Excellently awful eBay trash (with schematic)

[@demef758]

Oh Clive! You made me yell at my monitor! It is NOT some "glitch" coming through the MCU's power supply! It is not "odd." I knew exactly what the issue was as soon as I saw you bust open the unit, when no large capacitors were in evidence. I knew right away that the problem was that potted module hiding a large (100uF?) capacitor. You rightly identified the problem as an inrush current. Where you went wrong was failing to reduce it. In my storied EE career (ha!), I saw this inrush issue innumerable times. Some young EE would put a FET between the source and load, then hit the FET gate hard producing a nasty dV/dt voltage on the FET's drain. If there was some large-valued capacitor on the drain, it meant that a nasty inrush current would result: I(inrush) = C*dV/dt, easily reaching 10-20 amps, or more, if the power supply can supply it. If the supply cannot, as your various USB supplies cannot (due to their internal 5V switchers' current limits), then the output of the supply will collapse to zero. This is exactly what you have here. The faster the edge, the larger the inrush current. What you want is to slow down that dV/dt on the FET drain pin, and IT IS EXTREMELY EASY TO DO with the circuity you have shown. All that is needed is to append a small capacitor across the NFET's G-D terminals. In conjunction with the 1k resistor driving the gate, these two components create an integrator out of the NFET, much like an opamp's integrator that uses an RC network to define the ramp output it produces. This capacitor is usually called a "Miller capacitor." (Long ago, Mr. Miller must have discovered the integrator and got a capacitor named after himself.) An opamp-based integrator uses the opamp as the heart of the circuit. Due to negative feedback, the opamp will do everything it can to hold its negative input to ground, a "virtual ground," the same potential that is applied to the opamp + pin. To this node, you add the junction of the RC series circuit. The other end of the resistor goes to a DC voltage, which establishes a constant current through the resistor; the other end of the capacitor goes to the opamp's output. This forces the resistor's constant current to pass through the capacitor, resulting in the opamp producing a linear voltage ramp. That's how an integrator works. Now think about the NFET in this "ionizer." 15:06 When the NFET is turned on through the 1k resistor, the NFET is acting as an inverting amplifier whose output (the drain voltage) is 180 degrees out of phase with the input, the gate. The gate voltage goes low-to-high, the drain goes high-to-low. The NFET has some gain in its linear region. Not a LOT Of gain, but an appreciable gain, maybe around 50. You can model this as an inverting opamp once the gate reaches the turn-on voltage of the FET (Vth). If you then add a capacitor across the FET's G-D terminals, you now have an integrator. The difference is that the gate will NOT be held at ground voltage, but will be held (briefly) at Vth as the FET starts acting like an integrator when the FET hits its linear mode. The ramp current is (Vdd-Vth), where Vdd is the supply voltage of the MCU, and applied to the 1k resistor. This current passes through the added Miller capacitor. Since i = C*dV/dt, then dV/dt = i/c. Substituting for i, you get dV/dT = (Vdd-Vth)/(RC). Instant integrator! If you put an oscilloscope on the gate during the ramp time, you will see the FET's gate voltage "paused" at near Vth while the FET briefly operates in its linear mode before going into full saturation, after which the gate voltage will drift up to Vdd. Science! EDIT: To finish the exercise, let's say you want to limit the inrush current to 1A, that the capacitor inside the potted module is 100uF, and that the FET's threshold voltage (Vth) is 1V. You now have all the pieces in place to make the calculation: 1A = 100uF*(5V-1V)÷(1kΩ*C). Solving for C, you get C=0.4uF. That's a little too big, so I would change out the 1k/9.1k resistors to 4.7k/100k. Now you get C of around 0.1uF, which is a common junk box value you're likely to have on hand. This should result in a dV/dT on the FET's drain of about (5-1)÷(4.7k*0.1uF) = 8.5V/mS, and a surge current of about 0.85A. Without this change, I'm guessing the board as-is has a dV/dT about 500 times larger, so the inrush current wants to be about 400A! You see why your USB bricks are collapsing. Your external supply (1:53) probably has a large value output filter capacitor on it, which helps mitigate the problem. Although that USB monitor you have in series may also affect the surge current in unknown ways. It's not a perfect ramp, but you'd be surprised at how linear it is at the drain is and more importantly, how well-defined it is by the equation above. By fiddling with the values of R and C, you can slow down the rise time of the FET drain to significantly reduce the inrush current to the ionizer module (or any other capacitance on the drain), which must have a large input cap buried inside its potting. Try it: add a 100nF capacitor across the G-D of the FET and change the two gate resistors to 4.7k/100k. It should fix the inrush problem. Lesson learned: inrush currents can be huge and lead to power supplies buckling due to those surges, but it's very easy to fix. Sorry to ramble, but I think fledgling engineers should learn this stuff.

