MEP EP#239: Frictionless Spherical Cow Transformers

Circuit Break - A MacroFab Podcast

MEP EP#239: Frictionless Spherical Cow Transformers

Parker

• Garage Door opener hacking
  • Converting my normal style garage door opener to a “jackshaft” style opener
  • Reversing the direction of the A/C single phase motor?
    • Split phase motors
    • One phase is shifted with a large capacitor by ~90 degrees
    • In my application I just had to reverse the wires and the end stop wires
• PyInstaller
  • Can take your python scripts and make it into a self contained application
  • Useful for non technical inclined people on your team
  • Cross Platform!
  • GUIs
    • Tkinter seems to work well in Win10 and Ubuntu 20 LTS

Stephen

• High voltage low current measurement
  • Tony_W Recommended the ACS37002
    • Hall effect sensor that can be ground referenced in very high voltage applications
    • 0.85m ohm conductor resistance
    • 4.8kV RMS isolation voltage
    • VCC of up to 6.5V
    • -50 to 50A sensing range
    • Gain selection of 30mv/A to 60mV/A
  • In my situation I would want to monitor 0.1mA or 100uA. With a gain of 60mV/A that would be 60uV/mA so 0.1mA would be 6uV….. This may still not be the best solution because I would likely need a ton of gain and have to correct for any offsets.
  • Possibly to a tro prong approach - Measure voltage across known resistances in the circuit
• Getting transformers manufactured for your product
  • What do you need to know?
  • How do you get started?
  • What are the specifications
    • Mains transformers
    • SMPS and flyback style “yellow tape” Transformers.