Bus Pirate 5 is the latest version of the multi-tool hackers trust since 2018. RP2040-based, color LCD, 1-5volt power supply and IO buffers, and more! Firmware, hardware and a fresh new forum are hosted at BusPirate.com, which I rescued from spammers a few years ago.

The software on this server (Dangerous Prototypes) is seriously outdated and there’s a load bearing laptop somewhere in the config, it was easiest to start over with all the latest tools. Soon this site will be ripped to a flat file/static site and archived.

• Hardware docs
• Firmware docs
• Get Bus Pirate 5
• A Bus Pirate forum
• A new blog, kind of
• I’m active on most of the socials

Happy New Year!

Thank you for reading the blog and being part of our community in 2023! We’re looking forward to more open hardware projects, more how-tos, more videos, more free PCBs, and more hacking in 2024.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all. May you find many PCBs and other electronics wizardry under your tree or pole.

Remember, support is available on Christmas. Just give us a shout in the forum.

App note from Bourns’ comparing current shunt resistors and hall effect current sensing pros and cons. Link here (PDF)

Current sensing is an essential design function that is necessary in a broad range of applications. For example, current sensing is needed to detect a battery’s capacity, to measure current flow, or to calculate angles in motor control applications. Applications that can benefit from current sensing include Battery Management Systems (BMS), 3-Phase motor control units and On-Board Charging (OBC) Systems used in electric vehicles (EVs), and in other high energy charging-based designs.
Current sensing is also advantageous in medical equipment to detect leakage current. Additionally, it is beneficial for equipment with grounding loops to effectively monitor the level of current flow. Adding current sensing to the design is a cost-effective way to help protect equipment from excessive electrical loads.

Bourns’ new thermal cutoff device for LED protection can be found in this paper. Link here (PDF)

Compared to traditional lighting technologies such as incandescent and fluorescent lamps, LED lighting has a much longer life span, consumes far less energy and offers shock and vibration ruggedness. LEDs also produce very little heat and do not contain the toxic materials of predecessor lighting technologies.
One issue LEDs have is that they tend to fail when they overheat. The fabled long life of LEDs is very much dependent on them remaining cool or at least not being subjected to heat shock.
Bourns has recently released its smallest surface mount overcurrent/overtemperature protection device. The Bourns® Model SW Mini-breaker brings a degree of simplicity to the overtemperature protection of LEDs. These ultra-compact devices are small enough to be mounted in thermal proximity to the LEDs.

App note from Bourns on linear motion potentiometers and how they can be used to detect position by voltage division ratio. Link here (PDF)

The elements of the LMPs are manufactured with conductive plastic (CP) for extended wear capabilities. Unlike Trimmers, which are “set and forget,” these devices are designed to monitor position and are thereby designed to have a very high cycle life capability. LMPs are ideal for converting a mechanical linear motion displacement into a proportional voltage output when used as a sensor.

Great read from Bourns’ white paper about the new SiC Schottky diode which revolutionize power handling capability and other benefits compared to Silicon diodes. Link here (PDF)

For diode applications, the ideal component would be one with no voltage drop during forward conduction and no leakage current when reverse biased. It would change instantly from conducting forward current to blocking reverse voltage. Compared to junction silicon diodes, Schottky diodes provide reduced voltage drop with decreased reverse bias recovery current.
This paper discusses the properties of Schottky diodes constructed using a silicon carbide (SiC) n-epitaxial semiconductor material layer attached to a metal contact area as opposed to diodes constructed using two differently doped silicon semiconductor materials.

App note from Bourns about the robustness of trimmers used on surveillance system, typically sealed to protect agaisnt harsh environment. Link here (PDF)

Trimmer technology is designed for use in applications where the unit must be calibrated before it is shipped to a retailer, and eventually the end user. Typically, these pre-calibrated electronics use a trimmer for required adjustments to account for component variations over time. Medical and industrial designs frequently take advantage of the system calibration convenience of a trimmer. In surveillance systems, the trimmer is adjusted to obtain the best resolution of the sensors at an
installation point.

App note from Vishay going back to the fundamentals of humble fixed resistors. Link here (PDF)

In the shadow of microelectronics, passive components such as discrete resistors would seem to have fallen out of the field of view in electronics. Yet, it is the rare circuit that can do without resistors. And a look at a modern circuit board will show that it has become more difficult to locate them visually.

Nexperia’s app note on their load switches, combining multiple load switch functions in to one chip. Link here (PDF)

Nexperia load switch ICs are highly integrated Power Management Integrated Circuits (PMICs) designed to efficiently control power rails within electronic systems. Load switches serve as indispensable components for managing power distribution and enabling the smooth operation of various loads.