[@KJ6EAD]

Excellent explanation. Thank you. Yet another problem that could be solved by my big bag of 104s.

[@demef758]

@@KJ6EAD Thanks. Since I can't attach a .jpg schematic, I'm stuck with having to use a lot of words. The key thing is that this integrator trick actually works every time, but few know of it, or understand it. It's quite simple, actually.

[@bigclivedotcom]

That's a good point. The capacitor to deliberately give a soft MOSFET turn on is a neat idea. I've pinned your comment.

[@demef758]

@Felix McWick Yeah, I know. But if you know a way to describe how a circuit works in one or two sentences, let me know. Too many people these days expect short explanations for everything (i.e., TLDR). You won't learn anything that way.

[@cheyannei5983]

@@demef758 "The magical pixies dance on the wires, starting and stopping, changing directions, gathering and dispersing... and then turn into heat." It explains it, it just doesn't say anything :B

[@BRUXXUS]

Ooh, it’s like modern computer cases! Completely sealed with fans that can only pull air from inter dimensional planes of existence!

[@Velodynamic]

This is a real "hokus-pokus" product

[@wazaagbreak-head6039]

Don't know what sort of pre-built garbage you are buying but even SFF PC's have ventilation

[@kyoudaiken]

GN *cough* Thermaltake *cough* CES

[@kyoudaiken]

@@wazaagbreak-head6039 All of the cases that have a glass front and no side-intake have no airflow whatsoever.

[@Basement-Science]

@@wazaagbreak-head6039 You must have been asleep for the last 10 years or so lol.

[@Somezable]

Q: You have a activated carbon filtet? A: yeah. Q: But your device is glued shut. How do the user changes the filter? A: Don't worry, the air doesn't go trough the filter, so it won't need changing. Q: but if the filter doesn't filter, why have a filter in the device? A: Obviosly so we can advertise, that the product has a filtet... we ain't saying it does anything, but it does have it!

[@andrewsawesome]

*filter *does *Obviously

[@darkindy]

Advanced life time filter! Never needs cleaning or changing!

[@pryingeyes1551]

That's what I was figuring too. Just so they could advertise that it has a filter. Though I'm not sure that little technicality would protect them from a false advertising claim. Not that those usually hurt the companies that pump this crap out very much. They're still going to make a huge profit from the false advertising, even when a lawsuit is factored-in. And they're just made-up, subsidiary brands, so loyalty isn't going to be affected.

[@davep8221]

If an air filter(n) exists in a product and no air passes through it, is it a filter(v)?

[@joeljr570]

When you’re a scammer but yo mama didn’t raise no liar

[@DesignedbyWill2084]

Manufacturing: "Did you run the design through QC first?" Naaa, we'll just wait for Clive to buy one and figure out what is wrong.

[@Kerbtree]

QC=Query Clive

[@railgap]

You laugh but I have worked for managers who thought that way; letting your customers do important testing. >_

[@sootikins]

@@railgap We call that Microsoft School of Quality Control.

[@endlesswanderer1753]

@@railgap Early Access Devs: "Wait, people will pay for unfinished games just to beta test for us?"

[@olradguy]

I'll bet the QC dept. didn't expect to hear EVERY THING is wrong. 😂😂😂

[@barrieshepherd7694]

A MOSFET, a Micro , 4 resistors, 1 capacitor, 2 diodes and a PCB just to save on a mechanical switch? Great case for other projects!

[@wefyb2]

I've seen more work for less benefit, the world of chinese manufacturing is a strange place

[@takase5037]

my take is that these factories makes lots of other items that have similar parts. Its done to normalize component s across products

[@herrakaarme]

How would you make it stubbornly refuse to turn on if it had a mechanical switch? I feel like being overly particular about the power supply was the whole raison d'être of that silly product.

[@anonony9081]

@@takase5037 I'm convinced a lot of these products are made with overstocked parts and they just try to fit them together in some way that can be resold

[@takase5037]

@@anonony9081 your explanation makes much more sense

[@Nono-hk3is]

The use of a barrel jack rather than a USB power port input also suggests this had a previous life as a better designed, possibly older, device.

[@demef758]

Not really. A very standard plug on external power bricks is the 5.5x2.5mm plug. I think that's what this ionizer is using.

[@calvinbarnes1721]

Or it was built from 'close enough' parts already on the shelf, junkyard electronics so to speak.

[@markfergerson2145]

What bugs me about it is that it plugs in so far from the base. It's just asking to be snagged and knocked over or tossed across the room (accidentally).

