User:Evanm1993/ENES-100/project 3

=Week 1 Narrative=
 * 0/0/0 .. nothing to grade --1sfoerster (discuss • contribs) 16:33, 21 April 2014 (UTC)

=Week 2 Narrative=

While working on mounting the Photogate I ran into a major problem, the receiver might be damaged. I aligned the laser and receiver and it says blocked and then randomly it would say unblocked when it is pointed in opposite directions. To try and fix the problem I tried re-soldering each component and re-wiring everything. This did not fix the problem, it remained the same.

Next steps for Photogate:


 * Use multimeter when I have access to the classroom to check each component.


 * If it can be fixed, the mounting is straight-forward.

I tested the vacuum drawing power of the pump as well and it was too weak to even draw a vacuum. I was missing the reducer so I used a cup to create a seal so I do not want to rule this pump out just yet.

Next steps for Air Pump:
 * Test once more with a reducer for complete accuracy.


 * Explore new pumps if this one fails.


 * The mounting can be done right on the water container.


 * 10/10/40 .. don't throw away broken stuff ... can reuse it maybe ... look through stuff in back room for better pump connections --1sfoerster (discuss • contribs) 15:57, 22 April 2014 (UTC)

=Week 3 Narrative= This week my goal was to try and extend another photogate since the last one was damaged in the process. I cut and attached longer wires than before on the laser side for more versatility but could not extend the receiver side. I tried removing the receiver at home but could not do it easily and did not want to take a chance at damaging the receiver again. I used a binder clip to draw the heat to it instead of the receiver but with the de-soldering pump, i did not want to risk it. Once I get into the classroom Tuesday, I can finish extending it. Also I could not test if the laser part is working because the vernier labquest was not responding to the photogate being connected, maybe the program wasn't loaded onto this one.

Things to do:


 * Get working labquest to test the laser.


 * If laser works, de-solder receiver.


 * Test if fully functional after extending.


 * attach to already cut openings in Blood Cooler


 * 10/10/10 .. soldering clips are in --1sfoerster (discuss • contribs) 15:52, 29 April 2014 (UTC)

=Week 4 Narrative= My last task for the blood cooler project was to test and document all the failures of installing a photogate to the blood cooler. The idea was to fit the photogate to the blood cooler in a way that when a persons hand broke the connection, it would turn the blood cooler system on.

I tested two photogates which ended up with the same problems. They both have innacurate readings as if the receiver or maybe the laser does not work. The first photogate was soldered without any heat protection. The second was done using soldering clips, a heat sink, and kapton tape, and its still malfunctioned.

Possible tests to be done in the future:
 * Test laser individually
 * Test receiver individually
 * Test wire length
 * Test resistance

If no solution can be found, maybe something other than a photogate can be used. I was thinking maybe a laser and receiver connected directly to an arduino(if thats possible) and code to process the information to accomplish the same goal the photogate was meant to do.


 * 10/10/60 excellent ... --1sfoerster (discuss • contribs) 13:34, 6 May 2014 (UTC)