Author Topic: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter  (Read 224291 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline u271D

  • Contributor
  • Posts: 41
  • Country: ua
Re: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter
« Reply #250 on: December 28, 2013, 08:44:00 am »
Hi Dave!,
Just saw the reflow of the green PCB; looks good. You said the they are going to send you some new ones with better silkscreen. So I asked before, and I'll ask again, how do I get a green one?   ;D

and you said something about  :box: day; had to look that one up. Dec. 26th
 

Offline EEVblogTopic starter

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 37661
  • Country: au
    • EEVblog
Re: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter
« Reply #251 on: December 28, 2013, 08:44:22 am »
the popularity is pretty surprising and awesome though.

Yeah, I'm surprised, considering most who wanted one already have the original one.
 

Offline EEVblogTopic starter

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 37661
  • Country: au
    • EEVblog
Re: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter
« Reply #252 on: December 28, 2013, 08:45:52 am »
Hi Dave!,
Just saw the reflow of the green PCB; looks good. You said the they are going to send you some new ones with better silkscreen. So I asked before, and I'll ask again, how do I get a green one?   ;D

I'll probably assemble them all and make them available after the campaign. Probably too late to include in the campaign now as another perk.
 

Offline filip_cro

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 71
  • Country: hr
Re: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter
« Reply #253 on: December 28, 2013, 09:05:11 am »
"µCurrent Military Edition"
 

Offline u271D

  • Contributor
  • Posts: 41
  • Country: ua
Re: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter
« Reply #254 on: December 28, 2013, 09:10:28 am »
Quote
I'll probably assemble them all and make them available after the campaign. Probably too late to include in the campaign now as another perk.

O'well maybe next time; I think the wife would shoot me If I got a 2nd one.

Keep up the great work; you are an inspiration to many to keep working on their electronics projects.
« Last Edit: December 28, 2013, 09:28:48 am by u271D »
 

Offline hiddensoul

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 63
  • Country: au
  • I hack with the battery in..
    • The ham Shack
Re: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter
« Reply #255 on: December 28, 2013, 09:13:35 pm »
"µCurrent Military Edition"

Didnt you know the µCurrent in green is especially designed for testing the Kermit protocol
Mark "Pockets" Clohesy
I hack with the battery in..
http://hamshack.org
VK3PKT
 

Offline jmcdonald

  • Contributor
  • Posts: 38
  • Country: au
Re: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter
« Reply #256 on: December 29, 2013, 08:51:17 am »
 :clap: Backed and best of luck Dave with making the 1000+ units hope it goes smoothly. :-+
Love the look of the green ones i mite down load the pcb files and get one made with the next batch of boards.
Was it just the Precision resistors that are hard to get?

 

Offline EEVblogTopic starter

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 37661
  • Country: au
    • EEVblog
Re: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter
« Reply #257 on: December 29, 2013, 10:11:47 am »
Was it just the Precision resistors that are hard to get?

The precision resistors, the switch, and the Maxim chip.
I think I've bought out the worlds supply of switches ;D
Mostly all sorted now. Vishay are going to help me get the resistors in shorter time.
They have also sent me some nice precision samples which I'll do a short video on.
 

Offline jmcdonald

  • Contributor
  • Posts: 38
  • Country: au
Re: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter
« Reply #258 on: December 29, 2013, 11:22:27 am »
The precision resistors, the switch, and the Maxim chip.
I think I've bought out the worlds supply of switches ;D
Mostly all sorted now. Vishay are going to help me get the resistors in shorter time.
They have also sent me some nice precision samples which I'll do a short video on.

The worst thing is discontinued parts we had a new control board prototyped and ready for production. |O
Lucky I checked the availability of all the parts.
It was a little SOIC package high side mosfet driver from International Rectifier.
We only needed 100 off and could not find stock anywhere not even anything pin compatible. :-//
A last minute change to a microchip TC4431EOA.
Not tested or prototyped we just got one in over night and point to point wired it and sent the new board files off for the production run. :scared:
all worked in the end. :-+

Look forward to your video on precision resistors.
PS could you post some High Res images of a EEV and Amp Hour poster would love to put them on display at tafe and work.
« Last Edit: December 29, 2013, 11:27:07 am by jmcdonald »
 