[@IlBiggo]

The rectangular relief on the bottom might be an access to a 9V battery holder. The shape of the device also reminds of a bluetooth speaker. Maybe that one didn't sell, so they repurposed the case and possibly the push-button and LEDs o_O

[@youdontknowme5969]

looked like at first a dollar store mono bluetooth speaker that fits into a minivan cup holder

[@nicwilson89]

That's exactly the thought I had

[@cornsyruptrucker]

@liam Anderson if it doesn't have tape/cd/radio, there you go

[@boredape1257]

At least its not spying on you.

[@SpydersByte]

@liam Anderson there isnt one, but there are *plenty* of shitty products out there that serve a need that doesnt exist :D

[@57thorns]

@liam Anderson It would also fit in the cup holder of one of those camping chairs with cup holders. It is just a convenient form factor.

[@simonneep8413]

"Then I got a big blackweb one, nothing happening... Then I got an even bigger power supply..." Was expecting to hear "still nothing", followed by "Then I called photonicinduction to borrow his 100A supply, and it went pop"

[@K-o-R]

*A M P S*

[@hyperboloidofonesheet1036]

I bet it would make lots of ions when it goes pop, so that would be doing better than it does now.

[@Gameboygenius]

𝐈 𝐏𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐃 𝐈𝐓!

[@mattburrows2615]

It deserves to be dropped across the capacitor bank and blown to smithereens.

[@ASBO_LUTELY]

Can't believe you didn't opt for a can opener on the bottom of that case, it's the perfect shape for one!!!

[@brentfisher902]

"The itsy bitsy spider came up the water spout...out came the gun and wiped the ducker out." I would have chosen a ferric-ready hacksaw blade....

[@ChipGuy]

Since the module is a capacitive load you need to make the MOSFET switch slowly. That could be achieved by a capacitor parallel to the 10K resistor that connects the gate to ground. MOSFETs are so fast that they glitch the power supply like hell when they got a capacitive load. Problems I faced for the better part of 25 years as an electronics engineer.

[@demef758]

That's the common way a lot of my engineering pals did it, but I always challenged them to write the equation for how it works. They never could. That's why you make the FET into an integrator (capacitor across the G-D) instead. It leads to a very predictable slew rate on the drain, regardless of the load.

[@nicwilson89]

@@demef758 Thanks for that (and your pinned comment). As a non-profesional enthusiast, there are gaps in my knowledge and 'intuition'. I can use what you've written to directly improve my own designs, and I've expanded my knowledge. For this, I thank you muchly!

[@ChipGuy]

@@demef758 Yes that works as well and has usually a more linear switching curve as the gate-to-gnd approach. I have done both with the same results -> No glitches.

[@demef758]

​@@ChipGuy Provide the equation you used to get your desired slew rate for a cap between gate-source. That's all I'm pointing out: predictable results, very important for a mass-produced product. The gate-to-drain cap gives you that. Gate-to-source? Nope.

[@jimparr01Utube]

@@demef758 Absolutely. I have used the exact same integrator network many times in designs - always with highly predictable performance. I usually add series resistance in the gate drive as well though to ensure a consistent time-constant style of network. Beautiful linear voltage ramp both up and down on the drain side.

[@Sashazur]

It’s like it was designed by a neural network that hasn’t finished learning.

[@greenaum]

Same one that puts sleeving on mains plug earth pins. It's like they've seen electricity, and can copy the diagrams, but they don't have it on their planet and don't really understand how it works. How can you even put sleeving on an earth pin? Defies sense! Yet there's actually MILLIONS of the buggers out there in the world! Stupid mains plugs I mean, not Chinese people, tho them too. It's fine for somebody not to understand electricity (at least, I'll permit it... for now), but why do those people get given jobs as electronic design engineers!?!? And then that country ends up as the world's manufacturer!!!??? Pardon the punctuation, but it really astounds me, it's mind blowing! Just HOW? Defies everything about logic, about economics, about everything!

[@abyssstrider2547]

@@greenaum it's kinda funny how they put the carbon filter on the bottom while a fan and the suction hole is in the middle... They should have flipped those as well.

[@FauxFaFox]

I know a guy who's working on that project but it's confidential so don't tell anyone.

[@wasabithumbs6294]

@@FauxFaFox On what?

[@BestHakase]

@@abyssstrider2547 Isn't it just black plastic?

[@jammin023]

Microcontroller: "Here I am, brain the size of a planet, and they ask me to switch a circuit on when a button is pressed. Call that job satisfaction? Cos I don't."

[@HiVisionary1125]

You know you're getting good value for money when Clive says "this is rilly strenj" so many times.

