Channel Title: Accidental Science Channel Description: Projects and experiments in physics, electronics, mechatronics/machines, software, instruments and tools, crafts, woodworking and metalworking. I mainly show things that I make (or have made) and tips from my experience. So this channel is kind of a video blog. I have a long experience in designing electronic devices, machines, and in particular software and firmware development for embedded systems. Also see my site/blog AccidentalScience.com where I put articles, often related to the video published in this channel. This channel started with documentaries, that I almost no longer make, and are collected in a specific playlist. While I'll try to upload videos approximately once every 15 days or less, actually this will happens as the videos will become available, so I recommend you to subscribe and click the bell icon to get notified when new videos are available. I am not a native English speaker, however my videos are in English for people from all over the Europe, and beyond. <video> Exploring the inside of an old Philips Oscilloscope Description: The PM3200 #oscilloscope was a workhorse of the time. I share with you a tour of its inside, a time travel to the past exploring how #electronic devices were made. The Philips PM3200 was able to work either from mains and from a 24V battery, making it one of the first affordable portable oscilloscopes. Built in the 1970s it featured a single trace at 10MHz. Being well designed and built, it was a reliable tool for the service man working either in a laboratory or on field. I got this instrument when I was young, for free as it was already obsolete at the time. A few years ago it died and, being obsolete also for me, I put it in a corner collecting dust. Because it is arrived the moment I have to make room I have to throw it into the dumpster. So as a farewell to this old friend I decided to take it apart and explore the inside sharing with you this experience. I think that many, among you, have never had the occasion to see old electronic equipment so this could be kind of an experience like visiting a museum. Also it is fascinating how the engineers of the time used to overcome space limits and stray inductances designing rotary commutators that hold the components into themselves instead of connecting esternal components. A technique that could inspire and still useful today if one want to design fully analog circuits. Full series of #Electronics: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwbCeSU2Kq_zORt4un2iQ3JUYxzWF3cTJ Visit the website: https://accidentalscience.com </video> <video> Water Level Sensor for your sump pit - DIY with just a potentiometer Description: Gauging the level of #slurry may pose some challenges, and it is hard to find proper, corrosion insensitive sensors on the market. Whether it is for reading the level of a sump pit or of a tank, slurry is hard to gauge because of the thickness and stickiness that may clog many types of sensing devices. While some years ago I have made an #electronic capacitive sensor to gauge the level of liquids such as water or oil, it doesn't fit the task to sense slurry as it would clog very quickly and the slurry would stick to the sensitive electrodes. The same hold for a simple continuity sensor based on a series of electrodes. Pressure could be an option, provided compensating the environmental pressure, which ultimately makes it a more complex solution. Also magnetic floats that triggers internal switches pose the same problems, and I had to change this kind of sensors many times in my sump pit! Eventually I come up with the idea to use a simple float attached to a #potentiometer, in a similar fashion of those used to gauge fuel tanks, that is connected to a home PLC. The float cannot be clogged and even if the slurry stick to it it doesn't affect its function: floating! While the rotating potentiometer cannot be stuck in place or clogged. And because I haven't found any of this kind of sensors on the market, set apart those designed for fuel tanks that obviously cannot work in a wet, watery and possibly corrosive environment, I've made one myself. Hope you'll like the video! Full series of #Electronics: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwbCeSU2Kq_zORt4un2iQ3JUYxzWF3cTJ Water Level Capacitive Sensor, link to the video: https://youtu.be/Z-1X4IoChiY?si=feHofB12_3L0ywBb Want more and complementary content? Go to my website at: https://accidentalscience.com </video> <video> DIY audio? Understand pros and cons of the Class A amplifier - Hands on #Electronics series Description: Pros and cons of the class A #amplifier, compared with the push-pull amplifier and how they work. This is a quick video about #electronics and basic circuits using BJTs and MOSFETs, with the addition of the Operational Amplifier. Full series of electronics: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwbCeSU2Kq_zORt4un2iQ3JUYxzWF3cTJ Visit the website: https://accidentalscience.com </video> <video> How vinyl discs are made, part I: cutting music on a lathe Description: Discover the art of making #vinyl discs. In spite of digital encoded music, vinyl #records are still loved by many people. Making a vinyl record is a sort of art that blends with both electronic and mechanical technology to store sound mechanically. A fascinating story that will make you fall in love with these old media. This is the first part of two parts video. The second part is available at this link: