Hello readers from MAKE: as well as all other readers :)

My prototype touch sensor worked so well, that it hasn’t needed much changing. I sent the design off to Custom PCB, and less than a week later, I had a pile of circuit boards waiting for me.

I changed the layout around a little, mostly adding a 2×8 header for accepting a ribbon cable style connection. The header combines power, ground and outputs into a single connection, making it easier to connect to the main board of my larger project (sprinkler controller). Each touch output is paired with a ground wire, which I suppose makes it more resistant to interference. The caps I used this time are polyester film 220 nF, doubling the amount of capacitance compared to what was used on the prototype.

Yes, the ugly piece of plexi is still ugly. Don’t worry, it will be hidden from view. In the final configuration, this board and its plexiglas spacer will be inside a plastic project box. I’ll have a laminated “keypad” overlay affixed to the outside of the box so I can see where the buttons are. The spacer will be flipped around, going on the solder side, giving me enough clearance to flush-mount the sensor with the wall of the box. Flush mount is very important, as even the slightest air-gap will ruin the proximity sensing effect.

Nothing much to see solder side… a few smt passives set options on the chip, as well as decouple and filter the incoming power. The big resistor limits current for the meager power led which no one will ever see once the board is in use.

I’m very close to finishing the larger irrigation control project, hopefully sometime this week! Thanks for reading!

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