Unusual USB germicidal light with hideous design feature

Ғылым және технология

This is a rather unique USB rechargeable UVC germicidal light I got secondhand from eBay. I've not seen any other that uses a similar lamp with battery power.
The circuitry started off quite pleasing until I spotted a rather dubious "option" link that bypasses a very important component deliberately.
One notable feature of this light is the use of an LED driver to run a vintage technology mercury vapour discharge lamp.
If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:- www.bigclive.com/coffee.htm
This also keeps the channel independent of KZread's algorithm quirks, allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty.
#ElectronicsCreators

Пікірлер: 271

  • @daveayerstdavies
    @daveayerstdavies Жыл бұрын

    The 'FU' resistor looks like something that happens frequently when a prototype is handed over for production. People who don't properly understand the circuit often make stupid 'improvements' that essentially delete necessary functions. About 40 years ago I worked in a high energy physics lab. My job, fresh out of university, was to develop a box of electronics to go inside an accelerator. I won't go into detail about what the box did, what is important is that the environment it had to endure was extremely hostile. There were physical, chemical, electrical and radioactive properties that were all conspiring to kill off this relatively simple little telemetry box. The first prototype lasted only a few minutes before failing. After four re-designs I had a prototype that would last months rather than minutes. At this point I began to prepare the design for the production of about 50 units. Before that was completed, I moved to a new job. About six months later I got a call from my old lab. The production boxes were failing after only a day or two but my original prototypes were still working fine. It turns out that the numbskull who designed the PCB saw what he thought were 'redundant' or 'pointless' components and summarily deleted them from the layout. What he had done was to remove all the over-voltage, RF and reverse polarity protection. He also replaced critical components with cheaper alternatives that were not rated for the environment.

  • @robertadsett5273

    @robertadsett5273

    Жыл бұрын

    Been there

  • @markevans2294

    @markevans2294

    Жыл бұрын

    An example of "false economy". Save a little by omitting some components, but over time end up paying out a lot more due to the unit rapidly failing.

  • @raxorlp9932

    @raxorlp9932

    Жыл бұрын

    that designer sounds like the person who knows everything better xD we all have one of thos

  • @phonotical

    @phonotical

    Жыл бұрын

    Why would they call you up after the fact to tell you that and not just go back to the design that worked?

  • @Agent24Electronics

    @Agent24Electronics

    Жыл бұрын

    @@phonotical Stupidity and arrogance.

  • @nexpro6985
    @nexpro6985 Жыл бұрын

    This fully complies with BCDC standards of danger. 3x lithium fire risk and cancer rays plus bonus comedy circuitry.

  • @iPsOfAcT0
    @iPsOfAcT0 Жыл бұрын

    Let's all just take a moment to appreciate the biblical amount of printer ink that Big Clive must churn through!!

  • @bigclivedotcom

    @bigclivedotcom

    Жыл бұрын

    Bulk ink system.

  • @peterjensen6844

    @peterjensen6844

    Жыл бұрын

    ​@@harikrishna69 that's a rather personal request 😂

  • @bigclivedotcom

    @bigclivedotcom

    Жыл бұрын

    @@harikrishna69 It's a standard Epson ecotank these days. It used to be an external tank hack.

  • @crazygeorgelincoln

    @crazygeorgelincoln

    Жыл бұрын

    I gave up on printer ink years ago. It's all about the lasers now. 😊

  • @Vousie

    @Vousie

    Жыл бұрын

    @@crazygeorgelincoln Laser printers are great until you need to print a photo or anything else with fine detail...

  • @scottthomas3792
    @scottthomas3792 Жыл бұрын

    The laundry at the hospital I used to work at had those UV germicidal lamps....they had a fairly long life. I don't remember changing many of them...the dryer and sheet folder had them, as I recall. The sheet folder was called a " mangler", and it often lived up to the name.

  • @bigclivedotcom

    @bigclivedotcom

    Жыл бұрын

    The tubes are supposed to be changed routinely. The quartz/uviol glass changes state over time under the exposure to the UVC and gradually reduces its output. They still look visually as bright though.

  • @catalinbadalan4463

    @catalinbadalan4463

    Жыл бұрын

    @@bigclivedotcom Planned obsolescence or unavoidable side-effect..?

  • @pearz420

    @pearz420

    Жыл бұрын

    @@scottthomas3792 That's alright, placebo still works like ~30% of the time, right?

  • @rriflemann308
    @rriflemann308 Жыл бұрын

    A relative was a retired barber, he had a white cabinet that held his tools and it had this very bulb shining down on the barber’s instruments, you could look straight at it. ( for 50 years i thought it was a fake uv lamp). now I understand it was real, ( and slightly dangerous) Clive; thanks so much for setting me straight.

  • @cyn37211
    @cyn37211 Жыл бұрын

    I really enjoy watching you reverse-engineer electronics. My dad was an electronics engineer, and when I was a kid, he taught me how to build circuit boards and help with his various inventions(he worked for RCA). He took the view that girls were allowed to learn whatever interested them, back in the Qq1950s. He taught me about holograms and microwave technology while I soldered simple circuits at the age of 7. While my mom was more traditional, he was fully in support of me majoring in chemistry and physics at uni. When I wanted a crystal radio kit (one of those kits you just plug components together), he said, no, let me teach you how to build one yourself! Fun times!

