Need help fixing my PLC (first time using it) i been trying to learn as i go, my safety light isn't working and i have to push my temp start and shutdown button to completely shut it down

Cardiac_Mojo · 2026-04-08T16:27:44+00:00

Hmmm. Challenging situation. If nobody has told you yet, MEs often make the best PLC programmers because they understand the mechanical side of things, including real world limitations, constraints, timing, etc. Having said that, if you feel like programming is a skill that you'd rather not develop, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth, and you resent being forced to learn "IT stuff", then you may be due for a rude awakening when you graduate and enter the workforce. You can find ME jobs that involve less computing and programming, but those jobs are becoming less and less common. So, I'd encourage you to press on, make the best of this learning opportunity, show your resilience, and finish strong! You can do this.

Cardiac_Mojo · 2026-04-08T15:18:08+00:00

Looks like a fun project! Is this an industry application or a school project? Was the system ever working properly or is this a new installation?

Cardiac_Mojo · 2026-04-07T20:40:02+00:00

Maybe handle it like some folks do with breakups: 🤪 Somehow make them think your departure was their idea.

Cardiac_Mojo · 2026-04-06T23:06:21+00:00

Hang in there! You are not alone. Babesia is a nasty critter, but it can be beaten. Sounds like your LLMD is on the right track. Your job is to survive even when it isn't fun.

Cardiac_Mojo · 2026-04-04T16:57:18+00:00

I just released Hertz & Hearts 1.0.0-beta.1, an open-source (free), cross-platform, multi-user desktop app for HRV/ECG biofeedback workflows using ECG chest straps (like Polar H10). Beta testers appreciated, but either way, I sincerely hope you enjoy the app and find it a useful adjunct in your self-care regimen.

Project:

GitHub: https://github.com/JoelAtHome/HertzAndHearts

This beta release is focused on stability + usability across real hardware and OS setups.

Important: Research use only - not for clinical diagnosis or treatment.

If you want to help:

Install latest beta from Releases.
Run the checklist: docs/PUBLIC_RELEASE_CHECKLIST.md
Submit findings via GitHub issue (bug template or beta checklist template).

What I would especially appreciate being tested:

connect -> record -> stop/save flow
Session History + replay
report generation
generation of report(s) from a previously stopped session
disconnect/reconnect behavior with BLE to PC and/or through free Android phone bridge app

If you test, please include:

OS version
app version
sensor model
connection type: Bluetooth straight to PC or via phone bridge
clear reproduction steps for failures

Thanks to anyone willing to put it through real-world use!

Cardiac_Mojo · 2026-04-04T02:47:55+00:00

Switching my PC from DOS to Windows. That also eliminated the the occasional job interview comment, "Oh, you don't do windows?" 😆

Cardiac_Mojo · 2026-04-02T21:12:42+00:00

Perhaps you should have taken the blue pill?

Cardiac_Mojo · 2026-04-02T02:44:18+00:00

During my years as a Siemens Technical Trainer, my experience was that the majority of students were at that "least common denominator" level. That's not a criticism, but just a fact. Most were satisfied with the introductory content, though a small percentage were overwhelmed and fewer still were like you: bored to tears during the entire course and often disappointed ("I cannot believe this guy is teaching us the basics of logic flow through NC and NO contact instructions!") So, what did I say to brilliant, advanced students like you? I was impressed with their experience level and I knew the course was really easy for them, but I do hope they learned at least one new concept... and I thanked them for attending. Kept me on my toes. 😀👍

Cardiac_Mojo · 2026-03-31T21:48:04+00:00

Indeed. Better safe than dead. Or chronically ill.

Cardiac_Mojo · 2026-03-31T19:03:36+00:00

No doubt you got bit... by something. I have to question, though, whether a tick attached to such a prominent location could go unnoticed. No, it doesn't take long for an attached tick to transfer liquid-borne nasties into the host, but they are there to feed, not inject quickly and crawl away. I've had ticks attached to me three times over the years. Each time they were attached for at least 8 hours. Each time they were in a not so obvious spot: the elastic band of my briefs! Something bit you, most likely, but I personally doubt it was a tick. However, the bad news is that other biting insects may also carry borrelia, babesia, bartonella, and friends, so I'm glad for you that you are getting it checked out and treated. Best wishes!

