Alt-BEAM Archive
Message #08924
To: beam@sgiblab.sgi.com
From: Wilf Rigter Wilf.Rigter@powertech.bc.ca
Date: Sat, 8 Jan 2000 23:26:39 +0100
Subject: SIMPLIFIED D1 CIRCUIT
> Hi Jim,
>
> I hope this circuit will shine a little light on your D1 problems.
Consider
> using this simplified D1 (SIMD1) type solar charger /darkness trigger. It
> uses 1/6 of a 74HCT14 with the remainder used for pummer, microcore, etc.
> If the rest of the hex inverter 74HCT14 chip is not used, then a single
> 74HCT14 inverter chip may be used instead, which is about the same size as
> the original 2N7000. The cap C1 can be a gold cap or if the current
> requirements are not high (ie pummer), one of the higher voltage/higher
> impedance coin type supercaps would be just fine. Alternately C1 can be
> replaced with a suitable NiCad battery. At dawn and throughout the day the
> SIMD1 will charge the cap/battery and then will turn on the circuit it
> controls at dusk and stays on until the cap/battery is discharged. The D1
> will trigger at the lower (+V/3) threshold of the Schmitt trigger and with
a
> 74HCT14 that point may be as low as 10% Vmax open circuit of the solar
cell.
> The SIMD1 "snaps" on when the solar cell is dark and will only reset at a
> much higher light level or when the cap/battery is deeply discharged
because
> of the Schmitt trigger hysteresis. The diode (D1) can of course be
replaced
> with the more efficient ZVD circuit.
>
> enjoy
>
> wilf
>
> <>
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: JVernonM@aol.com [SMTP:JVernonM@aol.com]
> > Sent: Sunday, December 19, 1999 12:28 AM
> > To: beam@sgiblab.sgi.com
> > Subject: Re: NiCads...
> >
> > In a message dated 12/19/99 2:23:47 AM Eastern Standard Time,
> > flytch@hotmail.com writes:
> >
> > > I for one am very interested... I am building my house right now so I
> > have
> > > little time for experimentation... But I am! building in a beam park
in
> >
> > the
> > > living room window...
> > Good for you! I wish I could do that myself. I have a plan for a BEAM
park
> >
> > that will be great if I ever get to it. I do need to do something
though,
> > I've built so many bots that I have no where to keep them. I don't want
to
> >
> > stick them on a shelf to gather dust, after all, the whole idea is to
> > enjoy
> > them. As to the power issue, if I get anywhere I'll post my findings. A
> > combination of the D1 and a good day time solar engine sounds like the
> > ticket. I've tried the D1 with up to a 10F cap and the performance is
very
> >
> > disapointing. On my Jasmine plant I only get about half an hour of
> > blinking 8
> > micro LEDs. I would imagine a Unicore (which I think is the best
candidate
> >
> > for this) with two gearmotors, would drain that 10F cap in just a few
> > minutes, no good (besides, it's as big as one of those personal juice
> > cans,
> > and gets a full charge from the large solar cell in under an hour of
full
> > sun). The logical solution is a battery pack instead of the cap. The
only
> > problem that I anticipate is setting the "on" level of the D1. The range
> > of
> > coming on to soon versus not coming on fully is very small. Also, I'm
not
> > sure about using the solar cell as the light sensor (as the D1 does),
> > seems
> > that a good ole CDS cell would be more sensitive and tweekable. I
envision
> >
> > bots that work constantly. Day or night, no matter the light level.
> > Assuming,
> > of course, that the critter gets some sun during the day. I thought of
> > this
> > while watching my Jack Russell Terrier playing in the yard. He has an
> > almost
> > inexhaustible supply of energy. A vast reserve used to play, explore,
and
> > get
> > into trouble. Then, I thought, the robots we build have no such reserve.
> > They
> > eat and move, eat some more and move some more. No food, no motion. We
> > emulate biologicals, but have never considered a power reserve for
> > sustained
> > operation or frivolous use. Our bots are anorexic! They need some fat to
> > get
> > them through the night. Imagine how much more useful a window cleaner or
a
> >
> > sweeper bot would be if it never stopped. We have come to refer to the
non
> >
> > operational time as sleep time. But, sleep time is usually associated
with
> >
> > recharging ones energy reserves. The sleep time that we often refer to
> > (outside of the time it takes for a super cap to fire, and really, that
> > should be called eat time) is really dead time. They are dead as a door
> > nail.
> > A bot with a power reserve would also keep a microprocessor "rider"
going
> > as
> > well, allowing for more complex behavior. It seems like the natural next
> > step
> > to me. Sorry for the book, I'm just excited that someone mentioned the
> > idea!
> >
> > See ya,
> > Jim
> > http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Exhibit/8281/beamart.html
> > ICQ# 55657870
>
8925 Sat, 08 Jan 2000 14:54:41 -0800 [alt-beam] Re: SIMPLIFIED D1 CIRCUIT beam@sgiblab.sgi.com Wilf Rigter Any old Silicon diode ie Radio Shack (1N914A or 1N4148 or 1N4003 will do it.
regards
wilf
johannes wrote:
> what diode can be used?