[@SouthMainAuto]

What a treat especiall!

[@bolt_husky]

Your next video should start out “gentleman! Welcome back to the shop! Today, a treat especiall....”

[@NurdRage777]

AvE style

[@dizzy_derps]

Wait, wuuuuut? Two of my favorite channels? I can die happy now.

[@WeaselJuice]

This video needs more brake cleaner.

[@bigclivedotcom]

Just the wrong type of treat.

[@TheGreatAtario]

Clive gave this thing way more attention than the original designer did

[@Zacht1980]

This falls into the category of "Why does this exist, and what could we have made with the wasted materials?".

[@Ea-Nasir_Copper_Co]

I think it was made _from_ wasted materials. The outside looks like a leftover speaker shell.

[@28YorkshireRose12]

I like it when the bomb disposal expert grabs his drill and says "We're going in"! As screwed up as this thing is, they seemed to have got one thing right - It stands the right way up!

[@LTGiants2000]

I know I can’t be the only one that subscribed because his voice, inflection and cadence are so soothing to listen to, right? I found myself walking around listening, not even learning.

[@bigclivedotcom]

A lot of others seem to use my voice as ambient background sound and for sleep aid.

[@LTGiants2000]

@@bigclivedotcom Using your voice as a sleep aid sounds like a compliment and a slap in the face at the same time :))) Thanks for your videos, keep up the great work!

[@thomashardin911]

He has a pleasant voice, and accent. 🤘✅⚡️

[@katiewaterrose]

I genuinely have no idea what you are talking about once we get to the circuit board portion of the inflight entertainment but I find your videos so enjoyable that I watch every single one you post. I'm hoping I'll learn by immersion someday haha

[@bigclivedotcom]

You'll be surprised how it all goes together like a jigsaw.

[@greenaum]

You probably will. Clive's got a gift for explaining technical stuff in a manner ordinary people can get, I think. Not too over-technical but not under-technical either. Not patronising, but makes clear stuff that a layman would need telling about. At least I think so, I know a fair bit of electronics anyway but I think a curious amateur could pick up what Clive's talking about. And electronics is all internally consistent anyway, it all goes together in a system with logical rules, so if you draw an inference from something it's usually correct. The more you learn, the easier it is to learn more. Other viewers say the same sort of things you do about his vids. Dude should have a KZbin channel or something.

[@redoverdrivetheunstoppable4637]

was your ancestor a gardener?

[@markmurphy3578]

Another great example of ‘that’s too good a price to be true!’ And cheap eBay crud from China. Still it’s amazing how much effort has been put into some of it, and how little effort has been put into the rest of it! A very soothing watch. 👍

[@moonshinepz]

Drills into case: "Hope there's not a big lithium battery inside...." Classic Big Clive. Grabs popcorn. 👍

[@tncorgi92]

Part of me was hoping for a big lithium cell, so that Clive could utilise his Explosion Containment Pie Dish.

[@JendaLinda]

They could use a flashlight chip to control the device, with OFF/ON, strobe and SOS modes.

[@markfergerson2145]

Maybe that's why it only uses three of its eight pins... ;>)

[@ats89117]

Love the tear-downs of equipment designed by clueless engineers!

[@SharkoonBln]

It´s chinese... It remotely looks like the real deal, so let´s rip off the rest of the world.

[@pemac8856]

I've seen some shockers of design, some design faults by incompetent engineers, and a couple of pure rip offs. The best one was a device advertised on the tele to repel vermin by transmitting pulses through your house wiring. Someone brought one into work, and all it had was apart from the simple power supply was an LED and a 555 timer to flash it. If scamwatch was around then I would have dobbed them in.

[@Uncle-Duncan-Shack]

Yes it is based on products that look like that but have a perforated lower half for the air to be drawn in. Amazon is flooded with those things, and they cost $50 upwards to over $200. Quite the rage these things, the one you opened was excellent. All the good engineering practices in one package.

[@Roadhardd]

Given the way I fumble with smd’s, I’m rather encouraged hearing Clive describe his own woes with the little buggers. Also, I want a shirt that says “Now where’s my spudger?”

[@martinlouden9005]

A real shame that something with such crap functionality was so well made!

[@charlesmoore456]

Never underestimate the educational value of pure junk.

[@Dumb_Killjoy]

This is extremely true. My cousin and I learned a lot about technology from a tub of broken computer peripherals when we were kids.

[@ElvenSpellmaker]

I'm loving how Kink Palculator is now a phrase said so smoothly and calmy that I always step backwards to see how it's said.

[@philsmith5449]

This is the first of his vids I've watched featuring K.P. and I nearly fell off my chair 🤣

[@ElvenSpellmaker]

@@philsmith5449 Hahahaha you're late to the party, but you're welcome to it!

