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AddOhms

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AddOhms

DIY Arduino Schematic board and Checklist

DIY Arduino Schematic Banner

One of the last significant steps in a project is designing the custom PCB. This stage means creating a DIY Arduino board that is custom to the application. Two examples of my past projects are BinBoo, a Binary Clock, and Open Vapors, my reflow oven controller.

While working on a project for a friend, I got to thinking; it would be nice to have a checklist for circuit elements to include on a DIY Arduino board. In the early days, I forgot to add a filter cap to AREF, for example.

These tips are based on an 8-bit AVR design, like the ATmega328p chip. You could apply these tips to other 8-bit AVRs. Until now, I have not designed a custom board around a 32-Bit/ARM board. Though at only $16, I would be tempted to just solder the Teensy module directly to my finished board.

Below is a written list of items for a DIY Arduino checklist. If you’d like to see me design this board in KiCad, check out this AddOhms Tutorial.

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AddOhms

What is the Bald Engineer doing?

The next AddOhms Tutorial is how to design a DIY Arduino board. What are the elements you need to include in your own circuit design? While editing the video, I ended up on this frame. It looked to me like I was praying. (At one point I was having serious technical issues with my equipment. But it is unrelated to that frame!) On Twitter, my friend Philip had a different take.

What caption comes to mind when you see this picture? Leave a comment with yours.

Op-Amp Question

If you can’t think of a caption, maybe you can help with a different question. What your favorite LM741 op amp alternative? I’ve been working on some tutorials and videos on op-amps. I’d like to incorporate something other than the old stand-by.

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AddOhms

Crazy Circuits Hands-On and Q&A (AddOhms Live!)

In April 2017 I backed a project on Kickstarter called “Crazy Circuits.” It looked like a cool concept that was well developed, so I even included it in the Baldengineer Newsletter. I do not typically promote Kickstarter projects–unless they are exceptional in some way. I liked the concept of circuits that worked with existing LEGO-sized boards and pieces. Their shipping was a couple of months off, but nothing compared to some Kickstarter disasters. I received my Crazy Circuits kit in November, compared to the promised September.

The product concept is simple enough I could not put the time into a full write-up or an AddOhms Tutorial video. So, instead, I featured it on an AddOhms Live stream. For example, to connect an LED to a battery, just snap in some conductive “tape.” In the video, I am building my first two circuits ever. I do think the ribbon takes a bit of practice. However, as I said earlier, I like that it adapts to existing LEGO bricks rather well.

If you know someone interested in electronics but afraid of soldering, I think the Crazy Circuits kits are an interesting option. The case they come in is nice. (I know, strange thing to throw out there, but I do like the sorting case.)

After the hands-on, which lasts about 30 minutes, I answer viewer questions. These questions cover op-amps, LEDs, and capacitors.

Watch Crazy Circuits Hands-On, on YouTube
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AddOhms

Voltage Dividers as Regulators?! | AddOhms #22

Can you use voltage dividers as regulators? What if you add a Zener Diode? In this AddOhms episode, I show what happens when you try to power a complex circuit like an ESP8266 with a voltage divider instead of a regulator. (Spoiler: Get a voltage regulator.) This video tutorial is related to a write up I did recently on Zener Diodes. For questions or comments visit the AddOhms Discussion Forum.

Behind the scenes

A significant change for this AddOhms Episode is that I moved from Final Cut Pro X to Premiere Pro. I also shot the entire video in 4K, even though the output is 1080p. Animations were still done as 1080p compositions. One snag I ran into, the color corrections I applied in PPro, didn’t seem to get exported. You might notice when the breadboard is on screen, it has a very slight yellow tint to it.

I’ve been changing how I produce the videos. It’s shortening the cycle time. The key is that I’m not trying to animate every scene. The amount of work involved is just too much. I animate practically every frame. So in a 6-minute video, that’s just too much.

By the way, there are two easter eggs in this episode. Can you find them?

Voltage Dividers as Regulators on YouTube
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Brushless DC Motor Introduction | AddOhms #21

The first part of the tutorial looks inside of a Brushless DC Motor, or, BLDC. Then I show a discrete transistor circuit that can drive one. Of course, you’ll need a Microcontroller like an Arduino to drive it! Lastly, I briefly talk about an ESC.

Overall, a BLDC is better than a Brushed DC Motor (talked about those on #20) because:

  1. There are no brushes to wear out
  2. No sparks when the motor spins
  3. You can get way faster RPMs out of a BLDC.

Check out the AddOhms #21: Brushless DC (BLDC) Motors. Show notes are available here.

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