Favourite kludges - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: exp1
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2013, 04:02:20 am
content: Which are your favourite electronic kludges you have made?At work we have Fluke 170 series multimeter in the lab. The other day I needed to measure some current in the mA range but the 400ma fuse was blown. Procurement, in their infinite wisdom, didn't stock any HRC fuses when they bought the multimeters. So I made this work of modern art with a 250mA glass fuse and some solder:I wonder how much it will affect it's CAT IV rating...

author: Balaur
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 04, 2013, 08:22:11 am
content: I like to recover the top part with the posts from 9V batteries and to make connectors from them:

author: mazurov
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2013, 11:55:15 pm
content: I use painters tape to hold things together while measuring. Works as temporary insulator too.

author: chickenHeadKnob
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 05, 2013, 12:54:48 am
content: @Balaur:Thanks for that! I was just pondering replacing some 9 volters' with batteries of my own design and came across your post and have retrieved my first connector.

author: exp1
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 05, 2013, 02:06:26 am
content: Quote from: Balaur on March 04, 2013, 08:22:11 amOooh, that's a great idea! I'm always running low on battery clips.

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 05, 2013, 03:20:18 am
content: Similar to Balaur using hot glue, a cable stress relief at hook probe clips, looks nasty but works really well, source ->HERE

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 05, 2013, 03:41:45 am
content: Kind of a kludge. Tacking a zip socket to an arduinohttp://www.digitalunderpants.com/?p=164http://www.digitalunderpants.com/

author: rr100
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 05, 2013, 08:12:03 pm
content: I think I have a good one for this thread.Terminator MIA, all network down.New terminator improvised from a small piece of copper wire (can't remember from where), resistor from a graphite pencil and of course some transparent tape I always have with me (for tens of years actually...).Extra points for having a picture available, coming from a time before the age of digital cameras (and of course way before decent phone cameras), where if you wanted to take a picture you had to find a camera, with suitable film, then wait for months for the film to be finished (hey, 36 pictures is a lot!), process it, archive the film and or the (paper) picture, etc.

author: HackedFridgeMagnet
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2013, 10:27:42 pm
content: exp1, I hope you've got your flame proof suit on.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2013, 10:31:46 pm
content: Quote from: HackedFridgeMagnet on March 06, 2013, 10:27:42 pmAre you talking about the fuse bodge? I think it's safe to say that the vast majority of non-electricians never use multimeters on circuits with enough energy to warrant an HRC fuse. I still look for them in meter designs as a sign of quality, but I have very little need for that much protection.

author: exp1
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2013, 10:35:56 pm
content: Quote from: c4757p on March 06, 2013, 10:31:46 pmI must admit I'm a tad nervous when working around the rectified mains caps in switching power supplies (It's not like it'd use the mA range there anyway!).Btw, we do use that meter in the field, but just Cat III level circuits.

author: Len
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2013, 10:48:49 pm
content: Quote from: HackedFridgeMagnet on March 06, 2013, 10:27:42 pmHey, at least he put a fuse in there. Much better than the old penny-in-the-fuse-socket trick.

author: Excavatoree
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2013, 03:11:30 am
content: Quote from: Len on March 06, 2013, 10:48:49 pmI know an engineer who, in his younger days, repaired a fuse with a piece of aluminium foil. He then proceeded to make the same mistake again, this time, the weak link was a few PCB traces. Luckily, he repaired the PCB by bridging the traces and no damage was done to the awesome Sabtronics LED digital meter. I, uh, I mean, he never did that again.I did buy a meter with a strange type of HRC fuse - very long, about 2-3 times longer than the usual HRC fuse. (It was blown) I never could find one, so I made a similar mod with a glass fuse. I never used that meter for anything mains powered - now it's a collection piece, somewhere in my dad's basement. If I ever find it, I'll make one with a modern HRC fuse instead.

author: ee851
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2013, 12:53:27 am
content: My favorite kludge is using a rectangular CPU heatsink to hold three to five high-power series-wired LEDs (one ampere) in one easy-to-point package. Sorry, no pictures. Glue each LED individually to the heatsink using two-part epoxy around the perimeter of the LED (not underneath it!--thermal compound underneath)

author: david77
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2013, 01:27:44 am
content: That is worthy of McGyverThose terminators and T adapters used to be quite a PITA. It could take a while to find the one that didn't make proper contact. Cheap Chinese terminators were a nightmare.I actually still have a bit of 10Base2 up and running. From a hub that's got a 10Base2 interface to my LaserJet 4M. The HP's network card has a 10BaseT interface built in but the stupid thing refuses to talk to the 3Com switch.I suppose that configuration using the old coax network just to get the network printer online is a kludge in itself.Quote from: rr100 on March 05, 2013, 08:12:03 pm

author: brainwash
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 08, 2013, 05:13:56 am
content: People here use stuff around the house to help with electronic projects. Let's reverse that.I could not find my  clamps the other day and I needed something really fast because the glue was already in place.

author: potatogun96
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2013, 04:44:56 am
content: Not really a kludge, but I often solder male header pins to the wires on a 9v battery snap. Works great when breadboarding.

author: killernat
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2013, 05:52:17 am
content: not to sure if it would be a kludge or not but i put heat shrink tubeing on my helping hands to keep them from scratching pcbs (and potentially damaging traces)