There are masters among our homebuilding community—people who not only build beautiful planes, but also solve problems with creative inventions. We refer to one of the most prolific inventors of clever and useful tools and small building accessories as The Creative Homebuilder, and he willingly shares his ideas. This new series will look at some of the many ingenious ideas that he has shared with us.
Our Creative Homebuilder wanted simple and handy test equipment for troubleshooting electrical problems. Using a 110 volts alternating current (AC) x 12 volts direct current (DC) x 5 amps transformer to provide input power for testing, he developed several helpful make-your-own rigs.
The transformer is on the top right. The two test circuits at the bottom are used to test on/off and reversing conditions. The circuit on the lower right also has a 9-volt DC input in case no 110-volt AC is available. These systems come in handy when setting up electric flap systems or checking out all manner of installed lighting.
For confirming general circuit continuity, the Creative Homebuilder uses a simple 12-volt test rig (bottom) consisting of a couple of clips, wires, and a simple red LED light. For testing audio continuity, he uses the small audio source (top). Cheap, clever, and useful!
Close-up of 110-volt AC x 12-volt DC power source, available on eBay for around $10-$15.
