How to Make Electro Stimulators

Electro stimulators are electronic devices used by athletes and other people who suffer from issues related to chronic pain. The stimulators are used primarily as a non-invasive method to stimulate fatigued muscle areas and diminish the pain from sore or aching muscles.

Things You'll Need

  • 1 85 by 64mm 11101061 printed circuit board
  • 1 134 by 69 by 23mm plastic cover
  • 1 49 by 113mm front panel
  • 4 Electrodes
  • 1 25 by 15 by 10mm ferrite core
  • 1 clip lead
  • 1 9-volt battery
  • 1 2-1/2mm printed circuit board mount
  • 1 2-1/2mm DC plug
  • 2 2mm electrode plugs
  • 1 1-meter-long figure-8 twin-flexible cable
  • 2 Printed circuit mounts with sliding switches [coded S1 and S2]
  • 2 Integrated circuit sockets
  • 3 15mm spindles [coded VR1, VR3, and VR4]
  • 2 200mm cable ties
  • 2 Printed circuit stakes
  • 4 6mm screws
  • 1 2-meter-long copper wire
  • 2 Thermoplastic heat shrink tube (1 at 12mm; 1 at 15mm length)
  • 1 MC34063 DC/DC converter [coded IC1]
  • 1 IR2155 Mosfet driver [coded IC2]
  • 1 LM334Z Current source [coded IC3]
  • 1 7555 CMOS timer [coded IC4]
  • 2 STP6N60E N-channel Mosfets [coded Q1 and Q2]
  • 1 39-volt Zener-diode [coded ZD1]
  • 1 10-volt Zener-diode [coded ZD2]
  • 2 Fast diodes [1 coded D1 and D2]
  • 3 1N4148 Switch diodes [coded D3, D4, D5]
  • 1 N5819 1A diode[coded D6]
  • 1 100 Microfarad 16 volt capacitor
  • 1 10 Microfarad 16 volt capacitor
  • 1 4.7 Microfarad 63 volt capacitor
  • 3 470nF MKT capacitor
  • 1 330nF MKT capacitor
  • 1 100nF MKT capacitor
  • 1 2.2nF MKT capacitor
  • 1 50k ohm resistor
  • 1 100k ohm resistor
  • 1 47k ohm resistor
  • 1 10k ohm resistor
  • 1 2.2k ohm resistor
  • 1 1k ohm resistor
  • 1 180 ohm resistor
  • 1 150 ohm resistor
  • 1 27 ohm resistor
  • 1 12 ohm resistor
  • 1 0.22 ohm 5W resistor
  • 2 1M ohm trimpots [coded VR1 and VR3]
  • 1 100k ohm multi-turn trimpot [coded VR2]
  • 1 1k ohm horizontal trimpot [coded VR4]
  • Soldering iron
  • Wire cutter
  • Wire stripper
  • LED
  • Drill
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Instructions

  1. The Process

    • 1

      Insert the two printed circuit stakes at the lower left-hand corner of the printed circuit board; insert all of the resistors according to the diagram provided and solder them.

    • 2

      Insert the 39-volt zener-diode, the 10 volt diode, the two fast diodes, the three switch diodes and the 1A diode according to the diagram.

    • 3

      Mount all of the capacitors to the printed circuit board (see diagram).

    • 4

      Cut up the integrated circuits into five separate contacts with the X-Acto knife; remove two pin contacts on each socket. Put the integrated circuits into the printed circuit board; solder them on the backside of the board. Mount the sliding switches to the integrated circuit sockets.

    • 5

      Solder the trimpots to the printed circuit board. Place the point of each spindle facing in the direction of the trimpot; solder it into position.

    • 6

      Mount the N-channel Mosfets to the upper right-hand side of the printed circuit board.

    • 7

      Wrap the copper wire around the ferrite core, weaving the copper around the right-hand side of the core, turning 44 times. Repeat the process on the left-hand side, turning 17 times. Strip off the wire ends and solder to the printed circuit board. Tie down core with cable ties.

    • 8

      Mount the LED1 to the printed circuit board 15mms above it. Connect the printed circuit board to the plastic cover base, using four of the 6mm screws.

    • 9

      Connect the front panel to the top section of the plastic cover. Drill a hole in the lower portion of the case; insert the DC plug and connect it.

    • 10

      Feed the battery wires through the plastic cover into the back compartment of the case: affix with cable tie. Solder the battery wires to the printed circuit stakes using the thermoplastic heat shrink tube. Cover N-channel Mosfets tabs with the remaining thermoplastic heat shrink tube.

    • 11

      Use the 2-1/2mm plug and the 2mm plug to make leads for the electrodes; attach the four electrodes to the leads. Insert the 9-volt battery.