Forum - Recent Threads

RE: Spring Clean - Eligibility

colporteur — Sun, 24 May 2026 19:45:18 GMT

i've participated a few times in this seasonal event. I pickup a project that has been sitting for some time, then work on it to the deadline. If finished I consider it eligible.

You could even spring clean an idea. Take the project idea from start to finish before the deadline and its eligible.

My take is motivation to finish.

Spring Clean - Eligibility

PorcupineZZZ — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:41:04 GMT

Hello!

I’m new to this website, I came across the Spring Clean project/event while scrolling on my phone and I have some projects that I haven’t finished or even started but I don’t know if it counts as origina since it’s either modding something or building a kit. Would those be eligible?

In spite of rigorous testing, when the final design is ready for its maiden voyage, it mocks you with a ribbon of smoke.

robogary — Tue, 19 May 2026 01:59:53 GMT

My homemade FET driver board decided it was Klingon, and today would be a good day to die.

How is your spring clean project going ?

RE: In spite of rigorous testing, when the final design is ready for its maiden voyage, it mocks you with a ribbon of smoke.

robogary — Tue, 19 May 2026 23:05:15 GMT

I recognize that signature screen - are you a Do Bee or a Don't Bee ?

youtu.be/8H9pnSjqs-A

RE: In spite of rigorous testing, when the final design is ready for its maiden voyage, it mocks you with a ribbon of smoke.

kmikemoo — Tue, 19 May 2026 22:23:43 GMT

That's when you use the attenuating helmet and the observation screen.

The "High Safety" version looks suprisingly like a cookie sheet.

RE: In spite of rigorous testing, when the final design is ready for its maiden voyage, it mocks you with a ribbon of smoke.

robogary — Tue, 19 May 2026 22:03:08 GMT

Indeed, that was the case.

RE: In spite of rigorous testing, when the final design is ready for its maiden voyage, it mocks you with a ribbon of smoke.

robogary — Tue, 19 May 2026 22:00:10 GMT

Dont give up hope, it takes infintesmal time to smoke a component. It doesnt even take much more effort than flicking a switch.

You must have folded an Aluminum KNACK hat for these situations...

RE: In spite of rigorous testing, when the final design is ready for its maiden voyage, it mocks you with a ribbon of smoke.

kmikemoo — Tue, 19 May 2026 21:16:32 GMT

Spring Clean project?! THAT was what I was supposed to be doing all those times I went into the basement.

Well... the workshop is a bit cleaner - but I haven't been able to get my Winlink station working with the radio that I wanted to use. ☹ I haven't let the magic smoke out of that - yet. I've still got a week. There's time. I may or may not have smoked an AD8703 logarithmic amplifier recently.

RE: In spite of rigorous testing, when the final design is ready for its maiden voyage, it mocks you with a ribbon of smoke.

DAB — Tue, 19 May 2026 19:14:12 GMT

Yes, you can proceed with confidence right up to the point were it fails.

At that point you realize that in spite of your best efforts, you forgot something very vital.

RE: In spite of rigorous testing, when the final design is ready for its maiden voyage, it mocks you with a ribbon of smoke.

me_Cris — Tue, 19 May 2026 17:48:31 GMT

😆

RE: In spite of rigorous testing, when the final design is ready for its maiden voyage, it mocks you with a ribbon of smoke.

robogary — Tue, 19 May 2026 16:38:09 GMT

Absolutely, the bigger the better.

RE: In spite of rigorous testing, when the final design is ready for its maiden voyage, it mocks you with a ribbon of smoke.

dang74 — Tue, 19 May 2026 15:24:54 GMT

Your words...

"In spite of rigorous testing, when the final design is ready for its maiden voyage, it mocks you with a ribbon of smoke."

... are beautiful... poetry even.

RE: In spite of rigorous testing, when the final design is ready for its maiden voyage, it mocks you with a ribbon of smoke.

me_Cris — Tue, 19 May 2026 14:53:10 GMT

Is magic smoke coming out of components while I'm at work counted?

