Franks Instructables

You can test all the capacitor types you mentioned at their rated voltage. I wouldn't test electrolytic capacitors above 2 uFd with this device, because the Equivalent Series Resistance tests are much better for electrolytics. This device will test devices up to 900 volts but set the voltage with a meter before you check the capacitor. You can also use this device as an insulation tester.

You will only know if you make it into an Instructable. Personally, I like to keep the insides as original a possible, but that's just me.

The IRF640 has an internal resistance of 18 ohms and the IRF630 has an internal resistance of 4 ohms. The higher resistance means that there is less signal for the transformer, lowering the output. Try increasing the supply voltage to 12 volts or even 24 volts, that will increase the level of your output signal. If you want to have the convenience of the small form factor of the 9 volt battery, there are small 12 volt batteries that you can buy that are designed for key fobs. They're called A23 batteries and you can buy them in a two pack. You could easily make a battery holder for one or two of these in series for more output voltage. The transistors should have no trouble handling the higher voltage.

We've had 3 Pekingese dogs. They have very similar faces and similar stocky bodies to Pugs. The difference being Pekingese have the long hair which is high maintenance but otherwise everything else seems to be very similar.

Yes that's very true, especially when things start to get really complicated.

Apple cider vinegar tasty? I know it's good for you in many ways but it is definitely an acquired taste. I now some Asians that love to take it and eat it with Grapefruit. I can only take it with honey or orange juice.

There's more electronics in that vacuum than there was in my first computer! lol

That brand of welder you have shown I wouldn't recommend for even a beginning welder. I bought two in a row and neither of them worked so I just gave up on that brand altogether. I don't think they have any quality control.

What are you referring to when you say get 18650?

Yes, he was talking about "Whistlers" and Spherics which are sounds that you can hear on an ELF (Extremely Low Frequency) radio which basically can be a sound card of a computer, made out of discrete electronic parts or even a modified audio amplifier. Might be an idea for a future instructable.

There's so many variables that it's impossible to give a specific answer to this question. It depends on the design of the store bought antenna. If it's a Yagi it already has a reflector and putting a dish behind it might make your reception worse. The only way to find out is to experiment with it. Each location is unique but if you have a clear shot at the station or stations that you are trying to get, put the antenna as high and free obstructions and aim it for the best reception. If you have hills in the way, you have a very complex signal situation and the best signal might be in the direction opposite or off to the side. Also, hilly locations create the weird effect where raising or lowering the height of the antenna makes the signal stronger or weaker and is as important as d…

There's so many variables that it's impossible to give a specific answer to this question. It depends on the design of the store bought antenna. If it's a Yagi it already has a reflector and putting a dish behind it might make your reception worse. The only way to find out is to experiment with it. Each location is unique but if you have a clear shot at the station or stations that you are trying to get, put the antenna as high and free obstructions and aim it for the best reception. If you have hills in the way, you have a very complex signal situation and the best signal might be in the direction opposite or off to the side. Also, hilly locations create the weird effect where raising or lowering the height of the antenna makes the signal stronger or weaker and is as important as direction. Experimentation will give you the best results. Good luck.

It's always amazed me how you can grind your own mirror with a parabolic shape. When I was a kid I tried to make a reflecting telescope with a shaving mirror with predictable results.

Glad you enjoyed it.

You mentioned the dangers, but Lithium batteries can explode violently and cause fires with little provocation Unless you have seen it happen you might not appreciate it. A student of mine once tried to make a quick solder connection to a button type Lithium battery like a 2032 and it blew up in his face burning off some of his eyebrows and giving him a sore face. He was lucky that he was wearing glasses at the time so it didn't injure his eyes. Can you imagine the damage a laptop battery can do with 100 times the volume? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTbUP0sGQT8

Don't forget to mention that one needs an amateur radio license to get on the air.

Yes, a phase shift oscillator (such as a Wien Bridge) is a better choice if you want it to be a variable frequency oscillator. I was mainly talking about a fixed frequency oscillator, which when I used a UJT always found it to start up easily when set up within certain parameters.

Good old UJT, such a useful device that works every time as an oscillator as opposed to phase shift oscillators that quite often can be very fussy about starting.

Kris: The supplier I dealt with on Ebay is as follows:https://www.ebay.com/str/sensesmart:The item is called a 1 MHz-1.1GHz LED Frequency Counter Tester Measurement Module For Ham Radio.Good Luck

Now you got me worrying, mine is 30 years old. I think I'll check my water pressure. The quality of these things that once never wore out has plummeted.

Mine is 30 years old and seems to be still regulating the water pressure. We have very soft water here and things like water heaters and valves tend to last a very long time. It looks like you have a lot of scale on the spring which is indicative of hard water. It would be interesting to see statistics of the failure rate of these water regulators depending on the hardness of the water in the location where they are used. Very useful instructable, I will be checking my water pressure again just to be sure.