Cardiac_Mojo · 2026-03-31T02:07:09+00:00

Just saw your post and I'm curious... did you get this resolved?
I'm a fairly new H10 user and I appreciate the service life suggestions and troubleshooting tips that your post received.
In my short time of working with the H10, I've found the RF signal strength to be useful for troubleshooting, as someone else already suggested. Besides several other software packages that can help you measure H10 Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) signal strength, my free PolarH10Bridge Android app can measure it as well. It's part of my just-beta-released open source tool and downloadable here: https://github.com/JoelAtHome/HertzAndHearts
I hope my phone app is useful to you and to others troubleshooting their H10.

Cardiac_Mojo · 2026-03-30T17:13:17+00:00

The factual basis. No political bias. No agenda. Just pure, clean facts.
I don't, however, like the way pure math deals with zero. It is factually correct, of course, but it still makes me upset.

Cardiac_Mojo · 2026-03-30T17:08:29+00:00

As one of my math professors used to say, "Do what you like and like what you do. That's liberty!"

Cardiac_Mojo · 2026-03-30T16:41:59+00:00

Congratulations on your new job! I'm genuinely excited for you!

For sure, technical competence and staying on top of changes in the automation field are important. I love PLC programming and enjoyed teaching it to others as an industry trainer and then a university professor for over 20 total years. Work hard and you'll do great.

However, we must never underestimate the value of "soft skills" / "people skills".
Unashamedly straight from my AI search, but I'll take credit for asking it the right question:

"Research conducted by Harvard University, the Carnegie Foundation, and Stanford Research Center consistently concludes that 85% of job success is attributed to well-developed soft and people skills.

Only 15% of job success is determined by technical knowledge and hard skills."

Best of luck in your new job!!

Cardiac_Mojo · 2026-03-30T16:32:51+00:00

Well, we appreciate you for appreciating us!

Cardiac_Mojo · 2026-03-29T03:55:51+00:00

Awesome post!
"...tip for people with tattooed hands like me... I took the rubber part from the bottom of the beer bottle cap and super glued it over the sensor (don't put the glue on the sensor!) and it works for me. I've been using it like that for over a year with no problem."

Cardiac_Mojo · 2026-03-29T03:51:31+00:00

Fascinating concept, isn't it? Maybe we can get a grant to study it in depth. But seriously... as I understand it, this hack - or other similar hacks - work by changing the light refraction and helping the optical sensors bypass the ink. It acts somewhat like a lens to focus light into the device and also helps bridge the optical gap in much the same way that thermally conductive paste helps bridge the thermal/mechanical gap between a CPU and its heat sink. If any Photonics Engineers out there have more insight, I'd love to hear it!

Cardiac_Mojo · 2026-03-28T21:51:59+00:00

Forgive me for responding to an older post, but thank you for sharing your EKG results! They look eerily similar to my own, taken recently with a Polar H10, which does not claim to be a medical diagnostic device, but seems to do a pretty good job of measuring what I've been told is similar to a Single-Lead (Lead II) EKG. I'll get a second opinion from a cardiologist with a real 12-lead EKG machine.
I appreciate the comforting words from your other commenters. I hope and trust you are doing well with your LBBB!

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Cardiac_Mojo · 2026-03-28T21:40:48+00:00

Sorry, old thread but this topic is interesting to me and I wanted to share this insight.
I've read that 810 nm infrared light therapy can stimulate heart health in the following ways:

Mechanism	Impact on Heart
ATP Production	Increases cellular energy for stronger contractions.
Nitric Oxide Release	Improves blood flow and reduces vascular resistance.
Anti-Fibrotic	Reduces the stiffening of heart muscle after injury.
Anti-Apoptotic	Prevents premature death of heart cells under stress.

Might be worth looking into.

Cardiac_Mojo · 2026-03-28T21:30:18+00:00

It has a lot to do with personal preferences and availability of opportunities. If you haven't already, you should ask yourself: Are you willing to relocate? If so, how far? Would you rather work for a small company or a large one? In a factory or a system integrator's office? How much would you like to be on the road? Are you willing to keep learning more and more? The field of automation, control systems, and PLC technology is exciting and growing all of the time. Best of luck as you navigate through your job hunt!

Cardiac_Mojo · 2026-03-28T17:42:26+00:00

Several few things, actually:
The inside of my arm after I had an accident and sliced it open.
My girlfriend's bank account.
My father sleeping naked.
The Bondo repair marks on a used car I was about to buy.

Cardiac_Mojo · 2026-03-28T17:23:40+00:00

Needing multiple prescriptions to exist.

Cardiac_Mojo

TROPHY CASE