DIY 3D Controller

Step 3: Make the Connectors

To connect the Arduino to the plates we need some shielded wire. If the wire isn't shielded, the wires themselves act more obviously as part of the capacitor. Also, I've found that alligator clips make it really easy to connect things to aluminum -- but there are probably plenty of other ways, too.

• Cut three equal lengths of shielded cable. I chose about 12". The shorter the better. Coaxial cable works, but the lighter/more flexible the better.
• Strip the last half inch or so to reveal the shielding, and the last quarter inch to reveal the wire.
• Twist the alligator clips to the wires onto the wires and solder them together.
• Add some heat shrink tubing or hot glue to keep things together.

Comments

[Arduino Guy]

My sensor is not sensing my hand if it is farther than 3 cm away form any plate... can this be the result of using unshielded cable? or is it something else.
My readings are around 3500 an all plates and they rise if my hand is within 3 cm.

[kylemcdonald]

keep your wires as short as possible -- that helps a lot. 5-10 cm is pretty good.

also experiment with the difference between leaving your computer plugged in versus not having it plugged in.

if your cable is unshielded, it makes a small difference, but maybe not the difference between 3 and 30 cm... so there might be something else going on.

[Arduino Guy]

Well.. My arduino has a battery pack and a xbee... so thats the problem Ill try connecting it to ground, what a stupid mistake. I will let you know my results.

[Arduino Guy]

Also I forgot to add, my wires are ~5-10 cm, the third one longer.

[Spydamonky]

Why does it have to be sheilded or coaxial cable? why not just some single core wire?

[kylemcdonald]

If it's unshielded, it will pick up stray capacitance along its entire length. You can theoretically use an unshielded cable if it's very short. But any unshielded cable will act as an extension of the antenna.