# Share tips you have come across **URL:** \ **Category:** General Electronics\ **Created:** [January 4, 2017, 7:20am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/share-tips-you-have-come-across/428745 "2017-01-04T07:20:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 23
**Author:** ![MAS3](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/mas3/32/1013044_2.png) [@MAS3](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/MAS3)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2018, 12:06am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/share-tips-you-have-come-across/428745/441 "2018-01-05T00:06:20Z")
Wow terryking228, don't forget the disclaimer and warning to first unplug the charger from the socket, and to wait a while so the capacitors get some time to discharge a bit. πŸ˜› ---
**Author:** ![terryking228](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/terryking228/32/214478_2.png) [@terryking228](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/terryking228)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2018, 12:13am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/share-tips-you-have-come-across/428745/442 "2018-01-05T00:13:33Z")
Hi, > first unplug the charger from the socket I updated the above post to try to make it clear I was looking at the 'dead' Iphone, not the charger.. ---
**Author:** ![westfw](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/westfw/32/213443_2.png) [@westfw](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/westfw)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2018, 6:36am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/share-tips-you-have-come-across/428745/443 "2018-01-05T06:36:43Z")
Apparently the charger port of an iPhone is on a separate PCB, and can be replaced "relatively easily" (depending on model, I guess. I was looking at a 5s.) (about the same difficulty as replacing the battery.) > **[How to fix a broken charge port on an iPhone 5](https://www.imore.com/how-fix-broken-charge-port-iphone-5)** > > If your iPhone 5 isn't charging anymore, here's how to fix it! ---
**Author:** ![Boardburner2](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/boardburner2/32/1126624_2.png) [@Boardburner2](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/Boardburner2)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2018, 5:02am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/share-tips-you-have-come-across/428745/444 "2018-01-08T05:02:06Z")
> terryking228: > Using my magnifier glasses I looked at my 'dead' Iphone. I found a funny piece of debris **inside** the Iphone charger cable socket on the bottom of the Iphone. Removed with a needle. It WORKS! I had exacly the same previously. I wonder if poking it with a needle caused damage. ---
**Author:** ![Henry\_Best](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/henry_best/32/1013044_2.png) [@Henry\_Best](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/Henry_Best)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 2:07am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/share-tips-you-have-come-across/428745/445 "2018-01-17T02:07:09Z")
> larryd: > Some breadboard stuff. > > ![3.jpg](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/a/e/c/aecedcf404b306861db58fa470c5e6c31c48fa64.jpeg) When making connectors like this, I always include a key pin so that it's impossible to connect them the wrong way round. For this one, I would use seven pins, snip off pin 2 and force it into the connector at position 2, which has no wire connected to it. I recently released the smoke in a 2.5" IDE hard drive by connecting it the wrong way round! ---
**Author:** ![Henry\_Best](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/henry_best/32/1013044_2.png) [@Henry\_Best](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/Henry_Best)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 2:23am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/share-tips-you-have-come-across/428745/446 "2018-01-17T02:23:54Z")
> larryd: > > ![5.jpg](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/d/4/c/d4ce881ed0f467ae455dad39f617841621bf53d8.jpeg) Easier and cheaper, to protect the teeth are these. Binding strips Easily cut to length by the saw itself and no clips needed. Your local stationers probably sell them individually. ---
**Author:** ![LarryD](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/larryd/32/215550_2.png) [@LarryD](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/LarryD)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 2:26am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/share-tips-you-have-come-across/428745/447 "2018-01-17T02:26:19Z")
Good idea! ![](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/3/f/c/3fcfb8c625d8684cd1892bef29e5419a501da998.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Watcher](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/watcher/32/216151_2.png) [@Watcher](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/Watcher)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 8:23pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/share-tips-you-have-come-across/428745/448 "2018-01-17T20:23:20Z")
> Henry\_Best: > When making connectors like this, I always include a key pin so that it's impossible to connect them the wrong way round. For this one, I would use seven pins, snip off pin 2 and force it into the connector at position 2, which has no wire connected to it. I recently released the smoke in a 2.5" IDE hard drive by connecting it the wrong way round! How is that printed label on the connector housing made ? (Post #444) ---