  • @hop-skip-ouch8798

    @hop-skip-ouch8798

    Жыл бұрын

    You must be over 80 now.

  • @godfreypoon5148

    @godfreypoon5148

    Жыл бұрын

    @@hop-skip-ouch8798 Well, that was somewhat rude.

  • @franciscallahan2529

    @franciscallahan2529

    Жыл бұрын

    did you choose to have a career or a family?

  • @tony_w839

    @tony_w839

    Жыл бұрын

    @@hop-skip-ouch8798 eg I was born in 51, 7 in 58, equals a young 72.

  • @hop-skip-ouch8798

    @hop-skip-ouch8798

    Жыл бұрын

    @@tony_w839 Ah yes. For some reason I assumed she was 7 at 1950.

  • @chrishartley1210
    @chrishartley1210 Жыл бұрын

    Perhaps the intended options were to use the existing setup without the FU link or non-rechargeable batteries without the rest of the charging circuit. By the time it got to production nobody remembered that the FU link should be omitted.

  • @waynegnarlie1

    @waynegnarlie1

    Жыл бұрын

    They could have easily made this circuit honest by adding one P-channel MOSFET and a resistor.

  • @Finnisher_DAD

    @Finnisher_DAD

    Жыл бұрын

    Yes and when the final schematic was made someone just ticked both options. Honestly likely, I work for a machine manufacturer and the most common reason for errors like that is conflicting options selected as active or incorrect one versus the physical layout.

  • @marpintado

    @marpintado

    Жыл бұрын

    The FU link was maybe on purpose. To FU owner of the company.

  • @OmegaSparky

    @OmegaSparky

    Жыл бұрын

    I suspect this is a BOM error. I bet they were supposed to load either the two diodes or the zero ohm resistor. If you load the diodes you can power directly off of USB. If you don't, you have to charge the batteries first.

  • @rolfs2165

    @rolfs2165

    Жыл бұрын

    But you could just place the link instead of the second Schottky diode if you wanted that. There's no need for the additional track and pair of solder pads.

  • @4DRC_
    @4DRC_ Жыл бұрын

    The pandemic sucked for everyone except the guy with the warehouse full of vintage germicidal bulbs

  • @MAGAMAN

    @MAGAMAN

    Жыл бұрын

    It's was fine out here. No one fell for it. I can't believe that some people are still walking around with those germ collectors on their faces. They must watch CNN.

  • @bingusdingus8239

    @bingusdingus8239

    Жыл бұрын

    ​@@Okurka. critical thinking isn't for everyone apparently, maybe keep your ideas to yourself

  • @InsanePacoTaco

    @InsanePacoTaco

    Жыл бұрын

    ​@@bingusdingus8239 same could be said to you. Have a nice day

  • @robertwilloughby8050

    @robertwilloughby8050

    Жыл бұрын

    I think something was attempted that was called "a joke". Sadly, "jokes" are an endangered species due to people over analysing them and not leaving them alone to breathe. If you find yourself analysing a "joke", or it's similarly endangered cousin the "humourous utterance", you may be committing murder!

  • @Lucien86

    @Lucien86

    Жыл бұрын

    @@robertwilloughby8050 The humorous utterance must be at least a dozen times rarer than the standard stated joke. There are not enough whoooshes!! in all the world to keep them safe from all the language trolls.. ☺

  • @gregorythomas333
    @gregorythomas333 Жыл бұрын

    This is what happens when a warehouse cleans out the back corner filled with old lamps & FU links :)

  • @anthony4530
    @anthony4530 Жыл бұрын

    I bought two of these in 2020 and they shipped three. None of mine have batteries inside- but have a sticker on the bottom that says they are rechargeable. The PC boards inside don’t even have the sockets for the batteries, they just run directly from the micro USB connection. eBay always ceases to impress, LOL.

  • @ropersonline
    @ropersonline Жыл бұрын

    7:42: Clive: "They put the link option in there and then built the link."

  • @bobapthorpe
    @bobapthorpe Жыл бұрын

    This reminds me so much of the misery of using The Art of Electronics as an undergraduate textbook. It's poor book to teach from but a fabulous bench reference. Periodically, they'd include pages of schematics of bad circuits with no explanation, leaving the poor reader to sort them out on their own. I wish every bad circuit in Horowitz & Hill had this level of explanation; reverse engineering is such a useful skill, I really don't know of a better way to learn than watching you dissect some poor eBay device and make surprised and appalled noises.

  • @CanizaM
    @CanizaM Жыл бұрын

    Making any equipment that uses UVC out of plastic seems like a really bad idea... But the "charge a protected lithium cell from USB with only a diode" was (and still is?) quite common in small portable media players. I suspect the designer might've originally used the charger IC and diodes, then discovered that trick and added the link, but forgot to remove the other components.

  • @SilvaDreams

    @SilvaDreams

    Жыл бұрын

    I have a feeling they had a ton of left over boards from something else and just re-used them for this product... Fairly common Chinese practice.

  • @SnappyWasHere
    @SnappyWasHere Жыл бұрын

    I love his excitement when he pulls something apart that’s different or weird.