https://youtu.be/Z-m0ozI_Qas This video is made from footage filmed in 2014, at Phonopress International near Milan, Italy. After filming we discovered that the footage got damaged, so the documentary that should have been done with this footage never aired, and the footage remained in archive for nine years. It was only recently, toward the end of 2023, that I was able to reconstruct most of it. Also, I wish many thansk to Filippo DeFassi who was the general director at Phonopress at the time, which accompanied us into this interesting journey. Disclosure: this video was NOT sponsored by Phonopress International. I made it just because it is interesnting. Links and references: Link to the series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwbCeSU2Kq_zn9tgM_gjSEdBCX20dCN5J Groove simulation by Tokyo Down Labs: https://docs.tokyodawn.net/groove-topology-sine/ </video> <video> #ADC and Oversampling in 14 minutes: How to get more bits out of Analog to Digital Converters Description: How to squeeze more bits of those physically available from an Analog to Digital Converter? #Microcontrollers such as the ATmega328 on Arduino boards often are equipped with an #ADC, but usually the on board ADC has a limited resolution. For example the one available on the Mega32A or the Mega328 has 10 bits, which is not bad but it could be a problem if you want more precision. In this presentation I show how Analog to Digital Converters work, what is the technique known as Oversampling and Decimation, what are the trade-offs, and a practical example that I made on a board similat to an #Arduino Nano and a network display. It is a combination of electronics and computer engineering. Complementary information, code and a web-app simulator is also available on my website. Try the simulator: https://accidentalscience.com/samplersimulator.html How to program a network display and a microcontroller board featured in this video using the NSC event driven framework: https://accidentalscience.com/17/Remotely%20displaying%208%20Analog%20inputs.html Full series of #Electronics: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwbCeSU2Kq_zORt4un2iQ3JUYxzWF3cTJ </video> <video> Oscilloscope practical tutorial Description: Learn how to use the oscilloscope, from scratch to advanced, analog and digital. The #oscilloscope is a fundamental tool in #electronics and #electricalengineering. In this presentation it is described as from the principle of operation to practical usage. The presentation contains the following sections: - Fundamental components - Basic usage - Trigger modes - Analog Vs. digital - Introduction to advanced operations - Tip & tricks Full series of #Electronics: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwbCeSU2Kq_zORt4un2iQ3JUYxzWF3cTJ Visit the website: https://accidentalscience.com </video> <video> Is making a luminaire a nonsense DIY? Description: Making a luminaire is rather a nonsense but it could make sense if seen under the prospect of art and craft expression. This is why I went into this build, using common materials that you can buy at any hardware store and household store. I used four nice plastic bowls cone trunk shaped, a copper pipe, some copper fixtures, four metal lamp sockets, and some more recycled material that I had at home. The result is unusual, a mix of styles between industrial and art nuveau, with a hint that recall a sailing boat. A my personal touch having been a skipper when I was younger. Subscribe at my website at https://accidentalscience.com to receive notifications when new content is available, either in the site or as a new video. You can unsubscribe at any time. </video> <video> How Transistors Work Description: Learn how transistors work in this quick tutorial for beginners that focuses on a practical approach. Quickly apply what you've learned into your DIY projects, understanding some basic circuits. Transistors are a staple in electronics and you can use them to solve a moltitude of cases. Bonus: At the end of the video many package formats are presented, even of pretty unusual power transistors and very old germanium transistors. Full series of #Electronics: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwbCeSU2Kq_zORt4un2iQ3JUYxzWF3cTJ Visit the website: https://accidentalscience.com </video> <video> What are the #MPP, topology and configuration in #Photovoltaic systems? Description: All about Photovoltaic systems and Max Power Point of #solar panels. In this presentation I share what I've learnt from my experience in installing myself a solar (photovoltaic) system. This is a two-parts video, next is about how solar inverters work, link below. Two years ago I installed a solar system on my house, and because of shortage of available technicians (and even materials!) I had to do everything myself, including some hardware components. It was an istructive experience from which I've learnt some things that I did not expect to find. So in this two-parts presentation I share with you what I learnt, with the hope it will be helpful to you. In this video you have the opportunity to understand the various topologies and configurations, and their differences so you might make an idea of what would be best for you, if ever interested in installing one, or making further considerations if you already own one. Furthermore it is discussed the Maximum Power Point: why it exists and how to deal with it. Photovoltaic cells have limits due to their physical characteristics, so solar inverter or specialized equipment called MPPT