy companies or your state/municipality will have free or discounted options for this available. Have someone come check what's using power, where your heating/cooling dollars are going, etc.
  
  Things to consider in the future:
  
  
• More insulation, especially in the attic. Walls and floor are helpful as well.
  
• Pressure test the house. This is something an energy audit company may do for you. Increase the pressure in the house using a large volume fan and use smoke to identify where your house is drafty. Fix the air leaks.
  
• Upgrade to a more efficient heating/cooling system. Heat pumps are all the rage these days. If you have electric heating, that's pretty much the least efficient way to go in terms of heating your house or your hot water (or cooking or drying clothes). Upgrade to heat pump or natural gas.
  
• Update your windows with low-E coated double-paned argon-filled glass. It sounds like you may have already done this. If your new windows didn't check all three boxes, consider getting your money back.
  
• Plant deciduous trees on the south side of your property. While not an immediate benefit, the leaves in the summer will help keep the sun off your house, keeping the cooling costs down. In the winter, the leaves fall off, letting the sun shine through and warm the house.
  
• Check for drafts on interior walls. If you have electrical or plumbing running through your interior walls, and the holes through your top and sill plates aren't properly sealed, you may have a draft of air moving from the basement/crawlspace up into the attic, making your interior wall effectively a cold radiator. Seal the gaps with spray foam to stop the drafts.
  
• Add a water heater blanket around your hot water heater. This will help keep more heat inside the water, so you spend less energy keeping the water hot in case it's needed. Better yet, upgrade to a tankless unit and only pay for hot water that you actually use.

I Love This Greenlee Drill/Tap set!

And of course my Wera Screwdriver Set. Makes dealing with terminals a breeze.

Everyone here seems to like Milwaukee power tools, but I have a Milwaukee drill/driver, but seriously, I prefer the 12V Bosch drill and impact driver. I was trying to use the brand new Milwaukee to drive a 1/4" lag bolt into my dock, and it stalled about 4 threads in. Grabbed the 8 year old Bosch, and drove it all 3 inches down without a sweat.

ETA: Something I only pull out once in a blue moon, but when I do need it, a good Fox and Hound is an absolute bloody necessity! I have that one for general wires, and my Fluke network test kit one for Coax/Copper Ethernet. I wish there was some way for someone to make one for fiber, but oh well, that's next generation physics.

I guess I should also say, the GreenLee Slug-Buster knockout set is amazing. No time spent trying to pop out slugs from the punches.

Oh, lord, I could go on...

Okay, one last one, sitting on my desk: a Brady printer. I can use that to print wire labels FAST (Real Fast), directly importing from a wire run list in a CSV format, but it also does legend plates, and pushbutton/switch plates. Godly.

Okay, I'm done.

No wait.. .One more, for instrumentation guys: Fluke 4-20mA Clamp on... LOVE IT

Okay, I'm really, REALLY Done

As suggested, circuit analysis equipment such as digital multimeters, oscilloscopes, and waveform generators are all good ideas. Some of these, if they're good quality, can be quite pricey. If you're not looking to break the bank for a nifty gift idea, I would suggest a tesla coil. It has very unique capabilities and is a neat ass toy/tool to own as an electrical engineer. They have a wide price range so you've got a good bit of variance to choose from depending on your budget.

For example:

$35 smaller one

$80-$90 medium-ish

Is he into guns? Some companies manufacture these things called coilguns. They use electromagnetism to shoot projectiles which he might find interesting. They're nowhere near the strength of traditional firearms but still pretty useful when keeping squirrels out of the bird feeder.

Don't know if this site sells them but this will give you insight as to what they are.

Hope this helps, let me know what you decide on!

Edit: Also, voltage/current measuring USB sticks

> Thanks so much, this looks awesome. However it also is above my head (certainly not my dad's though I'm sure). Just curious what exactly does it do aside from test transistors (seems like with software updates new functionality is being added?
>

It tests transistors, diodes, resistors, inductors, capacitors (gives things like ESR which is essential for testing capacitor health), zeners, mosfets, triacs, SCRs, etc. It also gives a square wave out and freq generator and I think one or two other functions that I forget.

The ones without the case are better because they have open pads for testing SMD components.

