Fresh hacks every day
This project is in one of our favorite categories; the kind where asking "why?" is the wrong question. [Berto A.] built the device after observing some power generation by placing a large magnet next to a mechanical relay coil and quickly clicking the relay's lever. From this humble beginning he built up the RattleGen, a bicycle spoke driven generator. To get the most power possible he searched … [Read more...]
[Debraj Deb] put together a current monitoring device that interfaces with the circuit box at his house. The system is controlled by a PIC 18F4520 and uses an LM358 Op-Amp to rectify the AC signal, as well as an MCP6S21 for range adjustments for detecting both high or low current loads. The data displayed on a character LCD includes average, RMS, and peak current. For now the data is saved to an … [Read more...]
Yikes, that power connector certainly wasn't designed by Apple. Ugly as it may be, it's the charging cable for a robot and acts as a sensor that allows the robot to properly align and plug into a power receptacle. We're going to go off on a tangent for just a second. We often think of the Rat Things from Snowcrash when considering robot power. They were nuclear powered (or something) and … [Read more...]
If you've ever had a car with an electrical system problem you know how hard it can be to pin-point the source of your woes. Here's a hackery solution that uses a diy PCB to monitor the current being drawn off of the alternator.The sensing is provided by an Allegro ACS758 integrated circuit. This chip measures current up to 150A and outputs an analog signal that can be measured by a … [Read more...]
[gmgfarrand] wanted to be able to measure the current being pulled through his USB. He realized that even though he could just cut open the wire and measure at any point, a permanent tool for this would be quite useful. This is a simple modification that shouldn't take long. All you need is a spare USB cable and an enclosure. He ultimately filled his enclosure with glue to keep everything in … [Read more...]
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