Unusual functions of cheap parts

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Rolf_B wrote...

[1N4007] are available with a SOD-57 glass envelope, too (1N4007G?).
These are fairly well photoconductive.

While many companies* are making 1n4007G glass-passivated diodes,
it appears they all cover the glass with plastic. I wonder...
where one can get a 1n4007 with an all-glass package these days?

I've got a few 1N4003 and 1N4004 diodes with all-glass packages but I'm
not sure how recent they are. They have the (older?) Fairchild logo of
an italicized "F" with the middle stroke extending on both sides of the
vertical. I'm about 90% sure these came in one of those "20 rectifiers
for $2" packages from Rat Shock, so who knows how old they really are.
The bodies are about 2.5 mm diameter by 4 mm long. Inside the glass,
the ends near the leads are orange, with a clear strip less than 0.5 mm
wide near the middle.

Testing them with the "diode check" on a $40 multimeter and either a 40
watt clear globe lamp or a TV remote control doesn't show much
photoconductivity, but I suspect I would need to look a little harder
than this to see it.

Matt Roberds

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

Rolf_B wrote...

While many companies* are making 1n4007G glass-passivated diodes,
it appears they all cover the glass with plastic. I wonder...
where one can get a 1n4007 with an all-glass package these days?

* Including unusual semiconductor manufacturers, like: Won-Top,
Bytesonic, Leshan Radio, Formosa Microsemi, Gulf Semiconductor,
Dachang Electronic, Goodwork Semiconductor, etc.

How many do you need, and can you use ones pulled from PC boards? I
may have some left that I pulled from damaged boards.

 

[Henry Kiefer]

I thought optical triggered GTOs were still in business??

regards -
Henry

 

[John Larkin]

I thought optical triggered GTOs were still in business??

regards -
Henry

Maybe so, but this wasn't a GTO, it was a bulk-effect device,
blindingly fast.

Can an opto-triggered GTO be turned *off* with light?

John

 

[Winfield Hill]

Michael A. Terrell wrote...

How many do you need, and can you use ones pulled from PC boards?
I may have some left that I pulled from damaged boards.

One or two may be enough for proof-of-principle measurements.

 

[Joerg]

Hello Henry,

Do you know of other interesting devices or circuits good for misuse?

Six sawed off pieces of the pole of a busted market umbrella allowed me
to move a 1/2ton piece of furniture all by myself.

Oh wait, wrong category....

Regards, Joerg

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

Michael A. Terrell wrote...

One or two may be enough for proof-of-principle measurements.

I'll see if I can find a couple for you.

 

[Jim Thompson]

Hello Henry,

Six sawed off pieces of the pole of a busted market umbrella allowed me
to move a 1/2ton piece of furniture all by myself.

Oh wait, wrong category....

Regards, Joerg

I've done that with 1" oak dowel.

...Jim Thompson

 

[Joerg]

Hello Jim,

I've done that with 1" oak dowel.

But if you bought those I bet my solution was cheaper. About one cent
worth of elctricity to saw it ;-)

Regards, Joerg

 

[Jim Thompson]

Hello Jim,


But if you bought those I bet my solution was cheaper. About one cent
worth of elctricity to saw it ;-)

Regards, Joerg

I don't know, I save all my scrap ;-)

...Jim Thompson

 

[Mark Fergerson]

On Wed, 21 Dec 2005 01:42:16 GMT, Joerg

I've done that with 1" oak dowel.

I've done it with sheer adrenaline (I'm 6'0", 150#) after watching
three big bruisers horse around and get nowhere with an air conditioner
that was IN MY FUCKING WAY!!! I stomped up, said "MOVE IT!", grabbed a
corner, shoved hard and walked past. And no, I didn't so much as bend a
fingernail.


Mark L. Fergerson

PS I once used a $150 multimeter as a non-resettable fuse, but I
don't think that's what the OP had in mind...

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

I've done it with sheer adrenaline (I'm 6'0", 150#) after watching
three big bruisers horse around and get nowhere with an air conditioner
that was IN MY FUCKING WAY!!! I stomped up, said "MOVE IT!", grabbed a
corner, shoved hard and walked past. And no, I didn't so much as bend a
fingernail.

