Exploring the expiry timer on a Sharp plasmacluster module.

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  • čas přidán 26. 03. 2024
  • The plasmacluster air cleaners must be one of Sharp's most successful products. They're MASSIVE in Japan, with almost every home and public space having one. The other prominent Japanese companies have their own variants on the technology too.
    They're basically just an advanced air ioniser with some very bold advertising claims.
    In reality, devices like this do emulate nature in the way it creates active air molecules by natural phenomena. It's why outdoors air is always "fresher" than indoors air where the active molecules deplete rapidly and do not normally get replaced.
    The most common method of freshening the indoor air is to produce a very faint electrostatic discharge that does mind-boggling things to air. It literally strips molecules apart into individual atoms, and they can recombine in either stable molecules or unstable variants like hydroxyl radicals (a molecule composed of a single atom of oxygen and hydrogen) or other active molecules like ozone (O3 - three oxygen atoms) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 - two atoms of oxygen and two of hydrogen). The amounts generated are usually lower or equal to natural outdoor air. The short lived unstable molecules can deactivate viruses and oxidise pollutants - returning to stable molecules in the process.
    The first units used to use sharp metal needles to create the plasma, but modern units use tufts of carbon fibres, as they are long lasting and very efficient.
    Part of the reason I got this unit was to see how the construction has changed, and what was being used to expire the modules after a preprogrammed amount of use. Unfortunately the unit was so well potted in hard resin that I damaged the circuitry in the process. Otherwise I'd have explored the data on the protection chip.
    I'll keep an eye open for an affordable module or dead unit to see if I can read the data.
    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 CZcams's algorithm quirks, allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty.
    #ElectronicsCreators
  • Věda a technologie

Komentáře • 438

  • @notahotshot
    @notahotshot Před měsícem +262

    A product with planned obsolescence, with an expiration timer to let you know exactly how long it's going to be before it's landfill bound? Brilliant.

    • @matiastripaldi406
      @matiastripaldi406 Před měsícem +15

      welcome to scientific equipment!

    • @TheChipmunk2008
      @TheChipmunk2008 Před měsícem +6

      The Japanese mastered this with vcr's in the 80s... [/snark[

    • @beastlysun
      @beastlysun Před měsícem +9

      this planed obsolescence is there for a reason. Honestly i would like device that will warn be before parts need replacement rather than suddenly break. You also dont replace car parts after it completely escapes your vehicle but its rather preventative. That cartridge is cheap at 14 pounds (even when big Clive deleted my comment about it) and is recycled

    • @Brunghis
      @Brunghis Před měsícem +29

      @@beastlysun doubt he deleted your comment, youtube is hot trash and will eat comments, then post them hours of even days later

    • @beastlysun
      @beastlysun Před měsícem +5

      @@Brunghis probably i need to watch some adds to get my comment back :D

  • @qwerty-cg7hv
    @qwerty-cg7hv Před měsícem +448

    I misread the headline as Plasmacutter, I was very confused for the first minute or so.............

  • @fredfred2363
    @fredfred2363 Před měsícem +101

    Yay! Clive's back on Ionisers/Ozonisers again. I enjoyed that season.

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před měsícem +40

      I could literally make nothing but ioniser and ozone videos. But people get sick of them.

    • @Lizlodude
      @Lizlodude Před 25 dny +2

      @@bigclivedotcom How ironic, given their intended function 😂

  • @JohnVance
    @JohnVance Před měsícem +92

    I just noticed you've made it to a million subs, congrats! Yours is one of my favorite channels on CZcams.

    • @esecallum
      @esecallum Před měsícem +6

      Where is the yt plate

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před měsícem +34

      The button did arrive.

    • @qwerty-cg7hv
      @qwerty-cg7hv Před měsícem +7

      One of the very best! Clive's channel was recently recommended to me by the manufacturer of a product that he had dissected when I had technical query recently because his review gave more info than they could supply! There again it was a very positive review :-)

    • @esecallum
      @esecallum Před měsícem

      @@bigclivedotcom did you show it proudly?

  • @youdontknowme5969
    @youdontknowme5969 Před měsícem +62

    A cartridge with an artificial expiration? Who do they think they are? HP?

    • @vintagerider4301
      @vintagerider4301 Před měsícem +6

      Add S, A and R and you have "sharp" could this be a conspiracy ?

  • @PaulG.x
    @PaulG.x Před měsícem +30

    New age types (and others) : "microwaving food uses ionising radiation and is -bad- *evil* "
    Also New age types (and others) : "Where's my ioniser , I can't breathe."

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před měsícem +31

      Also 5G is bad for you. It says so on this conspiracy site I'm reading on my 5G phone.

  • @martinbalmforth2665
    @martinbalmforth2665 Před měsícem +46

    Nurse, I’ve broken my spudger

  • @user-tz3fd8hm4q
    @user-tz3fd8hm4q Před měsícem +100

    Resin is always a reverse-engineering buzzkiller. Great video once again! Keep it up!

    • @YerUnclePhil
      @YerUnclePhil Před měsícem +2

      Could the resin be dissolved?