RE: Spring Clean - Eligibility

Fred27 — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:03:58 GMT

E14 is a nicely run community. If you've gone with the spirit of things then I'm sure it'll be fine. Enter anyway. If it missed the mark then you might not win, but you'll have had fun and have a finished project too.

RE: Spring Clean - Eligibility

PorcupineZZZ — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 08:27:08 GMT

Thank you so much for the clarification! Much appreciated!

RE: Spring Clean - Eligibility

JoRatcliffe — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 08:25:22 GMT

Hey PorcupineZZZ , I am glad you found this competition. If the modding/kits involve electronics / electronic components and you are finishing a project you started previously then those sound eligible to me 🙂

RE: Garden Light

DAB — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 19:14:08 GMT

Great save.

Garden Light

scottiebabe — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:33:23 GMT

One of the solar garden lights was in desperate need of some spring cleaning.

The top rubber button cover had rotted over time and began to leak when it rains.

Almost all of the internals were in dire straits.

Before taking everything apart, I tried tinning the batery contacts with fresh solder to see if that was the only issue, it was not.

Even the solar charge/led driver IC (qx5252) had two of its leads corrode away.

I made a brief attempt to solder to what was left of the lead frame with limited success. Eventually with some cleaning and scraping I was able to make a connection.

I also tossed something together with an ME2108 module.

When the solar panel stops sourcing charge current Q1 turns on lightly. As the output of the me2108 module rises M1 starts to conduct and provide a “low” resistance to ground. Q2 pulls the gate of m1 low, thus disabling the boost module, should the solar panel starts sourcing current before the battery dies.

Surprisingly the solar panel was still functional. I have had a few lights where panel connections corrode away. Many of these cheap lights don't put much effort into waterproofing the solar connections.

RE: Garden Light

genebren — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:39:12 GMT

Yes, the lights are based on Corning glass blocks (shower blocks?) that have been mosaiced with custom images by my wife (seen above walking up to the deck stairs). The lights elements are custom made and detailed here (https://community.element14.com/members-area/personalblogs/b/gene-breniman-s-blog/posts/outdoor-lighting---light-up-my-path) . This is a long running project (like a lot of mine) that has finally completed. I plan to do a blog to document more of the project.

RE: Garden Light

JoRatcliffe — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:23:15 GMT

Wow, they look great!

RE: Garden Light

scottiebabe — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:21:16 GMT

That is gorgeous! Your lights appear to be custom stained glass.

One of your excellent blogs show what the light puck above would have looked like new

Except mine had a latching push button with rubber cover on the top (that eventually failed)

RE: Garden Light

genebren — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:50:55 GMT

Great work!

I have played around with updating/modifying some tired Solar LED fixtures in the past (https://community.element14.com/challenges-projects/project14/offtheshelf/b/blog/posts/off-the-shelf---outdoor-lighting-system-revamp). Instead of solar, these fixtures were converted to wired, low voltage (5VDC) lights. These lights have been working for almost 5 years, with only one of the lights needing a bit of repair (water incursion created rust, which caused a poor connection, yielding a lower than normal light output on one of the hanging lights). I have since added some path lights on to the circuit:

RE: Garden Light

ralphjy — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:17:55 GMT

Good news is that it's motion activated, so it doesn't run continuously. Bad news is that it turns on a lot. Somewhat disconcerting that we have so many critters coming through at night. Thankfully no coyotes yet, but lots of mice, bunnies, and occasionally possum and raccoon. I'm sure it keeps the neighbors entertained as one of them has commented on it - I have 3 lights in back for coverage...

RE: Garden Light

scottiebabe — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 13:40:08 GMT

That is an impressive amount of LEDS!

I bought I solar spot light that runs on a lithium cell, it throws a decent amount of light but doesn't last all night.

I put some clear silicon around the solar panel.

RE: Garden Light

scottiebabe — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 13:35:33 GMT

I would agree that is generally true, I just happen to enjoy the lights when they are working and they are very easy to understand.