If he wouldn't mind a kit, I would order something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/SainSmart-Multifunctional-Transistor-Capacitance-Frequency/dp/B01L911IHC/ref=sr_1_5?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1474162673&sr=1-5&keywords=GM328+tester

For some this is a downside to a kit is he builds it himself. For me though, that is a fun upside. You know your dad well enough to know if this is good or bad.

The reason I suggest this one is that it is WAY better than any of the preassembled ones that I could find on Amazon. It has the rotary encoder to step through the menus in the newer version, it also has the nice layout for the SMD testing. eBay is tough because most of the ones on eBay ship from China and will take a month to get here.

I would drill holes in a stiff material to line them up to meet your designs specifications, and use something like a "metal test probe pin," or pogo pin, to align the legs individually. I use this method, and it helps me out quite effectively. Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Uxcell-a15091500ux0390-P75-E2-Convex-Diameter/dp/B018YPQ6ZK/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1543465361&sr=8-5&keywords=pogo+pins But anything small and cylindrical will do the job of moving the legs of the pot for your needs without compromising the legs enough to break on you. I hope this helps you; it works for me. Cheers

Thank you these great resources.
I've previously purchased a handheld spectrum analyzer that covers 1Mhz~6Ghz, and I could never find anything suspicious aside from a huge signal intensity spike at 1.6Ghz one day, while in a previous apartment. Orders of magnitude stronger than any other frequency at that location, but that's when I was hearing intense "ultrasonic noise", which could have been harmonics from that higher freqency, in retrospect.

While that device is based on software defined radio, I also have a USB SDR packed away, and will be dusting it off when I have my own place to stay again. I think I need to buy/make a shielded enclosure for the USB version, because the output was extremely noisy the last time I tried. I'll take a look for SDR# addons and other decoders.

I'd like to hear more of your ventillation shielding ideas. I'm currently suggesting copper heatercores (instead of the industry-standard and expensive honeycomb style vents), but metal foams and other deflection and absorbtion may be better for a similar price point.

Hi there, I have experienced something like this twice. If you are sure that everything is in order and there are no obvious billing errors, I strongly suggest you get a clamp ammeter like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-323-True-RMS-Clamp-Meter/dp/B00AQKIEXY/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1500148644&sr=8-7&keywords=power+meter+clamp

Power all circuits down in your house, switch everything off. Put the clamp over the inlet cable and see if there is power running through, if there is, something is broken or wrong, call an electrician. If not, then power each device or item up, one at a time and look for things that are drawing excessive electricity.

I had a beer fridge fail one day, but it did not die, the motor decided to run 24/7 somehow not freeze the beer, but just keep drawing. I've also dealt with a faulty fluorescent basalt that was drawing way more power than it should have been, even while seemingly working fine. In both cases, there was a sudden cost spike and my utilisation increased significantly.

Clamp meters allow you to measure the power without exposing the cables, so this is safest if you're not electrically savvy. I would also suggest a device like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Excelvan-Display-Voltage-Electricity-Monitor/dp/B00E1E1XA2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500148919&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=power+meter+plug&psc=1

You can use this occasionally to test and check equipment or appliances are not over drawing. Some of these plugs have the ability to state the cost of the electricity being used, a useful tool to gauge the cost of running or owning appliances.

I have one of these and I was happy with it. Link

However I recently picked up one of the NanoVNA and for just about $10 more than the one you linked this things is totally amazing. Here is a great YouTube video which is sort of a review and instruction video all in one.

Brand? Believe it or not the one called Ghost Meter $25. (See link) Worked the best for me. It has light and sound. The k2 is ok but had some kinks. And the more complex was just that.
Recorders vary. The best is Tascam Dr recorders.
But regular works just fine.



https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000ZH7G1E/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1503930134&sr=8-7&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=emf+meter&dpPl=1&dpID=41xP%2ByPv9VL&ref=plSrch

OP, it’s possible your current sensor isn’t getting data through properly. How fast does it actually charge? It may be useful to pick up a cheap USB current & voltage meter. I got a nice one and I have used it countless times.

