Peter Jones
@droffgrid.bsky.social
Dad, Energy Scavenger, Electronics, Software, Fabrication. PhD Computational Neuroscience. Researching AGI but off-grid nerd in my spare time. The technology around that last bit is what this is all about.
#OffGrid
#OffGrid
Well, someone's enjoying the sunshine :)
October 9, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Well, someone's enjoying the sunshine :)
Washing machine gave up a few days ago. The BLDC Motor controller was to blame - 20 days and £160 for a full replacement, so decided to repair.
Getting the thing out and removing the 3mm conformal coating on both sides of the PCB for diagnosing and H-Bridge replacement made me wish I hadn't.
Getting the thing out and removing the 3mm conformal coating on both sides of the PCB for diagnosing and H-Bridge replacement made me wish I hadn't.
August 25, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Washing machine gave up a few days ago. The BLDC Motor controller was to blame - 20 days and £160 for a full replacement, so decided to repair.
Getting the thing out and removing the 3mm conformal coating on both sides of the PCB for diagnosing and H-Bridge replacement made me wish I hadn't.
Getting the thing out and removing the 3mm conformal coating on both sides of the PCB for diagnosing and H-Bridge replacement made me wish I hadn't.
I've been meaning to get this little lot together in one place for some time now.
July 31, 2025 at 5:32 PM
I've been meaning to get this little lot together in one place for some time now.
Hands down 'Defender' if I was playing at my local arcade, 'Berzerk' if at the seaside :)
May 9, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Hands down 'Defender' if I was playing at my local arcade, 'Berzerk' if at the seaside :)
I just found one of my original photos of the fingertip. Even in 2017 it was possible to squeeze a MEMS pressure sensor, temperature sensor, microphone, opamp and ADC onto this tiny PCB. Around the outside is wound a nichrome heater. The 'skin' is moulded RTV silicone.
May 2, 2025 at 10:00 PM
I just found one of my original photos of the fingertip. Even in 2017 it was possible to squeeze a MEMS pressure sensor, temperature sensor, microphone, opamp and ADC onto this tiny PCB. Around the outside is wound a nichrome heater. The 'skin' is moulded RTV silicone.
I love it when I can re-purpose an old PCB for a new project.
This is a prototype water quality (TDS) sensor. The electronics were originally part of a biomimetic robotic fingertip sensor that I designed nearly a decade ago. It has a nice low-noise op-amp and I2C ADC on it which found use here.
This is a prototype water quality (TDS) sensor. The electronics were originally part of a biomimetic robotic fingertip sensor that I designed nearly a decade ago. It has a nice low-noise op-amp and I2C ADC on it which found use here.
April 23, 2025 at 6:26 PM
I love it when I can re-purpose an old PCB for a new project.
This is a prototype water quality (TDS) sensor. The electronics were originally part of a biomimetic robotic fingertip sensor that I designed nearly a decade ago. It has a nice low-noise op-amp and I2C ADC on it which found use here.
This is a prototype water quality (TDS) sensor. The electronics were originally part of a biomimetic robotic fingertip sensor that I designed nearly a decade ago. It has a nice low-noise op-amp and I2C ADC on it which found use here.
Everything's getting smaller, except my fingers :(
April 8, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Everything's getting smaller, except my fingers :(
Ours took a bit of a hammering last night. Time for another :)
March 5, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Ours took a bit of a hammering last night. Time for another :)
February 19, 2025 at 4:59 PM
It might be prudent to check any data coming from USGS right now.
February 19, 2025 at 10:45 AM
It might be prudent to check any data coming from USGS right now.
Quick and cheap ESP32 USB programmer made from an old NodeMCU D1 I had kicking around. Just remove the ESP8266 keeping the parts associated with the CH340.
Only needs using for the original programming - all updates via OTA.
Only needs using for the original programming - all updates via OTA.
February 2, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Quick and cheap ESP32 USB programmer made from an old NodeMCU D1 I had kicking around. Just remove the ESP8266 keeping the parts associated with the CH340.
