The eyes of the switch control system allow the microcontroller`s `brain` to know where the trains are located on the layout. This insures that only one train is on the main line at a time and that the switches are set so that the train returns to the proper siding. There are many ways to sense whether or not a train is at a particular spot on a
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layout. In 2005 I wrote a three part series for LSOL ( Garden Railway Sensors, Part I, Part II and Part III ) that explored a number of ways of sensing a train`s location. I finished up that series with a detailed description of what I feel is the best choice for most of our outdoor train sensing needs. This is device is called a pulsed infrared sensor. I will briefly revisit it here and ask that you refer to the earlier articles for more detailed information. Pulsed infrared sensors are made up of several components. The most visible parts go on either side of a piece of track, the infrared emitter on one side and the infrared detector on the other. When a train passes between them the beam of IR light is broken in much the same way that some automatic doors sense a customer`s presence. What really sets this sensor apart is that the devices operate with infrared light that is pulsed on and off at 38 kHz. This means that the infrared emitter sends out bursts of IR 38, 000 times each second and the detector only reacts if it detects IR pulsing at that frequency. This is important because there are many sources of infrared light in and around our garden railroads. These sources include fluorescent and other lighting devices but most of the extraneous IR comes from the sun. Pulsed IR sensors are not completely immune from the effects of direct sunlight but they perform better than most other technologies. By the way, you use...
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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