Offline KedasProbe

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 646
  • Country: be
Re: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter
« Reply #259 on: December 29, 2013, 11:52:41 am »
Dave,

About the "First Manufacture" video.
I assume I see 1V/1mA test that should have a spec of 0.1% (improved from 0.5%)
But your Agilent limits are set less strict, 0.1% is between 0.999 and 1.001 volt, 0.998 should show a red background? seems more like it is set to check within 0.25%

Mistake or am I missing something about your setup?

edit:Nevermind, I though the reading below was the input. :)
« Last Edit: December 29, 2013, 01:04:52 pm by KedasProbe »
Not everything that counts can be measured. Not everything that can be measured counts.
[W. Bruce Cameron]
 

Offline Dr. Frank

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 2377
  • Country: de
Re: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter
« Reply #260 on: December 29, 2013, 01:28:45 pm »
Hello Dave,

in your latest video "uCurrent... First Manufacture" , you stated to test or to guarantee half of the specified limits.

But you  specify a typical error of 0.05% / 0.1% only, not worst case, which would be 0.25% for nA and µA ranges, and 0.3% for mA range, due to error propagation of the 5 different resistors (trimming tolerance errors only) involved in the measurement chain.

The probable error (due to error cancellation) might be 5 * 0.05% / sqrt(5) ~ 0.1%, but still 4 times higher than the 0.025% you claim to test.

So my question is, how you will set the pass/fail parameters in your series production?
And how will you treat units which lie outside limits?

It would also be very interesting, if you later publish details about the setup of the test equipment for the series production run, and the yield of the production run.


regards Frank
« Last Edit: December 29, 2013, 01:39:31 pm by Dr. Frank »
 

Offline u271D

  • Contributor
  • Posts: 41
  • Country: ua
Re: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter
« Reply #261 on: December 29, 2013, 02:44:08 pm »
Getting close to 10X ($99,000) your goal of $9,900  congratulations :clap: on such a successful kickstarter campaign.
 

Offline centon1

  • Supporter
  • ****
  • Posts: 30
  • Country: ca
Re: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter
« Reply #262 on: December 29, 2013, 05:17:36 pm »
Dave,
I'd like to get one of these, is there anyway to order one using PayPal from you?
KickStarter doesn't accept it.
 

Offline jmcdonald

  • Contributor
  • Posts: 38
  • Country: au
Re: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter
« Reply #263 on: December 29, 2013, 11:21:24 pm »
Dave,
I'd like to get one of these, is there anyway to order one using PayPal from you?
KickStarter doesn't accept it.
In Australia we can go to any post office and get a prepaid credit card.

Just did a quick google you can get one from any of your post offices to. :-+

http://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/personal/productsservices/visagiftcard.jsf

"Can be used everywhere Visa is accepted, including online.
Get a reloadable Visa prepaid card for yourself or a Visa gift card for friends and family

Find out where to buy a Canada Post prepaid Visa card or gift card near you."

Hope this helps you get your uCurrent.   :)
 

Offline centon1

  • Supporter
  • ****
  • Posts: 30
  • Country: ca
Re: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter
« Reply #264 on: December 30, 2013, 12:06:56 am »
Thank you for your efforts.

KickStarter still requires you to create an account and provide them your credit information and your personal billing information which just infuriates me. However, my desire for one of Dave's Gold uCurrents has won out over my continued frustration with companies wanting to service me better.

It was not that I couldn't pledge with a Credit card, it would just have been much easier and accommodating if PayPal was accepted or if an alternative method of 'donation' to Dave or EEVBlog for the appropriate amount could have been considered.

Anyway I'm in now.

Thanks again.

 

Offline free_electron

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 8515
  • Country: us
    • SiliconValleyGarage
Re: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter
« Reply #265 on: December 30, 2013, 01:20:53 am »
Professional Electron Wrangler.
Any comments, or points of view expressed, are my own and not endorsed , induced or compensated by my employer(s).
 

Offline peter.mitchell

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 1567
  • Country: au
Re: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter
« Reply #266 on: December 30, 2013, 06:06:59 am »
 

Offline jc

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 4
Re: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter
« Reply #267 on: December 30, 2013, 11:09:49 pm »
Just passed $110K.   :-+
 

Offline george graves

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 1257
  • Country: us
Re: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter
« Reply #268 on: December 30, 2013, 11:59:41 pm »
Ha!  I was reading some of the recent comments on the indiegogo $9 arduino (a successful campaign - something like 15k sold).  But there was a few lost in shipping, a few (still) stuck in customs, and some that got delivered to the wrong address.  Stuff like that happens.

