Today's items of post:
DC DC boost converter Constant Current Mobile Power supply 250W 10A LED Driver http://www.ebay.com/itm/-/321581704576
B-04E drive stepper motor screw + a nut slider small Stages DIY #UnbrandedGeneric http://www.ebay.com/itm/-/131472898306
2-phase 4-wire stepper motor micro stepper motor with slider track DIY #UnbrandedGeneric http://www.ebay.com/itm/-/131473002892
MINI USB Nano V3.0 ATmega328P CH340G 5V 16M Micro-controller board Arduino #NEW http://www.ebay.com/itm/-/161403910939

By Julian

Youtuber, shed dweller, solar charge controller aficionado

15 thoughts on “Julian’s postbag: #43 – led driver, stepper linear actuators”
  1. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars SOFT TECH ELECTRONICS says:

    I HAVE THE SAME BOOSTER MODULE, THE CHIP UNDER THE INDUCTOR IS A TL494 IC..

  2. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Dantali0n says:

    You are a hero, I bought two of these and was convinced the were faulty. Silly me was trying to set the CC by shorting the output. You learn something everyday!

  3. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Martin J says:

    It's honestly amazing to me how cheap you can get those extremely tiny stepper motors from china for. They must've really ironed out an efficient way to make them as you can literally buy 5 packs of ones exponentially smaller than.the one you have there for like $0.60 which is just crazy to me.

  4. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Ron DLH says:

    Great tiny stepper motor, used and 100% new at the same time

  5. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Erik Nakamura says:

    I shorted out that boost converter and some smoke came out, but it still works. Those drivers were a lot harder for me to figure out but much cheaper than anything else I found with the same power "rating".

  6. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Azen Kwed says:

    erm… I think your stepper motor has been salvaged from and old CDROM/DVD player :/

  7. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars zhao jun says:

    "drive stepper motor screw + a nut slider small Stages " looks like from old cd rom. you find it from trash bin..

  8. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Francesco Puddu says:

    Hi, do you think that one of these boost module can drive two 100w cob power led?

  9. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Benjamin Esposti says:

    You can cheat and drive those bipolar stepping motors using a split supply, that way you can get + and – voltage swings across the windings ๐Ÿ˜€

  10. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars kchortu says:

    I recently got one of those voltage step ups for playing with 100w leds and it gets HOT I wouldn't feel comfortable running it for very long with out a heat sink, I am sure it won't get hot enough to start a fire but I did notice stability issues after 10 min.

  11. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Walkofsoul says:

    Waiting for the LED driver video to order it ^^

  12. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars bakupcpu says:

    Got the same one on my 50W LED flashlight ๐Ÿ™‚ Work great but have to be careful when the voltage goes below 7 volts the circuit simply hang and the mosfet stay active so it short the input. Thanks for sharing!

  13. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars louigi600 says:

    The bigger motor looks like it came from a 3.5" floppy … I guess nowadays having an old floppy around in the house is rare ๐Ÿ˜€

  14. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars thomasv says:

    I really enjoy watching your videos, Julian. You have a very suiting voice for this kind of videos and I hope you keep making a lot more in the future.

    Regarding the FTDI thing, I haven't experienced any issues with (probably fake) FTDI programmers from China; well at least not the issue where the driver gets rewritten and the programmer gets killed. What kind of experience have you had with the FTDI chips that you are avoiding them?

  15. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Slider2732 says:

    From own experience, the larger stepper is as found on floppy drives, the smaller one i've seen on CD drives. Perhaps they're salvage items at some stripping/recycling place.
    A simple driver circuit than works with regular steppers, is TinManpower's 'Step by Stepper'. Works for free wheeling constant spinning best, but gets them going easily. Single transistor, resistor, very simple. Lidmotor has a good tutorial with his version.
    Re FTDI Gate…I still use them, using Linux. Bricked a couple using Win 7 and thought that was that, but they magicked themselves back to life with Ubuntu. Might be a tip rather than binning them.
    Good luck with the 100W LED driver conversion, looks like it might mount on top of the heatsink with being smaller.

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