Category Archives: Astro Equipment

Overall I’m very happy with this project. It seems to work very well and is a huge improvement on not having dew straps. Generally it’s a pretty straightforward build with nothing really that much more taxing than making sure LED … Continue reading →

So, testing… I downloaded the Arduino code from Sourceforge and unzipped it to find a directory called “Tests”, which seemed quite straightforward. In the documentation there are a list of tests n the order they should be run, but I … Continue reading →

To complete the testing I need to make up the temperature sensor plugs. This wasn’t a major problem. The black connector part unscrews from the metal body revealing the pins for connecting the wires, so it’s just a case of … Continue reading →

I’ve now finished making all the other connectors, so it’s time to start testing. I have already plugged in the 12V supply and the magic smoke didn’t come out, so that’s a good start.

There was one other component I almost forgot! The DS18B20 temperature sensor that goes on the PCB. I could have soldered that direct to the board, but put a pin header in instead and mounted the sensor in the plug:

The lid, complete with all wiring. That’s almost all the soldering done. I think there are just the temperature sensor plugs and possibly a power cable to make up (I think I’ve run out) that will require more soldering work. … Continue reading →