    • @twizz420
      @twizz420 Před měsícem +3

      @@YerUnclePhil Sometimes acetone or some other solvent can be used to either dissolve or make the resin brittle enough to crack/peel off. But on higher-end stuff it won't react with solvents.

    • @user-tz3fd8hm4q
      @user-tz3fd8hm4q Před měsícem +3

      @@YerUnclePhil You could use a hot air station or a blowtorch to melt the resin, but that could generate toxic fumes and damage the components that are encapsulated in the resin.

    • @anndaly9381
      @anndaly9381 Před měsícem +9

      Access to a small industrial x-ray machine would be handy for these moments.

    • @janhofmann3499
      @janhofmann3499 Před měsícem +3

      Munro used nitrogen blasting to remove the gluey stuff in the battery pack without damaging the components.

  • @ConstantlyDamaged
    @ConstantlyDamaged Před měsícem +58

    Could even get an 8 pin micro and program it to keep sending the requested data and "I am brand new" number constantly, just toss it on its own board that presses onto the wires to get power and then cut the data wire from the module itself.

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před měsícem +44

      If the internal chip was accessible it would possibly also be possible to lift the write protect pin and connect it to the adjacent positive voltage pin. That way the controller could read that it was "new" but would not be able to decrement the life counter.

    • @kasamialt
      @kasamialt Před měsícem +16

      @@bigclivedotcom If the design is truly evil (which it may well be), they probably threw in some basic checks for write-protect and will mark it as failed if it can't change some dummy value. Microcontroller could easily work around that.

    • @abitofabitofabit4404
      @abitofabitofabit4404 Před měsícem

      @@kasamialt There are SHA-256 challenge-response chips that fit on an I2C EEPROM footprint, such as ATSHA204A. They're 50 cents a piece but they generate $10s of profit in an application like this. There are also serial EEPROMs with OTP sections, factory-unique serial numbers, secondary addresses, and other fun features that make emulation attempts more detectable.

    • @pseudonymity0000
      @pseudonymity0000 Před 20 dny +1

      @@kasamialt They Already went through the effort to pot it. Business types won't see the sense paying a software engineer to do a job that's technically already done, Until the workaround Is noticeable in their bottom line that is.

  • @GothBoyUK
    @GothBoyUK Před měsícem +24

    My cousin had a laptop about 20 years ago that started to show a warning about falling battery levels as 'the battery was reaching the end of its expected x year lifespan'. It was a big manufacturer, possibly Sony or Samsung (those come to mind). He set the date back a year and not only did the warning disappear but he got the previous much longer battery life back. All by changing the bios date. Of course stuff like that doesn't work nowadays with computerised batteries but it was one of the first egregious examples of planned obsolescence I experienced directly.

    • @Klokopf52
      @Klokopf52 Před měsícem +8

      This isn't as evil as it sounds. I once had a UPS go up in flames because of a expired battery. Internal resistance goes up with age, power went out, everything switched to battery, five minutes later the thing was on fire (and working oddly enough).
      The consumer friendly way would be to monitor actual battery heath instead of going down the lazy route of using a strict timer, but that would cost RND and timers are cheap... So its only half Evil mega corp stuff.

    • @pseudonymity0000
      @pseudonymity0000 Před 20 dny

      ​@@Klokopf52 Have a UPS That was designed to be disposable. Small little desktop unit. I got it because we started getting little bouts of unstable power and wanted my computer to not be affected by the brown/black outs.
      It started to complain about overload One day After only a year of use when the power went out, And figured the battery Was dead. I knew it was bound to be a 12 Volt Lead acid, as the unit was pretty heavy. Looked around the damn thing, Unscrewed it, And found the shell was being held captive by the front panel... there was no way to open it Other than... Physical override.
      I chewed off the two tabs on the bottom with a pair of flush cutters that clipped the front on to the rest of the unit, And heaven behold. it was a standard 12v Lead acid gel battery that's used As power back up for security systems. Swap the battery out, and it was good as new.
      Now, whenever the UPS fails Its self test, I just slap a new one of them in there and it's still going 6 years later.

  • @dcallan812
    @dcallan812 Před měsícem +36

    Such a shame they decided to start scamming people with the built in obsolescence. The unit would run for years if they didn't build in counter. . Intertying thing that we know to avoid. 2x👍

  • @qibble455
    @qibble455 Před měsícem +61

    "Exploring the expiry timer on a Sharp plasmacluster module."
    Hehe only this community would eagerly click on a video titled as such.
    Great video though:)

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před měsícem +20

      Yeah. The more complex and difficult to make a video is, the less views it gets.

    • @snakezdewiggle6084
      @snakezdewiggle6084 Před měsícem +1

      Don't know if I can agree with that. I've watch almost all of Clive's posts, back to 5yrs ago. Clive's M.O. ( or S.O.P. if you will ). is Persistent, Consistent, and Methodical. ( and sometimes, cringe worthy )
      You would do well to follow this channel.
      Like the little kids chocolate, there's a surprise in every ep.
      Oh bugget, my gas light just ran out.