  • @webchimp
    @webchimp Жыл бұрын

    You had me at "hideous design feature".

  • @traviskeller7706
    @traviskeller7706 Жыл бұрын

    I was just messing around with one of those bulbs. fired up 1 electrode as well with a $3 dollar buck boost with a 1.3v to 24v and a bit of voltage lowering from 15v strike and 12.5v once the plasma is struck.

  • @dcallan812
    @dcallan812 Жыл бұрын

    Really clever little schematics apart from the FU like. I can understand your enjoyment at spotting it.🤣 I still find it wonderful that so many new products are coming out, can you imagine getting this when we were kids it would be on Tomorrow's World.

  • @deslomeslager
    @deslomeslager Жыл бұрын

    1) Did you remove the 0 ohm resistor (later on, to see if it still works)? 2) Did you test this lamp on your new UV card and see how well it performs?

  • @thebraziliangardener8481
    @thebraziliangardener8481 Жыл бұрын

    seeing you laugh brings me joy

  • @SarahC2
    @SarahC2 Жыл бұрын

    I've got something like this - but there's 2 lights, and a triangular heating element, to go in wet trainers to dry them out. I seem to remember both sides lighting up - AC from the DC USB plug... nicely done!

  • @petergarner5991
    @petergarner5991 Жыл бұрын

    Well done. Simon, there's a flat wire that you can buy especially to draw wires from the front to the back. I always pulled my wires in the car beems or where ever I could get it. The piping is alright just thick. Love the videos.

  • @halbvoll1
    @halbvoll1 Жыл бұрын

    You are an expert in electronics and finding weird stuff, great job, it is always interesting and entertaining

  • @StolenPw
    @StolenPw Жыл бұрын

    I havent studied electonics at all but I've watched so many of your videos I understand everything youre saying its wild

  • @bigclivedotcom

    @bigclivedotcom

    Жыл бұрын

    It's the best and easiest way to learn.

  • @aaronbrandenburg2441

    @aaronbrandenburg2441

    Жыл бұрын

    ​@@bigclivedotcomI actually remember running across some UV lamps that were essentially like incandescent bulbs here in United States years and years ago Hollywood vintage equipment don't remember when they use these or anything like that I know that they had used some in Old refrigerators years ago also have red as well as seen on mine about things like this unfortunately can't put my finger on a date when things like this would have been done by now it was quite far back. The interesting thing is when you would use so many bulbs the UV Bolton is not sure if it could be done for single bulb or not I do know that at one point that sometimes incandescent bulbs were used as ballast for these lamps apparently was quite a common practice back in the day I don't know if these were designed a differently from these type of lamps featured in the video and the others you've done on these products and the and do UV lamps themselves there were a couple different styles with ease and at least one of them was produced later on still as well. I know people that had these little boxes that were like integrated into something else and I noticed air blowing through them and ask for the word I said oh it's a air sanitizer or something like that turns out that's what these were using was one or more UV bulbs I noticed some that had a way to actually convert the uve to visible light into also act as a night light I have not seen this before but it was interesting and they said they had them on 24/7 and had to replace the bulbs every so often apparently were popular in bathrooms at one point I did also see it vintage thing that was like this as well but also had little compartments for toothbrushes I guess would also be not only dares sanitizer but a toothbrush sanitizer it was just online for both interesting Lee enough also had that feature to convert uv2 visible light and passed some of the blue glow as well at believe so kind of a try use device but interesting nonetheless clearly design for bathroom pretty clever not sure exactly how well these lamps work with actually sanitize a year or even just less messy Andorra fluted or otherwise I would not probably exactly call it is sterilized Airforce a however in the refrigerators I did hear that it did make some difference not just of odors but better life of fruits and vegetables in the fridge come to think of it I think these lamps I'm referring to were referred to as ozone lamps as well but probably also was doing some Eevee type cleaning as well loves the air and other services. Also I was working at thrift store and also got a program if you want to call it that going for taking care of mercury waste such as fluorescent use germicidal tubes or anything that would clearly have mercury in it that was going to be disposed of such as a device that did not work and was heading for the compactor. Protocol was in place to check for mercury warning and it's also applied got this going as well with rechargeable batteries not just lithium batteries obviously with the lithium batteries that could be a big problem with everything basically hits the trash compactor that is disposed of or at least when it's possible to get in there obviously there's a few things that when you go into the compactor. Also we had a few fires that place two in one day even once and we also had a vehicle fire once! Needless to say they're aware that I had had fire training before for various reasons and if ever needed to be assisted with using fire extinguishers get ahold of me for sure if I was available. Menu time in my life I've used a fire extinguisher nothing that was my fault need to use it either but things others had done or something went haywire or otherwise. Even a few times using the fire hose as well. Had training on this because of various things I've done over the years. It's a good skills to know how to properly snuff out to properly use equipment like this and can be life-saving. Was thinking school.law safety training with was stage crew because there's a lot of Hazards and some of these people don't realize what can happen and all the hazards involved. It was said that oftentimes Stage production can be more dangerous than football. For the most part you don't have hundreds of amps and more of electrical power in some cases stuff you would normally not run across and day-to-day use with electrical hookups some of these were necessary because of lack of proper connections and the means will head to use to actually connect equipment. By the way did wind up becoming the literal stage crew electrician! Everyone in school and everywhere else even School Board realize that I was her she qualified to do things like this even though I'm not certified. I was wandering around school that was off and doing repairs and much more. Ashley had a few job offers after I got out of school to work for various areas in the school. I was also maintaining equipment even doing stuff in class that was actually more of maintaining and repair than actual class work even in the shop classes I was hit I was doing a lot of repair work the maintaining equipment. And yes I was the one that was allowed to borrow tools and such from the school if ever need me for anything at all shop teacher actually was the one that brought this up that after he got everything except for log other things that I didn't realize that we're going in the background with me as well. I didn't even realize I was actually being graded for extra credit with anything else I was doing outside of my school work 4 things as well anything that would be considered outside of it was considered a project for school! I did not know this is going on for quite a while and he said hey nice work looks like an A+ to me and then he sprung it on me pretty cool! Didn't even really need extra credit but it was there! Interesting. Our school is that if things would work for it imperious way is in things could be applied to different classes for the same project kind of met something along the lines of that class you can get credit for a project in more than one class. For example the written part of a project could go toward English or otherwise classes credit write down if you had typed this up on computer for example that could go to that class as well. Kind of weird but rather interesting and there's times that I had wanted to do something even just experimenting lie horse one posed a question or I get myself and when the science teachers would let me know that hey you know it be an interesting experiment to actually do something and find out one way or the other. I was so active in my classes that and people realize that way to Sac even commenting on things that I'd said in said and had even influenced things brighten up in that class so that you do the further things of interest to others as well as well as go further into some topics. This is right down to history class and much more even going further in science classes in such. I found out from someone old teachers at schools this and actually dog further in led into much more content for the students as well as the rich bitter class participation my teacher said that I have made a big difference in sometimes with this and it was always encouraged. I was so far ahead that I had down time and was able to do things on the side for my own benefit essentially making my own extracurriculars you could say a lot of this was technology and all related I was warming skills that they didn't even teach our school that they brought in outside resources to help with this also to cut down on boredom in school essentially I could take a pretest and test out of things and be able to do other things that might be better used for myself as long as it gave me some time to just the more myself and learn things that might not have otherwise when people realize when the student has potential and nurtures this and is able to go outside of the usual box I had access to all sorts of things that most students with. There are very few. I did have legitimate reasons to have access to some things as well as there's times that I would actually need to go to the cafeteria between normal times did also have access to vending when needed I did actually have my own so the keys everything was legit some of which I need access to for certain reasons part of which was stage crew as well also that means that I could fix problems when things occurred as well and yes we would be Moonlighting on maintenance and otherwise as well never was well sometimes I'd even sometimes even be taken out to lunch or something like that as well or perhaps yellow Subway had something that was no longer needed but couldn't use for something that sort of thing it was just part of doing things outside of the box you can say

