Objective 3:
Connect the TEG to the Chaos Dectector circuit board

Cadet, with the TEG completed, it’s time to connect it to the Chaos Dectector circuit board. If the TEG is the heart of the Chaos Dectector, the circuit board is the brain. It performs three functions:

 

1. It amplifies the voltage from the TEG because the voltage is too low to power any circuitry.

2. It acts as an oscillator with a frequency fully dependent on the power generated by the TEG. This allows the Chaos Dectector to blink faster when more power, “chaos” is generated

3. It drives a LED that acts as an indicator for your chaos.

 

To connect the TEG to the circuit board, first solder the TEG’s output wires to it. Then, apply a coating of silicone sealant to add some both water resistance and strengthen the connection between the wires and the board.

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1. The first step in connecting the TEG to the circuit board is to determine the length of the TEG’s output and ground wires. Take out your soldering iron, solder, and wire cutters/strippers. Place the TEG on a flat surface and wrap both the red output and black ground wires around the largest part of your forearm. Wrap it around until it reaches back to the backside of the TEG. If the wire can wrap around with excess, then you shouldn't feel bad for eating that extra donut. Then cut the excess off, strip the tips, and coat them with solder.

2. Next, solder the TEG’s red output wire to the (+) input of the circuit board, and the black ground wire to the (-) of the board.

3. ​Now it’s time to test it. Make sure the polarity of the TEG is correct when you place your hand on it. If your hand is placed on the wrong side, the circuit board will blow-up. Just kidding, the LED just won’t light up. As it lights up, notice how the LED strobe rate changes depending on how hard you press down on the TEG. The harder you press, the more heat will transfer from your hand to the TEG, making it strobe faster.

4. Now we’re gonna beef up the circuit board by coating it in silicone. This is to provide some water resistance and to help strengthen the physical connection of TEG’s wires to the board. So take the out the tube of silicone and the spreader. Place the board on a paper towel and apply the silicone ONLY over the side of the circuit board with components. When covering the components, apply silicone completely over all components except the LED. The empty space around and up to the base of the LED should have a thin coat of silicone. Use the spreader to finely apply the silicone up to the edge of the board. Then let it dry for 2 hours in an open area.

5. Once the silicone is mostly dried, take the red and black wires that are soldered to the board, and bend them under the board and back around, so that they completely wrap around the board in one full turn. Then press the wires down flat against the back side of the board. But here’s a little tip. Pinching the wires at where they bend around the edge of the board will help flatten them.

6. ​Now, cover the backside of the board with silicone. Give it that big ol squeeze to make sure the wires are completely covered. Then again let it dry for 2 hours in an open area.

7. Lastly, unbend the section of the wires that weren’t covered in silicone, and give it one last coating over the edges of the board. Add extra silicone around the area were the wires were soldered, and the area where they exit to the TEG. Spend this time to inspect any parts of the circuit that are exposed, and coat them in more silicone. If you see a hole, fill it. Then let it dry for another 2 hours in an open area.​