As you read in my last post about the pet-feeding device project, there was an issue with the fill sensors. The lines from the 3d-print transferred the light directly to the sensor and made a useful measurement impossible. One of the solution to this problem is a small gap between the LED and the sensor….
Why Supporting me on Patreon?
First, I’d like to thank you very much for reading this, 😄 because it means you are already a great supporter of my work. On my blog, you saw beautiful photos of electronic boards, got detailed instructions on how to build plant watering sensors, fan controllers or a pet feeder. Also, you get access to…
Unexpected Fill Sensor Problems
While testing the sensor panel, I ran into unexpected problems, requiring a small redesign. First, let me explain the simple working principle of the fill sensor circuit and what I tested so far. The Circuit The circuit for the fill sensors is straight forward. There are four input lines and one analogue output line. If…
Project Update: New Stepper Motor Driver
In this short update, I will talk about the improved stepper driver for the pet-feeder device. While working on the sensor board, to see if the fill sensors work as expected, it also involved using the stepper motor. Here, I realised, the combination of stepper motor and driver I worked with is way too noisy…
MicroMaTch Connector to Breadboard in 5 Minutes
Ordering a board with perfect spaced pads to use an SMD connector takes a few days of patience unless you live near a PCB prototyping facility. With striped prototyping boards, you can stick a MircoMaTch or similar connector into your breadboard in under five minutes. 😉 First cut a small piece from the prototype board….
Pet Feeder – Position Sensor Tests
I worked on testing the sensor board. The first tests I did were about the position sensor. Recap Let me recap the design of the position sensor in the device: The turntable has five position slots, marked red in the following illustration. Behind this slots, there is a small excavation, reflecting the light from the…
How to Assemble the MicroMaTch Connectors with a Hammer
I mentioned in one of my posts how to assemble the MicroMaTch connectors using a hammer, but never explained the rather simple method in detail. So I made a short video, explaining the exact technique I use. If you have any questions, missed information, or simply want to provide feedback, feel free to comment below…
Pet Feeder Update
A short update about the progress with the sensor panel and photos of the final input panel board. I assembled the new boards and are testing the sensors. As soon as all tests are done, and I am happy with the results and the board’s design, I will write the next part. These are 940nm…
19″ Rack Fan Controller [1/2]
When I migrated several servers into a new server rack, I put my Arduino Uno based fan controller into a new enclosure. Not a great solution, but good recycling of this existing project and way better than the built-in, on/off temperature controller. Now, when the rack’s space got low, I had to find a better…
Art Like Boards from OSHpark
For the pet feeding device, I ordered boards from OSHpark with the “After Dark” style. This colour combination of the black substrate with the copper and transparent solder mask is just beautiful. I made this post just in case you did not see the pictures on Twitter or like to see them with a better…