Kit BashirJul 18, 2025
#HackOfTheDay is free-form circuit remixing. I’m installing some Meshtastic devices which use LoRa radio (low power long range wireless). I want to use solar power but need to know how much energy I use. To do this i’ll install an electric current sensor between the battery and the device. But this device has the battery soldered directly to the circuit board, I need to get creative. 🧵
Show threadKit BashirJul 18, 2025
Removing the battery holder leaves me with two points to connect my sensor, the pad on the PCB and the battery holder. But I’d like to retain the firm attachment of the battery holder. My current sensor has two through-holes for these connections, but it doesn’t have pads on opposite sides, then i could just insert it into the gap. BUT: sufficiently advanced bodging is indistinguishable from planning!
Show threadKit BashirJul 18, 2025
Polyimide is a plastic that is heat resistant. “Kapton” is a kleenexesque brand name that you’ll probably recognize. In adhesive tape form you might have seen this orange material surrounding lithium polymer batteries in phones and drones. What I’m going to do is cover both sides of my sensor with Kapton and then cut away two areas on top and bottom, in order to effectively get a “top pad” and “bottom pad” on my sensor.
Show threadAnthony Horton

@Unixbigot You know someone means business when the Kapton tape comes out!

Scientific instruments and satellites are full of the stuff, because it's vacuum compatible in addition to being heat resistant.

Jul 18, 2025 at 4:06amWeb
Show threadKit BashirJul 18, 2025
@spacelizard good to know! I do occasionally reach a stage on some projects when I want to fire the hardware into the sun.
Show threadAnthony HortonJul 18, 2025
@Unixbigot Here's a photo of the inside of the Curiosity Mars rover. Plenty of little rectangles of distinctively bronze coloured space-tape in there.
Show threadKanervaJul 18, 2025

@spacelizard @Unixbigot Why can't they put better glue on it 😩 I use Kapton tape at work (for thermal testing where temperatures can be too high for most tapes) and getting it to stay put is a pain.

But knowing that I'm working with space tape makes it worth it!