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Posts by Olin Lathrop‭

345 posts
90%
+16 −0
Q&A Rules and guidelines for drawing schematics?

A schematic is a visual representation of a circuit. As such, its purpose is to communicate a circuit to someone else. A schematic in a special computer program for that purpose is also a machi...

posted 4y ago by Olin Lathrop‭  ·  edited 2y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

Answer
88%
+14 −0
Q&A Is ESD overhyped?

Yes, damage due to ESD (electro-static discharge) is real. Just because you haven't seen it isn't much evidence of anything. Some obvious possibilities why you haven't observed the problem are: Y...

posted 4y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

Answer
88%
+13 −0
Q&A How to calculate pullup resistor value for pushbutton?

To understand this issue, we have to look at how your circuit works and what the pullup does within it. You have a pushbutton you want to read with a microcontroller. The pushbutton is a momentary...

posted 4y ago by Olin Lathrop‭  ·  edited 4y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

Answer
88%
+13 −0
Q&A What is a bootloader, and how would I develop one?

I've heard that a bootloader is code that runs on a microcontroller, and is used to get your application code onto the micro. How does that work? Is there anything special that needs to be done to...

1 answer  ·  posted 4y ago by Olin Lathrop‭  ·  edited 4y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

88%
+13 −0
Meta How can we grow this community?

Another thing that would be helpful is to get the existing users to participate more. Upvote good questions when you see them! For example, the question "208VAC triple-phase to single-phase conve...

posted 3y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

Answer
86%
+11 −0
Q&A What is a bootloader, and how would I develop one?

Bootloader definition A bootloader is a program that runs in the microcontroller to be programmed. It receives new program information externally via some communication means, like a serial port, ...

posted 4y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

Answer
85%
+10 −0
Meta What is the added value - still unclear

This site grew out of frustration with how SE was managing their sites, seemed to value clicks over quality, and lost appreciation for those providing the content that the clicks came to get. This ...

posted 4y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

Answer
85%
+10 −0
Q&A How to calculate pullup resistor value for pushbutton?

What value pullup resistor should I use for a pushbutton connected to a microcontroller input? I've seen values from 1 kΩ to over 100 kΩ. Some references just say to use 10 kΩ because it's a "goo...

2 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Olin Lathrop‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by Circuit fantasist‭

Question pull-up-resistor
85%
+10 −0
Q&A Rules and guidelines for drawing schematics?

We see schematics of varying quality and conventions. What is good and bad? What are the rules and conventions for drawing good schematics? What matters? What doesn't? This question is about sch...

1 answer  ·  posted 4y ago by Olin Lathrop‭  ·  last activity 2y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

Question schematic
84%
+9 −0
Q&A Flyback transformer with Intrinsic Safety

I have no experience designing for Intrinsic Safety (IS), but need to do that now. I have read thru IEC 60079-11, which seems to be the relevant standard for my purposes. The board I need to desi...

4 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by Olin Lathrop‭  ·  last activity 1y ago by Lorenzo Donati‭

83%
+8 −0
Q&A How to estimate time of completion while developing an electronic product?

There is no easy answer to time-estimation. Experience is essential, but even for experienced people it's never easy. For simple projects, like designing a DC-DC converter inside some larger produ...

posted 4y ago by Olin Lathrop‭  ·  edited 4y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

Answer
81%
+7 −0
Q&A recommendation for chip programming connection (pogo?)

I have also had this problem for production runs of 100s to 1000 where you don't want to spend too much on a full fancy jig. Put plain round pads on the bottom of the board. 50 mils is usually a ...

posted 4y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

Answer
81%
+7 −0
Q&A Why arc welding does not require high voltage to arc?

It takes high voltage to start the arc. Once started, the air is ionized, and becomes fairly conductive. It then takes much less voltage to keep the current flowing to sustain the arc. This also...

posted 2y ago by Olin Lathrop‭  ·  edited 2y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

Answer
81%
+7 −0
Q&A Titanic submarine control considerations

I don't have any special knowledge about how submarines get controlled, so this is mostly speculation. I expect that the actual controls are fine. There seem to be the necessary degrees of freedo...

posted 1y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

Answer
80%
+6 −0
Q&A De-bouncing input signals?

Bouncing signals When a mechanical switch opens and closes, there is often vibration in the contacts so that they open and close several times rapidly until the new steady state is eventually reach...

posted 4y ago by Olin Lathrop‭  ·  edited 4y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

Answer
80%
+6 −0
Meta Can I ask a question to which I have a possible answer?

Self-answered questions can be OK here. Those are best when they are canonical questions on topics likely to come up. Some examples where I have done this are: What is a bootloader, and how would...

posted 4y ago by Olin Lathrop‭  ·  edited 4y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

Answer
80%
+6 −0
Q&A MOV vs. TVS diode

You really have to compare datasheets. There are some general differences, but you shouldn't go by those in specific instances. MOVs usually have softer knees, are available at higher voltages, a...

posted 4y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

Answer
80%
+6 −0
Q&A Is it always necessary to use the ground terminal of the oscilloscope probe?

Yes, you should connect the scope probe ground to the circuit ground near where you are probing. The unit under test (UUT) and the scope may have their grounds connected, but that is via a round-a...

posted 3y ago by Olin Lathrop‭  ·  edited 3y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

Answer
80%
+6 −0
Q&A Capacitor in 2nd stage of opamp

That looks like the internal compenstation capacitor. It creates a single dominant pole over most of the opamp's intended operating range. Opamps with dominant pole compensation can be characteri...

posted 3y ago by Olin Lathrop‭  ·  edited 1y ago by Lorenzo Donati‭

Answer
80%
+6 −0
Q&A Low-frequency PWM-controlled Mosfet heater circuit

Your main complaint seems to be that the 24 V power rail sags 800 mV when the heater is on. Three responses pop to mind: So what? It probably isn't anyway. What did you expect? #1: So what? ...

posted 3y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

Answer
80%
+6 −0
Meta Let's have a "Papers" category.

Currently, we have two categories, Q&A and Meta. Those seem to be working well. New topic type available A category can now be created where there is a single post per topic, with only comment...

4 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Olin Lathrop‭  ·  edited 4y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

Question proposal
80%
+6 −0
Q&A How do I design a flyback converter? What are the basics I should know?

I see Andy has already given a detailed answer with a lot of good background on flyback converters. I'll answer the question more directly about how I would step thru this design if given these ...

posted 3y ago by Olin Lathrop‭  ·  edited 3y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

Answer
80%
+6 −0
Q&A Mysterious little cases hanging on street wirings in India

This is not a direct answer, but a few observations that might be clues. The additional pictures help, but you still haven't answered where this is. The purpose of the question was to get some id...

posted 2y ago by Olin Lathrop‭  ·  edited 2y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

Answer
77%
+5 −0
Q&A What are the key programming skills for an embedded systems engineer?

First, we have to clarify what you really mean by "embedded systems". There are many systems where something that is logically a PC is embedded. There is a whole industry around "single board com...

posted 2y ago by Olin Lathrop‭

Answer