Unusual functions of cheap parts

John Larkin · Dec 18, 2005

On Sun, 18 Dec 2005 21:33:52 +0100, Rolf_B
<rolfnospambombach@bluewin.ch> wrote:

John Larkin wrote:

A 1N4007 can also be used as a drift step-recovery diode and as a
plasma avalanche diode. Together, two can generate a kilovolt edge
with a 100 ps risetime.

Very interesting. The 1N4007 seem to be very versatile devices.
They are available with a SOD-57 glass envelope, too (1N4007G?).
These are fairly well photoconductive. When illuminated by
a high efficiency IR LED (HSDL-4230 or so) current transfer
ratios of 0.001 can be achieved. Not too much, but with
two LEDs 100uA of photocurrent is obtainable. This is OK for
a pass element in an "electrostatic" power supply for e.g.
electron or ion lens systems.

A high-voltage optocoupler; cool.

I've posted a schematic for a hv opamp (400 v p-p) that uses two
optoisolators as the output push-pull stage... it's very cheap and
simple. A higher-voltage photodetector, like a glass power diode,
sounds useful, too.

I worked once with a company in Southern California that had a neat
gadget: it was a truncated cone of silicon with gold contacts on the
base and the flattened apex. It would stand off something like 5KV
until you whacked it from above with a laser, illuminating all the
sides of the cone, whence it would conduct hard. I think they went out
of business, though; it was pretty obscure.

John

Winfield Hill · Dec 19, 2005

Rolf_B wrote...

Very interesting. The 1N4007 seem to be very versatile devices.
They are available with a SOD-57 glass envelope, too (1N4007G?).
These are fairly well photoconductive. When illuminated ...

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.

--
Thanks,
- Win

Dec 19, 2005

In sci.electronics.components Winfield Hill <Winfield_member@newsguy.com> wrote:

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 · Dec 19, 2005

Winfield Hill wrote:

Rolf_B wrote...

Very interesting. The 1N4007 seem to be very versatile devices.
They are available with a SOD-57 glass envelope, too (1N4007G?).
These are fairly well photoconductive. When illuminated ...

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.

--
Thanks,
- Win

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.

--
Been there, Done that, I've got my DD214 to prove it.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

Henry Kiefer · Dec 20, 2005

I thought optical triggered GTOs were still in business??

regards -
Henry

"John Larkin" <jjlarkin@highNOTlandTHIStechnologyPART.com> schrieb im
Newsbeitrag news:1bjbq19ncb6bmkrb4v9n85687s3ro2btcc@4ax.com...

On Sun, 18 Dec 2005 21:33:52 +0100, Rolf_B
rolfnospambombach@bluewin.ch> wrote:

John Larkin wrote:

A 1N4007 can also be used as a drift step-recovery diode and as a
plasma avalanche diode. Together, two can generate a kilovolt edge
with a 100 ps risetime.

Very interesting. The 1N4007 seem to be very versatile devices.
They are available with a SOD-57 glass envelope, too (1N4007G?).
These are fairly well photoconductive. When illuminated by
a high efficiency IR LED (HSDL-4230 or so) current transfer
ratios of 0.001 can be achieved. Not too much, but with
two LEDs 100uA of photocurrent is obtainable. This is OK for
a pass element in an "electrostatic" power supply for e.g.
electron or ion lens systems.

A high-voltage optocoupler; cool.

I've posted a schematic for a hv opamp (400 v p-p) that uses two
optoisolators as the output push-pull stage... it's very cheap and
simple. A higher-voltage photodetector, like a glass power diode,
sounds useful, too.

I worked once with a company in Southern California that had a neat
gadget: it was a truncated cone of silicon with gold contacts on the
base and the flattened apex. It would stand off something like 5KV
until you whacked it from above with a laser, illuminating all the
sides of the cone, whence it would conduct hard. I think they went out
of business, though; it was pretty obscure.

John

John Larkin · Dec 21, 2005

On Wed, 21 Dec 2005 00:31:35 +0100, "Henry Kiefer"
<otc_friend@gmx.net> wrote:

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 · Dec 21, 2005

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.

--
Thanks,
- Win

Joerg · Dec 21, 2005

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

http://www.analogconsultants.com

Michael A. Terrell · Dec 21, 2005

Winfield Hill wrote:

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.

--
Thanks,
- Win

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

--
Been there, Done that, I've got my DD214 to prove it.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

Jim Thompson · Dec 21, 2005

On Wed, 21 Dec 2005 01:42:16 GMT, Joerg
<notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net> wrote:

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

http://www.analogconsultants.com

480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax

Joerg · Dec 21, 2005

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

http://www.analogconsultants.com

Jim Thompson · Dec 21, 2005

On Wed, 21 Dec 2005 01:57:43 GMT, Joerg
<notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net> wrote:

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

http://www.analogconsultants.com

480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax

Mark Fergerson · Dec 21, 2005

Jim Thompson wrote:

On Wed, 21 Dec 2005 01:42:16 GMT, Joerg
notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net> wrote:

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....

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 · Dec 21, 2005

Mark Fergerson wrote:

Jim Thompson wrote:
On Wed, 21 Dec 2005 01:42:16 GMT, Joerg
notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net> wrote:

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....

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...

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

--
Been there, Done that, I've got my DD214 to prove it.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

Richard the Dreaded Liber · Dec 21, 2005

On Wed, 21 Dec 2005 07:54:30 -0700, Mark Fergerson wrote:

Jim Thompson wrote:
On Wed, 21 Dec 2005 01:42:16 GMT, Joerg
notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net> wrote:

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....

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.

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 · Dec 24, 2005

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.
--
Steven D. Swift, novatech@eskimo.com, http://www.novatech-instr.com
NOVATECH INSTRUMENTS, INC. P.O. Box 55997
206.301.8986, fax 206.363.4367 Seattle, Washington 98155 USA

Winfield Hill · Dec 25, 2005

Michael A. Terrell wrote...

Winfield Hill wrote:

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.

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.

--
Thanks,
- Win

Roberto Waltman · Jan 18, 2006

<otc_friend@gmx.net> wrote:

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, ]
[ return address is invalid. ]

Michael A. Terrell · Jan 22, 2006

Winfield Hill wrote:

Michael A. Terrell wrote...

Winfield Hill wrote:

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.

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.

--
Thanks,
- Win

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 · Jan 22, 2006

Michael A. Terrell wrote:

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.

--
If John McCain gets the 2008 Republican Presidential nomination,
my vote for President will be a write-in for Jiang Zemin.

Unusual functions of cheap parts

John Larkin

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Winfield Hill

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Michael A. Terrell

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Henry Kiefer

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John Larkin

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Winfield Hill

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Joerg

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Jim Thompson

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