... etc. Tough housing, drop-tests, high-CAT safety ratings. High accuracy, true-RMS, stable calibration. Long lifespan, support and WArranty which reduce long-term cost. If you’re replacing a hobby-meter and don’t work in heavy duty applications, yes you might be fine with a cheaper brand. But if you need one tool that you can trust under serious conditions, the extra cost makes sense.

@sophie Fair points! The Pico is definitely a solid option, especially if you’re into Python. That said, I still think the Arduino Uno is easier for Total beginners, just because there’s WAy more support, tutorials, and libraries. If you ever get stuck, chances are someone’s already solved it. Plus, working with C/C++ on Arduino isn’t as scary as it sounds—tons of example codes make it pretty straightforward.

Good point by @FullBridgeRectifier . Just to clarify for anyone new to this: when we say “divide by 255 instead of 256,” it’s because we’re looking at the maximum value the PWM can take, not the Total count of values. This WAy, your duty cycle calculations always correctly reach 100%.

@bryan Using multiple resistors in parallel instead of a single resistor can offer several advantages, depending on the specific requirements of the circuit. Here are some key benefits and scenarios where this technique is commonly applied: 1. Power Dissipation: Advantage: When resistors are connected in parallel, the overall power dissipation is shared between the individual resistors. This can prevent overheating or excessive power dissipation in a single resistor, especially in high-power applications. Example: In power supplies or motor driver circuits, where large amounts of current flow through resistors, parallel resistors help distribute the heat more evenly, preventing one resistor from getting too hot and potentially burning out. 2. Improved Thermal Management: Advantage: Distributing the current across multiple resistors can help manage heat more effectively. A single high-power resistor may have limitations on how much power it can dissipate before it reaches unsafe temperatures. By using parallel resistors, the heat is spread out, improving overall thermal performance. Example: In high-power resistor networks used in voltage dividers or current sensing, parallel resistors allow better thermal management without the need for specialized heat sinks. 3. Availability of Components: Advantage: It may be more practical or cost-effective to use multiple standard-value resistors than to source a single resistor with the required value, especially in cases where a precise resistance value is not readily available in a high-power rating. Example: Sometimes a designer may need a resistor with a specific value that is not commonly available, but by combining resistors of different standard values in parallel, the desired resistance can be approximated. This can be more convenient than ordering a custom resistor. 4. Increased Power Rating: Advantage: Multiple resistors in parallel increase the Total power handling capability of the resistor network. The power rating of the parallel combination is effectively the sum of the individual power ratings of each resistor. Example: For example, two resistors each rated for 1W in parallel can handle up to 2W of power in Total, which would not be possible with a single 1W resistor. 5. Tolerance and Precision: Advantage: In some cases, using multiple resistors can help achieve a more precise overall resistance value, especially if high tolerance resistors are used in parallel. The parallel combination may help average out the tolerance errors of individual resistors, leading to a more predictable and consistent resistance. Example: In precision circuits, such as voltage dividers in analog signal processing, multiple resistors with tight tolerances might be combined to achieve the desired resistance value with reduced error margins. 6. Redundancy and Reliability: Advantage: Using parallel resistors can improve the reliability of the circuit. If one resistor fails (e.g., due to overheating), the remaining resistors in the parallel configuration can continue to carry the current, which can help prevent a complete circuit failure. Example: This is especially useful in mission-critical applications where reliability is key, such as in automotive or aerospace circuits. Common Applications: Power Dissipation: Power supplies, motor drivers, and high-current load resistors. Thermal Management: Voltage dividers and high-power applications. Precision Circuits: Applications where multiple standard resistors are used to approximate a desired resistance with minimal tolerance error. Redundancy: Safety-critical applications where resistor failure could compromise circuit performance. Conclusion: Using resistors in parallel is a useful technique, especially when dealing with high power, thermal management, or component availability. It allows for better distribution of power, increased reliability, and often better thermal performance. While it might seem simpler to just use a single resistor, the flexibility, safety, and performance benefits make this approach preferable in certain scenarios.

... the board, lifting one leg of suspected components (like capacitors or diodes) to see if the short clears. Electrolytic caps are a common culprit. Another simple method that’s helped me is the finger test or using a drop of isopropyl alcohol. Power the board with a current-limited supply (set low, so nothing burns), and often the shorted component will heat up faster than the rest. You can sometimes feel it with your finger or WAtch where the alcohol evaporates first. If the short is stubborn, I’ve also followed the divide and conquer approach—cutting tra ...

@ankunegi The answer is on point but I think there's a mistake in your calculation. To calculate the duty cycle, we have to divide it by 255(the maximum value) and not 256(The Total no. of steps). For example: A 2-bit PWM signal has 4 possible steps: 0,1,2 and 3 corresponding to 0%, 33.33%, 66.67% and 100% duty cycle. You get this by dividing by 3, not 4. If you divide it by 4, you will get 25%. Which means 0%, 25%, 50% and 75%. See, you are not getting 100% duty cycle in this case.

1. Yes you can. But then you have to turn ON only one LED at a time. 2. It is simple. If each LED consumes 12mA we get, Total current= 12X15 = 180mA, which is below the maximum rating. Now resistor value = 5V/12mA = 416 ohms.

To the point answer by Techtalks. Just WAnt to add one important point here: The PWM pins on UNO have an 8-bit resolution. This gives us 256 discrete duty cycles, since 2^8 = 256. Example: 2 bit means 4 possible duty cycles. For PWM, they would be: 0, 33.33%, 66.66%, and 100%. Similarly, 4-bit means 16 duty cycles, and 8-bit means 256 cycles. Now why does the PWM range from 0 to 255 and not 256? Because when you count 0, the Total values from 0 to 255 are 256.