is used to get the maximum amount of power from panels under every circumstance. Second part, "How Solar Inverters Work and Avoid Mistakes": [link not yet available] Watch the full series of electronics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye9dguKy_Cs&list=PLwbCeSU2Kq_zORt4un2iQ3JUYxzWF3cTJ For more related/complementary content please visit my website: https://accidentalscience.com . Follow me on Facebook or Instagram </video> <video> Simplest Water Level Sensor #electronics Description: A couple of simple and safe circuits for gauging water level, that you can build in 10 minutes at a strikingly cheap cost. Unlike the #waterlevelsensor I've made years ago (link: https://youtu.be/Z-1X4IoChiY) that was based on capacitive sensing, these ones are based on conductivity. This characteristic allows a much simpler circuit that, at its basics, is limited to some transistors, resistors and capacitors. The first circuit is designed to provide an analog output to hook a voltmeter or the analog input of a microcontroller. The other one provides multiple ON/OFF outputs suitable to be used with a PLC or with an Arduino. These sensors are not ratiometric, instead they are discrete steps and the analog output (which requires an #operationalamplifier LM358) just sports these discrete steps as stepped voltage levels. Conductive water sensing requires care to avoid excessive current that may cause troubles at the electrodes, and the risk of leakage currents toward external elements, including other unintended circuits or equipment. These circuit mitigate this risk by the mean of relatively medium-high value resistors. Also, as the name imply, conductive sensing requires a conductive medium. Pure water is not conductive (enough) so some ions or salts need to be dissolved in it to make it to work. Full series of #Electronics: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwbCeSU2Kq_zORt4un2iQ3JUYxzWF3cTJ Visit the website: https://accidentalscience.com </video> <video> Why grounding solar panels could be problematic? Description: Undestand what's inside a solar inverter, how it works and its critical elements that may severely affect your whole photovoltaic and electrical installation of your home. This is a two-parts video, previous one is about photovoltaic systems, link below. Two years ago I installed a solar system on my house, and because of shortage of available technicians (and even materials!) I had to do everything myself, including some hardware components. It was an istructive experience from which I learnt some things that I did not expect to find. So in this two-parts presentation I share with you what I learnt, hopefully providing useful for you. In this video you will get into the typical inverter, skipping the details and focusing on the conceptual blocks and how they may affect the whole photovoltaic system. Why RCDs trips, why you may find unexpected voltages on the frames of your panels, and more. The presentation does not address some topics such as overloads, reactive loads, and surge load such as those caused by induction motor start up. Maybe I will add another video for those topics if enogh request comes from you all. First part, "Photovoltaic Systems and MPP (Maximum Power Point) ": https://youtu.be/TwyHmL_N5rs Watch the full series of electronics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye9dguKy_Cs&list=PLwbCeSU2Kq_zORt4un2iQ3JUYxzWF3cTJ For more related/complementary content please visit my website: https://accidentalscience.com . Follow me on Facebook or Instagram </video> <video> Microcontroller Driven Safety Socket w/Remote Control for Your Lab Description: A safety socket is a hazard preventing feature for your lab bench when testing devices connected to mains. This project started simple but, hey why doing this simple when I can do it much more complex? :) So I used a microcontroller in place of a single relay to manage all the cool features this remotely controlled safety socket sports. A blinking pilot light indicates when the socket is on, and more lights indicates other statuses of what we can now call the "smart" safety socket. The most important feature is that when power is out, the socket turns off automatically, preventing risks when the power comes in again. This project has been amended with some changes that I've shown in this video: https://youtu.be/gZ-LT26VJbg Please watch it for the required corrections. This project is a must have in your electronics lab if you happen to tweak with devices that have to be plugged to the mains. CAUTION Working on mains voltage could cause serious damages and kill living beings, including you. ** You MUST know what you do. ** Any showcased solution may fail, if you replicate it you will do it at your own sole risk. I shall take no liabilities. Full series of #Electronics: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwbCeSU2Kq_zORt4un2iQ3JUYxzWF3cTJ Visit the website: https://accidentalscience.com </video> <video> In 7 steps when NO schematic is available: How to #faultfinding and #troubleshooting #electronics Description: How to spot a fault on an electronic board following a methodological approach in 7 steps. Stop blinding guessing what a fault could be, follow the path and a method to spot faults with awareness. This video is inspired by the several comments on my previous video on this topic that you can find here: https://youtube.com/watch?v=ye9dguKy_Cs With this presentation my hope is to provide an answer to all those questions. Table of