[Cheap](USB Meter, DROK Digital Multimeter USB 2.0, Multifunctional Electrical Tester, Capacity Voltage, Current Power Meter Detector Reader with Dual USB Ports, LED Displahttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J3JSEG6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ss8IDbE6C7JCJ)

[The one I have with unlimited useful tools. ](AVHzY USB Meter Tester Multimeter USB Load Current Tester Voltage Detector DC 26.0000V 6.0000A Test Speed of Charger Cables Capacity of https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073R7YRM9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_Gc6nVKprYh32G)

I also purchased a DE-5000 on June 24th, 2017. I've used it for field repair of capacitors on SMPS and it works wonderfully. It has features found in units 5 times it's cost. The original design was by IET but I believe the OEM must be selling it directly now. The price for the IET branded unit was much higher. Dave Jones did a teardown of it but my favorite review is by TRX Bench. Test Signal is 0.63VAC RMS when I measured it. Here's the Manual.

Parts list is dependent on what controller you use. This is a decent one.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0195V53X8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_n5DWCbX7WY6NB

You will need a box or container for the pid and wires. A temp probe that will work in the 500c temps. And a solid state relay. https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Solid-SSR-25-3-2-32V-24-380V/dp/B0087ZTN08/ref=pd_aw_fbt_328_3/147-7782181-2201822?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0087ZTN08&pd_rd_r=0b211574-6776-11e9-b475-c358acaaf9b4&pd_rd_w=As9SE&pd_rd_wg=uOeRp&pf_rd_p=3ecc74bd-d08f-44bd-96f3-d0c2b89f563a&pf_rd_r=X57XWHY664NJBVVBD0AS&psc=1&refRID=X57XWHY664NJBVVBD0AS&th=1

That's an example, I need to do more digging to make sure its capacity is ok. I think it should work.

In general, a pid controller says "turn on the relay when the temperature is between x and y. Turn off when the temperature reads z.

This type of probe would work

https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Prime-TL1815-HeadProbe-Thermocouple-Temperature/dp/B0142S9J4S/ref=pd_aw_sbs_79_1/147-7782181-2201822?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0142S9J4S&pd_rd_r=49d6e55b-6777-11e9-af2b-df456cd2a423&pd_rd_w=eR1mx&pd_rd_wg=w1VKC&pf_rd_p=aae79475-6dc9-4a12-80e8-27b63108fa72&pf_rd_r=BHRC8SSGY71B2D18D2Q1&psc=1&refRID=BHRC8SSGY71B2D18D2Q1&th=1

These are perfect. There's also a 4-cycle one, but this one does the job. Two intervals, each programmable.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008KV65MS?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

The same thing is available on US Amazon.

BEAUTIFUL lid. i really wish i had that. the only other thing i'd recomend is a rigid type k thermo couple, and a small hole drilled in your lid so you can consistently place it.

are you not worried about the wood burning/browning? when i was using some wood blocks to sit on top, they did brown a bit. i don't know if they are offgassing anything bad. if the wood was treated with anything.

https://www.amazon.com/Uxcell-a15063000ux0338-Stainless-Temperature-Thermocouple/dp/B017LB3BQA/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=type+k+thermocouple+probe&qid=1573149067&sr=8-5

it's long enough that it should be able to reach down near the bottom. place it near a corner so it's much less likely to get hit by the bread paddle. it will likely be longer than you need, but just have it sit on a wood block, like your exhaust stopper, until it rests at the right depth.

this is a very inexpensive thermocouple reader
https://www.amazon.com/Proster-Thermocouple-Thermometer-Dual-Channel-Thermocouples/dp/B071V7T6TZ/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=thermocouple+reader&qid=1573149233&sr=8-4

but the temp probe i linked, doesn't have the right connector to plug into this unit. you need the yellow connector like this, but i don't know if it's long enough

https://www.amazon.com/PerfectPrime-TL1815-HeadProbe-Thermocouple-Temperature/dp/B0142S9J4S/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=type+k+thermocouple+probe&qid=1573149211&sr=8-3

A nice fancy multimeter perhaps?

https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-323-True-RMS-Clamp-Meter/dp/B00AQKIEXY?ref_=ast_sto_dp

not really, it's almost the price of a DER EE de 5000, which is an actual good lcr meter in addition to just being able to test ESR.

https://www.amazon.com/5000-Handheld-LCR-Meter-accessories/dp/B00S298KJO/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=DER+EE+5000&qid=1554329265&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spell

I can't find the articles I was reading but based on what I found - yes, the phone will use the full 27 watts. But there's a caveat with the whole quickcharge thing. I believe this is true for both USB-C PD and QuickCharge 1-4+.