**Author:** ![LarryD](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/larryd/32/215550_2.png) [@LarryD](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/LarryD)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2018, 8:34pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/share-tips-you-have-come-across/428745/449 "2018-01-17T20:34:37Z")
I printed it on a full page label using an ink jet printer. I laminated it with clear packing tape then cut it to size. See the ZIP file (WORD) and PDF attachments below. MD5 for ZIP file is 8DFBED52BD713026C776B4490838C00C [Header label LEDandSwitch PCB X6.pdf](https://forum.arduino.cc/uploads/short-url/4wXvGV6fHXXki1quGui9eGxgqI0.pdf) (133 KB) [Header label LEDandSwitch PCB X6.zip](https://forum.arduino.cc/uploads/short-url/x4mJdJzfoXerHnmUAZ8u637iG3A.zip) (12.6 KB) ---
**Author:** ![JedidiahStolzfus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4491bb/32.png) [@JedidiahStolzfus](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/JedidiahStolzfus)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 4:01am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/share-tips-you-have-come-across/428745/450 "2018-01-19T04:01:08Z")
Arduino Pro Mini interface board. Plugs directly into the bus lines of the breadboard, and has both male and female headers along the side. ESP-01 Programming board with integrated 3.3v regulator and easy access to the GPIO pins as well as a header for connecting an FTDI board. Not my best work, but it's functional, and it was about 20F in the workshop when I put it together. ---
**Author:** ![LarryD](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/larryd/32/215550_2.png) [@LarryD](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/LarryD)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 4:13am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/share-tips-you-have-come-across/428745/451 "2018-01-19T04:13:23Z")
If you have a tight fitting head on the screw, you can cut it down with a file and a electric drill. ![C.jpg](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/8/c/e/8cef1fe801dff41592a2757708ded74c02e5f94e.jpeg) To protect the threads, thread the screw into a standoff. ![screw head.jpg](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/a/f/d/afd2c9fc82b740eab265f67ae8e5691a0ffa587a.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![venquessa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/46a35a/32.png) [@venquessa](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/venquessa)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 11:44am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/share-tips-you-have-come-across/428745/452 "2018-01-25T11:44:00Z")
A few from my palette of neat tricks: A pair of pliers with an elastic band around the handles makes a very convenient desk vice for soldering. CAreful of your fingers if it slips and they snap shut! I have the scars to prove this hurts ☹ Blu tack or putty can be used to hold things in place while soldering, but can leave residue if the blutak gets hot. Servo leads (JR/Futaba) make convenient 3 pin leads with already attached male or female header pins. They are cheap and available in large multi-packs. A simple hardware store 20W/30W/50W 12V halogen spotlight bulb can be used to create a nice hefty load on a DC circuit. You can use the built in LED of the arduino to flash error codes when you have no serial or screen attached. Blink the LED as a heart beat, on error, flash it much more rapidly. So 1 flash = success, n flashes = error code. ---
**Author:** ![Watcher](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/watcher/32/216151_2.png) [@Watcher](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/Watcher)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2018, 12:46pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/share-tips-you-have-come-across/428745/453 "2018-01-25T12:46:12Z")
> You can use the built in LED of the arduino to flash error codes when you have no serial or screen attached. Blink the LED as a heart beat, on error, flash it much more rapidly. So 1 flash = success, n flashes = error code. Excellent idea! ---
**Author:** ![LarryD](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/larryd/32/215550_2.png) [@LarryD](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/LarryD)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 4:29am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/share-tips-you-have-come-across/428745/454 "2018-01-31T04:29:02Z")
**Make yourself a simple but very useful Logic Probe with Logic Pulser.** **Resistors, diodes and LEDs are 1206.** ![Probe](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/d/1/8/d18b30cc55c572e2b287aa84924a5af6047eefe8.jpeg) ![2018-01-30_20-51-09.jpg](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/6/a/d/6ad44c4c443eb6441c322b03ca94844db9d90fe7.jpeg) ![2018-01-30_21-17-36.jpg](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/9/9/e/99e55dee2847828cac83bef38dc910f691d2f8cc.jpeg) ![2018-01-30_21-18-06.jpg](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/b/0/7/b07aafef8caf1698fc4fc501e0f3583663f07462.jpeg) * * * * * * * * * # EDIT - **D2 has now been added.** ---
**Author:** ![LarryD](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/larryd/32/215550_2.png) [@LarryD](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/LarryD)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 4:40am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/share-tips-you-have-come-across/428745/455 "2018-01-31T04:40:46Z")
![1.jpg](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/8/b/e/8be0798924c367b48494fc8aca5508fcdfa3ce3e.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![LarryD](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/larryd/32/215550_2.png) [@LarryD](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/LarryD)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2018, 10:53pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/share-tips-you-have-come-across/428745/456 "2018-02-04T22:53:18Z")
