Category Archives: Hardware

Electronics Project #14: AC Power Supply from Sanyo RM6018 Clock Radio | In The Lab With Jay Jay

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This post is part of my video blog and you can find more information about this video over here.

You can support this channel on Patreon: patreon.com/JohnElliotV

Silly Job Title: Current Connoisseur.

In this video we take the transformer from the power system of the Sanyo RM-6018 AM/FM Digital Clock Radio which we’ve been tearing down and put it safely in a project box complete with banana plug sockets, illuminated power switch, and power cable.

This is the project box we use: Project Junction Box for Electrical Cable Outdoor DIY Sealed IP67 Enclosure Wire Box 115x90x55mm Waterproof Electronic Cases (158x90x75mm).

This is the power switch we use: 5/20Pcs KCD4 Switch DPST 4/6Pin ON OFF Rocker Switch Toggle Switch with Led Light 16A 250V AC 25x31mm (Red 4PIN).

These are the banana plug sockets we use: 50Pcs/lot 4mm Binding Post Banana Test Connector 4mm Banana Female Socket Plug Terminals DIY Adapter Red Black Green Yellow Blue.

These are the lugs we use for the mains power wiring: 280pcs/set Cable Lugs Assortment Kit Wire Flat Female and Male Insulated Electric Wire Cable Connectors Crimp Terminals Set Kit (we use the yellow ones which are the largest).

This is the wire we use for output power wiring: 20 22 24 26awg ( 5 colors Mix Solid core Wire Kit ) Tinned Copper Electrical line Cable wires PCB Wire DIY (22 AWG).

These are the lugs we use for the output power wiring: 100Pcs 2.8mm 4.8mm 6.3mm Plug Spring Female Male Spade Cold Crimp Terminals Connector Car Speaker Electrical Wire Connectors Set (2.8mm, Gold-Male, Gold-Female, Sheath).

These are the M2 nuts and bolts we use for securing the transformer to the base: Total 400/650/1140/2100X M1.6 M2 M2.5 M3 M4 M5 304 Stainless Steel Hexagon Hex Socket Cap Head Screw Bolt Nut Set Assortment Kit (Set D 2100pcs).

We use the METCAL PS-900 Soldering Station for soldering.

We use the Fluke 17B+ Digital Multimeter to test the AC power output.

We use the Horusdy Soldering Station with Hot Air Gun to shrink our heat shrink.

We use the Bosch IXO VI Electric Screwdriver to install our screws.

We use the Brother P-Touch D210 Label Maker to make labels for our project box.

We use the Scotch Titanium Scissors to cut open various baggies.

We use the Carpenter Mechanical Pencil to mark out where we will cut or drill.

We use the Hakko CHP 3C-SA Precision Tweezers to work with our small M2 nuts and bolts and other things.

Thanks very much for watching! And please remember to hit like and subscribe! :)

A view of the inside of the project box with wiring complete.

Following is a product I use picked at random from my collection which may appear in my videos. Clicking through on this to find and click on the green affiliate links before purchasing from eBay or AliExpress is a great way to support the channel at no cost to you. Thanks!

Tenma 72-10505 Bench Power SupplyThis is an image of the product.notes

Let’s go shopping!

Mail Call #35: Audio Sockets and Jacks, Electret Microphones, Project Kits, and More | In The Lab

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This post is part of my video blog and you can find more information about this video over here.

You can support this channel on Patreon: patreon.com/JohnElliotV

Silly Job Title: Cable Commander.

In this video we see what has arrived lately from AliExpress and Amazon:

Thanks very much for watching! And please remember to hit like and subscribe! :)

Following is a product I use picked at random from my collection which may appear in my videos. Clicking through on this to find and click on the green affiliate links before purchasing from eBay or AliExpress is a great way to support the channel at no cost to you. Thanks!

Yum Cha Mini Magnetic Precision Screwdriver SetThis is an image of the product.notes

Let’s go shopping!

Mail Call #34: Project Boxes, Power Adapters and Power Switches from AliExpress | In The Lab

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This post is part of my video blog and you can find more information about this video over here.

You can support this channel on Patreon: patreon.com/JohnElliotV

Silly Job Title: Electricity Guardian.

In this video we take a look at what has arrived in the mail from AliExpress.

I mention about a project I’m working on: Electronics Project #13: Sanyo AM/FM Digital Clock Radio RM6018 Teardown Part 1.