Mine is 30 years old, I better check my water pressure.

If you click on the first schematic with the advertisements it will be all in frame. The original schematic had two radio models on it and I just focused on the lower one so as not to create confusion.

Good idea. The little pug doesn't look too thrilled though. lol

LucianoI don't want to sell the control but I will see about designing a control with other parts that are easy to get and make it into an Instructable. RegardsFrank

This is why people should wear steel toed boots on the job. Very scary.

Put your meter on AC volts and if you measure a substantial AC voltage, the capacitors are probably bad. If you just measure 3.9 volts DC and no substantial AC component, there is something else wrong. The electrolytics are the most common component that goes in computer power supplies because they run hot and gradually dry up.

Amazing colors

That data sheet is the closest I could find to that generation of remote control IC's. I want to keep the controller but by using the datasheet I sent you, you could order the sending and receiving chips and build your own transmitter and receiver. You could even build a transmitter with discrete components. All you would need is a couple of transistors to build a 27 or 49 MHz oscillator with a buffer on the output, a couple of 555 timer chips to make the 2 variable duty square wave outputs and an amplitude modulator to turn on and off the oscillator output followed by a transistor to strengthen and buffer the output before signal is coupled to a small antenna.

This should give you the information you need.

If you find all the resistors and caps are OK, check the circuit board for shorts. I would just re-solder all the connections while adding new solder. After 60 years, solder joints become oxidized and need to be redone. That usually solves the problem if everything else checks out OK. Good luck with your restoration and let me know how it goes.

In the past, many people who built kits didn't know the difference between rosin core solder for electronics and plumbing solder. They were both lead/tin. Radio/TV solder was usually 60/40 ratio and plumbing solder was 50/50. Both would work at the beginning, but over time the acid flux used in the plumbing trade would start to oxidize the joint causing a poor electrical connection. This might be your problem. You will know if the old flux used is acid based if it makes a "frying sound" when you heat it up with a soldering iron. This being the case, every solder joint will need to be re-soldered and as much of the old solder will need to be removed with a solder sucker. You then can re-solder every joint with modern rosin core solder. Even rosin core solder joints can bec…

In the past, many people who built kits didn't know the difference between rosin core solder for electronics and plumbing solder. They were both lead/tin. Radio/TV solder was usually 60/40 ratio and plumbing solder was 50/50. Both would work at the beginning, but over time the acid flux used in the plumbing trade would start to oxidize the joint causing a poor electrical connection. This might be your problem. You will know if the old flux used is acid based if it makes a "frying sound" when you heat it up with a soldering iron. This being the case, every solder joint will need to be re-soldered and as much of the old solder will need to be removed with a solder sucker. You then can re-solder every joint with modern rosin core solder. Even rosin core solder joints can become "cold" solder joints over time, these can simply be heated up again and a little new solder added, making a nice new connection. When I did the meter, I just re-soldered all the joints as a matter of practice. I didn't have the plumbing solder problem with the meter I restored but I have seen it in various antique radios that I have restored. One additional tip I would suggest. Make sure the battery connections are nice and clean when you put in a new cell or you won't get full deflection in the ohmmeter. You mentioned that the tubes are strong and all the resistors are OK, one additional thing I would do is take a pencil eraser and rub the tube prongs a few times to remove the oxidation from them. Then take the tubes and insert it a few times in and out of the sockets. The tube pins and sockets were coated with metals that didn't corrode easily but a gentle cleaning with a soft eraser is always good practice as you never know where the meter has been stored and over the years deposits could've built up even on the inside of the meter. I would also get hold of some good quality electronics contact cleaner. Radio Shack had TV tuner cleaner which was an excellent product but probably don't have it anymore. There are other products out there on the market which are perfect for cleaning switch contacts. I hope that some of these tips helps.

Perhaps you could put in a little explanation as to what a Pyranometer is and the difference between it and a Pyrometer. I'm sure that I wasn't the only person that looked at the Instructable and thought Pyrometer or remote temperature sensing detector.

You mentioned that some tubing cutters have a de burring tool on them. Perhaps you could add another step showing what that attachment looks like and how to use it.

I bought a couple of these off the internet recently and it's an extremely useful piece of equipment for sorting and testing components.

I don't have the original unit I took pictures of handy, but looking at the picture of the circuit board on the first page of the Instructable, I believe the component at the bottom of the switch is the crystal. It kind of looks like a ceramic capacitor, usually designated with an "X" or "Cr" If you don't have access to a scope or spectrum analyzer you can make a simple RF probe for your meter so you can see if you have an output signal. Here are some good examples: http://n5ese.com/rfprobe1.htm

When speaking about Teflon tape it's always good to know that the yellow tape is for gas and white is for water. The yellow can be used for water but never use white Teflon tape for gas.

Stinky Hockey equipment, a particularly Canadian dilemma! Lol