[@ElvenSpellmaker]

@@philsmith5449 Watch how smoothly he can now say it!

[@chrisstorm7704]

Throughout the 2nd half of the video, I kept saying to myself. “He’s going to bring a scope out any second”. “Yep, any minute now he’ll put a scope on it.” I’m sure Demef is right, but would a simpler solution by to put a resistor in line with the ioniser?

[@SpectrumDIY]

"no... That really is crap" 😆 that was definitely weird... But cheers for the share!

[@johnmcclain3887]

I say, you find the most interesting "not functional" things to tear apart and tease the ways and means out. You're right, it is a very nice can, and it has possibilities, a little bit of ingenuity and it could be something functional, perhaps? You do a very fine job of dissecting and displaying all intricacies. Thanks, great show.

[@TechGorilla1987]

It was a Chinese typo - it's carbon FILLER.

[@CarltonDodd]

It looks like the switch is connected to the processor end of the buffer capacitor, rather than 0v rail. That would mean it would short the buffer capacitor when pressed. Unless the power supply is able to keep up with the initial draw without a buffer capacitor: reset loop. EDIT: Immediately after I hit "save", you plugged the ionizer in after power up and crashed the processor. This is where my theory falls to the ground. Loved the video.

[@PushyPawn]

"..It's just everything [with it] is wrong. It's a spectacular mess up." (Chinese national anthem starts to play)

[@terryofford4977]

Absolutely, oddly I'm currecntly looking at something like this,the reality is,NON Scientific individuals are naive about such products, however, psychologically the SALES division of many CHINA BASED electronic goods are good salesmen,wrap somthing up in'scientific bullshit,charge a sufficiently high price and people will buy it.

[@bazsuperbi]

Cheers Clive. I studied electronic engineering at college, but I'm not very good with maths, can't get my head around hex or binary. I'm more practical. Love to see your teardowns and hear your innuendos Take care big guy x

[@bigclivedotcom]

You only really need hex and binary if you're programming microcontrollers in assembly code. If you ever do that, hex and binary will make a lot more sense.

[@tonywalton1464]

Reminds me vaguely of a science fiction story I once read - I can't remember any details, but an alien spacecraft (I think) was involved. When our intrepid explorers got in, they found that things looked fine, but nothing worked. They took stuff to bits to find that the insides of everything were just made of solid grey gunk. Our aliens had created equipment purely from images of the externals with no attempt to make any actual working parts. (And no, I'm not suggesting this thing was built by alien life forms 😆). wish I could remember where I'd seen it!

[@JohnDlugosz]

The Science Fiction & Fantasy Stack Exchange site is good at identifying stories and movies. You can post there and probably get an answer rather quickly!

[@steve1]

Rendezvous with Rama possibly or one of the sequels?

[@Kae6502]

2001: A Space Odyssey? The novel (Not the movie).

[@mceajc]

@@Kae6502 This is the story my brain threw at me on reading Tony's comment. SPOILERS: when Bowman ends up through the monolith, so really near the end of the book.

[@brentfisher902]

For the real life example look up the way the cargo cults worked...they built idols of runways and aircraft control towers in the hope of summoning the godlike aeroplanes that brought them such marvelous cargo during the war that happened in the past...doing something because you think it has a correlation...it works a few times...but you get the right answer for the wrong reason...

[@Ajtech369]

"one moment please", ...... "One moment please", ...... "One moment please", .......lol. Clive you really needed a lot of moments with this one. Maybe it's time to have me edit your videos for ya.

[@Quick_Fix]

I'm thinking of making a T-shirt with the BC logo and the text "One moment please" on the front and "Well, there you go" on the back. 😋

[@MegaVoltMeister]

I love the one moments

[@mattfleming86]

Don't you try to take that from us...

[@Sharklops]

It could serve as a ready-made prop for a movie where they have to defuse small bombs hidden around a city or something. Reminiscent of the VX rockets from The Rock

[@chrisfoot6680]

"I think this is gonna be... a destructive experience..." I love you so much Clive.

[@darkknight145]

Maybe put a low value resistor in line with the power to the ion module to limit startup current.

[@unfa00]

"I've Buried My Spudger" sounds majestic.

[@PeterLGଈ]

... said the bishop to the actress ...

[@eiv-gaming]

Top tip: After every sentence Clive says, think "Thats what she said". I now can't stop and i'm smiling ear to ear :D

[@kimvibk9242]

How about a drinking game where you take a shot every time Clive says 'One moment, pleaze'...?

