Electronics

Basics

How-To: Build BEAM Vibrobots
http://www.streettech.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1618&mode=flat&order=0&thold=1

Lecture 1 - Background and Power Supply
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/tutorial_info.php?tutorials_id=57&page=7

FM Transmitter
http://africatravels.pbwiki.com/RadioTransmitterCircuits

Useful bits

1381 voltage detector
http://members.aon.at/sunbeam/1381.htm
http://www.solarbotics.com/products/1381/

pn2222 transistor
insert url (how is this useful?, see at http://cachefly.oreilly.com/make/television/08/MiniRobots.pdf ) http://www.solarbotics.com/products/tr2222/

DS2405 Addressable 1-wire Switch
http://rjconway.homeip.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/ds2405.pdf

for controlling larger power:
Power Solid State Relay
http://rjconway.homeip.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/ssr-sc842110.pdf

battery meter:
http://profmason.com/?p=689

mulit chemistry battery charger http://members.shaw.ca/Botgoodies2/MultiCharger/MultiCharger.htm

Addressable Dual Digital Potentiometer - DS1803
http://www.maxim-ic.com/quick_view2.cfm/qv_pk/2779/ln/en

Using an Analog Voltage to Control a Digital Potentiometer
http://pdfserv.maxim-ic.com/en/an/AN4051.pdf

Notes on batteries, including notes on Charge Controllers.
http://www.solar-electric.com/deep_cycle_batteries/deep_cycle_battery_faq.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_charger

Notes on battery desulfinator http://screwdecaf.cx/mini-d.html

Generating Electricity with Stepper Motors
http://www.c-realevents.demon.co.uk/steppers/stepmotor.htm

MultiTherm ( gather temp data from multiple Dallas Semiconductor DS18x20 1-Wire® Thermometers
http://www.thebloughs.net/hobbies/electronics/multitherm/

Digital voltmeter

Build an Analog Bar Graph Expanded Scale Voltmeter
http://www.stefanv.com/electronics/esv.html

MOSFET versus Optisoloator Triac Driver

just took a bunch of MOSFETs off some old mother boards.

So what's the difference between a MOSFET and an Optoisolator Triac Driver?

A MOSFET can take a small voltage signal and make it large or vica versa, take a large voltage signal and make it small.

not that it might be appropriate to use a different type of MOSFET to convert an analog versus a digital signal.

There are n-type MOSFETs and p-type MOSFET, dunno the diff jsut yet.

MOSFETs can get complicated as you try to model how well they "translate" signal. an Idea MOSFET translates a signal perfectly, or exactly as you want it to be translated, however in the realworld depending on the configuration and materials, the MOSFET has a certain response to different types of signals such that it's wise to characterize the signal you give it and find a mosfet that's rated for the best response in that range.

Now compare that with an Optoisolating Triac Driver that also might get wired up the same way as a MOSFET, but does a different job. It's meant to protect on curcuit from another.

Here is an example where a doorbell signal controls a camera shutter

http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-make-a-remote-shutter-release-from-a-doorbell-diy-special

MOCO 3020 Optoisolator Triac Driver - Media:161-12855-0-MOC3010.pdf

the idea I think is that the signal from doorbell is isolated from the shutter control. I play in software alot , so I might liken it to input validation.

You are proecting the delcate camera bits from the door bell bits.

See Also

• On Collecting Solar Power and Storing the Power in a battery efficiently
• Alternate Energy Storage Approaches
• /List of pages with list circuits Lists of lists!!!!!
• http://transistor-man.com/intro_to_bascom.html