بسم الله الحمدلله والصلوة والسلام على رسول الله
Hi guys... I've been using my Variator and Phaserion for as long as I can remember doing projects. Especially Phaserion which was used to power up so many things, even charging drill batteries. I also learned loads making a display for Phaserion. Great days.
Nowadays my Phaserion will need to be rested and probably reconstructed. Here are the things I learned these past few years with the devices:
- It was not elegantly done I have to say, in retrospect. Its main issue was the stability of the output which I felt is probably due to the trimpot which was quite susceptible to temperature and physical disturbances. What I mean is: If you're just stirring things up and make the gizmo move a bit, the voltage output becomes a lot unstable.
- The connector wires coming out of it is kinda falling apart. This is well... because the rubber insulation is crappy. I don't know why they make this things turn gooey and slimy and sticky after some time. It's like it's made to be replaced. I know the business side to this, but really guys... everyone knows that's bad business. Look at the Japs. Their stuff lasts, and so do their legacy.
- The crocodile clips were also losing grip. I've seen this in many crocodile clips too.. so not much to say. But the ones I had were kinda kiddie types. So we'll have to move on to higher quality ones.
After a while I wanted to be better. So enter a HP adapter which was used to power up a printer. It has been in my collection for quite a long time. It had great engineering in many ways, good casing, stable electronics, etc (well... it's HP, what more can I say). Here's the fella:
The adapter has two rails: one 32V which gives out 500 mA max output current, and the 15V rail which gives out 530mA. I'll use the 32 rail.
Okay, so I've gathered some stuff over the years which will greatly improve my outlook. Here are some of the things:
I have to say.. it looked pretty neat and compact. I guess next is I'm going to learn some more voodoo electronics to control the current as well and work on a display for the power source. This will take time since I just do this for hobby.
Conclusion: Enough about my gizmos. Let's talk about me.
I guess I'll part with some wise words. Been all flowery and technical but here you go.
I have been pursuing my passion and I think passion is what keeps me going. I've been through the rat race and getting myself a bit of that corporate ladder climbing and it turns me off. The corporate world is full of people wanting to be in control that they have to require you to be monitored like some chump. So I said - I don't want to be that guy.
During the days of my dreary office dawdles in 2015, an ever-in-torpor me was approached by a friend asking for some help with electronics (just some simple transistor circuits). I obliged. I immediately came to life (was nearly going to sleep in my small bedding under my table due to the freezing temperatures of corporate air-cond) when I had to figure out the circuit. It's because of the passion I have developed - I again was reminded of my actual passion... and perhaps calling.
Symbolically, I happened on a comic strip around the same time by Gavin in Zen Pencils. It sparked something in me and the rest is history. And the number of Gavin's entry was a nice round 150. I'm not sure how things will turn out yet in my life, but I know one thing: I've never regretted not being back being somebody's lackey.
So my message to everyone: Pursuing your passion is hard because you need to be really brave and challenge conventions all the time. Why? Because you'll be going against the grain of well-established routes, the road less traveled.
Ever saw a holiday ad? Go to some well-established place, with a tour guide, get to some hotel with kinda okay food, go around at perhaps marvel at a thing or two, buy a trinket saying you've been there. But deep down you knew it: the place was well prepared for people like you, who wanted some novelty in life when you're on some escapade - but not too much novelty. And it has morphed into some junk food holiday scene where it'll serve more people to come. That's what happened to Ladakh, if you've watched the Three Idiots: junk holidays.
It's different than making up your own mind of what you want to see in life. Ever traveled somewhere and saw a beautiful spot? Or a mysterious road which looked nice? Why not go there? Sure, it might not be what you like. But what if you liked what you discovered?
I've been traveling where the wind takes me when I do. And I'm no hippie. I believe in structure against chaos. And out of 10 places I randomly go, I find 2 or 3 places I'm pleasantly surprised to discover. Five might not be to my liking. The other two would be like meh.
For all this, you'd have to be willing to insist to travel more. You'd be saying like, "I want to see that field". And your partner might say, "No.. that doesn't look good". But this can be introspective. You don't have to travel if it's not your cup of tea. Travel your own universe, if you like it. It'll give you perspective and you'll appreciate life more. You'll think more. You'll see more about what you want to be when you're given the time to think. It is only when the flame stays still that it illuminates. You want true stillness to illuminate your life? Be away from your comfort zones. Figuratively and literally.
It will be anything but conventional, I promise you.
Which brings me to my last point. Pursuing your passion means you have to develop a tenacity towards things you believe in, and that requires you to be assertive and appear to be sometimes offensive. But if you believe in what you're is is ultimately meaningful, then by all means pursue the goal, and take responsibility.
If you do this ultimately to take control of your life as a liberated person, and ultimately serve God, you are already successful. Nothing else matters from there.
Thank you for anyone reading this. I've summarized perhaps a good five years of my life here.
Vizier87
The adapter has two rails: one 32V which gives out 500 mA max output current, and the 15V rail which gives out 530mA. I'll use the 32 rail.
Okay, so I've gathered some stuff over the years which will greatly improve my outlook. Here are some of the things:
- High-grade quality crocodile clips and wires: These clips are from salvaged grounding straps used in electronics factories. I coupled them with telephone cords; they seem to be one of the sturdiest cables I've ever seen so we'll go with it. Another advantage: the cables come with the receptacles so it'll be super easy to connect or disconnect them on demand!