[@eiv-gaming]

@@kimvibk9242 we would all be smashed :)

[@thardump859]

​@@kimvibk9242HE doesn't say it that much.... only like 2 or 3 times a video.

[@verstraetenandre]

"Oh zone" generator, it generates a zone of the house where you go "oh" while looking at that mystery item!

[@DerekWilsonProgrammer]

From your breakdown, it appears they first built it, then designed the circuitboard in a trial and error fashion.

[@buckcherry2564]

I love those little flip open containers. You can build you own little collection of parts for a project and hook them together, or get crazy and use empties to space them out like they would be on the board so you cant mess up part placement when making a bunch of boards...also they hold Thunderbolt Apache Leader Boardgame unit tiles PERFECTLY.

[@FizzlNet]

5:00 that is some cargo cult engineering right there!

[@dimitar4y]

i just discovered what 'cargo cult engineering' is and I fucking lost so much hope in humanity. It's the dunning kruger effect on steroids. Humans really are just freaks who think they can just copy what they see and get riches and bitches, huh.

[@Megatog615]

chinese sellers on ebay always show air movement with leaves like there's just loose leaves in everyone's house

[@dogwalker666]

You mean you dont have a house full of leaves? 🤣

[@philsmith5449]

@@dogwalker666 They don't. I don't. You my friend are a dog walker. We know how all the leaves get in your house 😏

[@dogwalker666]

@@philsmith5449 she is only a little dog she doesn't bring in that many 🤣

[@brentfisher902]

Haven't you heard of the S.P.Q.R. Roman empire? Everything looks official with tiny leaves around it...

[@dogwalker666]

@@brentfisher902 good point

[@andrewuk8363]

Clive it's times like thees that you need to out 230 volts through it and finalise it once and for all. Photonic inductions would have that fan very fast in no time at all. Cheers

[@tiger12506]

Seems like we need a fix video. Where you drill holes in the bottom, tape up the holes in the side, replace the UVA led board with UVC board, etc.

[@Ziggerzzz]

Hi Clive ,have you checked out the cheap fly and mosquito / mouse repellents , I got one from Amazon that only had a circuit to power an led , it had a piezo in it but not connected lol

[@Daremo6969]

5:44 right when you plugged that in, my bread maker started on it's cycle and scared the crap out of me.....

[@alphonsesynrem28]

Just saying, how about powering the ionizer module separately with bench power supply at 5 volts to see if works or is electrically shorted damaged.

[@poshhippie6446]

It's not flashing from insufficient current draw, your power supplies are variable voltage and the one that works is a non smart single voltage power supply. The flashing is the pmw signal from the "handshake" procedure it's trying to use to communicate with the device to no avail.

[@Kezat]

I think the LED board was actually expected to work, not just to satisfy the buyer with a shinny light.

[@nicwilson89]

This looks like that chassis was supposed to be a Bluetooth speaker or something and it's been repurposed for this. Nice case...now to use it for something awesome! That fan looks like it could be nice for certain products.

[@khoroshen]

A scope would have been nice to see what is happening to the supply on startup. Maybe it's time for a RRRigol :)

[@colinmiles1052]

Big Clive - I love your explanations. TBH I don't really understand most of it but it seems like a form of poetry! Like it!

[@JamesChurchill]

It's a thoughts and prayers receiver!

[@andygozzo72]

maybe sticking a resistor in series with the supply to the ioniser module might cure it??

[@roberttaylor2328]

Bigclive, I love it when the conversation goes utterly over my head. I owe you and your contemporaries another cuppa!

[@simontay4851]

27:26 "Its an awful product and that makes it most excellent" So its SO bad its good.

[@storm_filter]

I really enjoy your videos. I don't know much about electronics, but I really like listening to you explain things. you have a very pleasant voice, and you really help relax me when I watch your videos. cheers

[@bigdaddigaming]

Is this a record for the number of times Clive says "one moment please", I haven't counted them but I think I should

[@morpheox]

There is an old rule that says you take a shot each time the phrase is uttered, so... It all comes down to how pished you get in the end?

[@SmoochyTea]

I'm here for it

[@tncorgi92]

I'm going to imitate that every time I get a phone call.

[@brentfisher902]

Or..."And It Came To Pass(tm)" in the Book Of Mormon....

[@bigdaddigaming]

@@brentfisher902 And it came to pass That rock 'n' roll was born All across the land every rockin' band Was blowin' up a storm AC/DC, Let there be rock, 1977 And let's be honest AC/DC for Big Clive would be an appropriate band

[@icebluscorpion]

the sponge is supposed to dampen the empty space to make it quieter. Without the sponge, you would get a cavity that might resonate with the vibration/ wind noises of the fan

[@nemo-x]

Yeah but then why have such a huge case?