Here is a list of the stuff that arrived:

Thanks very much for watching! And please remember to hit like and subscribe! :)

Following is a product I use picked at random from my collection which may appear in my videos. Clicking through on this to find and click on the green affiliate links before purchasing from eBay or AliExpress is a great way to support the channel at no cost to you. Thanks!

Yum Cha Mini High-Precision Electronic ScaleThis is an image of the product.notes

Let’s go shopping!

Destroying single disk ZFS zpool

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This is a note for Future John. I followed the instructions from ChatGPT. They looked reasonable enough. Now I have a spare 2TB SATA drive that has no purpose in life. I am always sad when things have no purpose in life. Who knows. Maybe one day…

-------------------
Tue Jul 01 03:33:54 [bash:5.2.15 jobs:0 error:0 time:0]
root@charisma:/home/jj5
# zpool status sata
  pool: sata
 state: ONLINE
config:

        NAME                               STATE     READ WRITE CKSUM
        sata                               ONLINE       0     0     0
          ata-ST2000DM008-2UB102_ZFL7BGR8  ONLINE       0     0     0

errors: No known data errors
-------------------
Tue Jul 01 03:34:00 [bash:5.2.15 jobs:0 error:0 time:6]
root@charisma:/home/jj5
# zpool destroy sata
-------------------
Tue Jul 01 03:34:08 [bash:5.2.15 jobs:0 error:0 time:14]
root@charisma:/home/jj5
# cat /proc/partitions 
major minor  #blocks  name
...snip...
   8       48 1953514584 sdd
   8       49 1953505280 sdd1
...snip...
-------------------
Tue Jul 01 03:34:23 [bash:5.2.15 jobs:0 error:0 time:29]
root@charisma:/home/jj5
# wipefs -a /dev/sdd
/dev/sdd: 8 bytes were erased at offset 0x00000200 (gpt): 45 46 49 20 50 41 52 54
/dev/sdd: 8 bytes were erased at offset 0x1d1c1115e00 (gpt): 45 46 49 20 50 41 52 54
/dev/sdd: 2 bytes were erased at offset 0x000001fe (PMBR): 55 aa
/dev/sdd: calling ioctl to re-read partition table: Success
-------------------
Tue Jul 01 03:34:58 [bash:5.2.15 jobs:0 error:0 time:64]
root@charisma:/home/jj5
# sgdisk --zap-all /dev/sdd
Creating new GPT entries in memory.
GPT data structures destroyed! You may now partition the disk using fdisk or
other utilities.
-------------------
Tue Jul 01 03:35:28 [bash:5.2.15 jobs:0 error:0 time:94]
root@charisma:/home/jj5
# parted /dev/sdd --script mklabel gpt
-------------------
Tue Jul 01 03:35:50 [bash:5.2.15 jobs:0 error:0 time:116]
root@charisma:/home/jj5
# wipefs /dev/sdd
DEVICE OFFSET        TYPE UUID LABEL
sdd    0x200         gpt       
sdd    0x1d1c1115e00 gpt       
sdd    0x1fe         PMBR      
-------------------
Tue Jul 01 03:36:02 [bash:5.2.15 jobs:0 error:0 time:128]
root@charisma:/home/jj5
# lsblk /dev/sdd
NAME MAJ:MIN RM  SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINTS
sdd    8:48   0  1.8T  0 disk 
-------------------

New hard drives

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Yesterday I was talking to my friends on IRC about how I should use a proper RDBMS for ad hoc data analysis more often. Then I found myself a job.

The hard disks I use for my offsite backups are ready to be replaced. They are good reliable drives (Western Digital Ultrastar 8TB) but they have been in service for five years and the warranty is just about to expire.

So I wanted to get some new drives which will do me for the next five years. I needed to know: what are good reliable drives to buy?

It turns out Backblaze maintains Hard Drive Data and Stats.

I downloaded their data for Q1 2025 and wrote a few scripts to process it. The output was this report:

Report on hard drive failures

The first drive listed in the above report is an SSD, but I want an ordinary spinning rust HDD. The second drive listed is ST12000NM000J which is Seagate Exos X18 12 TB. I found them on Amazon for AU$499 and on eBay for AU$280. So I purchased three drives from eBay.

Time well spent. Thanks d0nk`! <3