Blog
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DMX512 and BACnet MS/TP Termination: Stop Flicker and Dropped Tokens
Why DMX fixtures flicker without a terminator, why BACnet MS/TP drops tokens, and which RJ45 pins carry the resistor. With a cable mismatch calculator.
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RS-485 and Modbus RTU Termination: Resistors, Bias, and Pinouts
Where the 120 Ω resistors go on a Modbus RTU trunk, how to size fail-safe bias resistors, and the vendor RJ45 pinout trap. Includes a bias calculator.
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CAN Bus Termination: Why 120 Ω, When to Split, and How to Test
Why CAN needs two 120 Ω terminators, the 30-second multimeter test, and when CAN FD needs split termination. With reflection and corner-frequency calculators.
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Air Compressor Oil Life: Analysis, Change Intervals, and Digital Control
Base oil changes on analysis instead of the calendar, and use digital control to manage the heat, moisture, and wear that shorten oil life.
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Lead-Lag Control for Shops Running Two Compressors
What lead-lag control actually does, why mechanical pressure switches drift out of alternation, and how two controllers share runtime over a single-wire link.
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How to Choose Oil for an Air Compressor
Match the oil to the compressor type, the operating conditions, and the manufacturer guidelines to protect performance and warranty.
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Air Compressor Oil Types and Viscosity Grades
Mineral, synthetic, and semi-synthetic compressor oils compared, with ISO 32 / 46 / 68 viscosity grades and the oil properties that matter.
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Independent DOE-funded testing: 23% power reduction on a reciprocating compressor
Reciprocating air compressors are controlled the same way they were fifty years ago: a mechanical pressure switch and a timer. The switch drifts as it ages, ...
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Logic Probe 16 Demo: Multi-Protocol FPGA Test with TinyFPGA BX
Step-by-step application note: drive all 16 channels of the Logic Probe 16 from a TinyFPGA BX — SPI, UART, I2C, and an 8-bit parallel counter running simulta...
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Logic Probe 16 v2.2: A 16-Channel Logic Analyzer Probe for the Rigol MSO5000
How the Logic Probe 16 v2.2 turns 16 single-ended signals into LVDS for the MSO5000 logic port, what it deliberately does not do, and how it compares with th...
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Air Compressor Maintenance: Schedule, Troubleshooting, and What to Automate
The recurring tasks a reciprocating air compressor needs, what each one protects against, the failures that cause most downtime, and which checks a controlle...
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Compressor Controller and Installing Unloader Valves
How a compressor controller drives an electric unloader valve, how to select one, and a worked example for a 5HP single-phase compressor.