- Adjustable Voltage Regulators - LM317: These voltage regulators are of a smaller packaging, the SOT-223. Capable of adjusting between 1.27 to 37V. I got them as sample from TI in the good old days when they gave them... as samples. This perhaps date back to 2013? I'm not sure
- A low-noise potentiometer salvaged from old DVD player: Now these guys are cool because they are kinda vintage. But most importantly: they're also salvaged. This one is 50 kΩ
- Some small perfboard, a 1 kΩ resistor and assemble the circuit as shown in the Phaserion article.
Now to the assembling part.
1. First you'll need to take the adapter apart to access the wiring. Now, this is tricky. These adapters are not made to be pried so easily even if they have screws. After googling around, the what-have-yous recommended spraying the seamed parts with lubricant before prying it apart with a screwdriver. So I did just that. The dents on the plastic casing is, I think, pretty much inevitable.
Here's how it looked like, after opening:
1. First you'll need to take the adapter apart to access the wiring. Now, this is tricky. These adapters are not made to be pried so easily even if they have screws. After googling around, the what-have-yous recommended spraying the seamed parts with lubricant before prying it apart with a screwdriver. So I did just that. The dents on the plastic casing is, I think, pretty much inevitable.
Here's how it looked like, after opening:
2. Identify the right output terminals. This is easy. Just see where the wire which leads to the output. In this case, the terminals are shown on the left after being cut off. There are two outputs as mentioned before. We'll be taking the 37V rail, so only two wires will be used from three of the output terminals.
3. Solder the perfboard and circuit. I identified the right area to put the circuit and it is just beside the large transformer. It's safe, I insulated the circuit from the external components. Make sure you do too!
3. Solder the perfboard and circuit. I identified the right area to put the circuit and it is just beside the large transformer. It's safe, I insulated the circuit from the external components. Make sure you do too!
To ensure your terminals are not exposed, place your insulators before soldering and slide them into place. I used scrap wiring insulation from scrap phone chargers!
4. Cut some spacing on the casing to fit the output receptacle and glue it together. And drill a hole where the potentiometer knob can be exposed for adjustment. Voila!
5. Assemble everything together. I gripped it and used a plastic plate to screw the other side of the casing since just screws are not enough the secure it again... since the last prying messed things up a bit.
6. Now it's done!
See the video of it being tested. I say pretty good and stable.
See the video of it being tested. I say pretty good and stable.
I have to say.. it looked pretty neat and compact. I guess next is I'm going to learn some more voodoo electronics to control the current as well and work on a display for the power source. This will take time since I just do this for hobby.
Conclusion: Enough about my gizmos. Let's talk about me.
I guess I'll part with some wise words. Been all flowery and technical but here you go.
I have been pursuing my passion and I think passion is what keeps me going. I've been through the rat race and getting myself a bit of that corporate ladder climbing and it turns me off. The corporate world is full of people wanting to be in control that they have to require you to be monitored like some chump. So I said - I don't want to be that guy.
During the days of my dreary office dawdles in 2015, an ever-in-torpor me was approached by a friend asking for some help with electronics (just some simple transistor circuits). I obliged. I immediately came to life (was nearly going to sleep in my small bedding under my table due to the freezing temperatures of corporate air-cond) when I had to figure out the circuit. It's because of the passion I have developed - I again was reminded of my actual passion... and perhaps calling.
Symbolically, I happened on a comic strip around the same time by Gavin in Zen Pencils. It sparked something in me and the rest is history. And the number of Gavin's entry was a nice round 150. I'm not sure how things will turn out yet in my life, but I know one thing: I've never regretted not being back being somebody's lackey.
So my message to everyone: Pursuing your passion is hard because you need to be really brave and challenge conventions all the time. Why? Because you'll be going against the grain of well-established routes, the road less traveled.
Ever saw a holiday ad? Go to some well-established place, with a tour guide, get to some hotel with kinda okay food, go around at perhaps marvel at a thing or two, buy a trinket saying you've been there. But deep down you knew it: the place was well prepared for people like you, who wanted some novelty in life when you're on some escapade - but not too much novelty. And it has morphed into some junk food holiday scene where it'll serve more people to come. That's what happened to Ladakh, if you've watched the Three Idiots: junk holidays.
It's different than making up your own mind of what you want to see in life. Ever traveled somewhere and saw a beautiful spot? Or a mysterious road which looked nice? Why not go there? Sure, it might not be what you like. But what if you liked what you discovered?
I've been traveling where the wind takes me when I do. And I'm no hippie. I believe in structure against chaos. And out of 10 places I randomly go, I find 2 or 3 places I'm pleasantly surprised to discover. Five might not be to my liking. The other two would be like meh.
For all this, you'd have to be willing to insist to travel more. You'd be saying like, "I want to see that field". And your partner might say, "No.. that doesn't look good". But this can be introspective. You don't have to travel if it's not your cup of tea. Travel your own universe, if you like it. It'll give you perspective and you'll appreciate life more. You'll think more. You'll see more about what you want to be when you're given the time to think. It is only when the flame stays still that it illuminates. You want true stillness to illuminate your life? Be away from your comfort zones. Figuratively and literally.
It will be anything but conventional, I promise you.
Which brings me to my last point. Pursuing your passion means you have to develop a tenacity towards things you believe in, and that requires you to be assertive and appear to be sometimes offensive. But if you believe in what you're is is ultimately meaningful, then by all means pursue the goal, and take responsibility.
If you do this ultimately to take control of your life as a liberated person, and ultimately serve God, you are already successful. Nothing else matters from there.
Thank you for anyone reading this. I've summarized perhaps a good five years of my life here.
Vizier87
hello vizier. Would you like to know more about your piezoelectric rain meter? did you finish? what code did you use? sorry to comment here on this post. More is your most recent post.
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