I wasn't into that sort of thing even when I was paid to be!I think that's preferable over trying to make your own boards, unless you are really into that sort of thing.
I wasn't into that sort of thing even when I was paid to be!I think that's preferable over trying to make your own boards, unless you are really into that sort of thing.
I rather know what you mean.I wasn't into that sort of thing even when I was paid to be!
I should be able to work that up if I have time tonightDJ, that's a neat layout. Unfortunately the modified schematic I posted in post #37 is preferred, which uses a TL431a with an added pot for adjustment of the clip level, in place of the fixed zener.
Interestingly, the TL431a is actually about the same price as the zener.
If Harvey wants to go with your board, could you modify it to include that?
Ground is tied via thermals (ground plane is on the top because there are a couple of places where the traces run within the isolation tolerances of the polgygon that the ground plane would start to look more like a jigsaw puzzle)... the thermals are hard to see because of the solder mask layer.Edit: I don't see power and ground on the schematic for the op amp, and I don't see any ground connections to the ground plane on the board (I expected to see thermal relief pads to the ground plane. Did I just miss seeing them?).
Yes to the first.Will putting the decoupling capacitor next to pin 4 on the IC socket (parallel to it, with the other lead in the ground plane) be sufficient?
Do you think a larger electrolytic (maybe 10uF-47uF) next to the input (J_IN) would be a good addition too? The circuit strikes me as potentially susceptible to noisy power since the reference voltage is based off a voltage divider.
Your thoughts?
Yes, you're absolutely right. I got caught up in the excitement of possibly having the finished product in my hands soon and completely forgot that the circuit is still unproven. I got an e-mail this afternoon saying that my Velleman light dimmer kit has been shipped. Once I get it built, we can focus on your modulation circuit. (The kit was shipped by USPS so we might be looking at around Easter of next year.)Even if you use the PCB, I would recommend breadboarding the circuit first, since all I've done is a simulation of the circuit, which is not an absolute guarantee that it will work in practice.