MAKE: Electronics Ex. 10 Help Needed

[nyancatvsghosthead]

Also, do you want me to take dimmer photos? That would be buy perfecto. Thanks.

 

[(*steve*)]

The important thing is to build it *exactly* as shown.

 

[nyancatvsghosthead]

I know, I am

 

[jackorocko]

I know, I am

Well hate to break it to you, but the last few photos are no different then the first ones you posted. Where is the switch? You still have the resistor on the base of the transistor connected to nothing.

Did you post the wrong pictures?

 

[timothy48342]

You can try to post better pictures, but maybe this will help, too.

Could you please tell us which holes each thing is in? There are only 9 things, so it should not take long. Each hole has a letter and a number. For instance the top row is row 1 and the hole that is right under the letter A would be hole A-1. Next to that hole on row 1 and collumn B would be B-1. Below B-1 on row 2 would be called B-2.

Naming the holes that way I could say. "It looks like you have the transister(Q1) in holes i-3, i-4, and i-5" I can't see it very well. Is that where you have it?

You have a short wire that goes from the red bar area on the left to hole A-8. That I can see for sure.

The diode I can see from your earlier pic went from hole H-9 to the blue bar area. Is that right?

So here is this chart. Can you please fill in the missing information. Use the names of each hole to say where each thing is. I filled in some, but make sure I did it right.

Q1 is in i-3, i-4, i-5

D1 is in H-9, blue bar

S1 is in ____, ____

R1 is in ____, ____

R2 is in ____, ____

R3 is in ____, ____

short wire is in A-8, red bar

one power supply wire is in red bar

other power supply wire is in blue bar

-tim

 

[KJ6EAD]

You have a couple of jumpers connected from one point on a bus strip to another on the same bus strip. These serve no purpose since the bus strips are continuous the length of the breadboard as shown in Tim's first post. This is not obvious since the holes along the bus are separated into groups of 5.

 

[nyancatvsghosthead]

R1= red bar, F3

R2 = A6, F4

R3 = J5, G9

D1 = H9, blue bar

S1 = (is not in while photo was taken because it falls out unless I'm holding it in), is in C6 C9

Everything else you said was correct. Thank you.

 

[(*steve*)]

If the switch falls out, it's probably not making good contact when it's in.

Solder some wires to its leads and insert them into the breadboard.

 

[Wabajig]

You haven't corrected your wiring yet on the breadboard. Learn how your breadboard works first. Also I would keep the + supply on top and the - or ground on the bottom. Look at the diagram to see how the continuity runs under the board. This will help you on future projects.

 

[timothy48342]

Wabajig,
Those extra green wires that he has hooked up along the red bar and along the green bar aren't doing anything, your right, buy they aren't hurting anything either. As far as the + being on top and - being on the bottom, your right there, too, but since his textbook has it left and right, he should just keep with they way the book has it.


Thanks, nyancat, for being clear about those connections. And now we know why we didn't see the switch in any of the pictures. (That had me thinking the switch was the problem. )

I just re-read the assignment and I noticed something. They never say anything about which way the diode should face. (They talk about how the transistor has to face a certain way, and from the pics, I think the transistor is facing correct.)

The diode won't work if it is connected in reverse. I think the only way to tell from looking at the LED is that the longer lead is the anode (+ end) and the shorter lead is the cathode (- end). So that would mean the longer lead goes in H9 and the shorter lead on the blue bar. (I didn't get that backward, did I guys??)

So, you might try reversing the diode.

--tim

 

[jackorocko]

The diode won't work if it is connected in reverse. I think the only way to tell from looking at the LED is that the longer lead is the anode (+ end) and the shorter lead is the cathode (- end). So that would mean the longer lead goes in H9 and the shorter lead on the blue bar. (I didn't get that backward, did I guys??)

if the leads are the same length, look at the two plates inside the bulb, the larger plate is the cathode I do believe. You can also check it with a meter if you have one.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...H6ni0QG7tbHOCQ&sqi=2&ved=0CFEQ9QEwBA&dur=2066

edit: cathode not anode

 

[KrisBlueNZ]

Right, if you look inside the LED (with a bright light if necessary), you may be able to make out a cup-shaped section with the actual LED chip sitting inside it, and a second electrode beside the cup with a fine wire going to the LED chip.
"Cup is Cathode" is how I remember the rule.
However, I've seen one LED that looks like this but the cup is the anode. It was a low-current LED (produces good illumination at only 1 mA).