  • @tncorgi92

    @tncorgi92

    Жыл бұрын

    I love learning from the mistakes these designers or builders make, some of them are real head-scratchers.

  • @andyliv78

    @andyliv78

    Жыл бұрын

    ​@@Okurka. fk'd up?

  • @FlyingShotsman
    @FlyingShotsman Жыл бұрын

    8:46 The COMP pin is for control loop compensation; a bit strange to have only a capacitor there, and no resistor.

  • @johnsenchak1428
    @johnsenchak1428 Жыл бұрын

    Currently, the major commercial GaN FETs are lateral high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs). These GaN switching devices come in two different types: enhancement mode (e-GaN) and depletion mode (d- GaN).

  • @MadPlasmatist
    @MadPlasmatist Жыл бұрын

    THAT looks like something really fun for an experiment or two =) Very informative as always, looking forward to the next video!

  • @WizardTim
    @WizardTim Жыл бұрын

    FU links like that are what keep me up at night. How many ultra low cost consumer products have little oopsies like that in them, very easy mistake to make, even large reputable companies do it in expensive products occasionally. I hope at least that link causes most USB power supplies to trip OCP when you plug them in when very discharged, you'd at least maybe get some warning there was something wrong with it. Considering they placed both the link and the diodes and it doesn't look like a manual hand bodge I would assume there was some mix-up with the PCB assembler who just populated everything instead of config A *OR* config B and the customer just sent the batch off for sale and the original circuit designer wasn't retained for QC consulting.

  • @pearz420

    @pearz420

    Жыл бұрын

    Move the material from the earth to the landfill and make as much money as possible in between. The rest is of consequence only to the future.

  • @timteecvhn
    @timteecvhn Жыл бұрын

    And honestly, I am pretty sure that the diode that they have, would be able to handle the current just fine, and if anything, that link that they put in, can just be chopped out, and heck even replaced with another diode of the same rating roughly, tho would be different size probably if you don't want to do some semi~odd stuff to attach a same size same type diode onto smaller pads than it's meant for.

  • @joshwalker5605
    @joshwalker5605 Жыл бұрын

    Content free comment to drive engagement for my favorite channels

  • @TimPerfetto
    @TimPerfetto Жыл бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @sfred
    @sfred Жыл бұрын

    I’ve got a humidifier with a GTL 3 lamp in it. It’s got an LED to indicate that the lamp is working that presumably just senses current through it. I’m going to have to pull that apart sometime to have a look at the driver they’re using.

