For those who want to test batteries, having a proper four-wire Kelvin connection to the cell is key to making accurate cell voltage measurements especially at higher currents. Four-wire connections allow for the resistance of the leads carrying the current...

I’ve been involving myself with battery testing, at times quite intensively, testing various primary cells and rechargeable cells. Most of the tests of rechargeable cells have been Li-Ion, Li-Polymer and even Sealed Lead-Acid since they’re all similarly easy to test...

When it comes to flashlights, I used to be a fan of 18650-based torches because of their compact size and the ubiquitous nature of the cells. The main issue was the limited run-time because of the limited capacity, constrained by...

Shopping on Banggood has become a bit of a habit of mine. It’s perhaps not the best thing to be doing, but it’s also probably not the worst, as there are many items of random interest available at reasonable prices....

Just before the turn of the new year, we were hit with an unusual situation where somehow, we had lost the remote to a DVD recorder that we were using as a basic media player. Searching high and low, the...

Well, it seems 2021 is off to a good start (for me anyway) as I’ve just been informed that I’m the lucky recipient of a RoadTest. What is it? A hint is that it involves Li-Ion batteries and a decent...

While visiting my aunt this week to help her out with porting her mobile service and changing over to a new phone, I noticed that several of her MR16 LED globes were either out or dim. When I bought it...

Happy New Year everyone – I can’t believe we’re in 2021 already. To kick off this year’s postings, I’m taking a trip back to 2019 when I purchased a Bosch PLR 30 C 30m Bluetooth-enabled Laser Measure for just under...

If you’ve followed along with this blog, you probably have seen how hard I’ve worked my Rohde & Schwarz NGM202 review unit. It’s been a big part of many product reviews of batteries, chargers and the likes – rarely ever...

Readers have probably noticed that I’ve recently been on a bit of a flashlight and lithium-ion battery “binge”. I guess that can’t be helped, since I quite like using flashlights for added general purpose lighting in my room (where it...

After starting on some SMD Practice Kits yesterday, I had two remaining in the pile. Rather than leave them unfinished, I decided to try tackling them today so that I can finally say that I’m done. A Sense of Deja...

Growing up with Dick Smith Funway 2 kits, I’ve honed my skills on through-hole technology boards. But the days of through-hole technology are well and truly numbered, as many ICs either cost more or don’t come in DIP packages and...

It’s been ages since I’ve posted a random post – which is no surprise since I usually fill them up with “random” content which I record on my day to day outings. But this year has been completely different –...

It’s Christmas eve and Australia Post leaves this package for me on the doorstep. What could it be? I don’t remember ordering anything … Unboxing Cutting through the black plastic and emptying out the insides, it’s a nice surprise from...

It’s coming up to Christmas, so I was on the lookout for a little treat for myself. While I’m not a flash-a-holic (I keep telling myself that), I couldn’t resist buying a Xiaomi Youpin NexTool Flashlight when I saw it...

As one of the lucky recipients of a Keithley 2450 SourceMeter as part of the element14 RoadTest program, I had the opportunity to review this rather precise and versatile source-measurement unit. Unfortunately, during the review process, an issue was found...

In a previous posting, I looked at how I could use the Rohde & Schwarz NGM202 Two-Quadrant Power Supply to test and generate a battery model for use with the Battery Simulation option. In that previous posting, I covered some...

It’s the season of discounts and cashbacks, so not wanting to waste a good opportunity, I decided to make a few more purchases to keep myself occupied. Despite the relative unpopularity of the 26650 size (as the 21700 cells offer...

It’s been a while since I reviewed anything wearable. The main reason is that I’ve been happy with my Mi Band 2 with an aftermarket metal strap that I’ve been using since 2017, with one notable exception – the OLED...

Perusing the recent Black Friday sales online, I came across a discounted listing for a Xiaomi/Atuman DUKA LS-1 USB rechargeable laser rangefinder for under AU$15 delivered. Having already owned a Bosch PLR 30 C (which I didn’t get around to...

Last weekend (28th/29th November 2020) was a rather extraordinary one for me. Summer hadn’t officially begun yet, but yet a heatwave was on the cards. Two days of 40+ degrees Celsius temperatures were forecast for the west, with a minimum...

Current measurements are, in general, a pain. Most of the time you have to insert the meter in series with the circuit that is being measured, meaning you’re going to have to interrupt the circuit somewhere, cutting power to the...

Just this morning, I received a comment from Franc, a long-time reader, on my post about the dubious Canton Power DDO603SA 3.3V Buck-Boost Converter Module: The link to the ME2149F datasheet is dead. Here is another one: https://datasheet.lcsc.com/szlcsc/1810081413_MICRONE-Nanjing-Micro-One-Elec-ME2149FSG_C236784.pdf The spec...

Those who may have enjoyed my radiofax series may have noticed that there haven’t been any posts in a while. This is partly because I’ve just about covered all of the presently-operating services and haven’t had much time to revisit...

Around a week ago, I delivered my RoadTest review on the Vishay SiC461 Synchronous Buck Converter Reference Design Evaluation Board. It was a very involved review requiring a lot of time running tests and due to its claimed 98% peak...