Summer lab instruments

[RoGeorge]

Found myself lately ditching standalone lab instruments in the favor of DIY test platforms.  By test platforms I mean measuring instruments/generators improvised out of random MCU devboards, all thrown together in a container, and all the boards talking with a PC through a USB hub.  Power is either from USB, or by wall adapters, so no lab power supply either.

Main reason is that it's too hot outside to add in the same room a couple more hundred watts of heat produced by the lab instruments (talking about a home lab).  Second reason is that I don't like the hum noises coming from the cooling fans each instrument has.  Most of the time is spent anyway writing software, so running the lab instruments during all this time doesn't make much sense.

Thinking of making a fanless adjustable power supply.  Or maybe just some standalone testing modules:  voltmeters, LDOs of fixed voltage (but isolated), a logic probe with a few LEDs, an Arduino with a display as oscilloscope, and anchor them all together with whatever project board has to be tested, for example by using sticky tape and bigger plastic container to keep all in one box.

Anybody in a similar situation?

[pdenisowski]

I feel your pain - I live in the Southeastern United States (yesterday's high temp was 100 F / 38 C) and often have many very large test and measurement instruments running in my office for hours at a time.  My solution is to do as much of my work in the very early morning hours as possible

Here's an example of a "summertime" test setup I was using for a July 4th video.  It may be a short clip, but it took me a couple of hours to get everything set up.

https://youtube.com/shorts/yGqDsFdWSdU

Edit:  I also will sometimes send people to voicemail if I'm in the middle of running tests - the instruments aren't particularly loud (as instruments go), but it makes no sense to have them running and producing heat / noise when I'm just chatting on the phone

Edit 2: Updated link to YouTube (vs. LinkedIn)

[RoGeorge]

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7214293171902578688/

Surprise setup!   

[joeqsmith]

I tried your linkedin link but it failed to load.   A little digging and I didn't realize (or forgot) microsoft bought them in 2016.  I block all known microsoft IPs.

[RoGeorge]

I block all known microsoft IPs.

Install Tor browser and try opening that link from Tor. 
It might open (with all the blocked IP still in place), but I'm not sure.

[coppercone2]

I found alot of fans can be improved with noctua in most equipment if you do the work and possibly add a power converter


i have a large number of successful mods where I got rid of old fans for quiet stuff with performance that is close


usually it takes some layout, drilling and filing if any chassis mod work at all. I would rather do a little mechanical work then reinvent the wheel

[joeqsmith]

I found alot of fans can be improved with noctua in most equipment if you do the work and possibly add a power converter


i have a large number of successful mods where I got rid of old fans for quiet stuff with performance that is close


usually it takes some layout, drilling and filing if any chassis mod work at all. I would rather do a little blue collar work then reinvent the wheel

How does changing a fan reduce the power dissipated by a 100W space heater?  Sound like some free energy stuff. 

[coppercone2]

Oh no for that part I just crank the AC down, instead of reinventing the wheel

[joeqsmith]

I block all known microsoft IPs.

Install Tor browser and try opening that link from Tor. 
It might open (with all the blocked IP still in place), but I'm not sure.

I use a hacked router to access the internet.  It may be possible to use proxy server. 

[pdenisowski]

I tried your linkedin link but it failed to load.   A little digging and I didn't realize (or forgot) microsoft bought them in 2016.  I block all known microsoft IPs.

Sorry - this should work:

https://youtube.com/shorts/yGqDsFdWSdU