  • @puppiesarepower3682
    @puppiesarepower3682 Před měsícem +7

    LoL!
    Clive and Fran are like those quiet neighbors you always felt so happy to have around as a child. ❤ ❤
    They'd be seen doing their hobbies during the weekends when school was out. Adding to the magic of childhood.

    • @HowievYT
      @HowievYT Před měsícem

      both such straight-up decent souls as well.

  • @plasmaburndeath
    @plasmaburndeath Před měsícem +38

    One thing about Sharp Air purification products, at least the ones from back in the day, they are very powerful, back in early 2000's when I worked as contractor for them, we had a fan belt for the HVAC decide to melt and smoke at our █████████, USA Facility - (Redacted to protect the innocent), and fire department had to come out and clear building for use again, and when we were allowed back in Sharp put in a few of their really nice air purifier units that are about 2 times larger than a Box fan, and after just running 8 hours, we moved the unit at end of day and turns out they had accidently placed the unit in front of a normal box fan that was probably 15 years old and before this event that fan had baked on black dust, and after just 8 hours somehow that damn fan was sparkling, looked NEW. SO yeah I looked up the cost and the purifier was something north of $1500 US dollars at the time, if I had the money to burn I would get them lol.

  • @SeventhSwell
    @SeventhSwell Před měsícem +16

    The timer here reminds me of my 3M Filtrete air purifier. It has an LED that's supposed to show when the filter needs to be replaced. But since I didn't use it for months and lazily didn't unplug it I watched as the LED went from green to red without the purifier being used at all. At least the LED can be reset and the purifier doesn't stop working.

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před měsícem +21

      One unit I took apart had a cheap button cell in it that was slowly discharged by a resistor in the unit. When the voltage got too low the cartridge was "expired".

  • @oasntet
    @oasntet Před měsícem +33

    It's the inkjet thing down to the fact that you aren't running out of the high voltage module (or the print head) and only one small component, the carbon fiber tuft (or the ink itself) needs replacing. What's that, a few dozen for a dollar/pound/euro?
    But for 50pounds, might as well build your own timer module around an arduino and a mosfet to replicate most of the features in the original.

    • @dcallan812
      @dcallan812 Před měsícem +9

      just feel like a scam the unit would run for years so they built in obsolescence

    • @felixyasnopolski8571
      @felixyasnopolski8571 Před měsícem

      Or probably just reflash that pic microcontroller? it would be much easier to trace all LEDs and the button. Definitely would be faster than buiding something from scratch, since it requires just to switch the fan (probably PWM for different settings), turn on the one of three LEDs and give the power to the ioniser unit

    • @user-xh2ks4ro4k
      @user-xh2ks4ro4k Před měsícem

      Why does it say these comments where made 8 days ago, this video is only 9 hours old??

    • @MrDuncl
      @MrDuncl Před měsícem

      @@dcallan812 In the 1990s my Father bought a Sharp photocopier in which the cartridges expired after a fixed number of pages irrespective of how much toner you had used. The first time I encountered such a practice although before then there were trial light bulbs (similar to paint tester pots) that were made to fail after 24 hours !

    • @oasntet
      @oasntet Před měsícem

      @@user-xh2ks4ro4k Clive releases videos a week early to his patrons.

  • @exmotech
    @exmotech Před měsícem +4

    I know nothing about electronics but I keep watching your videos because of your calming voice.

  • @mal8455
    @mal8455 Před měsícem +4

    Very neat Clive. You mention hydroxyradicals. Those are dangerous things, as is any strong oxidizer! One should remember that these air purifiers work by smashing apart complex molecules, and high-concentration ozone gas in the air will happily "disinfect" your lungs as well...

  • @lukevibertuk
    @lukevibertuk Před měsícem +26

    RIP the spudger😢

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před měsícem +17

      It's replacement has arrived.

    • @dogwalker666
      @dogwalker666 Před měsícem +3

      I made a temporary one out of some stainless steel strapping.

    • @luminousfractal420
      @luminousfractal420 Před měsícem +5

      well you certainly moved on quick 😐
      wheres the spudger love 😂

    • @Slicerwizard
      @Slicerwizard Před měsícem

      @@bigclivedotcom*Its

    • @tncorgi92
      @tncorgi92 Před měsícem

      Hooray, time for more spudging!

  • @toxicpsion
    @toxicpsion Před měsícem +7

    Thank you for taking the extra time to cut out your zoomed pictures; was a beautiful extra touch to the video!

  • @RottnRobbie
    @RottnRobbie Před 19 dny

    Clive - Not specific to this video (although this is an _excellent_ example), I'd like to say how much I admire and appreciate the consistent attention to detail you put into your production. It's not just the difficult work in disassembly, depotting, and reverse engineering, but also the care taken in framing, lighting, focus, and sound. Your carefully drawn schematics; your "the light is coming back" warnings; your georgeous - and often helpfully hand coloured - circuit board photographs ... even your occasional on-camera miscues; all go towards making yours the premier "teardown" channel on the tube. (Even your pronunciation of shshsh-KEEm-atic is appreciated). Thank you for being. And for sharing yourself with us. Many congrats on finally reaching the well earned million subscriber count.