For the (small percentage of) people that didn't get theirs promptly, or had theirs (still) stuck in customs, they sure do raise a ruckus.

Quote
Merry Fu****g Christmas Harold hope your happy with the number of people still waiting your a useless c**nt how many people are without gifts due to YOU??

All that for $9.

Lol - I hope Dave has a better shipping success rate....and/or grows some thick skin.   :scared:

« Last Edit: December 31, 2013, 12:03:16 am by george graves »
 

Offline jancumps

  • Supporter
  • ****
  • Posts: 1272
  • Country: be
  • New Low
Re: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter
« Reply #269 on: December 31, 2013, 12:08:46 am »
Seems you have to grow a skin that can defend you against that kind of nonsense.
 

Offline ToughBookMikey

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 5
  • Country: us
Re: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter
« Reply #270 on: December 31, 2013, 01:29:39 pm »
Your µCurrent GOLD sounds like a very useful adapter, unfortunately I don't have enough "GOLD" to buy one as I'm disabled and basically homeless. While I don't do much electronics work, a lot of what I do is guess work and surprisingly I get stuff fixed most of the time when people are willing to pay for parts (I wish some of those people had been willing to pay me too).

Your rulers also look very useful but again I've no money. Not that I can even find a place to buy them.

Also I just registered (or re-registered, I thought I had registered before but maybe I got dropped for inactivity since this is the first chance I've had to write, I don't have much time online since I don't have my own connection and I'm terrible at writing) and I'm curious what would've happened if I chose anything other than yes on the "Are You Human?" question.  :P
"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free."

"The only people made safer by gun control are criminals and tyrants."

"One of the greatest delusions in the world is the hope that the evils in this world are to be cured by legislation."
 

Offline gemby

  • Contributor
  • Posts: 24
  • Country: hr
Re: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter
« Reply #271 on: December 31, 2013, 01:44:13 pm »
Kickstarter says:
Your pledge was processed successfully!

Happy New Year Dave and all EEVBLOG supporters
 

Offline jdrothrock

  • Newbie
  • Posts: 1
Re: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter
« Reply #272 on: December 31, 2013, 02:19:01 pm »
Based on Dave's post, I increased my kickstarted funding for 2 units.  I hope this quantity (2 units) will be recognized by the level of my funding as I did not find a specific way to specify that I wanted two uCurrent Gold and not just one.  Kickstarter appears to be setup for single units only. I am eagerly awaiting delivery! A big thanks to Dave for his many postings on how the project is progressing.
 

Offline u271D

  • Contributor
  • Posts: 41
  • Country: ua
Re: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter
« Reply #273 on: December 31, 2013, 02:41:58 pm »
Congratulations Dave on a successful Kickstarter yadda yadda yadda blah blah blah.......
Can't wait!
 

Offline MLXXXp

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 322
  • Country: ca
Re: µCurrent GOLD on Kickstarter
« Reply #274 on: December 31, 2013, 03:34:51 pm »
This topic is a bit old but...
What is the purpose of the Short position while switched on ? 

It allows you to switch in a short so you can change ranges (break-before-make) without disturbing your circuit. It has been a requested feature.

Quote
Would it not make more sense to have the short in place when in "off" mode (as well)?

Maybe
I can't see a reason to not to have it short when off - if you're using it as a debugging/development aid, a lot of the time you won't be wanting to measure, so want it off to save battery, but don't want the hassle of disconnecting.
Looking at the schematic
http://www.eevblog.com/files/uCurrentRev5schematic.pdf
I think if you want a short while off, you just have to add two jumpers on SW2. One from pin 1B to 4B and another from pin 2B to 3B.

Another thing you could do instead is cut the trace to isolate SW2 pin 1A. Then you would have Off (with burden resistance) - On - Off-short. I don't really see a need for On-short.
« Last Edit: January 01, 2014, 04:02:50 pm by MLXXXp »
 


Share me

Digg  Facebook  SlashDot  Delicious  Technorati  Twitter  Google  Yahoo
Smf