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KC 868 A6 remote relay controller

Every day I am amazed at the many new and wonderful devices out there to make the IoT life a bit easier - and a couple of months ago when contemplating an IoT hothouse, the following KC 868 A6 device grabbed my attention.

But...would it work? Well I had to source the following software for the Arduino IDE to chew on:

1. Web server Code

2. PCF8575 library

The only problem after that was an hour wasted on a DATA ONLY usbc cable (since dispatched to the other side), but actually the whole process was pretty straight forward.

The device works, and works well! Any questions or comments, please put em in the comments section of the following YouTube video - enjoy!

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Mailbag #45

Just the usual assortment of lovely bits from across the globe. And of course also we have the usual "ums" and "ahs" of a confused individual as I try to figure out...

1. What is it?

2. Why did I buy it?

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Recovered Mosfets and the like

I love the little project for a few different reasons:

• I blew up a module
• I pulled the module apart with my bare hands and recovered some parts
• I made a pretty unique circuit from those parts!

There are a HEAP of joule thief circuits available online (Big Clive having the best example I think), but it is difficult to spot those which incorporate a mosfet.

I tried a few, and after recovering a few components from a fried dc-dc converter module, I was able to make a variable output joule thief circuit that uses a combination of a mosfet and a bjt transistor.

It works pretty well, thank you to this website.

Go have a look at the video, click like if you like - see you next time!

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Chlorine for the win

Our ruminants enjoy a liquid supplement from time to time. Especially around now as the weather is a bit warm for those who carry a few extra kilos of wool on them.

So it's important we have fresh water scattered around the place for their enjoyment.

To that end we have three old baths scattered for them to drink from - and of course we need to clean them out periodically and make sure that the water is potable. 

As we have rainwater, it's important to treat the tubs with chlorine as well. Although I of course enjoy the exercise of walking around dosing the water, I also enjoy a technical challenge even more!

So this week's video follows my progress as I refine a chlorine delivery system for the ruminant's pleasure!

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Beefing up the Bakin' and Leds

There have been a couple of incarnations of the Lab Led Lighting project (alliteration for the win).

• The original project
• The soft start

Some time ago the original DC/DC converter fried itself, and so I replaced it with an MP1854 module which hummed along for a few months before self destructing.

So now I want to play with this project again, the main thing is to put a "beefier" DC/DC module to start with, but also to maybe spin out the voltage and current control knobs to the front of the 3D printed box for easier access.

It didn't all go my way - stand back for popping sounds as I further my reputation as a "trial and error and error and error" type.

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A long time between drinks

I've been missing for awhile and in this video I explain the reasons for my absence, as well as dig out an old friend the AO3400 N-Channel mosfet, not for a few drinks - but to blow it up!

Take care of yourselves and please leave a comment and a like for this one. 

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The last impossible thing

I've been working in the background on replacing the NiMH battery in the candle project with a supercapacitor. It's been quite the journey and at times I definitely did not believe that it would ever happen.

There is a great benefit when you are a mad pioneer in being ignorant of what is conventionally regarded as not possible, so I just assumed in my usual trial and error, and error, and error method of experimentation that the problem would eventually be solved.

Three impossible things needed to happen for this project to be completed:

1. A supercapacitor needed to be able to run a microcontroller (just ticking over anaemically at a very low clock rate) for a useful amount of time (e.g. overnight) - done

2. A microcontroller (e.g. the PADAUK PFS154) needed to be able to detect when it was night time just from the charge profile of a capacitor - done

3. A circuit designed to have at it's heart a NiMH battery would need to be fooled and use a collection of passives instead

The final result needs more polishing, but all three miracles have occurred and now the candle project will be re-imagined as a supercapacitor project. Done?

Magic!