  • @unmanaged
    @unmanaged Жыл бұрын

    I think it is a weird as that the FU link is a way to makeup the voltage drop of the diode for MCU , cut the trace and see if it still works

  • @fazergazer
    @fazergazer Жыл бұрын

    One of my favorites. Video that is!❤

  • @texmanagesnewbegginsclips7583
    @texmanagesnewbegginsclips758311 ай бұрын

    You should have 3 million subs, such a good dude.

  • @thewrenchjockey4251
    @thewrenchjockey4251 Жыл бұрын

    My wife and I check the local thrift store today and I found an old hearing aid sanitizer, never used. Made me think of you, Has a mercury UV-C lamp with a 24 volt supply. Got it for $5. I wish I could send it to you but I am in the US...

  • @SirBoDen
    @SirBoDen Жыл бұрын

    Intriguing indeed. Possibly an error in the pic-n-place instructions.

  • @lazarian4428
    @lazarian4428 Жыл бұрын

    I made an EPROM eraser with one of those GTL3 bulbs. I found a circuit that used a 6 uF capacitor in series with it that works with 120 volt mains. Nothing fancy, but it does a good job.

  • @bigclivedotcom

    @bigclivedotcom

    Жыл бұрын

    Make sure you use a discharge resistor across the capacitor, as otherwise the pins of the plug can give you a nasty zap when unplugged.

  • @blg53
    @blg53 Жыл бұрын

    Could it be that the mysterious 100K resistor is used to pull down the gate of the buffer MOSFET inside the microcontroller? It is unlikely though because such resistior would normally be inside the IC.

  • @glenmartin2437
    @glenmartin2437 Жыл бұрын

    Thanks.

  • @u.e.u.e.
    @u.e.u.e. Жыл бұрын

    I need to look again. But I think the UVC bulb looks like the one in the desinfector chamber of a Philips toothbrush.

  • @McTroyd
    @McTroyd Жыл бұрын

    Could fix this design, and improve on the Schottky diode current problem, by just putting a second diode across that link. They won't be perfectly matched, but the safety factor will be back, and you'll have better current handling. Personally, I'd want to build an H-bridge driver for that lamp. It annoys my OCD that only half the filament is lighting up. 😅🤪😵‍💫👍

  • @AgentPothead
    @AgentPothead Жыл бұрын

    I have some ASE3WE17 I bought back in early 2020 to make a UVC box, even got the AC power supply but just never got around to making the box. Found out the UVC can age plastics really quickly so didn't wanna risk my phone falling apart, even if it was germ free.

  • @fanplant
    @fanplant Жыл бұрын

    I have a UvC shoe sterilizer from Amazon that uses that same bulb. Only problem with it is the bulbs seem to rattle loose easily. Idk if it has the FU resistor though

  • @ColinJonesPonder
    @ColinJonesPonder Жыл бұрын

    I bought something similar to this from Amazon for a tenner. I use it to wipe EPROMs. Quite surprised it works as well as it does for the price!

  • @snakezdewiggle6084
    @snakezdewiggle6084 Жыл бұрын

    Nice score Clive. 3 Li batteries. How bizarre, the circuit, and 'cage'. The slots suggest movement, rotation ?! Zebra Stripe Tanning, come one come all... ;)

  • @fuzzywuggzy506
    @fuzzywuggzy506 Жыл бұрын

    I was looking forward to the reason why Clive was laughing, and it did not disappoint, when he added the link to the schematic I absolutely cracked up.

  • @hinternsaubachel5109
    @hinternsaubachel5109 Жыл бұрын

    Thanks Clive. This video helped us out a great deal working toward an off-grid UVC water sterilizer. Cheers!

  • @keithmower921
    @keithmower921 Жыл бұрын

    My electronics knowledge is hobbyist at best, but wouldn't running the lamp on DC cause it to polarize and reduce its life? Or is that for HV DC mercury lamps? Excellent video as always, thank you.

  • @randacnam7321

    @randacnam7321

    Жыл бұрын

    Not on lamps this small. That is more an issue with fluorescent lamps that are very long relative to their diameter where the mercury is pulled to one end faster than it can diffuse back.

  • @keithmower921

    @keithmower921

    Жыл бұрын

    @@randacnam7321 thank you. As I mentioned, hobbyist at best :)

  • @restojon1

    @restojon1

    Жыл бұрын

    ​@@keithmower921 a valid question

  • @alunjones3860

    @alunjones3860

    Жыл бұрын

    Running off DC does shorten the life of the lamp, because only one electrode glows. AC spreads the wear over both electrodes.

  • @randacnam7321

    @randacnam7321

    Жыл бұрын

    @@alunjones3860 That would be the main issue, but would this degradation happen faster than the photodegradation of the envelope glass? That would be an interesting test, actually.

  • @tenminutetokyo2643
    @tenminutetokyo2643 Жыл бұрын

    That’s nuts!

  • @SteveGuidi
    @SteveGuidi Жыл бұрын

    Coming soon... a library to include "FU Link" support for your favorite PCB-CAD software!