  • @anthonybarra2391
    @anthonybarra2391 Před měsícem +4

    I bought an ionisor unit pureley after watching your ionisor videos. A large unit with standard 240v lead and UK plug. does the job of getting rid of stink, but currently lives under the sink not used. i buy stuff i use for 10 minutes then never again. love your work big man

  • @bumpedhishead636
    @bumpedhishead636 Před měsícem +13

    I'm a retired pointy-haired boss. I don't understand most of what Clive says, but I like listening to him because it reminds me of all those thousands of project meetings I used to attend...

  • @AnthonyFuller
    @AnthonyFuller Před měsícem +10

    That chip in the swappable module may be a 24C02 which is a Serial EEPROM. It can store 2k bits, but there probably isn't much. It's probably storing how many cycles has passed.

  • @marcdraco2189
    @marcdraco2189 Před měsícem +20

    Fascinating Clive. First time I've heard of a SIDAC.

    • @LDuncanKelly
      @LDuncanKelly Před měsícem +8

      Ah, the good ol' Sidac/Sydactor/SIDACtor/S.A.S. (Silicon Diode for A.C./Silicon thYristor for A.C./Silicon Avalanche Suppressor) basically a high speed bi-directional avalanche diode used to clamp Transient voltage spikes or as a high-current trigger switch (like a high-power DIAC) often used in multi-stage surge arrestors along with MOVs and Gas-tube Arrestors - especially for Telecom protection (typical arrangement is G.A., series inductor, MOV, series resistor, SIDACtor...)

    • @marcdraco2189
      @marcdraco2189 Před měsícem +4

      @@LDuncanKelly more! No really. Is there a good source? I would love to design something with them but, ya know, data sheets, sample circuits.

    • @LDuncanKelly
      @LDuncanKelly Před měsícem

      @@marcdraco2189 Mouser should have datasheets for Littlefuse SIDACtors online... And I've seen surge suppression docs from the likes PolyPaser and Telebyte and Tripp Lite...

  • @iamdarkyoshi
    @iamdarkyoshi Před měsícem +13

    Yes, please try to hack one of these modules. It'd be fascinating.

  • @Palmit_
    @Palmit_ Před měsícem +6

    one thing that astonishes me.. (and it really is persistent astonishment across decade or so of videos) is BC's reversing. The pad schematic always looks so neat and tidy and clear. When i look at the circuit board, and then look at the schematic, i break down mentally. how can it be so easily understandable for this cyborg? "Are you bionic?" "No. Thank you. I only like the girls" (~don't mess with the zohan)

  • @pgScorpio
    @pgScorpio Před měsícem +8

    My guess is that the T02 is a AT24C02 i2c eeprom. Which should be easy to check with a i2c analyzer or arduino.

  • @go4peanut471
    @go4peanut471 Před měsícem +5

    We really need to all band together and get you a desktop ct scanner

  • @totz83
    @totz83 Před měsícem +24

    Angled flaps are always a plus

  • @wisher21uk
    @wisher21uk Před měsícem

    Fascinating Clive thanks never even seen one of them before genuine sharp as well, thank you

  • @mistermeaargee2670
    @mistermeaargee2670 Před měsícem +7

    I’m sure I’ve seen ion circuits with the HV secondary winding “floating”, no direct connection to anything except maybe a long isolated PCB track.

  • @JessicaFEREM
    @JessicaFEREM Před měsícem +17

    This gives me juicero vibes.
    All this overconplication and DRM just to squeeze a juice pouch into a glass.

    • @jonanderson5137
      @jonanderson5137 Před měsícem +4

      That was a classic from uncle bumbledork. QR packets and subscription required on top of the unit cost. 😂

  • @connerlabs
    @connerlabs Před měsícem +14

    Takes me back 20 years when “ionisers” were cool

    • @laustinspeiss
      @laustinspeiss Před měsícem +3

      They still are useful… maybe not ‘cool’.

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před měsícem +13

      They never stopped being cool. They just hide them in things now to avoid prodding the "experts".

    • @user-vh7ki7xu7o
      @user-vh7ki7xu7o Před měsícem +1

      @@laustinspeiss you must love dirt everywhere and foul odors if you think they’re “not” cool 😂

  • @alexbrown1050
    @alexbrown1050 Před měsícem

    Love ya Clive, great vid! Keep on keeping on

  • @thepagan5432
    @thepagan5432 Před měsícem +7

    Shame that greed forces some tech to be tossed in the bin. Hoping that the 50,743 camel fleas I sent, will infest their underpants. £70 for the piece and postage is definitely taking the Michael. Thanks Clive, very interesting 👍

  • @fredflickinger643
    @fredflickinger643 Před měsícem

    Yes, a "hellish" teardown and analysis thank you!

  • @JonnyCraig01
    @JonnyCraig01 Před měsícem

    Clive you’re keeping me entertained at 33000 feet over the Atlantic, 5 hours to go, New York to Heathrow. Cheers!