 

[nyancatvsghosthead]

I put a wire in substitute of the pushbutton and nothing happened. Does that not matter? I think that might mean that a new pushbutton is a waste of time, but I don't want to disobey proper advice. I basically inserted a wire and plugged it in. I'm wondering, is there a way to test whether or not it would work without a pushbutton? Is that possible? Also, I am starting to think that I should change the amps because you said that it only pro dues good illumination at 1 mA. How to I change that? Do I have the wrong capacitor or something?

 

[nyancatvsghosthead]

If the pushbutton isn't a waste of time I want to buy one, but is there any way of doing this w/o it? If not I don't want to waste my time hopelessly trying to reinvent the wheel. Thank you for the advice.

 

[nyancatvsghosthead]

Will this switch work? I am thinking of buying a better switch. It's actually a toggle switch for like $3.00 and it's a toggle on-off switch. It think it will work. I'm going to buy a regular pushbutton one too, just in case it doesn't work. Any thoughts:

http://www.amazon.com/Toggle-Switch-Pos-125-250v/dp/B0002UEPEK

http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/MPB-220/OFF-ON-MOMENTARY-PUSHBUTTON-PC-MOUNT/1.html

and this:

http://www.tooldistrict.com/ONOFF-PUSH-BUTTON-SWITCH-by-GB-GARDNER-BENDER-----_p_183801.html

 

[nyancatvsghosthead]

which one looks like it would work best to you?

 

[(*steve*)]

If the pushbutton isn't a waste of time I want to buy one, but is there any way of doing this w/o it? If not I don't want to waste my time hopelessly trying to reinvent the wheel. Thank you for the advice.

Using a pair of wires in place of the pushbutton and touching them together is normally fine (should be for this circuit)

Same thing goes for connecting a wire across where you would put the switch, and removing the wire to "open" the switch.

I would tend to go with the first of these as a preference because it's faster and also you don't run the risk of accidentally placing the jumper in the wrong place.

You already have a switch, the easiest thing may be to solder wires onto it to make it easier to use.

 

[(*steve*)]

which one looks like it would work best to you?

If you want a momentary contact switch, only the second appears to be that type. But it may not be the easiest to use with your breadboard.

 

[(*steve*)]

I put a wire in substitute of the pushbutton and nothing happened. Does that not matter?

not really.

I think that might mean that a new pushbutton is a waste of time, but I don't want to disobey proper advice. I basically inserted a wire and plugged it in. I'm wondering, is there a way to test whether or not it would work without a pushbutton?

You have made what appears to be a correct decision.

I agree with your conclusions.

It seems like your test means that even if the switch isnt working, it's not the problem.

Is that possible?

Yes, just above I suggest using 2 wires in place of the switch and touching the bare ends together as a substitute for pushing a switch.

Also, I am starting to think that I should change the amps because you said that it only pro dues good illumination at 1 mA. How to I change that? Do I have the wrong capacitor or something?

The various resistors in the circuit will already limit the current to a safe value.

Try turning the LED around. If that doesn't help, try another LED (both ways around)

If that doesn't work, it may be some other component.

 

[nyancatvsghosthead]

I tried that. I tried a new LED, both ways around. I tried two other LEDS. Should I try

buying a new LED? I don't think so. I think I should try whatever type of other

component will work? I think that such component may have to do with the capacitor I

used? It was 10 uF so I thought it would work. It worked with the previous experiment

though. The correct voltage for this experiment is 12 volts and it's set to that. I think that

leaves the possibility of the wrong voltage out, but I may be wrong. I think though, that I

should try maybe, buying a new capacitor, in case it was worn out? Could a component

become worn out by the electricity? That's possible right?

I know that there's a way for my circuit board to work somehow. Does it have to do with

how I positioned it on my bread board? Any thoughts? What type of other component

would you recommend?