Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange
Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange

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1500 questions
23
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3 answers

Wiring a DC socket - why three pins?

I have this DC socket: Which I intend to wire up to a circuit to provide power. I have a DC power supply which has a positive tip polarity. I'm good to go and wire up the socket but I am a little stuck as there are 3 pins on my socket. From the…
Andy Smith
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12 answers

Best serial monitor?

I just recently started using a Sparkfun serial LCD. I am able to control it through an arduino, but I want to be able to control it through a terminal on my computer. To be able to move the cursor or clear the screen, you need to be able to send…
Hristos
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22
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3 answers

What actually is a shadow register?

I noticed the term Shadow Register while going through a datasheet of a TMS320F28335 DSP. What does it actually mean? Does it have a physical location in the CPU as the general purpose registers have?
noufal
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22
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3 answers

Is it OK to solder a power cord?

A few people have advised me to never solder a power cord directly to a PCB, but they couldn't explain why not. Why can/can't I solder it directly?
pebbles
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22
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3 answers

When are BJTs used in common base configuration?

BJTs are mostly used in common emitter, sometimes common collector configuration. I rarely see common base. When would you use a BJT in common base? For instance, what parameters are different from common emitter?
The Resistance
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22
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2 answers

Which way does electricity power a circuit?

Working with some circuits this summer, I ran into what everyone eventually does: Current flows from + to - despite the electrons flowing (well, bumping into eachother) from - to +. I understand the historical background for this, but for me that…
Tom
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22
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5 answers

How to ensure long-duration manufacturing of central components?

This question is related to project planning and minimizing risks in the future. Say that Company X builds this clever device (I do not own a company - I am just curious). The clever device takes advantage of a micro controller unit (MCU) as the…
Ole Thomsen Buus
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22
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10 answers

Is there a way to stop servos from "shaking"?

Very simply, I am controlling servos (9g micro servos) based on some data read in from elsewhere. Everything works fine except that the servos will constantly "shake." That is, they vibrate back with very subtle movements (with intermittent…
sherrellbc
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22
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3 answers

Low Battery Indicator

I'm looking to make a battery life indicator that I can use in conjunction with a micro-controller. I'm hoping that I can then read the current battery life remaining and increasingly put the micro-controller to sleep to preserve battery life.
littlebirdceo
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22
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3 answers

Does adding thermal relief on PCB increase electrical resistance?

I am just getting started on PCB design (for fun) and came across this term called thermal relief. It increases thermal resistance so the components can be soldered easily. But according to what I have learned, thermal and electrical resistance are…
user2578666
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22
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5 answers

accounting for LED resistance

I'm doing a simple lab (I'm a hobby EE) to reinforce my ohm's law math and learn a little about how to do proper measurements with a multimeter. I have simple circuit with a 2.2k ohm resistor connected in series with an LED. Everything works fine up…
Freeman
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22
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7 answers

Is soldering wires directly on a NiMh battery safe?

I'd like to know if soldering two wires directly on a NiMh battery is considered as safe or not. My fear is that battery would explode (right in my face) because of excessive heat caused by the soldering iron. Other possibility would be the battery…
tigrou
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22
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5 answers

Difference between differential op amp and comparator

What is the difference between a differential op amp and a comparator? I know a comparator can only give me two values (the supply values). The differential op amp amplifies the difference between the inputs...but should a comparator not do the same…
user25282
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22
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3 answers

Why does QAM use a grid-like distribution versus a more efficient spacing?

"Stand-Up Maths" recently did a video about QAM/data encoding. He presented a diagram of the encoding spacing for QAM: I'm from a software engineering background and I couldn't help but think: given that telecommunication companies are always…
Joshua Walker
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22
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4 answers

Do engineers still design for volume using discrete through-hole bipolar transistors?

As a hobbyist who likes plugging BJTs and discrete components into solderless breadboard for entertainment and education, I recognise that people like me are an insufficient market to make it worthwhile for manufacturers to continue production. I've…
RedGrittyBrick
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