content 1:15 Gather information, from technicians on field and from other sources 3:19 Visual inspection, spot macroscopic causes of failure 4:04 Set up proper testing environment to reproduce fault and taking measurements 5:21 Check power rails on circuit board 6:07 Follow the path backward from faulty outputs 7:22 Check for consistency between voltages and currents and components involved 13:33 Intermittent faults, artificially stress to reveal hidden faults For more related/complementary content over my videos please visit my website accidentalscience.com. Watch the full series of electronics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye9dguKy_Cs&list=PLwbCeSU2Kq_zORt4un2iQ3JUYxzWF3cTJ Follow me on Facebook or Instagram Website: https://accidentalscience.com </video> <video> How vinyl discs are made, part II: pressing music with silver Description: In this second part we will see how the delicate lacquer disc is transformed to be used to mass produce vinyl discs. In the first part of this two parts video, we've seen how music is mechanically machined into a lacquer disc using a very sophisticated lathe. If you missed that part, I recommend you to pause and go to watch that first following this link: https://youtu.be/kViGfE9-f44 As mentioned in the first part, the footage used to make these videos was filmed in 2014. When I met Filippo De Fassi, that still today is the general director of Phonopress International, he not only allowed me to film the factory, but he was also so kind to thoroughly explain the whole process in details. Unfortunately when we went back home we discovered the footage got damaged. The audio and video were split, and broken into thousand of small file segments. Almost impossible to recover. Nevertheless the footage remained in archive for nine years, and only recently using a piece of software that I wrote myself I've been able to reconstruct almost all the footage. The lacquer disc by itself cannot be used for replication, and must be converted into a metallic stamper. This is achieved through a chemical and an electrochemical process, after which a negative stamper and a positive "mother" is obtained. The stamper is then used into a complex extruding-labeller-moulding-pressing machine, resulting in a finished disc. The last steps are testing, packaging and resting the discs so they stabilize. Disclosure: this video was NOT sponsored by Phonopress International. I made it just because it is interesnting. Link to the previous video: https://youtu.be/kViGfE9-f44 Link to the series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwbCeSU2Kq_zn9tgM_gjSEdBCX20dCN5J </video> <video> What's inside an encoder and how it works? | electronics automation Description: Encoders are widely used in machines tool and robots to provide positional information for the CNC. But what's inside an encoder? Are you curious to see it? Encoders are important devices used in machines, robots, vehicles, laboratory instrumentations and more, to gauge linear or angular positions. In this video a couple of encoders are opened to see what's inside, and learn how they work. Encoders are devices that encode the position into a numerical signal. While magnetic, contact and more types of encoder do exist, in this video only optical encoders are discussed. They can be linear or rotational giving the information of their position along a straight line, for linear encoders, or along a full revolution for rotational encoders. And they can be absolute or incremental. The most common used encoder is the rotational incremental encoder, that usually comes with two or three channels. So their typical application is to provide an angular position, such as on an arm of a robot, or a converted linear to angular position in machines such as CNC machines when coupled with a lead screw that moves a carriage through the rotation of a motor and an attached encoder. The internal electronic circuit is usually made of a photo detector that read from a disc (or a stripe in the case of linear encoders) where a number of marks or slots are printed or cut out, making the light to pass through. Follows a comparator that discriminates the light level and prevents uncertainties, making the reading stable, and a line driver circuit to output the signals. Full series of #Electronics: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwbCeSU2Kq_zORt4un2iQ3JUYxzWF3cTJ </video>

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Description

Projects and experiments in physics, electronics, mechatronics/machines, software, instruments and tools, crafts, woodworking and metalworking.
I mainly show things that I make (or have made) and tips from my experience. So this channel is kind of a video blog.
I have a long experience in designing electronic devices, machines, and in particular software and firmware development for embedded systems.
Also see my site/blog AccidentalScience.com where I put articles, often related to the video published in this channel.

This channel started with documentaries, that I almost no longer make, and are collected in a specific playlist.
While I'll try to upload videos approximately once every 15 days or less, actually this will happens as the videos will become available, so I recommend you to subscribe and click the bell icon to get notified when new videos are available.
I am not a native English speaker, however my videos are in English for people from all over the Europe, and beyond.

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