cynicmonster

I'd like a copy please. [email protected] ;D Thanks in advance

Hi All, I have a mate who has a large solar setup for his house and was asking me about some sort of voltmeter setup for him to be able to read easily which bank of batteries need charging. Please excuse my ignorance, but would it be as simple as rigging up the voltmeter project posted elsewhere across each bank of batteries and obtaining a readout from this? It sounds a bit simple and I am wondering about the current these battery packs pass (old forklift batteries). The batteries are wired in parallel to get 12v and 500 amp (by what he has told me??? would this be right? I could understand 50 amp, but 500....) Are there things I should be taking into account when thinking about this (besides a supply for the meters)? Looking forward to replies, cynicmonster

Hi Ante, Thanks for the clarification ;D ;D. I got one of them, so I'll have a look around to see if nozzles are available, otherwise I'll have a chat to an engineering mate and see what he can come up with re: nozzle. Thanks again, cynicmonster

Hi All, Thanks for your responses. Ante..wtf...I have no idea what it is you are holding, but it looks very 'Tim the Toolman'. I'm sure it would look great in my shed ;D Gogo..thanks for putting me on to the sucker. I looked up the item you mentioned (found it on the Radio Shack website), but I have yet to find them available in Oz. I don't know if I could justify the cost to get one out here, but am seriously considering it. I'll keep harassing our local stockists :) Should I be concerned about the temp. components might reach during de-soldering? I have a temp. controlled iron, but I am also aware of the tech. data that advise of soldering temps v's time. Thanks All, cynicmonster

Hi All, Is it just me being a novice in this field, or is there a knack to de-soldering components from commercially made boards? During my travels I have aquired several old boards which have components which (I think) would be useful. It seems though that they are very hard to de-solder (I have been using both a solder sucker and braid). Am I wasting my time, or is there a proper way of doing it? Regards, cynicmonster

Hi All, I'm looking for some opinions regarding the choice of an oscilloscope. I am currently in the market for a 'scope and have been inundated with salesman pitch. What I need to know is: what needs to be looked at to help in the decision of purchasing a new unit. Some of the points of discussion (arguments!) that I have had include the frequency range (should I be looking for something with a range around 50Mhz - or is this required only for digital work) and whether it should be CRO or digital. I have noticed a lot of digital units that plug into a computer. Is it more feasible to head towards a pc-based 'scope in this day and age? Is a 'scope a piece of equipment that, if the right decision is made on day 1, will be with you for a long portion of your career without the need to upgrade? I figure that the majority of work I will be doing will be on the benchtop so I'm not looking for a portable unit. Looking forward to some feedback from you people that have been in the field for a long time. Regards, Cynicmonster :)

Something else to consider with a board is if it is modular. i.e. you could start with a small board and over time add extra modules to give you a larger board.

Hi All, Just curious as how to determine the power rating of a resistor....a bit more info...I have picked up a box of electronic bits and pieces recently and have a quantity of what are large, old resistors. They are constructed of a dark tan material, almost like a PCB material, the smaller ones are 10mm x 3mm radius, while the other lot are bigger again. And on the point of old parts, do parts such as resistors, caps, etc. have a shelf-life (besides improvements on tolerances, are they unusable after a certain period of time - I wouldn't have thought so...). Picked up an old A.E.E brand capacitor - the code is RKA1230 1 uf. I can't imagine using it anywhere (about half the size of a brick!!) but curious to find out if it contains PCB. I haven't been able to find any info from this end specific to this model. Anyone need a Mullard Brand ZM1000 valve???.... Hope to hear back soon.

Thanks Audioguru, Will include diodes and see how it goes. :)

Hi All, What a great site! Sitting here at the mo in 33C sipping a cold beer....(what's a snow plough??...lol) I'm a newbie to the electronics field, having dabbled a bit as a youngster and then having to go into the workplace :( . So, in preparation for my mid-life crisis, I have decided to follow up and do something I have always wanted to do. I am currently teaching myself about this subject and boy! - a lot of theory!!. Anyways, I thought I would try my hand at a bit of PCB design and started with the LED sequencer project you have on this site. I have drawn up a 4-module and an 8-module board and am hoping that someone with more knowledge could review this for potential errors (track sizes, distance b/w nets, etc.). I am also in the process of setting up a lab in my shed and have been following the forum on the 30v-5a PSU (after 52 pages about the original 3a version and another 19 on the 5a version, my knowledge in electronic theory has improved a bit!). I think I'll wait until this project has been finalised before attempting to build it. BTW - got a great Opportunity Shop (y'know, a church fundraising shop) in my town - just picked up a large box of various electronic components (caps, resistors, pots, IC sockets, etc.) for $20 Aus ;D , very happy indeed. hope you all enjoy the weather over there...hhmmm...beer's almost empty...and hope to speak again. P.S. If this doesn't belong here, please move to the right spot. Pad2Pad_print_job_LED_Sequencer.pdf Pad2Pad_print_job_LED_Sequencer_2.pdf