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    • Protect Nano
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Bench Notes

Real-world electronics design, explained clearly. Practical guides, design breakdowns, and lessons learned from building reliable hardware.

Blog
Nick

Over-Current Protection Circuits that are Better than Fuses

Passive fuses are commonly implemented in electronic systems to melt during over-current conditions. This prevents excess energy from flowing into the system, however, they are often imprecise and insufficient for protecting real-world systems on their own.  This article explores why fuses are inherently limited, and explains several different circuit topologies that can be built or bought that offer more precise over-current protection. Note: Schematics presented here illustrate fundamental architectures and are not tailored towards any specific application. A technically qualified person should always test the final product to determine suitability for any safety-critical or high-stake applications. Why are fuses

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Nick March 3, 2026
Blog
Nick

Continuous Over-Voltage Protection Circuits

Continuous over-voltage is a common way circuits get destroyed because fuses and transient over-voltage protection devices like MOVs, TVS diodes and GDTs are not well suited to protect against them. In this article, we will discuss the pros and cons of different circuit topologies that are specifically for continuous over-voltage protection. Voltage Protection Topologies Over-voltage protection circuits can broadly be divided into two categories: transient and continuous. In this article, we will focus on methods for protecting against continuous overvoltage. Different topologies covered: SCR/TRIAC Crowbar Passive and Active Clamping Circuits Switched Disconnect (MOSFET or Relay) Voltage-Triggered Load-Dump Circuits  

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Nick January 13, 2026
Blog
Nick

How Nearly Wrecking Your Senior-Year Engineering Project Can Lead to Co-Founding a Tech Company

The moment when you need to act is exactly when the penalty for not acting becomes too much to bear. – Unknown We’re tired of seeing the same mistakes happen to different people – and it’s time for a change.  Every year, hundreds of thousands of senior engineering students around the world build something as part of their final year project. Under pressure from their other courses, they go and quickly design and implement a system often with limited tools and resources, and often involving electronics, something many find confusing and unfamiliar. When they finally figure out how to

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Nick November 11, 2025
Blog
Nick

Open-Source Protection Circuit Built Entirely from Analog ICs

The Active Power Protection Module (APPM) is an adjustable analog power protection module. It is designed for overvoltage, undervoltage, reverse polarity, and short circuit protection. No black box ASICs. Just comparators, FETs, fuses and voltage references.  The module is a culmination of nearly a year as an electronics student, working in my free time. This design was born after destroying a smart servo motor, by applying too high of a voltage.  For those who are looking for the finished product that is now sold by PN Labs, check out the Protect and Protect Nano. Description Specs Drawings Design explanation

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Nick November 6, 2025
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