[@kyoudaiken]

The case and fan would make for an excellent high power LED flashlight.

[@hifismiffy]

There's no volume control !! Why is there no volume control ?

[@0x8badf00d]

@@hifismiffy For the fan?

[@brentfisher902]

@@0x8badf00d I think he meant to say "Brightness Control" Volume=ears, Brightness=eyes.

[@mkyprm]

Clive: I think this is gonna be a destructive experience. Me: yay!

[@DaveCurran]

The MOSFET is OK, shame about everything else.

[@demef758]

The FET is okay, it's just been misused here.

[@raychelcaliber4941]

Thanks for sharing the video! I've never come across your channel before, and really appreciated your content. These days there aren't very many KZbinrs who sound as polite and intelligent as you while narrating their videos. (I subscribed) hope you have a very merry Christmas sir.

[@dcallan812]

Lots of OMPs (one moment please)today I did miss MYE (mind your eyes) shame we cant have everything we want. It was a most unusual product today, Im sure if someone wanted to they could re-build the thing to work as intentened but that would be far too much faffing. Thanks for finding this little gem.

[@christiantroy1974]

Hi Clive, My Father in law Jim Black, is an ex redifusion tv repair guy, guitar effects genius and an electronics guru to me, he's recently had a real bad run of luck and has been in hospital for 7 months, he loves your videos and its his 75th Birthday tomorrow, if you could say Hi to Jim Black it would make his day and mine! Keep up the great vids.

[@marka1986]

Seems like the whole thing could be done with a plain on off switch.

[@gringo77345]

a mechanical switch? in 2021?

[@sprobablycancr4457]

Then it wouldn't be easily upgradable to IOT wearable tech!

[@carltonbanks194]

Bro this video is such a good youtube channel idea. Buy misleading/false advertised stuff on ebay, amazon, wish (especially wish), take it apart, and say if it's crap / how it works / why it's junk, etc. or good if it actually turns out to be good! haha

[@joshfriesen9401]

That is the best title I have ever seen on a KZbin video and of course Clive is the one that did it!😂 Excellently awful EBay Trash and the “with schematic” part was my favourite!

[@philsmith5449]

Absolutely! Ambling through his videos, 'Excellently awful EBay Trash'? Fist slam, pointing finger, "I'm in!"

[@icarossavvides2641]

It looks to me like 'ground bounce', maybe if you cut the track between the 9.1k/FET junction and the switch and took that to the 0v pin where it comes on to the board, thus creating a star point? I've had a very similar problem.

[@peteg259]

‘Mystery item time’ - my cue to get a beer and enjoy. Thanks BigClive!

[@Algorithmicgeneratedwordsalad]

Delusional design I think that's my new favorite phrase

[@kierank01]

What if you plug the ioniser directly into a supply, and measure the startup current...just to see what it is actually doing?

[@CoolSteve08]

This is the thing to do, but will probably need something with a very high sample rate to catch it. I remember having one of these little mini USB Hoovers (the kind that are definitely made cheaply in China) and it wouldn't run on another cheap USB power adapter which supposedly gave out 1A but ran when plugged into a computer. When plugged into the USB adapter the motor in the mini hoover would pulse, almost like the LED did here. I doubt the motor took an Amp when running, but maybe slightly more than that to start, and the usb adapter's pulse width wasn't able to keep up with the power draw.

[@1kreature]

Problem is the ionizer is pushing against the supply with leverage on air at the -HV output. In essence it can damage the supply and the supply can cut out when it detects this. 2-output type would be preferable here. Hooking up a scope can damage scope as well due to the same pushback. And the scope IS referenced to neutral....

[@lodgecav490]

The part when you were changing up power banks reminded me of the Pulp Fiction scene in the second hand store😀

[@axelschneider1678]

I would have loved a scope to check the voltage for the ion model. would a small non electrolytic cap across the connecter for the ion module helped?

[@demef758]

No. All you do by that is increase the inrush current. It's this current that causes the power source to collapse because it can't supply these massive currents. Adding another cap on the power jack only exacerbates the problem.

[@axelschneider1678]

@@demef758 ah that makes sense. I was thinking more of noise glitching something out. I was more or less guessing. I've read your long post. Makes a lot of sense. Thanks for your answer.

[@jkobain]

- _Oh, it's still quite hot._ I just swapped one dying blue LED for a green one, and right at that moment touched the tip of my soldering iron trying in fact to check if I need to clean it any further after use, and it was quite hot too…

[@brentfisher902]

One rule of electrical engineering...lick it before you stick it (if your finger on a soldering iron). With signal leads where you don't know how strong the voltage is, the procedure becomes, "Touch it, lick it, stick it" to prevent recorder/scope damage.

