Here’s the calculator for computing how long a capacitor takes to charge up. Plug in some values and the tool will show you which volts … Read More

Capacitor add-in math seems like it would be easy; just plug numbers into a formula, done. But wiring them up one way or another make … Read More

If you’re accustomed to working with resistors, wiring capacitors in series seems…wrong. When you put resistors end to end, they adds up linearly. Capacitators? No … Read More

On paper, the Wheatstone bridge looks straightforward, but as always, good engineering matter. Essentially, it’s a pair of voltage dividers connected in parallel, but that … Read More

When you twist a volume knob, you want the sound to gradually grow from barely audible to ear-splitting loud. But instead, it’s completely silent until … Read More

On paper, a voltage divider appears straightforward: Two resistors in series and the output equals Vin times R2 over the total resistance (R1 + R2). … Read More

Voltage dividers are simple things: they’re just two resistors in series that reduce a high voltage to a low one. A well-designed divider is not … Read More

Alright, I’ve got this five-volt logic signal that I need to tap into a three point three volt microcontroller input pin. What do I do? … Read More

A quarter-watt rated resistor doesn’t do a quarter watt in all environments. The quarter-watt rating is what manufacturer promises under 70 degrees Celsius (or whatever … Read More

That’s the smell you get when you’ve burnt something with your soldering iron, and it’s the smell of electrons dying as they fight your efforts … Read More