The contact resistance hiding inside a breadboard
A solderless breadboard replaces solder joints with spring contacts. Their pressure, wear and fit can alter a circuit, especially when current rises or a measurement needs precision.
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Small Circuit Notes
Small electronics projects, neat labels and the notes that save a second attempt.
written by Kira Moss
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Why a decoupling capacitor belongs near the chip
A capacitor's printed value tells only part of the story. Its distance from a chip, and the return path through the board, decide how quickly it can help.
My tiny desk light does not need a cloud account
I wanted a little light that told me something at my desk. At no point did I feel a deep longing for another account, a new dashboard or a relationship with an unidentified cloud.
The chatbot doesn’t get to sign off my wiring
The answer was neatly formatted. The connections were described with confidence. The part on my desk had a marking that did not agree with the description. At that point the chatbot had lost its imaginary
The tiny label that embarrassed my brilliant circuit diagram
The drawing was clear. The connections were clear. The little pile of wires on the desk had received neither of those documents and was behaving as a separate administrative department.
My project box was lying about being finished
The prototype looked finished after I placed it in a box. This was a visual improvement and an administrative fiction.
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