The Coopener: How I Automated My Chicken Coop Door
A look back at the Coopener: my Raspberry Pi and Arduino-powered automated chicken coop door. Sunrise/sunset scheduling, web control, and thoughts on a solar-powered Version 2.
Category Electrical
All projects involving any kind of electronics/electrical
RISC: The Remote IoT Switch Controller That Automated My Yard
A look back at RISC, my ESP8266-based remote switch controller for home automation. Built in 2017 to automate fairy lights and mosquito zappers, and thoughts on a modern ESP32 rebuild.
How to Build Makita 40V XGT Batteries From Scratch
Build your own Makita XGT 40V batteries for under half the price of genuine. Step-by-step guide covering the BMS firmware gotcha that trips everyone up, cell selection, spot welding, and real-world testing on job sites.
Klebb: A Self-Hosted Health Dashboard That Tracks Whatever You Want
I built a self-hosted health dashboard because nothing else fit. It started as a personal hack, became manifest-driven so anyone can configure it without code, and now my family and friends run their own instances. Here's the story.
The Haptic Compass Band: Giving Humans a Sixth Sense
A look back at my haptic compass band project: a wearable device that vibrates to tell you which way is north. Built in 2009, still compelling today, and ripe for a modern rebuild.
The NES USB Controller: Twenty Four Years of My Oldest Hardware Hack
A look back at my 2002 NES USB controller build, the project that got featured on Hack-A-Day, Engadget, and Gizmodo, and thoughts on building a wireless Version 2.
CarCloak: Taking My Tesla Fully Offline (Part 1)
CarCloak is a hardware privacy mod for Tesla that cuts internet connectivity with a button press, without killing Bluetooth or audio. Part 1: research, design, dead-ends.
DIY Garage Door Notification Light
Watch my son build a garage door notification light using Arduino. A fun beginner electronics project with full wiring diagram and code walkthrough.
Home Automation: RISC (Remote IoT Switch Controller)
ESP8266 relay controller with MQTT for home automation - controls switches and push-buttons over WiFi. Updated with ESP32 alternatives and Home Assistant integration notes.
TSRD (Temperature Sensor Relay Device)
Build a Temperature Sensor Relay Device that automatically controls equipment based on temperature readings. Cheap, configurable DIY project with full instructions.
DIY Home Automation: Coopener – Source code and IoT functionality
Complete source code and IoT integration for the Coopener - my automated chicken coop door. Covers web control, scheduling, and central management.
Home theatre and network installation
Full walkthrough of my home theatre and structured network installation. Covers speaker placement, cable runs, AV rack setup, and network infrastructure.