  • @hinspect
    @hinspect Жыл бұрын

    I don't understand the F-Link but the way they designed the circuit board reminds me of being in my late 20s in 1986 and getting to use circuit board layout on CAD. I used to do some layouts with black tracer tape on clear acetate film 2x to be reduced by the board manufacturers years before at another company. The program was called P-Cad and we had a new 386 computer with a huge 40MB hard drive! Nowdays people can't believe it. Autorouting was fascinating to watch on the 14" CRT monitor too! Shit, I am not THAT old...

  • @hermannschaefer4777

    @hermannschaefer4777

    Жыл бұрын

    Yes, you are. But hey, at least it was not a 8086..

  • @michaelwest8595
    @michaelwest8595 Жыл бұрын

    You had me at hideous nevermind the fu link 😂

  • @johnsenchak1428
    @johnsenchak1428 Жыл бұрын

    That could be a GaN transistor for better efficiency to make up for the FU link

  • @lezbriddon
    @lezbriddon Жыл бұрын

    can we expect shorter bulb life on dc? few years ago i tried a 555 at 12v/1khz big cap in series to give some fake ac but never got it to work. was trying to put it in a 12v fridge

  • @strictlyabominable592
    @strictlyabominable592 Жыл бұрын

    Did you think of taking out the FU link and see if it would work ok? And also wanted say love all ya video's 💯% I like reverse engineering but never thought of putting all the work in that you do.. all I can say is just Thanks

  • @Kitsudote
    @Kitsudote Жыл бұрын

    People: dead-afraid of the tiniest bit of radioactivity. Also people: Oh yeah, just beam that UV-C everywhere 🤣

  • @markfergerson2145
    @markfergerson2145 Жыл бұрын

    If the link was not there, both the Vin and Vout pins of the chip would be one schottky diode drop above the +V rail of the rest of the circuit. In other words, at the same potential. I think the circuit "designer" painted themself into a corner and couldn't think of any other way out.

  • @kevinsellsit5584
    @kevinsellsit5584 Жыл бұрын

    I can't help but wonder how the bulb would behave given the recommended 10V AC 3W vs this circuit.

  • @voltare2amstereo
    @voltare2amstereo Жыл бұрын

    What's the measurements or model of those lithium cells? My video camera has two parallel NCR 14400 cells that are dead

  • @EMAngel2718
    @EMAngel2718 Жыл бұрын

    If they were concerned about voltage drop I wonder if they could have used a mosfet set up to be on with a grounded gate and pulled the gate down to ground with a resistor and then connected it to the positive USB rail

  • @johngodley7477
    @johngodley7477 Жыл бұрын

    Good video 😊

  • @AntonioClaudioMichael
    @AntonioClaudioMichael Жыл бұрын

    Very strange arrangement

  • @branzombie
    @branzombie Жыл бұрын

    Its a UV grenade for hunting vampires?

  • @billynomates920
    @billynomates920 Жыл бұрын

    ME: fu link? do you mean a fusible link? BC: i suppose it might but no. 😆

  • @fazerider9287
    @fazerider9287 Жыл бұрын

    I wonder if those still learning the basics of how switch-mode converters work might find it easier to understand what the inductor is doing if it was explained in terms of current rather than voltage? The current in the inductor cannot simply stop when the MOSFET switches off - the energy in the magnetic field continues to drive it in the same direction - it is this that produces the rise in voltage. Self-inductance is analogous to momentum if you like to think of electricity in terms of water flowing in pipes where voltage becomes pressure, current is litres per second and capacitors are tanks.

  • @RIXRADvidz
    @RIXRADvidz Жыл бұрын

    2:09, the abject JOY in the Voice. the brain ''Pinged'' and you hear the Joy. LOL btw, I was like number 209. just spooky possums.

  • @wisher21uk

    @wisher21uk

    Жыл бұрын

    Looks a good lamp to have hanging about, thanks Clive I enjoyed your laugh, when I hear that laugh I know it’s going to be fun 😊

  • @mysterytechknowledge3664
    @mysterytechknowledge3664 Жыл бұрын

    My question is...What would be the "proper circuit" to drive that lamp? You mentioned a royer oscillator?

  • @dragade101
    @dragade101 Жыл бұрын

    Ah, the FU link lol. Maybe they were having a problem wanted to double down on charging all of the cells.

  • @hogejo
    @hogejo Жыл бұрын

    I would pay subscription for you to chat to the folks who built these things. Even though I can still only understand only half of it.

  • @mallow173
    @mallow173 Жыл бұрын

    Very interesting tear down sir! Do you suppose it's worth it in the end?

  • @bigclivedotcom

    @bigclivedotcom

    Жыл бұрын

    If you have a need for low level UVC sterilisation it might work.

  • @edgarmatzinger9742
    @edgarmatzinger9742 Жыл бұрын

    And why would they leave in the charging circuit when it's bypassed? Only to use it as a charge indicator?

  • @ThunderBassistJay
    @ThunderBassistJay Жыл бұрын

    A mosfet could probably have done the FU-link job in a controlled way.