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Wilf Rigter
> To:
> Sent: Friday, January 07, 2000 5:57 AM
> Subject: SIMPLIFIED D1 CIRCUIT
>
> > Hi Jim,
> >
> > I hope this circuit will shine a little light on your D1 problems.
> Consider
> > using this simplified D1 (SIMD1) type solar charger /darkness trigger. It
> > uses 1/6 of a 74HCT14 with the remainder used for pummer, microcore, etc.
> > If the rest of the hex inverter 74HCT14 chip is not used, then a single
> > 74HCT14 inverter chip may be used instead, which is about the same size as
> > the original 2N7000. The cap C1 can be a gold cap or if the current
> > requirements are not high (ie pummer), one of the higher voltage/higher
> > impedance coin type supercaps would be just fine. Alternately C1 can be
> > replaced with a suitable NiCad battery. At dawn and throughout the day the
> > SIMD1 will charge the cap/battery and then will turn on the circuit it
> > controls at dusk and stays on until the cap/battery is discharged. The D1
> > will trigger at the lower (+V/3) threshold of the Schmitt trigger and with
> a
> > 74HCT14 that point may be as low as 10% Vmax open circuit of the solar
> cell.
> > The SIMD1 "snaps" on when the solar cell is dark and will only reset at a
> > much higher light level or when the cap/battery is deeply discharged
> because
> > of the Schmitt trigger hysteresis. The diode (D1) can of course be
> replaced
> > with the more efficient ZVD circuit.
> >
> > enjoy
> >
> > wilf
> >
> > <>
> >
> >
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: JVernonM@aol.com [SMTP:JVernonM@aol.com]
> > > Sent: Sunday, December 19, 1999 12:28 AM
> > > To: beam@sgiblab.sgi.com
> > > Subject: Re: NiCads...
> > >
> > > In a message dated 12/19/99 2:23:47 AM Eastern Standard Time,
> > > flytch@hotmail.com writes:
> > >
> > > > I for one am very interested... I am building my house right now so I
> > > have
> > > > little time for experimentation... But I am! building in a beam park
> in
> > >
> > > the
> > > > living room window...
> > > Good for you! I wish I could do that myself. I have a plan for a BEAM
> park
> > >
> > > that will be great if I ever get to it. I do need to do something
> though,
> > > I've built so many bots that I have no where to keep them. I don't want
> to
> > >
> > > stick them on a shelf to gather dust, after all, the whole idea is to
> > > enjoy
> > > them. As to the power issue, if I get anywhere I'll post my findings. A
> > > combination of the D1 and a good day time solar engine sounds like the
> > > ticket. I've tried the D1 with up to a 10F cap and the performance is
> very
> > >
> > > disapointing. On my Jasmine plant I only get about half an hour of
> > > blinking 8
> > > micro LEDs. I would imagine a Unicore (which I think is the best
> candidate
> > >
> > > for this) with two gearmotors, would drain that 10F cap in just a few
> > > minutes, no good (besides, it's as big as one of those personal juice
> > > cans,
> > > and gets a full charge from the large solar cell in under an hour of
> full
> > > sun). The logical solution is a battery pack instead of the cap. The
> only
> > > problem that I anticipate is setting the "on" level of the D1. The range
> > > of
> > > coming on to soon versus not coming on fully is very small. Also, I'm
> not
> > > sure about using the solar cell as the light sensor (as the D1 does),
> > > seems
> > > that a good ole CDS cell would be more sensitive and tweekable. I
> envision
> > >
> > > bots that work constantly. Day or night, no matter the light level.
> > > Assuming,
> > > of course, that the critter gets some sun during the day. I thought of
> > > this
> > > while watching my Jack Russell Terrier playing in the yard. He has an
> > > almost
> > > inexhaustible supply of energy. A vast reserve used to play, explore,
> and
> > > get
> > > into trouble. Then, I thought, the robots we build have no such reserve.
> > > They
> > > eat and move, eat some more and move some more. No food, no motion. We
> > > emulate biologicals, but have never considered a power reserve for
> > > sustained
> > > operation or frivolous use. Our bots are anorexic! They need some fat to
> > > get
> > > them through the night. Imagine how much more useful a window cleaner or
> a
> > >
> > > sweeper bot would be if it never stopped. We have come to refer to the
> non
> > >
> > > operational time as sleep time. But, sleep time is usually associated
> with
> > >
> > > recharging ones energy reserves. The sleep time that we often refer to
> > > (outside of the time it takes for a super cap to fire, and really, that
> > > should be called eat time) is really dead time. They are dead as a door
> > > nail.
> > > A bot with a power reserve would also keep a microprocessor "rider"
> going
> > > as
> > > well, allowing for more complex behavior. It seems like the natural next
> > > step
> > > to me. Sorry for the book, I'm just excited that someone mentioned the
> > > idea!
> > >
> > > See ya,
> > > Jim
> > > http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Exhibit/8281/beamart.html
> > > ICQ# 55657870
> >
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