Flappy Flower Solar Ornament Teardown

Start here with Bigclive's video: • Flappy solar ornaments...
Master's Thesis: liu.diva-portal.org/smash/get...
Blog here: electronupdate.blogspot.com/2...

[@bigclivedotcom]

That's hugely complex compared to what I expected. I was thinking it was going to be a simple transistor array like the earliest units. I wonder if it does anything clever like changing the frequency of the pulses to try and hit resonance at start up.

[@SeanBZA]

Don't think it was actually meant for floppy flowers, more for clock pendulums, as swing clocks are likely a bigger market. 2 modules in the clock, and 3 cells, one with a standard quartz clock module and mechanism, driven with a single AA cell, to do the clock, like every other clock mech. The second, running off 2 AA cells in series, drives the pendulum to emulate an old fashioned pendulum clock. That it will run off solar power was probably an accident of design, the original needed a low power use, and the designer needed to have undervoltage lockout in there, so the 2 combine to make solar operation feasible, and the unit will start up reliably as well, as it generates a pulse on start up which kicks the magnet a little, and then builds up in amplitude of oscillation till it is limited by the air resistance of the pendulum.

[@signalworks]

I always click on your videos the moment I see them. They make my day notably better. Thank you for doing what you're doing.

[@beargun42]

This chip can also be used in those Chinese waving cats. I think they are meant to bring good luck. There’s probably a bigger market for those than the flowers. But only in China, as western culture doesn’t really care for those kitschy golden cats.

[@rlowens]

Big Clive's newest video mentioned this teardown, nice video, very clear explanation. Thanks!

[@marcorizza274]

Two of my favourite youtubers! Thanks for the die analysis

[@jdhtyler]

Thanks very interesting, I subscribed a long time ago, and Big Clive has just done another video ""Scoping a perpetual motion ornament" and one of the comments linked back here, I was glad I took the time to come and see even though I am bit late. All the best.

[@ozzymandius666]

Absolutely fascinating. Your 3 cent microprocessor vid got you an instant subscriber. You lead me to think that there may be, if not now, soon, a custom IC making service, just like custom PCB making services.

[@dcallan812]

Very interesting to see under the covers. I watched Clive take his apart and it blends well with your COB dissection.

[@xenoxaos1]

I was hoping that you might see Big Clive's video and get curious.

[@VikasVJois]

Nice explanation of the integrated RC oscillator and the link to thesis

[@dosgos]

I recognized that floppy flower title from @bigclivedotcom. Great video and I enjoyed your use of drawings and more detailed comments on the die. Thanks!

[@MACTEP_CHOB]

No need to mention Clive, cuz that video pops first in recommendations )

[@electronic7979]

👍

[@TheGroovebot]

You rock. Just thought I'd pass that along.

[@PaulHuininken]

Love it!

[@ozzymandius666]

Could you do a tear-down of a cd4017 counter IC so we can see the justification for it's almost random pin-out?

[@JustFun-iz9rf]

That was amazing I just wanted a simple circuit. How many milliamperes does it use. Thank you for sharing

[@joejoe4games]

Interesting Video, I always love these in depth videos about semiconductors... One question thou: wouldn't one of the power optimized pads go to the coil and not ground since there won't be a lot of current flow from V+ to GND thru the chip.

[@userPrehistoricman]

Good point. You can see that the lower vias are connected to the big structure next to it.

[@nirodper]

Could you do a video on an stm32f103 ?

[@publicmail2]

Next time do a detailed video and take chip apart into its individual components.

[@tacetan]

Nice work there! Just wondering, if you have seen the Oregon Trail handheld teardown before? (hackaday.com/2018/03/14/teardown-the-oregon-trail-handheld/) Many have wondered what is inside the blob.. which a few speculated it is some form of 6502 / NES on a chip? But the graphics were suggesting it was a DOS version? Would you be interested in finding out what's inside?

[@buckstarchaser2376]

The operation is very similar to an art form from the '90s called BEAM electronics. This chip would be described as a Solar Engine, and is equivalent to about 1 neuron. The fact that it has feedback, clocking, and instructions makes it much more powerful in robotics, and these circuits are very versatile. I wouldn't be surprised if these chips were mass produced because they have military/spooky applications, and some were just made into toys like this for other reasons.

[@jakp8777]

Seems like a 555 timer would be easier and cheaper then this asic like chip or maybe even connecting the solar cell directly to the coil.

[@pizzablender]

In needs to sense back-EMF to stay in sync. And it has a startup mechanism to start the movement from idle.

[@jakp8777]

pizzablender I was thinking to cut costs further (these sell at dollar stores commonly) to reduce the function and have either no IC or a simpler commodity 555. It may not be critical that it’s in sync. My experience with these is your have to provide the initial momentum, they cannot start on their own.

[@beargun42]

I think these ASICs are as cheap than a 555. The real cost is the initial development. After that is just a few pennies per chip. Placing them on the board might even be more expensive than the chip itself. A 555 based solution also needs a few extra components, while this asic only needs a capacitor, that’s handsoldered along with the solar panel leads and the coil. So you can skip the entire pick and place step. Using a 555 will most likely be more expensive.