  • @tlhIngan
    @tlhIngan Před měsícem +2

    Of course they can be reset. The Japanese are known for their engineering but when it comes to software, not so much. Be interesting to see if the output was based on the sensor or just time - as in the module really did wear out as its output was getting weak

  • @mikenco
    @mikenco Před měsícem +41

    If someone asked me if I wanted to buy a "plasmacluster" anything, I would think it was that same "boswellox" language they use when selling shampoo.

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před měsícem +13

      Their advertising is something else. Excited Japanese students in white boilersuits doing "tests". They even target the ladies by claiming that the thing moisturises their skin.

    • @phonotical
      @phonotical Před měsícem +5

      ぶっかけサーキット至高!

    • @f.k.b.16
      @f.k.b.16 Před měsícem +4

      I saw plasma cutter...

    • @StefanHanrath
      @StefanHanrath Před měsícem +1

      I thought i ordered a plasma cutter, doh!

  • @g7eit
    @g7eit Před měsícem

    Another brilliant video, my mind is blown

  • @RobSchofield
    @RobSchofield Před měsícem

    I continue to be amazed by the number of people who drive away without repairs.

  • @keithking1985
    @keithking1985 Před měsícem +4

    Has anyone ever thought a circuit was bad or something was wrong coz your not getting voltage readings and then you change to continuity mode and realised one of your meter probes is loose 😅..
    I just spent A BLOODY HOUR, thinking I had a problem and all along its a loose probe.. 🤨
    Oh well I guess that was my lesson for the day. 😅
    (Until it happens again)
    👍🇮🇪

    • @bannerman100
      @bannerman100 Před měsícem

      Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. (Quite a few times.)

    • @flyingdutchmanindustries5877
      @flyingdutchmanindustries5877 Před měsícem

      Yea, that is very annoying - like a stranded wire splinter in the foot ;)

  • @martinday2815
    @martinday2815 Před měsícem +7

    Just checked Sharps environmental section on website. They say they support a circular economy. I see that here, money from the owners wallet to Sharps own sky rocket .

  • @Mildawg1
    @Mildawg1 Před 29 dny

    I enjoy the subtle easter egg plastic staple burn mark in the desk.

  • @rayoflight62
    @rayoflight62 Před měsícem +5

    The negative ions generator from the '60s (which I worked with) were built with an Americium capsule same as the fire alarm, a -3000 Volt generator made with diode/capacitor voltage multiplier ladder, and a fan.
    The voltage generator attract the positive ions generated from the capsule, so the fan is blowing only negative ions in the room.
    The negative ions are those very beneficial to human health.
    Other devices used a dark discharge ozone generator instead of the americium - but they didn't provide any health benefit, and the ozone could be an hazard...

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před měsícem +6

      I've never seen that type. Only the ones that apply a high negative voltage to a sharp point to create a negative charge in the air.

    • @vaelophisnyx9873
      @vaelophisnyx9873 Před měsícem

      so far as I am aware the only "negative ions" you can inhale are radioactive dust particles that are 100% unhealthy to be around, let alone inhale

  • @shmoochicago
    @shmoochicago Před měsícem

    Listening to Clive's voice makes me want to move to Scotland

  • @anthonybarra2391
    @anthonybarra2391 Před měsícem

    very clever man, and a great tutor thankyou matey

  • @sinsinner6797
    @sinsinner6797 Před měsícem

    mmm...such a brilliant brilliant channel...so much information in a short span...love the content...have been talk to the screen along with you hehehe...cant help it being a retired tech

  • @V8-friendly
    @V8-friendly Před měsícem +21

    I did draw a short light arc using 8x12V=96VDC SLA batteries in series and using two graphite pencil leads. It think, it smells like Ozone too, is that how you can generate Ozone instead of using high voltage? However, the light arc is blinding bright, and everything melted after a few minutes, including the alligator clips. 🔥 As a retired engineer at least one experiment per day to keep my brain going.
    Greetings from Ohio, Marco 🇺🇸

    • @user-tz3fd8hm4q
      @user-tz3fd8hm4q Před měsícem +1

      I also drew some arcs with some graphite pencil leads, but with my bench power supply (mine is 30V 5A). It was able to light my whole room up. Although it probably generates tons of UV light.

    • @V8-friendly
      @V8-friendly Před měsícem

      @@user-tz3fd8hm4q Also the anodes of D-cell batteries make for good study electrodes to draw substantial, blinding arcs 😎

    • @wtmayhew
      @wtmayhew Před měsícem +4

      @@user-tz3fd8hm4q I came here to comment about the UV output from an arc. If you aren’t careful, you can get permanent eye damage. You can also get a sunburn on exposed skin.

    • @Murgoh
      @Murgoh Před měsícem +1

      Carbon arc lights used to be a common way of producing high intensity illumination like in search lights, film projectors, filming sets, stadiums etc. before the invention of gas discharge bulbs. They give out a lot of light but the electrodes burn shorter so there needs to be either a person or an automatic mechanism adjusting them constantly and they need replacing after they wear out.

