Nick Mann
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analyze-optimize.bsky.social
Nick Mann
@analyze-optimize.bsky.social
Electronics Tech. My happy place is designing and building instrumentation. Also into bikes and geology.
Prototyping a process controller. I have accomplished using all four outputs on a recently purchased very nice power supply. I think this justifies the cost…
November 2, 2025 at 4:26 PM
No mistakes. Just “happy little accidents.”
August 9, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Another example video of my DMM that automatically reports open vs closed leads in a voltmeter circuit.

Note that the meter reports continuity when in parallel with the transformer, but then the ~120vac when I flip it on.

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July 17, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Video of my DMM showing voltage - floating leads - closed leads measurements.

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#arduino
#electronics
July 14, 2025 at 1:37 AM
My custom DMM can now report the difference between "0 Volts - they're floating" and "0 Volts - same potential."

Pretty stoked to get this working. Should save a lot of "is it off or am I measuring in the wrong place?" when troubleshooting.

#arduino #electronics
July 14, 2025 at 1:29 AM
Just got calibrated voltage references for my DMMs. Now I can official know how accurate they are.
I also modded one of my PCBs to work with 3.3vdc boards (level shifting the SDA/SLC lines). Now have an Arduino Giga version, where I can plot the voltage readings.

#Arduino #Electronics
June 30, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Photos that didn't upload correctly before.
June 25, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Photo day for my most recent Arduino / XIAO board-based DMMs.

My very detailed write up on how awesome this DMM is: www.oihdesigns.com/arduino-mult...

I have also published my designs on GitHub: github.com/oihdesigns/M...

#electronics #instrumentation
June 24, 2025 at 3:17 AM
Just got the most recent Arduino/ XIAO DMM PCBs. It works! It’s precise! I’m happy!

Unlike previous designs, on this one:
-All the power rail conversions are done on the board instead of 3rd party breakouts.
-Precision voltage references for better accuracy.
-Over volt/current protection.
June 7, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Trying to build a homemade EKG machine. I see a heartbeat! Yay! Now to try and control the noise…
May 17, 2025 at 8:34 PM
I made a game called “Oscilloscope.” You use a joystick (smoothed by a cap) to try to match a DAC output. Rounds are one minute and it gets harder as you go.
Nothing fancy but still fun Hoping it will entertain my toddlers / stealth teach my stepson electronics.
May 16, 2025 at 2:20 AM
I won a trophy at work for being the most competitive.
May 2, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Preparing the photos for an upcoming update to my Arduino (well, now Seeed Studio, but same MCU) super compact and useful DMM guide.
May 2, 2025 at 1:05 AM
You know. It would maybe be useful if these SMD components had pre-soldered wires on them. Wait. Umm. I am not smart sometimes.
April 27, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Experimenting with fancy ADCs.
April 13, 2025 at 2:27 AM
It works! I'm happy! My emotions are driven by circuits functioning or not in possibly an unhealthy way!

But in this case I've discovered an inexpensive IC (MIC4801) that will drive a constant 20mA (or more, but that's what I need) up to 4.8vdc off a 4.9vdc supply. Useful for instrumentation. :D
April 11, 2025 at 2:50 AM
Figured out how to dim my lights from the TV. Also toggle them on and off. Pretty stoked.

(No Internet involved, just an Arduino with a relay and a digital potentiometer to control the power supply.)
April 9, 2025 at 2:34 AM
New redesigned multimeter PCBs arrived yesterday. The barrel jacks for input, buttons, and screen all mount directly to the board to save space and assembly time.

Soldered it up and it works(!). Yay!
April 5, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Most recent Arduino DMM revisions. Works pretty great. Almost done writing updated documentation on how they work.
February 27, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Today’s first flight was SAC to DFW. Pretty great geologically. Yosemite, Bryce Canyon / Escalante, and Shiprock, among others. #geology
February 16, 2025 at 10:46 PM
First official event half marathon* (actually a 0.58 marathon because oops) in the books. I am happy about this. The California hills are as steep as they are pretty. Feel good though.
February 15, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Just ran my first half marathon as training for a formal event in a week. I’ve gotten into running this past year (I’m more normally a cyclist) as a way to get my heart rate up with less overhead prep time compared to riding bikes.

I am happy about this. I will now eat all the calories.
February 9, 2025 at 6:58 PM
This box has the temperature min/max in different units, except the low temp is the only one where degrees don’t matter.
January 21, 2025 at 12:00 PM
When you want a screen for your Raspberry Pi and you use to work in video… I think the screen has more processing power than the computer, but it works and I didn’t have to buy another thing.
January 13, 2025 at 9:46 PM
I'm looking for feedback on an Arduino DMM project. I've put a lot of thought and work into developing it over the past few months and am wondering if there's a market for it if I make more.

I'm wondering if there's anyone here into electronics that would be in the market for one?

Key features: 1/
December 27, 2024 at 6:08 PM