  • @4_elemelons
    @4_elemelons Жыл бұрын

    Could you please test it without the fu resistor? There must be a reason why they did that

  • @twocvbloke
    @twocvbloke Жыл бұрын

    Ah yes, the Fork Up link, always handy for reminding people that accountants got involved... :P

  • @paulstaf
    @paulstaf Жыл бұрын

    WHAT if you remove the FU link? Then would it charge properly/operate properly?

  • @ConstantlyDamaged

    @ConstantlyDamaged

    Жыл бұрын

    Your best bet would be to replace that FU Link and the current diode with a better rated diode.

  • @dougle03

    @dougle03

    Жыл бұрын

    Perhaps the diode would be over driven.

  • @albanana683

    @albanana683

    Жыл бұрын

    Or, remove the link and first see if the existing diode can cope. The rapid escape of Chinesium smoke will tell us.

  • @SianaGearz

    @SianaGearz

    Жыл бұрын

    @@albanana683 The link is still redundant, since that's what diodes which get too hot generally turn into. At currents like here you won't even see smoke, it's not that much current.

  • @RandomMakingEncounters
    @RandomMakingEncounters Жыл бұрын

    The FU link… that’s for “Feature Unusual”?

  • @snowdaysrule
    @snowdaysrule Жыл бұрын

    All of my UV-C bulbs make a smell after running but they don't smell like ozone to me. It's more of a burnt smell and I can't decide what it is. My "reference" for what ozone smells like is a discharge from a crt flyback transformer. I've also worked with higher current discharges that are capable of making NO so I know what that smells like as well. Any ideas on what's going on?

  • @wtmayhew

    @wtmayhew

    Жыл бұрын

    Hmm, now you have me wondering. I thought the ionized air around a TV flyback transformer had a slightly sweet smell, while the ozone generator in the records room where I used to work had a similar but more acrid smell. I’m not sure which, if either, was more purely ozone.

  • @SianaGearz

    @SianaGearz

    Жыл бұрын

    Well hopefully it's not your flesh emitting the burned smell.

  • @DielectricVideos

    @DielectricVideos

    Жыл бұрын

    @@SianaGearz Indeed, in my experience UVC lamps make skin smell a bit burnt. The ionizing radiation breaks down molecules on the surface and accelerates oxidation.

  • @rougenaxela
    @rougenaxela Жыл бұрын

    To me it feels like the designer of the board only intended for the 'FU' link to be populated if neither of the diodes were populated... but their intentions got lost somewhere on the way to production.

  • @Tims_Projects
    @Tims_Projects Жыл бұрын

    I was expecting the test card to confirm the UVC. Have you put them somewhere safe? You know: "I'll put them somewhere safe so I know where they are the next time I want to use them".

  • @Wyi-the-rogue
    @Wyi-the-rogue Жыл бұрын

    Hmmm yeahh that kinda looks like it’d be a power core.

  • @seanrh4294
    @seanrh4294 Жыл бұрын

    the phoebus cartel is a hot topic ...

  • @logangraham2956
    @logangraham2956 Жыл бұрын

    wouldn't the uv slowly make the plastic brittle?

  • @bigclivedotcom

    @bigclivedotcom

    Жыл бұрын

    In very long term use, yes.

  • @LtKernelPanic
    @LtKernelPanic Жыл бұрын

    So for once they did give an F but still screwed up.

  • @TiagoTiagoT
    @TiagoTiagoT Жыл бұрын

    How long would it take before you would have to worry about skin cancer or eye damage?

  • @bigclivedotcom

    @bigclivedotcom

    Жыл бұрын

    UVC is such a short wavelength that it doesn't penetrate deep into the dermal layer. It will cause skin irritation with time, but is much more likely to cause temporary eye surface discomfort in the same way that arc welding exposure does. The discomfort usually happens at night as a temporary sensation of having sand in your eyes.

  • @davebruton5731
    @davebruton5731 Жыл бұрын

    What was its purpose?

  • @thewhizard
    @thewhizard Жыл бұрын

    are the bulbs still made?

  • @bigclivedotcom

    @bigclivedotcom

    Жыл бұрын

    Yes. Sold online as GTL3

  • @diffmull
    @diffmull Жыл бұрын

    I often see instructions saying not to handle quartz envelope lamps, as natural oils on the hand will damage them somehow. Is this just BS?

  • @bigclivedotcom

    @bigclivedotcom

    Жыл бұрын

    In the case of these lamps it's recommended to clean them after handling to avoid oils blocking the UVC. For quartz halogen lamps it's to avoid oils that will devitrify the quartz at the high temperatures save cause it to fail.

  • @henrybecker2842

    @henrybecker2842

    Жыл бұрын

    I recall the same instruction. If I recall it was intended for bulbs that burned very hot and any contaminants on the glass surface might cause the glass to shatter. I recall the same instructions were given for halogen lamps, slide and movie projector (remember them?), etc...

  • @fazergazer

    @fazergazer

    Жыл бұрын

    Yes, the extinction path length of the skin oils for UVC is very short. It means a lot of the UVC is absorbed by surface contaminants!

