Back to the dump # 2

Picking the local dump? I can hear the groans now! But, here's week two, and some more stories from an old fart geek. Some mild confessing is in order. After 'playing' with computers and electronics for 30 years, I do have some minor equipment laying around. But, that is not my reason for writing about picking the local recycle center and the dump. I was reacting to folks talking about how to 'start' with the Netduino or the Arduino, wondering about how to 'learn' about electronics, or software, or hardware. So, I am only using what the bare minimum, plus whatever we find at the dump! If you're reading this, chances are good you have, or are waiting for, a Netduino or Arduino. It's also a good shot that you have a computer with USB and a cable. Now, I'd be the first to admit sitting down making an LED blink is wonderful fun, especially if you have never written code, never made a program actually do something. It probably is going to get old pretty fast. If it doesn't, gosh, you can look forward to many happy days with little expense. Seriously though, what do you do next. after that LED blinking gets old? Just reach into that pile of goodies, and start playing. Oh, no pile of goodies, maybe the pile of cash is a little short? What now? First of all, why are you doing this at all? DO you have an end product in mind? Are you looking at making a large wave in the embedded field with some new invention? Good, because you can find so many people doing so many neat projects just with the Arduino and the newer Netduino, you imagination will not be limited. Do you need a goal? Not from my viewpoint, just 'learning' is fine with me. And the fun part is who cares! You can blow a lot of creative time playing with that one LED, and learn a fair amount of C# in the process. Ok , I'll climb off the soapbox. This week at the dump I ran into a bunch of wall warts, from scanners, radios, power tools, kids toys, and some unknowns. Everyone had a label showing the input and output, plus the wiring for the plug, whether it was positive center or negative center. Yes, I understand you are already powering the Arduino/Netduino with a USB cable and don't need anything else. I think the minute you jump beyond the single LED, start looking at motors, more LEDs, and other stuff, power will be come an issue. If you need to know more about wall warts, I found this link to have a great explanation: http://www.ladyada.n...er/voltage.html You do need to think about getting a multimeter. I have three, one a nice Fluke digital I've had for years, one a cheap Radio Shack Special I found at the dump with dead batteries that works fine, and finally an old timer, analog, that has saved me many times. It's a lot easier, sometimes, watching a needle flip around than trying to follow flickering digital displays. Do I 'need' all three? Nope, I generally grab the cheap one most of the time. I did this morning when I was checking the wall warts I picked up. One, to see what the DC voltage really is, with nothing attached, or unloaded. And again, in AC mode to see how much ripple there is on the output. I see digital multimeters available all the time for $10 - $100 bucks. Ask around before you buy though, since there are dozens hiding in closets and cellars that have not been used in years, and people will give you. Make a quest into finding out what's available, Google multimeters , and kill some time looking. It's still a part of learning ! And finally remember, in the public eye you're 'playing' with electronics and computers. 99.9 percent of the people around you are just going to nod, no matter what you tell them you're doing. So have fun. Coupe weeks ago one of the busybodies in the coffee shop was bugging me about what that thing was I was 'playing with'. It was an Arduino. I told him I was trying to figure out how to make a 15 bit shift register out of an 8 bit computer. He just nodded and left. My friend at the other end of the counter spit coffee all over the place, and cracked up. Ain't this stuff fun, eh !

Hi Frank... that's cool... I haven't yet been to the dump to go picking yet. I do have a couple of big plastic totes that I dump old electronics into. Toys, radios, calculators, etc. Plus, some stuff from The Great Internet Migratory Box Of Electronics Junk. http://www.tgimboej.org/ I've also stripped old computers, so lots of switches, LEDs, small fans and motors from CD Roms and Floppy drives. Friends save some stuff for me too... plus I pickup stuff at yard sales and clearances too.

It was an Arduino. I told him I was
trying to figure out how to make a 15 bit shift register out of an 8 bit computer. He just nodded and left. My friend at
the other end of the counter spit coffee all over the place, and cracked up. Ain't this stuff fun, eh !

HAHA! You're the best. I don't like when this happens to me, people are like "Whats that?" Then when I try to explain it. I try to explain Inputs and Outputs then they look at me like I lost my mind.