Only needs using for the original programming - all updates via OTA.
Only needs using for the original programming - all updates via OTA.
Examination showed they were attached by a small screw hidden behind a tiny 'R' sticker. I'm glad I looked.
January 22, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Examination showed they were attached by a small screw hidden behind a tiny 'R' sticker. I'm glad I looked.
3 years behind the curve, my new Rokid Air AR glasses arrived today (AliExpress £133 excl, although once in the UK they were given to Evri, so obvs lost, found & delayed for a week before they got to me).
January 22, 2025 at 1:28 PM
3 years behind the curve, my new Rokid Air AR glasses arrived today (AliExpress £133 excl, although once in the UK they were given to Evri, so obvs lost, found & delayed for a week before they got to me).
7 years later, and the Farm's IoT process controllers get a much needed upgrade.
January 18, 2025 at 12:06 PM
7 years later, and the Farm's IoT process controllers get a much needed upgrade.
It's almost there, but I can't get the fluff just right.
December 27, 2024 at 10:23 PM
It's almost there, but I can't get the fluff just right.
I had some spare ESP8266s knocking about so to take up even more of my non-existent spare time I decided on making my own tree lights. I know. Why, right?
December 16, 2024 at 4:53 PM
I had some spare ESP8266s knocking about so to take up even more of my non-existent spare time I decided on making my own tree lights. I know. Why, right?
I'd though about coding an application to control room lighting for the different phones used by my family. But it was easier to generate a web-page served by the local server that they could access via their phone's web browser.
November 10, 2024 at 1:52 PM
I'd though about coding an application to control room lighting for the different phones used by my family. But it was easier to generate a web-page served by the local server that they could access via their phone's web browser.
20kWh of LiFePO4 batteries still sitting here waiting to be connected up. The foam shipping inserts continue to make great temporary storage drawers.
November 9, 2024 at 11:12 PM
20kWh of LiFePO4 batteries still sitting here waiting to be connected up. The foam shipping inserts continue to make great temporary storage drawers.
Prototype of an ESP8266-based auto start/stop modification for my generator. Now the genset is under IP control and can be brought online to top up the batteries automatically if they don't have enough power to make it through the night.
Also alerts me when the oil needs changing!
Also alerts me when the oil needs changing!
November 9, 2024 at 9:34 PM
Prototype of an ESP8266-based auto start/stop modification for my generator. Now the genset is under IP control and can be brought online to top up the batteries automatically if they don't have enough power to make it through the night.
Also alerts me when the oil needs changing!
Also alerts me when the oil needs changing!
The ESP-01S (8266) is an extremely cheap and quite capable IoT platform. The addition of an MCP9700 in a bit of spare space gives it temperature measuring capability. Connect the output to pin 6 (10-bit ADC) to measure -40ºC to +50ºC
November 8, 2024 at 8:51 PM
The ESP-01S (8266) is an extremely cheap and quite capable IoT platform. The addition of an MCP9700 in a bit of spare space gives it temperature measuring capability. Connect the output to pin 6 (10-bit ADC) to measure -40ºC to +50ºC
Cheap home-made current sensor using split ferrite toroid and 2 opposing DRV5055 Ratiometric Hall sensors in a 3D printed enclosure.
I've built these for monitoring currents flowing around my off-grid power station. In the end, I just went with a single hall sensor - good enough.
I've built these for monitoring currents flowing around my off-grid power station. In the end, I just went with a single hall sensor - good enough.
November 8, 2024 at 8:37 PM
Cheap home-made current sensor using split ferrite toroid and 2 opposing DRV5055 Ratiometric Hall sensors in a 3D printed enclosure.
I've built these for monitoring currents flowing around my off-grid power station. In the end, I just went with a single hall sensor - good enough.
I've built these for monitoring currents flowing around my off-grid power station. In the end, I just went with a single hall sensor - good enough.