1 A simple guide to electronic components.
Big Clive's run through the common electronic components and what each does, suggested as a first stop before kits or Arduino projects.
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bigclivedotcom
26 recommended videos. Channel on YouTube
2 Teardown of an eBay 25A Solid State Relay. (SSR)
Big Clive opens a cheap eBay 25A solid state relay and finds a triac rated well below the label; cited when people ask what is inside these SSRs.
3 Using LEDs as mains indicator lights on 120V and 230V (live demos)
Big Clive demonstrates several ways to run an LED as a mains indicator on 120 V and 230 V, recommended when resistor-only circuits overheat or reverse voltage harms the LED.
4 The most deadly project on the Internet
Big Clive's warning about microwave oven transformers, shared to make clear how easily these projects injure or kill.
5 Soldering basics and choosing a cheap soldering iron.
Regularly cited for sensible guidance on picking a budget temperature controlled soldering station and using it well.
6 Horrific USB power supply fault. (Electrocution risk.)
A teardown of a dangerous cheap USB charger, cited whenever someone asks why bargain mains adapters are worth avoiding.
7 Are over-discharged lithium cells safe? (And how to test for damage.)
Big Clive tests whether over-discharged lithium cells are safe to recharge and how to check them for damage; cited in debates about deep discharge.
8 The lamps you're not allowed to have. Exploring the Dubai lamps
An explanation of the Dubai lamp story, used to show that ordinary LED bulbs are driven too hard with little cooling so they fail early.
9 Things you should know about fuses. (including a 15kV one)
A Big Clive video linked in discussions about fuse ratings and replacing multimeter fuses, though the thread gives few details about its content.
10 How to make an authentic Joule Thief.
Big Clive's well known tutorial on building a Joule Thief, the simple circuit that boosts a small battery voltage, by the person who coined the name.
11 Electronically controlled LED lamps glowing when off.
Big Clive explaining why LED bulbs glow or flicker faintly when switched off, linked whenever leakage current through a dimmer or switch puzzles someone.
12 Deadly camping light with 240v USB outlet.
Big Clive tears down a camping light whose capacitive dropper can leave its USB port at mains potential; cited as a vivid example of unsafe cheap design.
13 Poundland 6W LED lamp teardown with schematic.
Big Clive's teardown of a mains LED lamp, cited to show how the bulb's driver and LED string are arranged and what voltages the LEDs run at.
14 Testing dodgy 100W LEDs from ebay sellers.
A bigclive video on white LEDs that explains why some packages contain several junctions in series and raises doubts about the quality of cheap sourced parts.
15 Inside a 125A DC circuit breaker. Unexpected arc quenching feature.
Big Clive shows why a DC arc keeps burning where an AC arc dies at the zero crossing, explaining why DC breakers need magnets and arc chutes.
16 USB soldering iron test and teardown with schematic.
Big Clive's look at a cheap USB soldering iron, cited to show it manages small jobs while warning about power, tips and static.
17 Intergalactic supercomputers for all (Not CGI)
Big Clive's blinking LED panel build, linked as the inspiration for people making their own flashing light displays and as a fun beginner project.
18 936D digital soldering station test and internal look.
Cited as Big Clive's review of a budget digital Hakko 936 clone soldering station, valued because it accepts genuine Hakko tips.
19 Computer killing powered USB hub. (Mac murderer)
Shared as a short warning about feeding power back into a host's USB port, which breaks the specification and can damage the computer.
20 Disassembly and schematic of an arc lighter.
Big Clive takes apart an arc lighter and draws out its circuit, cited for the schematic and estimated electrode voltage.
21 Inside some dodgy Chinese USB power supplies from Greece.
Big Clive examines some USB power supplies and finds poor isolation, used to show how a mains charger can fall short on safety.
22 Shorting out a fully charged cheap lithium jump starter. (It didn't end well.)
BigClive opens a lithium jump starter power bank, estimating its peak current with improvised methods and showing cable and cell resistance effects in practice.
23 Sudden science - driving fluorescent tubes properly.
Linked as a good explainer on electronic ballasts for fluorescent style tubes, consulted by people puzzling over how ballast power ratings add up.
24 Dimming LED lamps with ordinary dimmers.
Big Clive explains how mains dimmers work and why dimming LED lamps is often troublesome, cited several times when the subject comes up.
25 Inside a fake un-trippable circuit breaker.
Shared as a cautionary teardown showing cheap circuit breakers with no real trip mechanism inside, used to warn against unbranded safety parts.
26 eBay clock kit. Full build and setting guide.
Big Clive assembles an electronic kit with a seven-segment display and examines its board, linked as a reference when troubleshooting the same kit.
