2018-12-13

USB soldering iron

Cheap (under $5) 5V/8W soldering iron.


 Cable length = 150cm. This is not silicone, but still way more flexible than any mains cable.
 Tip with integrating heating element is interchangeable. These cost ~$1.20, but apparently only this tip style (cone) is available. Heater seems to be located very close to the tip.

 NE555 is working as monostable trigger, being turned on for 30s with either touch sensor (metal bump) or shock sensor. Heating up is really fast, as advertised - less than 15 seconds.
Iron heats to temperature over 400C - more than I would like and Sn-Pb solder on the tip is oxidizing quickly. At the same time this is not powerful enough to e.g. melt Pb-free solder on mounting pin of USB-A socket connected to ground plane.
 MX35N06


 Shock sensor is just tight metal spiral inside aluminum tube. It doesn't seem to be too sensitive, it is also fragile - connector wire breaks easily when bent.
 Most switching power supplies have some leakage, being able to light neon voltage probe connected to output. In this iron tip is directly connected to +5V supply rail. This might create risk when soldering ESD-sensitive components. It also seems to cause problems with touch sensor as my iron wasn't going idle at all even when lying.
Alternative method of reducing excessive sensitivity of touch sensor might be putting small capacitor (I've tested 510pF positively) in parallel to D1 diode.
To get rid if leakage I've assembled simple adapter consisting of USB-A plug, USB-A socket and crocodile clip on a cable connected to +5V line. Inside crocodile clip there is also resistor - 33k or something like that as I would prefer no direct connection to the ground in case I would use it on powered circuit. I'm attaching this clip directly to ground pole of mains socket. Using separate mains plug to connect to ground line would be safer and more reliable, I hadn't have one at the moment though and this would also require availability of extra mains socket.

I probably would not recommend it as first and/or only soldering iron for anyone, but it works for me acceptably as secondary/extra soldering iron I'm keeping at workplace for small tasks like soldering some thin wires and replacing few SMD resistors, capacitors or transistors. Quick heating up is a big plus in this use scenario.

2018-11-17

Lark FreeBird 35.8

Cheap Windows CE navigation, probably from 2011.
It seems to be identical to ATD GP-318B.





Mstar MSW8324
 Optional FM radio or FM transmitter?
 Device hard problems with powering on and later could not power on at all.
I've loaded firmware from https://www.elektroda.pl/rtvforum/viewtopic.php?p=14928170#14928170
It seems to work, although this it Chinese version of Windows CE and I'm not entirely sure if display is working as it should (picture is terrible).







Some software (no navigation though):
http://chomikuj.pl/barba123/Nawigacje/Lark/Lark/Menu+Lark+35.8,4222111473.zip(archive)


Laskomex LM-8W

Addressable internal terminal for doorphone.
HCF4093 - quad 2-input NAND with Schmitt trigger
HC40103 - 8-bit synchronous down counter
16 + 8 + 4 = 28

2018-10-27

Lidl / Powerfix Profi+ universal mains adaptor

Small universal power supply bought in Lidl for 15.99PLN ($4.23).
Less powerful than EX668 / YC668 "30W" adapter but did not blown when first connected.





Plating on connectors was not the best - little signs of corrosion.
Small key for voltage switching is attached.

 Proper certification.


All capacitors rated for 105C.
Nicely connected mains wires, no bare solder joints to plug.
 YSV500 REV:H00
2% or better SMD resistors at voltage selectors - output voltages are spot on.
LN9T11 controller from Lishengmei, Liisemi (Chinese).
From datasheet (as translated by Google translate):
  • Built-in oscillator with 65kHz maximum frequency limit 
  • Built-in soft start control circuit reduces switch impact 
  • Built-in next-generation CT TM technology to optimize EMI performance 
  • Extended mode light load control optimizes efficiency and light load power consumption 
  • Meet 6 energy efficiency requirements such as CoC V5 and DoE 
  • No load standby power consumption can be as low as 75mW or less 
  • Full range of no audio noise working methods 
  • Integrated synchronous current slope compensation 
  • VDD overvoltage clamp and undervoltage lockout function (UVLO) 
  • gate drive output voltage smart clamp function 
  • Built-in input line voltage compensation function 
  • Cycle-by-Cycle Current Limiting (OCP) with leading edge blanking 
  • With fast current overcurrent protection (TrueOCP TM ) 
  • Output overcurrent, overload, short circuit protection (OLP) 
  • Wide voltage output power up to 10W, peak power 15W 
  • SOP7 package with high isolation structure
YSV500 symbol (I guess this stands for Yingjiao Switching Variable, 500mA) leads to OEM, http://www.yingjiao.com/index.php?ac=article&at=read&did=352 and more details about final product (direct quote):

Model: YSV500
Power: 6W max.
Input: 100-240VAC 50/60Hz
Output Voltage:  3V 4.5V 5V 6V 7.5V 9V 12VDC 
Output Current: 500mA  
Input current: 0.3A max.
Inrush Current: 65 Amps max. at 230VAC/50Hz,full load
Leakage Current: 0.25mA Max. at 264VAC input
Energy Efficiency Level VI : Future Energy Star Tier II Level that was TBD at the time
No Load Power Consumption : <0.3W
Protections: Short Circuit /Over Current /Over Voltage
Short Circuit Protection (SCP): Protection to Zero Voltage
Over Voltage Protection (OVP): ≤Vout*150%
Over Current Protection (OCP): 110%-180%
Working TEMP.: -20°C-50°C
Working Humidity: 5%-90% RH non-condensing
Storage TEMP.,Humidity and altitude: -40℃ ~+70°C ambient temperature and a 5% to 95% relative humidity range throughout an altitude range of -60 meters to +5000 meters AMSL. 
Input Plug: EU,US,UK,AU etc. type according to customer's choice
Certificates and approvals: UL,GS,CE,EMC,SAA,FCC,CB,PSE,CCC,RoHS,REACH
EMI EMISSION: Radiation Test&Conduction Test: EN 55022/FCC Part 15
Harmonic Test : EN 61000-3-2
Flicker Test : EN 61000-3-3
EMS IMMUNITY: ESD  Test:EN 61000-4-2
RS    Test:EN 61000-4-3
EFT   Test:EN 61000-4-4
Surge Test:EN 61000-4-5
CS     Test:EN 61000-4-6
DIP    Test:EN 61000-4-11
MTBF: 100000 hours minimum at full load at 25℃ ambient
Life: 3-5 years alternative
Dimension: 70*39*70mm
Weight: 88g
Packing: 20PCS/CTN,40*30*20cm

2018-10-16

Creative SB128 CT5803

Creative Sound Blaster PCI 128, model CT5803 from 1999


 ES1373, http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/datasheets/es1373.pdf
AC'97 digital controller with DOS compatibility. Interfaces for AC'97 codec, I2S and SPDIF.
Chip was developed by Ensoniq, company known also for their keyboards/synthesizers. Ensoniq was acquired by Creative in January 1998.
 78L05 and 79L05 as voltage regulators for analog part.
I'm definitively not a picky listener, but this cards sounds bad because of poor voltage filtering. When I was using it in my old Celeron 466MHz PC I was even able to hear mouse moving. These two blue capacitors were helping, "digital noise" was reduced to not noticeable (solder got broken when stored).
 Cirrus Logic CS4297A-JQ - AC'97 codec
 NJM4565 dual opamp

Few extra audio inputs and optional power amplifier on board.