    • @mikebarushok5361
      @mikebarushok5361 Před měsícem +1

      ​@@MurgohI've worked on a Kodak Carousel slide projector that used a carbon arc light source. Made for medium sized auditorium. The cooling fan that was part of preventing the slides from melting had failed. More work clearing out the melted plastic than disassembling, replacing the fan and reassembly and testing.

  • @Tarodenaro
    @Tarodenaro Před měsícem

    It's funny how i use one of these for a long time, and then one day i've realized that i could've just get one of my spare solder fume extractor and leave it turned on while i'm away and it actually works better lol.
    (congrats for 1M subs btw)

    • @runed0s86
      @runed0s86 Před měsícem

      All they do is generate ozone. Ozone is the main component of smog.

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před měsícem +1

      Ozone is nature's reaction to pollution. The real problem is the pollution.

  • @mattmoreira210
    @mattmoreira210 Před měsícem +1

    18:42 "Atmoshperic Invigorator"
    An absolute classic!

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před měsícem +1

      That was the result of late night design and uploading of PCB files.

  • @erickvond6825
    @erickvond6825 Před měsícem

    I'd actually be keen to see another video on one of those cartridges and the code you might be able to get out of it. I'd also be very interested in seeing if one of them could be reset.

  • @weerobot
    @weerobot Před měsícem +1

    Great Scott Marty...

  • @k4be.
    @k4be. Před měsícem +1

    If there's a triac with a trip threshold, there must also be a diac with a drip dreshold somewhere.

  • @derekchristenson5711
    @derekchristenson5711 Před měsícem +1

    A "plasma cluster" sounds like a hand-thrown, grenade-type weapon from "Star Trek" or something, and yet the thumbnail looked like one of those trendy, not-quite-safe devices for cooking meat in a bag for that special plastic-laced flavor. An in-car air purifier seems just as strange, though, hehe.

  • @AMDRADEONRUBY
    @AMDRADEONRUBY Před měsícem

    Nice a new video I really like theses plasmacluster

  • @JoseSilveira-newhandleforYT

    Great effort, Clive! It would be great if you had some viewer in Japan that could mail you a few of these "expired" cartridges :-)

  • @nomusicrc
    @nomusicrc Před měsícem

    I love seeing the little squiggle burned nto your workbench

  • @WowIndescribable
    @WowIndescribable Před měsícem

    That replaceable plasmacluster module is identical to my much larger (and much more expensive) Sharp home air filter/cleaner. Mine comes with a little brush to clean the bristles that is stored inside the machine. Mine also warns when nearing (supposed) end-of-life. I haven’t kept it going to see what would eventually happen, I recently replaced the original one after about three years of use. The old bristles did look a little compromised…

  • @davidv1289
    @davidv1289 Před měsícem

    Great video, Clive! Love the ink jet mini-rant - we all hate them. Have you tried methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) - great solvent - use it outdoors with gloves. Regards, David

  • @originaltonywilk
    @originaltonywilk Před měsícem +4

    Some of the slightly rubbery potting compounds are very susceptible to 50/50 IPA/white spirit. Soak for a few days.

  • @tfm55x
    @tfm55x Před měsícem

    My wife and I have owned two Nissan vehicles which had Sharp Plasmacluster filters built into the HVAC system. I’m not sure why, but the owners manuals for the two cars hardly mentioned the feature and what it was for. I was curious, since both of them had the little “bunch of grapes” plasmacluster icon on the indicator panel when the system was active. I hadn’t previously heard of Plasmacluster in the U.S.

  • @ethernet01
    @ethernet01 Před měsícem +1

    I was ready to see a handheld plasma cutter from a eletronics company

  • @gertbenade3082
    @gertbenade3082 Před měsícem +1

    Great video, thanks Clive!
    VERY expensive and over-engineered to "clean" the air in the car... just easier not to smoke in your car..or not at all!
    (He says while making another cup of coffee and heading outside for some "fresh" air!🤓)

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před měsícem +4

      I'd guess this was used by a taxi driver during the pandemic to reduce the risk of virus transfer.

    • @samuelfellows6923
      @samuelfellows6923 Před měsícem

      🙄 ~ far more easier to “turn on” the car’s fan or open the windows, all the government & NHS told them to do is put a film screen between passengers and the driver and both to mask themselves [looking diseased] 😠

  • @Elastane
    @Elastane Před měsícem

    spudger death hit me harder than I thought it would 🥺

  • @sparkyprojects
    @sparkyprojects Před měsícem +1

    I'm wondering what the reset and capsel pads on the target board are, they could have put the timer reset there to make it easier to get to, along with the cmn pad

  • @smalcolmbrown
    @smalcolmbrown Před měsícem

    Thanks :)

  • @GenaTrius
    @GenaTrius Před měsícem +11

    It seems like you're always having to laboriously scrape away different resins and polymers and stuff. I think you ought to co-laborate with one of these chemistry channels and level up your stuff-dissolving techniques. It's just a matter of finding the right chemicals, right?