[@maybehuman4]

Since you solder so much, have you ever set on fire that giant unkept chin bush? lol. That said you find the weirdest stuff to teardown, and I love it.

[@gringo77345]

it smells like bbq

[@waynecampbell9426]

Purple beams, leaves, and a baby with a cleft lip. I always thought that was a mark of quality. I was wrong.

[@Nuts-Bolts]

Just had a horrible thought go through my mind: The Chinese also build their own nuclear power stations too!

[@dogwalker666]

It gets worse they have a contract to build one in southern England,

[@dogwalker666]

@Gazr Gazr they are completely insane, The one time I was in a Chinese built aircraft the engines wouldn't start.

[@dogwalker666]

@Gazr Gazr I hear the design is a copy of Chernobyl, what could possibly go wrong! ☢☢☢☢

[@dogwalker666]

@Gazr Gazr it was quite a relief, they transferred us to Lufthansa.

[@dogwalker666]

@Gazr Gazr definitely,

[@sarahmayer8539]

about once a month, usually after 9 pm, I stumble upon one of your videos and just have to watch 10 more. This was one of them and I enjoyed every second of this 30min video of yours. cheers!

[@Fanta....]

18:34 "Actually no fuck it" heheheh

[@alexandergreenfield91]

Love your videos I'm a long time subscriber. Would it be possible for you to occasionally test and break down the odd high end, well reviewed product please? Perhaps fixing the odd bargain you manage to find on eBay? With your technical knowledge and honest no bs presentation it'd be fabulous to see what you think to a lot of other products. Decent portable speakers, power banks and torches would be my first thoughts.

[@ElmerFuddGun]

_"I've missed one of the dots"_ - 16:12 Nope, it's not needed. It is obvious that it connects there so it is not needed. Back when I started "dots" were only used if a line pasted over the other and was connected. Not when a line ends on the other. Much neater schematics without the excessive dots!

[@piotr86]

The problem with this circuit is that the mosfet turns on too slowly. The inverter module does not oscillate correctly when the supply voltage is low and stops with the internal transistor turned on. The power bank detects a short circuit and resets the system. Change the 1k resistor to 1ohm.

[@gantmj]

2:27 The dull, purple glow suggesting you've got yourself a nice mini Chinese Demon Core. I've been watching too much Plainly Difficult this week.

[@defeatSpace]

I like your format, especially the blown up circuit board photos for your explanations.

[@iAMxplosiff]

Drinking Game: Have a shot every time Clive says 'One moment please'

[@BitwiseMobile]

I had a design about 20 years ago that drove servos from an MCU via an RS-232 signal received from an FM modem. Everything was fine until one of the servos stalled and then it started glitching. The servos would jitter and I couldn't seem to control them any longer. I added some diagnostic code due to a suspicion and I verified it was the brownout detector resetting the device. I ended up adding a 1000uF 35V capacitor across the 5V to the MCU and that solved my problem. This might be a similar issue with the MCU brownout detector. I think you can disable it, but it requires setting fuses in many MCUs. It's not advisable though, because at lower voltage levels your MCU will not act as you expect and will probably crash or lock up.

[@nickvogelius]

The fact that there is no measurable ozone is only a good thing, It's more relevant to ask about however it generate any measurable negative ions

[@Lemonsieur-m4m]

In my experience those HV modules works between 5 and 9 volts and require 500mA . And works surprisingly fine with no electronic at all. Also they don't like heat.

[@NickJustWill]

Plot twist: it’s a Chinese amazon echo

[@stewforwords]

Imagine if that much effort was put into something productive, beneficial, and functional.. I can't seem to stop shaking my head at this planet..

[@LariFariYoutube]

Hi, Clive...I have a sneaky feeling, that the glitching has something to do with some back EMF of the ionizer module. Maybe a flyback diode in the supply line of the module or a filter chocke would do the job....hmmm..who knows...

[@demef758]

"Maybe" and "who knows?" are not a valid analysis or solution! Randomly slapping components here and there is no way to solve a problem. First, determine root cause. Next, devise a solution that addresses that root cause. Last, test with the proposed solution to validate that it corrects the problem. If not, back to step #1. An experimenter hacks. An engineer designs.

[@artfx9]

Ah yes, the good old PR-A7162991. You need to spit in the holes and it plays your favorite song backwards.

[@hipinretku]

it makes me really sad that this kind of garbage and even worse products can be sold to public and often to peoples who will think that the product works like the description said.

[@MARKE911]

I enjoy it more when you try to modify it to either work or become a better piece of crap. Nice job Mr. Clive. I so enjoyed this one.