I find there are many times when I need to access an Arduino header pin with several external devices. You can make a simple interface with male and female headers. Cut a 6X1 male header and two 6X1 female headers. Solder them as shown in the images below. If you have a long pin (stackable) female header, you 'don't need the male' header. πŸ˜• ![2018-02-04_15-44-05.jpg](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/0/a/1/0a13d4247501981e87cbbb47829cd7e3467904c9.jpeg) ![2018-02-04_15-44-47.jpg](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/d/a/e/daeb65bcaeb1e0d4d28ac19b837579a3a524a490.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![TomGeorge](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/tomgeorge/32/215261_2.png) [@TomGeorge](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/TomGeorge)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2018, 12:19am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/share-tips-you-have-come-across/428745/457 "2018-02-05T00:19:05Z")
Neat... πŸ™‚ πŸ™‚ πŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![LarryD](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/larryd/32/215550_2.png) [@LarryD](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/LarryD)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2018, 4:37am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/share-tips-you-have-come-across/428745/458 "2018-02-07T04:37:18Z")
Got to get my inventory under control. πŸ˜• I did have some stackable female headers. These turned out much better. ![2018-02-06_21-33-35.jpg](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/7/7/3/773e6cf54fcf1ff0b0d9f44a8eab197aa935bf55.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![LarryD](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/larryd/32/215550_2.png) [@LarryD](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/LarryD)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2018, 9:23pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/share-tips-you-have-come-across/428745/459 "2018-02-07T21:23:37Z")
If you have access to a Logic Analyzer or a Storage Oscilloscope, you can use them to time events when troubleshooting your code. A write to pin D13 on the Arduino using the PINB command, toggles that pin’s state. Toggle: if the pin was ON it goes OFF, if it was OFF it goes ON. examples: PINB = 0x20 // Toggle D13 ATMEGA 328 PINB = 0x80 // Toggle D13 ATMEGA 1284 or the ATMEGA 2560 Having two of these commands in a row gives a pulse of ~62.5ns (nano seconds) for 16Mhz clocks. Creating a pulse on D13 can be used to mark the being of some code. Adding a second pulse on D13 at the end of that code times how long that code took to execute. - The first image shows the timing relationship between the two PINB = 0x20; instructions, ~60ns. - The second image shows how long it takes to go from the end of loop() back to the beginning ~1.13us and it shows the time it takes to go between the two pulses ~100us. ![1.jpg](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/a/7/5/a7554853606c22aba8e9268076d6142f4aa377fb.jpeg) ![3.jpg](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/e/b/2/eb2238eaba2ee760f2a2b38d821b83038ead2df2.jpeg) * * * See also post #968 ---
**Author:** ![LarryD](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/larryd/32/215550_2.png) [@LarryD](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/LarryD)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2018, 5:00am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/share-tips-you-have-come-across/428745/460 "2018-02-13T05:00:05Z")
[PCB price comparisons.](https://pcbshopper.com/) **\<----\<\<\<\<** **Online gerber viewers:** Upload your zip file [https://circuitpeople.com/](https://circuitpeople.com/) **\<----\<\<\<\<** Upload your zip file [http://www.gerber-viewer.com/default.aspx](http://www.gerber-viewer.com/default.aspx) **\<----\<\<\<\<** Upload gerber files, one at a time (not zipped) [Wireless Data Acquisition and Data Logging Systems with Wireless Sensors - Paragon Robotics](http://paragonrobotics.com/halo-s/#website/free-tools/gerber-viewer/) **\<----\<\<\<\<** ![](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/2/4/9/2496faa9285b31c35a2783630d6706f7080b582a.jpeg) EDIT This site needs you to drag your non zipped file(s) onto the web page. You then re-assign your files to equivalent surface names. You can then orbit the 3D PCB rendering using your mouse. [webGerber](http://mayhewlabs.com/webGerber/) **\<----\<\<\<\<** > **[3D Gerber Viewer | Mayhew Labs](https://mayhewlabs.com/3dpcb)** > > With this viewer you can upload your Gerber files and have a 360 degree view of your PCB design. Launch the viewer to load your own design or view one of the example boards. You can get … Continue reading β†’ ![2018-02-14_20-34-40.jpg](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/7/9/d/79d2aa7ec541fde855e121a6dc34619ef454b91c.jpeg) ![download.png](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/d/c/8/dc876fc7e99d2a1b8a5d11f479891f30705ad9a0.png) [Previous page](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/share-tips-you-have-come-across/428745.md?page=22) [Next page](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/share-tips-you-have-come-across/428745.md?page=24)