    • @luminousfractal420
      @luminousfractal420 Před měsícem +1

      ohh i know just the guy...where is he...

    • @luminousfractal420
      @luminousfractal420 Před měsícem

      Thoisoi2 👈 this guy, look for his channel here, hes lovely and has a head full of chemical info. im sure he'd be happy to help.

    • @vaelophisnyx9873
      @vaelophisnyx9873 Před měsícem +4

      keep in mind sometimes a solvent that can take away the resin may also decide to take away the component serial numbers, shells, the entire pcb, etc

  • @Zodliness
    @Zodliness Před měsícem +4

    Nowadays gadgets have a surprising amount of R&D resources put into replacing traditional obsolescence, with small (inexpensive mass-produced) *expensive* plastic consumables. 🤔😂

  • @ziginox
    @ziginox Před měsícem

    Nooo, the spudger! That was one of the early ones, too!

  • @Kholdstare0503
    @Kholdstare0503 Před měsícem

    What printer do you use for the closeups? The quality is fantastic and a smart idea 💡

  • @nigeltrigger4499
    @nigeltrigger4499 Před měsícem +1

    "Just has that feel to it" :)

  • @seanabsher5577
    @seanabsher5577 Před měsícem

    Talk about a wild product title, but before you opened the white plastic "cartridge" i thought it'd be a good idea to find a way to read or monitor for any signal or resettable usage timer, I guess my intuition was right, but as you said, good luck knowing what was what and where everything was without opening it. But hell it made a good video anyway!

  • @joshhoman
    @joshhoman Před měsícem

    It has been some time since I heard of the Sharp brand.

  • @carlveilleux5744
    @carlveilleux5744 Před měsícem

    Expiry timer question: my camping trailer is equipped with a standard, mandatory, combined propane/CO detector that runs on 12v DC. This type of detector will work for 5, 7 or 10 years (depending on brand/model) from the first power up, then an "end of life" or "replace" signal is triggered (beep and/or flashing LED) and then the unit must be replaced with a new one.
    I've always wondered how can the unit keep track of time? Campers are not all used the same, many like mine are sitting in my driveway for days, completely de-powered between camping trips. Also, most RVs, at least here in northern America, are not in use during the winter months, and are winterized and again, completely de-powered for months. Still, after the prescribed duration, the "replace" signal will appear. Usage (or lack of) doesn't seem to affect the internal timer in them. How does that work?

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před měsícem +1

      I'm not sure how that works. The CO detectors are often based around a cell that generates a small voltage based on the presence of carbon monoxide. It may be that the cell itself stops producing any voltage when it fails.
      Another interesting technique I've seen is the use of a dedicated button cell discharged slowly by a high value resistor until the unit detects that it has dropped to a low voltage.

    • @carlveilleux5744
      @carlveilleux5744 Před měsícem

      @@bigclivedotcom Thanks for the response Clive. My unit will "die" in about 2 years. I'll send it to you to reverse engineer!
      One - moment - please! ;-)

  • @KarldorisLambley
    @KarldorisLambley Před měsícem

    is a plasmacluster that which i saw in a previous vid? with people putting bread in places and it lasting? it was a larger thing, as i recall?

  • @markiangooley
    @markiangooley Před měsícem +8

    Dollar Tree here in the USA sells a poor copy of Spam that has pork plasma as an ingredient. Presumably it’s some derivative of pig blood. First thing I thought of, but I’m weird.

    • @rolfs2165
      @rolfs2165 Před měsícem +4

      Plasma is basically just the water and proteins in your blood, with red and white blood cells removed.

  • @tncorgi92
    @tncorgi92 Před měsícem +1

    Having worked at a car dealership, there is no gadget you can buy that will erase tobacco smell. It permeates everything.

    • @runed0s86
      @runed0s86 Před měsícem

      The only gadget you can buy to erase tobacco smell in your car is a new car.

  • @DIYuntilDAWN
    @DIYuntilDAWN Před měsícem +5

    The high price on those modules might be just in the UK. I just checked and found one on eBay for less than $20 from a USA seller, and even Walmart sells a pack of 2 of them for $80 ($40 each).

  • @x_Ferrari_F1_x
    @x_Ferrari_F1_x Před 29 dny

    Alas, poor Spudger. We knew him well. 💀

  • @chrisstorm7704
    @chrisstorm7704 Před měsícem

    Would it be feasible to take one of these off-the-shelf modules that have both a positive and negative emitter and replace the positive emitter with a wire that led over to a metal plate.
    It seems like putting that plate 12” or so from the negative emitter would be a great way to capture all of the negatively charged dust particles.

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před měsícem

      I'm not sure how well it would work in an electrostatic precipitator.

  • @Gersberms
    @Gersberms Před měsícem

    I enjoy these high voltage schematics a lot because they often contain weird silicon I haven't heard of before. Since ozone is so damaging to the lungs, what is the way that ozone output can be limited? Are hydroxyls not as damaging to lungs? I seem to remember that some designs produce safer quantities of one over the other. I also remember a huge unit in a room full of birds, it had a grid of what seemed like 10 by 10 needles. I was fascinated by that as a kid.