Here are 15 amazing project ideas you can create using the ATtiny85 microcontroller: LED Matrix AnimationProgram an LED matrix to display scrolling text or animations using the ATtiny85. Miniature Digital ThermometerBuild a small thermometer using a temperature sensor like LM35 or DS18B20 and display the data on a tiny OLED screen. IR Remote Control SystemDecode signals from an IR remote to control LEDs, fans, or other appliances. Sound Reactive LightsCreate an audio visualizer where LEDs blink in response to sound or music using a microphone module. Capacitive Touch SwitchMake a touch-sensitive button using a conductive surface and the ATtiny85, perfect for smart home switches. Portable Motion DetectorUse a PIR sensor to build a portable motion detection alarm system for security purposes. USB Volume ControllerTurn your ATtiny85 into a USB HID device to control your computer’s volume with a rotary encoder. Tiny Weather StationMeasure temperature and humidity with sensors like DHT11/DHT22 and display the readings on an OLED. Ultrasonic Distance MeterUse an ultrasonic sensor to measure distances and display them on a small display. Blinking Bicycle LightCreate a small, energy-efficient blinking tail light for a bicycle, powered by a coin cell battery. Minimalist USB Game ControllerBuild a simple game controller for retro-style games with buttons connected to the ATtiny85. PWM Fan Speed ControllerControl the speed of a DC fan using pulse-width modulation and a temperature sensor for feedback. ATtiny85 Robot BrainPower a small robot with an ATtiny85, controlling motors and sensors for basic navigation. Night Light with Light SensorCreate an automatic night light that turns on in low-light conditions using an LDR and LEDs. Tiny Digital StopwatchDesign a simple stopwatch with start, stop, and reset functions using push buttons and an OLED display. These projects highlight the versatility of the ATtiny85 and can help you learn more about electronics, programming, and sensors. This site is hands down the best for projects related to ATtiny85. So, definitely check it out.

... to 1999. This means that when measuring voltage, current, or resistance, the highest reading you can see is 1999 units before the multimeter switches to a higher range or shows an overflow. Let’s say you are measuring voltage with a 2000-count multimeter. If the setting is on the 2V range, the Meter can show values up to 1.999V. If you measure 2.000V or higher, the multimeter will need to switch to a higher range to display that value, or it may show an error or “overload” indication if it’s beyond its capability. For example, if you try to measure 3V whi ...

When it comes to audio circuits, I’ve seen many people emphasize the importance of choosing the right op-amp, since it can significantly affect noise, distortion, and overall sound quality. What factors should be considered when selecting an op-amp specifically for audio applications? For example, how important are parameters like slew rate, input noise, bandwidth, or THD+N (Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise)? Are there certain op-amp families that are generally preferred for high-quality audio, and how do they compare to using general-purpose op-amps?

Daisy-chaining a large number of shift registers, such as the popular 74HC595, is technically possible, but there are practical limitations you need to consider. Each shift register introduces a propagation delay, and as the chain gets longer, these delays accumulate. When chaining around 100 shift registers, the Total propagation delay can become significant, requiring you to slow down the clock frequency considerably to ensure reliable data transfer. High-speed operation becomes nearly impossible at this scale without special measures. Signal integrity is another major concern. Longer chains increase the length of the data and clock lines, which can result in voltage drops, reflections, and noise issues. To maintain clean signals, you will likely need to use buffers or repeaters at certain points in the chain, along with careful PCB layout and proper decoupling. If your design truly requires controlling such a large number of outputs, consider whether a different approach might be more suitable. For example, I²C or SPI GPIO expanders with unique addressing can drastically reduce complexity. Alternatively, you could use multiple smaller chains driven by separate microcontroller pins.

This kind of issue is quite common when cascading multiple 74HC595 shift registers. First, make sure you're shifting out the correct number of bits—8 bits per chip—before pulsing the latch pin. Timing can also be a factor, so try adding a small delay (like delayMicroseconds(1)) after the latch pulse. Signal integrity often becomes a problem as more ICs are added, especially with long wires or breadboards—keep connections short, use 100nF decoupling capacitors near each chip, and consider adding 100Ω series resistors on data and clock lines. Also, check that all chips share a common ground and that your power supply can handle the Total current draw. Lastly, ensure your shiftOut() direction (MSBFIRST or LSBFIRST) matches your wiring. These steps usually solve most inconsistent behavior when chaining multiple 74HC595s.

Hi! I checked the circuit on TinkerCad. There were some mistakes, like wrong capacitor connection and value. Here's the edited one: A couple of points worth mentioning here: 1. On running the simulation, TinkerCad shows too much current drawn from the IC and may damage it. 2. This is true if you are running it continuously. In this case, all LEDs are ON at the same time for a very small duration, so it somehow works. 3. Still, not a good idea in the long run. I will suggest: 1. Use a 220-ohm resistor instead of 100. And connect two LEDs per pin to only one resistor. Meaning a Total of 8 resistors for an 8-pin. This will reduce the overall current draw from the IC and per pin as well. 2. Better use 330 ohm..but not that it will reduce the brightness of the LEDs further.

Hi there, I am a Total noob with electronics so figured I'd ask here for some help. I just bought a synchronous motor and need to power it. The motor is 12 volt AC 4 WAtt 50Hz. Can someone point me to what outlet and inverter (if necessary) is needed to power this motor, whether it be an outlet or battery powered? Here is a link to the motor I am using. Thank you for any help you can provide!