In an instrument like the uTracer, which handles voltages of several hundreds of Volts at currents of several hundreds of mA, it is obvious that an error or malfunction can easily result in the destruction of (a part of) the circuit, especially so since the uTracer is build up from sensitive semiconductors. I vividly recall how a malfunctioning high voltage switch in the version 1 uTracer
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resulted in a complete destruction of all the semiconductors in the circuit! Although I was under the impression that I had pretty well covered the issue of robustness in the current version 3, a remark made by one of the faithful readers of these pages, Martin Forsberg, caused me to re-think the whole robustness issue, and to make several important modifications. The operator of the uTracer can make a mistake. Especially when a wired tube connection system like I use is employed, this is not an unthinkable scenario. Finally, the possibility should be considered that a part of the uTracer circuit itself fails. Even in that case the damage of such a mal function should be confined and not result in a destruction of the complete circuit or even worse, the PC connected to the uTracer. Figure 8. 1 shows in a simplified circuit diagram the most important components of the safety features that have now been incorporated into the present uTracer V3 to improve its robustness. In block 1 we find the boost converter itself. Although this is not a safety feature in itself, the fact that the amount of energy stored in the capacitor is limited obviously greatly helps. But nevertheless, at a maximum voltage of 350 V, the energy stored in the 100 uF capacitor is 0. 5*C*VU= 6. 1 J. Although this is just enough energy to raise the temperature of 1 cc water 1. 5 degree, it can easily destroy a whole board of semiconductors! Block 2 in...
This project fits more for custom made battery casing that can have more space to hide things inside. This switch with few alterations can be used for any other project as well but is designed based on e-bike needs! This project use a clever functionality of....
The circuit described here uses ultrasonic oscillations and operates based on the propagation velocity of these oscillations in the air. Thus, we can easily determine the distance of two points if the time within which the wave travels this distance is....
Sometimes the precious metals are hidden too deep and are not detected except with complicated devices. In many cases, however, small pieces of precious metal buried near the surface can be detected by relatively simple means. Everyone is very attractive to....
Many times for various reasons we forget or can not water the plants that we have in our homes. And many humidity sensors units just notify us with a beeping sound or with a flashing light, that the pot needs watering. But what if we are away from home? This....
The principle behind a metal detector is really very simple. Proof of this is the circuit that follows, in which it proves that the construction of a metal detector can be done in the minute, with few components that we find very easily everywhere. With the....
The sub-harmonic bass generator is a sound producing unit for guitars. The sound it produces looks very much like that of the bass guitar. The octave generator is sometimes quite unusual since it does not produce any of the usual ways of coloring the sound,....
In the past the sounding (sea bottom measurement) was done with the "bullet", that is, with a heavy lead object that the seamen plucked into the sea hung from a calibrated rope. As soon as the "bullet" reached the bottom, the depth appeared directly from the....
This Amplifier was designed to have the following specifications: Distortion less than 0.1% at full power of 100W even at 20KHz. Power has to be attributed to an extended bandwidth. The output transistors must be protected against short circuits. The power....
A series of LEDs serve to alert the gardener when plants need water. Using two conventional digital integrated LEDs and a series of LEDs, we make a very useful device for gardening. The device detects the amount of water in the pot and alerts the grower.....
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