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Maybe you have already heard about Gray codes in connection with rotary encoders.
Gray codes change only one bit at a time between any two adjacent code words
so we do not have to worry about synchronizing samples
from multiple optical sensors here.
Anyway this video is about a completely different application.
This box converts from Gray code to binary,
from four toggle switches to four neon lamps.
Here is "1", "2", "3", "4",
and so on.
And by the way, there is no electronics in the box, only switches and lamps.
So maybe you will enjoy trying to figure out how it's wired inside.
Here is "15", and back to "0".
Now I am going to populate these sockets here with halogen tubes
of increasing power ratings.
100 watts, 200,
400, and 800 watts. Actually the last one is a pair of 400s,
which is why there is a 5th socket.
Of course the tubes will turn on an off
according to the binary code.
So this device is actually a dummy load which can be adjusted from 0
to 1500 watts.
And thanks to the Gray coding,
whenever I need to increase or decrease the load by one step,
I can do that by toggling one switch, and only one.
Now let's see if it works.
I think this small generator is massively produced and sold under various names
all over the world.
It's a very basic design, it doesn't have an inverter of course
so the voltage and frequency depend entirely on the speed of the engine.
The throttle is regulated mechanically.
So... we get nasty oscillations at about half the rated load.
Above the maximum load the voltage drops, as expected.
And finally, when I remove the load,
we see a voltage spike at 360 volts
instead of 230.
That was expected as well, but it's good to know, before you plug any sensitive
electronic devices into these cheap generators.
Well that's all.
I thought it was nice to bring gasoline engines and digital numbering systems
together in the same project
and I hope you enjoyed it.