Tomas McGuinness
@tomasmcguinness.bsky.social
Software developer with an interest in DIY, smart home tech and home heating. I make videos on YouTube https://youtube.com/@tomasmcguinness and blog at tomasmcguinness.com
Not great, but a vast improvement. These cross timbers have reduced movement significantly. Should be good enough.
November 16, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Not great, but a vast improvement. These cross timbers have reduced movement significantly. Should be good enough.
I remove the lower board. It was held on with a nail. FML. Need to secure this now, somehow.
November 16, 2025 at 12:15 PM
I remove the lower board. It was held on with a nail. FML. Need to secure this now, somehow.
People often ask me why I DIY. It’s because of things like this: this flat piece of timber has my freestanding bath tap attached to its it’s not even fixed to the joist. The tap is now leaning at an angle.
November 16, 2025 at 12:01 PM
People often ask me why I DIY. It’s because of things like this: this flat piece of timber has my freestanding bath tap attached to its it’s not even fixed to the joist. The tap is now leaning at an angle.
First go soldering a module to my new PCB. Not a bad attempt. I’m certainly getting better!
November 15, 2025 at 8:19 PM
First go soldering a module to my new PCB. Not a bad attempt. I’m certainly getting better!
My trench has partially collapsed :(
November 15, 2025 at 9:19 AM
My trench has partially collapsed :(
My heat pump simulator is now connected to my energy manager. I spent some time getting to grips with the parts list and rendering the device types. You can see the heat pump parts alongside my Tiny Dishwasher.
Next step is generating getting the heat pump to generate an energy forecast.
Next step is generating getting the heat pump to generate an energy forecast.
November 6, 2025 at 9:46 PM
My heat pump simulator is now connected to my energy manager. I spent some time getting to grips with the parts list and rendering the device types. You can see the heat pump parts alongside my Tiny Dishwasher.
Next step is generating getting the heat pump to generate an energy forecast.
Next step is generating getting the heat pump to generate an energy forecast.
Looking at this again. I have finally figured out some of the PartsList stuff in Matter. This is my Heat Pump Simulator showing the few "Devices" that make up a heat pump.
November 6, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Looking at this again. I have finally figured out some of the PartsList stuff in Matter. This is my Heat Pump Simulator showing the few "Devices" that make up a heat pump.
That freed up over 300GB. That's a lot of unused docker images.
November 6, 2025 at 8:36 PM
That freed up over 300GB. That's a lot of unused docker images.
I seriously hope this will clean up some diskspace
November 6, 2025 at 8:22 PM
I seriously hope this will clean up some diskspace
My Matter Heat Pump simulator is coming along nicely!
November 6, 2025 at 8:06 PM
My Matter Heat Pump simulator is coming along nicely!
My Heat Pump simulator (with Matter) is coming along. I was pleasantly surprised to see Power support in the Aqara App! Need to get my head around the energy clusters too.
November 6, 2025 at 7:35 AM
My Heat Pump simulator (with Matter) is coming along. I was pleasantly surprised to see Power support in the Aqara App! Need to get my head around the energy clusters too.
iOS 26.1 is out.
November 4, 2025 at 7:55 PM
iOS 26.1 is out.
@octopus.energy Hi! I was looking your API last week and found this little titbit. The free electricity sessions have "'24" in the name. Would I be right in saying this could be 25?
November 4, 2025 at 1:57 PM
@octopus.energy Hi! I was looking your API last week and found this little titbit. The free electricity sessions have "'24" in the name. Would I be right in saying this could be 25?
PCBs arrived from @aisler.net. Only one of them has a short! That’s not a design flaw, but a tolerance thing. This is the most complex PCB I’ve designed. Sweating at the thoughts of placing the tiny components!! 😂
November 4, 2025 at 10:50 AM
PCBs arrived from @aisler.net. Only one of them has a short! That’s not a design flaw, but a tolerance thing. This is the most complex PCB I’ve designed. Sweating at the thoughts of placing the tiny components!! 😂
Got some new tips for my Pinecil. Hopefully this will make soldering the SMD components a little easier!
November 3, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Got some new tips for my Pinecil. Hopefully this will make soldering the SMD components a little easier!
My parts arrived!
November 3, 2025 at 8:50 AM
My parts arrived!
I knew crows were clever….but opening a packet of sugar is pretty smart!
November 1, 2025 at 8:51 AM
I knew crows were clever….but opening a packet of sugar is pretty smart!
I'm realising that one of the downsides to going SMD is that, whilst components are really cheap, quantities are an issue. 4000 capacitors anyone? 🤣
October 27, 2025 at 7:08 AM
I'm realising that one of the downsides to going SMD is that, whilst components are really cheap, quantities are an issue. 4000 capacitors anyone? 🤣
Another few tweaks, moving capacitors around.
October 27, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Another few tweaks, moving capacitors around.
After feedback from reddit, I added decoupling capacitors and expanded my header to include RST and 5V. I *think* this is ready.
October 22, 2025 at 6:19 AM
After feedback from reddit, I added decoupling capacitors and expanded my header to include RST and 5V. I *think* this is ready.
After feedback from Reddit, I added decoupling capacitors and expanded my header to include RST and 5V. I *think* this is ready.
October 22, 2025 at 5:55 AM
After feedback from Reddit, I added decoupling capacitors and expanded my header to include RST and 5V. I *think* this is ready.
Got some feedback from Reddit. Needed to tweak a few things this morning. Getting closer I think.
October 20, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Got some feedback from Reddit. Needed to tweak a few things this morning. Getting closer I think.
I think my new PCB design is done!
October 18, 2025 at 1:14 PM
I think my new PCB design is done!
This was fun. Lights on at 3AM whilst everyone was asleep. I need understand what causes this as it's happened twice in the past two months. This might be the sixth time overall in the past few years.
October 17, 2025 at 6:28 AM
This was fun. Lights on at 3AM whilst everyone was asleep. I need understand what causes this as it's happened twice in the past two months. This might be the sixth time overall in the past few years.
My wife also helped out by putting the washing machine on 😂 #tomsheatpump
October 5, 2025 at 11:12 AM
My wife also helped out by putting the washing machine on 😂 #tomsheatpump