HAHA! You're the best. I don't like when this happens to me, people are like "Whats that?" Then when I try to explain it. I try to explain Inputs and Outputs then they look at me like I lost my mind.

Well, we have to understand that most of the world just has other things to worry about.

In the older days, when I was interviewing new techs, I'd always give them a 'C' cell battery and two wires, and ask if they could get a spark. A surprising number of them didn't understand, and those people just weren't what I wanted in a manufacturing environment.

I just find it easier to give them something to nod about! Often it's enjoyable to find a way to explain stuff to people. It makes you know your stuff better, and pleases the heck out of the average person when they understand something about 'electronics".

Well, we have to understand that most of the world just has other things to worry about.

In the older days, when I was interviewing new techs, I'd always give them a 'C' cell battery and two wires, and ask if they could get a spark. A surprising number of them didn't understand, and those people just weren't what I wanted in a manufacturing environment.

I just find it easier to give them something to nod about! Often it's enjoyable to find a way to explain stuff to people. It makes you know your stuff better, and pleases the heck out of the average person when they understand something about 'electronics".

Wise words, thanks for the advice, I'll be sure to have pateince and try my best to explain when asked.

Wise words, thanks for the advice, I'll be sure to have pateince and try my best to explain when asked.

I probably sound too pompous! Many times patience doesn't work, and you just have to resort to the 15 bit shift register type of answer, with a straight face, and get back to whatever you were doing! < grin > I think a sense of humor goes a long way when you're beating a keyboard and hooking up wires.

Just spent an enjoyable hour taking apart a Canon scanner / printer I picked up today. Some one smarter than me needs to look at the parts in one of these newer printers. Nice small PCB with a couple of memory card readers, and only one small connector coming off the board. Some nice rugged motors, lots of gears and eyes. And I noticed the power supply is a modular one, with 24 VDC @700ma and 3.3 at 300ma, nice small detachable plastic package, very light, and the voltages are spot on, no overshoot at all.

I probably sound too pompous! Many times patience doesn't work, and you just have to resort to the 15 bit shift register type of answer, with a straight face, and get back to whatever you were doing! < grin > I think a sense of humor goes a long way when you're beating a keyboard and hooking up wires.

Just spent an enjoyable hour taking apart a Canon scanner / printer I picked up today. Some one smarter than me needs to look at the parts in one of these newer printers. Nice small PCB with a couple of memory card readers, and only one small connector coming off the board. Some nice rugged motors, lots of gears and eyes. And I noticed the power supply is a modular one, with 24 VDC @700ma and 3.3 at 300ma, nice small detachable plastic package, very light, and the voltages are spot on, no overshoot at all.

I have been trying to find me a broken printer for a while now! No luck so far, maybe I'll convice my parents to take me to the recycling place.

Hehe... at school someone thought that the breadboard and wires plus netduino equaled bomb. They were like "Hey, what the heck is that? Oh my god.. is that a bomb" At that point I didn't know whether to smile and say no, or to flip out... I played the sarcastic "OH YEAH IT IS A HUGE BOMB"

I have been trying to find me a broken printer for a while now! No luck so far, maybe I'll convice my parents to take me to the recycling place.

Hehe... at school someone thought that the breadboard and wires plus netduino equaled bomb. They were like "Hey, what the heck is that? Oh my god.. is that a bomb" At that point I didn't know whether to smile and say no, or to flip out... I played the sarcastic "OH YEAH IT IS A HUGE BOMB"

I'd never, even joking, say something is a bomb these days!

Recycling Centers often do not accept electronic stuff. Usually it is in a separate
section, and folks often have to pay to leave stuff. Find the manager and explain what you're doing, simply, don't confuse
him/her. Liability is the biggest fear, thinking you'll get cut or something. My place is usually happy because they know when I take something I'll bring it back, metal in one pile, plastic in another, and a much smaller pile of electronics. That way they reduce their costs, and I get to pick over stuff.

Look for kids toys, Fisher Price stuff. It all seems to have electronics in it, and many have wall warts for power supplies. Course, I've got a couple of Grandsons that are delighted when I fix on of the otys, and then I lose it for a while! Have fun.