    • @xponen
      @xponen Před měsícem +1

      When hydroxyl ions react with lipids (fats, which are components of cell membranes), they undergo a process known as saponification, resulting in the creation of soap. Provided that the breakdown of lipids by hydroxyl ions remains at a sustainable level (not excessively high), our body can manage it.

    • @xponen
      @xponen Před měsícem

      also, the active property of soap is as surfactant, which is also naturally produced by our lungs to prevent lung collapse.

    • @Gersberms
      @Gersberms Před měsícem +1

      @@xponen similar reaction to lye, then. Thanks.

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před měsícem +1

      They generate a controlled plasma to ration the effect to a safe level.

  • @garrysekelli6776
    @garrysekelli6776 Před měsícem +1

    Something satisfying about watching these types of videos where I rea😢 don't understand what the main guy is taking about.

  • @blitzroehre1807
    @blitzroehre1807 Před měsícem +1

    Naughty little timer memory chip prpbably the same as in the printer ink cartridges?

  • @3D_Printing
    @3D_Printing Před měsícem

    Surprised not much dust, attracted by the high volts

  • @shanieboi86
    @shanieboi86 Před měsícem +1

    So wierd I got a slight wiff of tobacco after you said that, no one smokes in my housr 😮

  • @gregorythomas333
    @gregorythomas333 Před měsícem +14

    I'm guessing that the modules are potted that way to keep Chinese manufacturers from making cheap chinesium units.
    But that doesn't stop us geeks from making a device that will trick the timer into running until the mechanical failure of the carbon fiber tufts :)

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před měsícem +10

      Whereupon we will also replace the tufts.

    • @Bobo-ox7fj
      @Bobo-ox7fj Před měsícem +1

      Then we shall fight in the shade!

  • @ralphj4012
    @ralphj4012 Před měsícem

    Hydroxyl radicals are obviously regularly found in taxis. Does this unit eliminate their spatial configurations? There's never a glutathione peroxidase hanger when you need one.

  • @mevk1
    @mevk1 Před měsícem

    BigClive, I found three largish (2'x2'x8") electostatic precipatators a neighbor discarded all clean and in good condition. Without the proper power supplying components, container, etc. I was wondering if you could recommend a way to power, reuse one of these things? I understand dangers of high voltage but have no clue as to what VA supply one of these puppies would require to work properly.

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před měsícem

      I'm not sure how powerful it would have to be, but an eBay high power ioniser module might work.

  • @Kae6502
    @Kae6502 Před měsícem

    17:17 "...and the very act of going in to find the connections destroyed it" - HeisenClive's Uncertainty Principle. ;)

  • @Smegheid
    @Smegheid Před měsícem

    On the main board, can’t unsee all of the connectors as a pair of eyes and a gob with a varying number of teeth.

  • @RenThraysk
    @RenThraysk Před měsícem +1

    50 quid on ebay, 12 quid on Amazon Japan just they don't seem to ship outside of Japan. And if find a 3rd party seller the price doubles with a horrendous delivery charge on top.

  • @Pulverrostmannen
    @Pulverrostmannen Před měsícem

    14:56 Let's look at the schematics which are going to be super simplistic because they are super complex, Clive 2024, what a Legend

  • @QIKUGAMES-QIKU
    @QIKUGAMES-QIKU Před měsícem

    ? Sooo where does it cut from and what's it's supposed to cut ?

  • @jacquesb5248
    @jacquesb5248 Před měsícem

    very interesting. i ponder if a laser cleaner would have helped getting rid of that resin

  • @richardmellish2371
    @richardmellish2371 Před měsícem

    When the SIDAC conducts, I can see that it results in a pulse at the transformer secondary, but how does it contrive to produce (presumably) similar +ve and -ve peak voltages to the two brushes?

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před měsícem

      First the rising magnetic field and then the collapsing field.

    • @richardmellish2371
      @richardmellish2371 Před měsícem

      @@bigclivedotcomWell yes, but I would not expect necessarily the same peak voltage when the primary suddently sees the source voltage as in the other direction when the SIDAC cuts off.

  • @sausage5849
    @sausage5849 Před měsícem

    BCDC, any chance you reverse engineer a Shelly 1PM IOT switch? I'm interested to know how they do the mains stepdown.

  • @jeffmassey4860
    @jeffmassey4860 Před měsícem +1

    I have a room filter with HEPA+carbon prefilter,humidity for winter,and Plasmacluster which Sharp says in the owner manual works best with humid air to produce more hydroxyl molecules.
    About 10 years now,and still working!

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před měsícem +2

      Sounds like the needle type. You do get spare modules for them.

  • @ovalwingnut
    @ovalwingnut Před měsícem

    Very iNtErEsTiNg & iNsiGhTfUL (like me!). I will have to take 10 points off for the "Vincent Van Gogh" style photo But you'll bounce back! Just saying. Thanks so much for the InfoTainment once again - the 'check is in the mail! Cheers from So.Ca.USA 3rd House On the Left 🏡