Adafruit Components:

  • PowerBoost 500 Charger (http://adafruit.com/product/1944) -- a boost converter that is the hub of this project. It manages the battery and provides 5 volts to the fan, motion detector, and lamp connector. Do not install the USB-A jack that comes with the PowerBoost board; set it aside for another project.
  • PIR (Motion) Sensor (http://adafruit.com/product/189) -- the sensor that will detect movement near the soldering iron. This is a low-power sensor that conserves battery life.
  • Lithium Polymer (Li-Po) Battery - 3.7v 500mAh (http://adafruit.com/product/1578) -- the rechargeable battery that provides portability. This battery is matched to the PowerBoost, so don't replace it with a battery of lower capacity. The Adafruit Li-Po battery has internal over/under charge protection that extends battery life and keeps things safe.
  • Mini Panel Mount SPDT Toggle Switch (http://adafruit.com/product/3221) -- an easy-to-mount ON/OFF switch with a solid click-click feel.
  • N-Channel Power MOSFET (http://adafruit.com/product/355) -- amplifies the output from the motion sensor to provide power to the fan.
  • Panel Mount Extension USB Cable - Micro B Male to Micro B Female  (http://adafruit.com/product/3258) -- provides an external connection to the PowerBoost to charge the battery. The male connector will be removed, the cable shortened, and data wires removed so that it will fit inside the enclosure.
  • Panel Mount USB Cable - A Male to A Female (http://adafruit.com/product/908) -- the 5 volt power output connector for the LED reading lamp. Like the micro USB connector, this will be modified to fit.
  • Little Rubber Bumper Feet (http://adafruit.com/product/550) -- some non-skid goodies for the enclosure.

Other Components:

  • 5Volt Brushless Fan, 10.5 CFM, 180mA (#2150774 http://www.jameco.com) -- the air mover for this project. If you substitute something else for this highly efficient fan, you may have to recharge the battery more often.
  • ABS Plastic Enclosure, Hammond 1594-DBK (#HM229-ND https://www.digikey.com) -- a blank box that will be modified as needed.
  • Activated Carbon Filter Material (#WSA350F-ND https://www.digikey.com) -- treated filter foam, 1/4" thick. We'll cut this to size.
  • Acrylic Rod 6 inch long, 1/8 inch diameter (#23639 https://www.tapplastics.com) -- used to hold the filter material in place. Any 1/8 inch diameter rod or wooden dowel will work. We will cut this into two 2-5/8 inch lengths.
  • Clear Ribbed or Prismatic Plastic Sheet, 1-3/4 x 2-1/4 inch, 1/8 inch thickness (Sample #99998 https://www.tapplastics.com) -- mounted behind the front panel's windows to allow the PowerBoost's LED lights to be seen from outside the enclosure. You can use almost anything that's transparent or translucent, so feel free to be creative.
  • USB-Powered Gooseneck LED Reading Lamp (Modern Lamp https://www.amazon.com) -- optional lamp that plugs into the fume extractor's USB-A connector. The listed lamp has adequate brightness, is dimmable, and doesn't draw the battery down very quickly.

This guide was first published on Aug 15, 2017. It was last updated on Aug 15, 2017.

This page (Project Components) was last updated on Aug 01, 2017.

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