No batteries in any Android or iPhones will quick charge from zero to 100%, which is why the marketing says "5 hrs of charge in 5 mins" or "50% charge in 15 minutes" and yet nothing about how long to full charge. When the battery is nearly drained and not too hot it will quick charge at max voltage for awhile, then somewhere between 30 and 50% it drops the voltage, then after awhile it drops it down some more. By the time you're at 80% it's charging at close to a standard 5v/2A rate.

The full explanation is pages long and gets into all that stuff with heat, electrolytes, anodes, dendrites, C-ratings, etc etc. So quick charging is nice but it's not everything the marketing implies. I'm going to have 2 quick chargers and then make do with a bunch of adapters for the normal ones already scattered all over the place.

edit:
If you want to know for a fact what charger/device/battery combo is doing what and when, you need one of these guys:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073R7YRM9/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I1B17SFT39RCSC&colid=2K0VHPRC4OVAZ

They have used em meters since the 18th or 19th century in seances and like hauntings. This gives their bullshit a scientific garb.

Both from Amazon

YZXstudio 1270 meter, a XINY Load Tester Board and RIJER USB adapters

Definitely buy one of these. Some things are more important that siding or wiring or radon or whatever

So you just want a current meter?

[Fluke 323 True-RMS Clamp Meter ~$100 on amazon](
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00AQKIEXY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_dp_T2_pTavzbJDCH1BV)

Two options - use the kW rating on the name plate or buy a [clamp meter] ( http://www.amazon.com/Fluke-323-True-RMS-Clamp-Meter/dp/B00AQKIEXY) which goes completely around the wiring and measures how many amps you're actually using at that moment. Amps multiplied by voltage equals watts. Watts multiplied by 1,000 equals kilowatts.

Edit: learn2math.

Metal spring test probe

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018YPQ6ZK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_duXBCbK18TPKE

What about this one? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AQKIEXY?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

I thought about getting into building them but shipping them would be a huge pain. I used Amazon for the 395nm LEDs, a 120v to 12v converter from eBay and I just switched to this timer:

https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-Digital-Switch-110-220V-IDT-E2RH/dp/B008KV65MS

It's simple to measure power draw if you have multi-meter and willing to cut open a short extension USB cable to measure current and voltage at the point near the sensors usb connector.

You can also use these devices, but they aren't as accurate.
https://www.amazon.com/Multimeter-YZXstudio-KAAYEE-Recognition-Resistance/dp/B01KTV9RHQ/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1485270055&sr=8-8&keywords=usb+power+meter

These circuits are located in event halls. The events are pretty small so we only risk the 20amp circuits but I like to think a few steps ahead to avoid power loss in the middle of a tournament.

The biggest issue is computers. Most of the lower end ones are not a problem but when you have 1k watt to 1.5k watt power supplies the amps add up quick. I figured if I was able to monitor the power I could proactively make sure we are not getting close to tripping circuits.

Do you know if meters such as this work accurately? Do you think it would work for what I am trying to do even if I have to manually go up to it and test it? https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-323-True-RMS-Clamp-Meter/dp/B00AQKIEXY/

Relay Timer: https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-Digital-Switch-110-220V-IDT-E2RH/dp/B008KV65MS

Pressure Switch: https://www.coleparmer.com/i/dwyer-cxa-s3-water-pump-pressure-switch-nc-range-35-150-psig-2-4-10-3-bar/6806346

Pump: https://www.kleen-ritecorp.com/p-58407-aquatec-58-flc-220-pump-with-220-psi-pressure-swich-internal-bypass-12-motor-leads-115-vac.aspx

Solenoid valve: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007N0J98E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/The-Ghost-Meter-EMF-Sensor/dp/B000ZH7G1E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1300602728&sr=8-1


because I wanted to be a ghost hunter...

It's possible that there is high EMF (electromagnetic fluctuations) in that area which could be affecting your brain. Might be due to loose wires in the wall, water pipes in weird orientations, etc. If you want to check out that possibility buy an $18 EMF meter (http://smile.amazon.com/The-Ghost-Meter-EMF-Sensor/dp/B000ZH7G1E/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1464192135&sr=8-4&keywords=emf+meter). Maybe your body is acting as some kind of antenna, which is why it only appears while you're there.

Alternatively it could be something there. If you want someone to come and check it out, look for a local paranormal investigation group. If you're in New York www.ghosthotline.com is one