Mark L. Fergerson

PS I once used a $150 multimeter as a non-resettable fuse, but I
don't think that's what the OP had in mind...

I got mad one day when i was 20 and picked up a Pontiac 389 short
block.

 

[Richard the Dreaded Libertarian]

I've done it with sheer adrenaline (I'm 6'0", 150#) after watching
three big bruisers horse around and get nowhere with an air conditioner
that was IN MY FUCKING WAY!!! I stomped up, said "MOVE IT!", grabbed a
corner, shoved hard and walked past. And no, I didn't so much as bend a
fingernail.

For some reason, this brings to mind one of todays Top Nooz stories -
some woman who was jogging in the park was jumped by some guy who
wanted to assault her and she kicked the shit out of him. But they
noted that she was 6' and about 140#, and he was 5'6", 120#. It
was actually kinda refreshing to hear about someone defending herself,
but how stoopid do you have to be to attack somebody that's twice
your size? ?:-/

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Steven Swift]

Back when one of my tasks at Fluke was to interview college recruits, I was
asked to describe my job as an Analog Design Engineer. My answer:

"To design precision instruments using cheap, junk parts."

A tip of the hat to Norm Strong...

Steve.

 

[Winfield Hill]

Michael A. Terrell wrote...

I'll see if I can find a couple for you.

OK, I'll trade you some 1500V damper diodes, with datasheets.
They should be interesting additions to your parts inventory.

 

[Roberto Waltman]

Do you know of other interesting devices or circuits good for misuse?

Old thread, but still worth answering.

* Small signal germanium transistors in glass
packaging, (OC45 comes to memory, TO1 package,)
make good photodetectors after scrapping the
paint.

* Zener diodes are good noise generators
(This is widely known and used.)

* Some small (toy) dc motors wired in series
with a speaker make good siren sounds.

Roberto Waltman

[ Please reply to the group, ]
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[Michael A. Terrell]

Michael A. Terrell wrote...

OK, I'll trade you some 1500V damper diodes, with datasheets.
They should be interesting additions to your parts inventory.

Win, I did a lot of digging and the best I can find is five glass
1N4004s. I have either used up all of the glass 1N4007s, or didn't but
them back into the right place the last time I used some of them. Are
they high enough voltage to test your circuit? If they are, E-mail me
with a shipping address, and I'll send them to you. I appreciate the
offer of the parts, but I am to the point that I don't feel well enough
to do anything at my workbench. It has been about 18 months since I felt
like trying to do anything, and most of my test equipment was water
damaged in the 2004 hurricanes. Its just too depressing to try to work
with what little is left.

--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

 

[clifto]

I appreciate the
offer of the parts, but I am to the point that I don't feel well enough
to do anything at my workbench. It has been about 18 months since I felt
like trying to do anything, and most of my test equipment was water
damaged in the 2004 hurricanes. Its just too depressing to try to work
with what little is left.

That sucks. Sorry it happened to you.

 

[Winfield Hill]

clifto wrote...

That sucks. Sorry it happened to you.

Yeah. I have some extra instruments not doing anything, if you feel
well enough not to use that as an excuse. I get stuff real cheap on
eBay, and sometimes Harvard types are too proud to use it. And they
also give me stuff nobody wants. A perfectly-fine HP oscilloscope,
for example. Before anybody makes a remark, yes I've used HP scopes,
used them in EE lab years ago, and have a 500MHz 4-channel Infinium
plus an Agilent's 300MHz MSO on my bench now, so hide that smirk.

 

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Yeah. I have some extra instruments not doing anything, if you feel
well enough not to use that as an excuse. I get stuff real cheap on
eBay, and sometimes Harvard types are too proud to use it. And they
also give me stuff nobody wants. A perfectly-fine HP oscilloscope,
for example. Before anybody makes a remark, yes I've used HP scopes,
used them in EE lab years ago, and have a 500MHz 4-channel Infinium
plus an Agilent's 300MHz MSO on my bench now, so hide that smirk.

People are funny. I had a 2 MHz scope once, did lots with it. You can
use scopes well above their f_max with a simple envelope detector.


NT