  • @hommie789
    @hommie789 Жыл бұрын

    Why didn't you shine it on your UV paper to show if it is really UVC? wanted to see that

  • @Dime_Bar
    @Dime_Bar Жыл бұрын

    I also know a stubborn screw

  • @crazygeorgelincoln
    @crazygeorgelincoln Жыл бұрын

    My work phone (cubot j3 ) keeps puffing batteries. So as it lives in the car during use. I was thinking replacing the battery with a USB lead adding a resistor to the t terminal and maybe putting a diode on the 5v to drop it a little bit. Plan b is attach a 18650 battery holder to the case and connect that in with a t resistor . Either way it's my fu link to avoid buying another pillow battery and not make the cracked screen any worse. (I'm avoiding changing the phone as the work software is older version that does not autoupdate , I have the apk file but it doesn't pass on other phone)

  • @bigclivedotcom

    @bigclivedotcom

    Жыл бұрын

    It may need a battery to provide the peaks of current during use. Does it get very hot in the car? That might be damaging the battery.

  • @crazygeorgelincoln

    @crazygeorgelincoln

    Жыл бұрын

    @@bigclivedotcomphone does get hot I protect it from sunlight, the software is tough on the phone . Some days moreso than others , I think it's when customers check location it increases communication. GPS and wifi (no sim) I have a 10A 5v supply, (12v input chunk of metal size of pack of cigs )runs dashcam relentlessly. Not sure of sensible way to loose 0.8v or if it's even something I should be concerned about.

  • @GadgetBoy
    @GadgetBoy Жыл бұрын

    So, if you whip out that link, it'll operate correctly?

  • @bigclivedotcom

    @bigclivedotcom

    Жыл бұрын

    The charge circuitry will, but the diode may get stressed during lamp operation.

  • @stepheneyles2198

    @stepheneyles2198

    Жыл бұрын

    @@bigclivedotcom ...thereby momentarily increasing UV output (with the possible extra bonus of magic smoke!)

  • @richardwernst
    @richardwernst Жыл бұрын

    Possibly they had or planned to use cells without the protection circuitry, hence the charge controller but wound up with these and put the FU link in since the controller wasn't really needed?

  • @albanana683

    @albanana683

    Жыл бұрын

    No accountant would buy into that story. If the charge regulator chip could be replaced by a link, it wouldn't be on the board.

  • @paulwright8378
    @paulwright8378 Жыл бұрын

    Do those mercury grow lights put out uvc

  • @eidodk

    @eidodk

    Жыл бұрын

    UV-C is in the range of 100-280 nm. The GTL3 lamp emits light at 184 nm, it's all in the video. The answer is yes.

  • @SianaGearz

    @SianaGearz

    Жыл бұрын

    Grow lights shouldn't be quartz tube mercury lights. You'll sooner kll your plant than encourage it to grow. If it's double envelope mercury light, inner envelope being quartz and outer being normal lime glass, the outer envelope will filter out UVC and emit heat, making it suitable to grow something.

  • @craignehring
    @craignehring Жыл бұрын

    Interesting that one may need a UV light that is portable

  • @lethalz9
    @lethalz9 Жыл бұрын

    This is why I never leave anything on charge. I charge things for about an hour and then unplug them. You just never know what atrocities are inside.

  • @nutgone100
    @nutgone100 Жыл бұрын

    Should you be touching quartz glass lamps with bare hands? I was always told not to, or at least to wipe them off with methylated spirits afterwards to remove any greasy finger marks.

  • @bigclivedotcom

    @bigclivedotcom

    Жыл бұрын

    That's usually halogen lamps which can devitrify with the heat.

  • @nutgone100

    @nutgone100

    Жыл бұрын

    @@bigclivedotcom I wanted to say thanks for this video in particular, I’m currently trying to design an LED light system for a vintage motorcycle, this chip may be just what I’m looking for.

  • @blewanthanaveris6901
    @blewanthanaveris6901 Жыл бұрын

    How many purple pens do you have?

  • @DUKE_of_RAMBLE

    @DUKE_of_RAMBLE

    Жыл бұрын

    He refills them with printer ink. I know that's really not at all an answer to your question, but it might be relevant enough lol Leaves me wondering how long those felt tips last, though!

  • @bigclivedotcom

    @bigclivedotcom

    Жыл бұрын

    Lots. I do gradually wear them down.

  • @retropalooza
    @retropalooza Жыл бұрын

    U should power things using a taxer gun

  • @ronaldd4012
    @ronaldd4012 Жыл бұрын

    Are you supposed to touch those bulbs, halogen not to touch, Wright? Wondering if they are both quartz

  • @SkigBiggler

    @SkigBiggler

    Жыл бұрын

    Pretty sure the UV-C bulbs don’t get hot the way halogen does.

  • @ronaldd4012

    @ronaldd4012

    Жыл бұрын

    @@SkigBiggler oh, so it's the heat that causes the reaction. Thanks for the reply!

  • @bigclivedotcom

    @bigclivedotcom

    Жыл бұрын

    Birth quartz, but the extreme heat of the halogen causes issues with finger oils causing devitrification of the quartz. With UVC, finger oils may partially block output.

  • @ronaldd4012

    @ronaldd4012

    Жыл бұрын

    @@bigclivedotcom cool, thanks for the reply!

  • @davidfalconer8913
    @davidfalconer8913 Жыл бұрын

    Take heart , at least it was not CLIPPED together ( no Spudger needed ? ) ........ DAVE™ ........

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