Beginning Projects

[ShockTheSystem]

Hi I'm new to this electronics hobbie and I was wondering what is the best type of project to start off into? is someone could be as so kind to tell me what of projects you started off into? and I'm into spying is that too hard to begin in?

thanks for taking the time to read this

 

[ante1]

Hi STS,

Wellcome to our forum.
If you don’t have a bench power supply it could be a good start. Start whit a simple one!

 

[ShockTheSystem]

would it be best to get one where  you can dile in the voltage?


thanks for the replie

 

[heathtech]

It depends on how complicated you want your first circuit to be. Google for Variable regulated power supply schematics. I don't know how much you know by way of electronics theory, laws, etc. Tell us what you know about electronics and then someone can advise you. If your knowledge is small, I would start out with 9 volt batteries and some simple series/parallel resistor circuit arrangements, study the formulas for both, and measure the voltages across them with a voltmeter, which is a necessary piece of test equipment, and compare the formulas to the actual results. If you don't already have one, you can pick a cheap one up for around ten bucks. Again, expand on what you know in your next post!

 

[ante1]

Hi STS,

I like this one: http://www3.telus.net/chemelec/Projects/Power-Supply/Power-Supply.htm
It has low component count, still it's very flexible.
I haven’t tried it myself but I’m sure it works fine.

 

[ShockTheSystem]

hummm...what I know about electronics is extreamly smalll I know the basics on what most componets do and I know it tickles when you touch an out let so that is about it. any....and I mean any baby step advise would be a great help to me

electronics to me =  ???
my intrest  =  ;D

 

[heathtech]

  Ok, go to an electronics supplier, radio shack will do for a beginner, and buy a variety of resistors, solder, a pencil soldering iron, a pack of 9v batteries, a 9volt connector (you know, pad thingy with male and female terminals and red and black wire sticking out. Matter of fact, buy two or three of them) Get some aligator clips if they have them, a roll of 18 AWG wire, and a cheap multimeter (volts,ohms,amps). All of this shouldn't cost more than 40 bucks and most of it will last a long time and through a lot of experimenting.
  Now, Here is an important formula for you to memorize if you don't already know it: Ohm's Law states E=IxR (e=voltage, I=current or Amps, R=resistance.)
Google this topic or read about it on the forum. You HAVE to know this to understand electronics or anything electrical, including  your home wiring.
  Also, Google and read about Series and Parallel Circuit arrangements. If you don't already know it, learn the difference between AC and DC, which can all be found on the internet.
  The rest is up to you in this experiment. I am going to post a drawing showing how to wire batteries up in parallel and in series, and how to connect a LOAD (important term) to the battery in series and in parallel. This is exactly where you need to start. If you are already past this stage, ignore this post and let us know more. You can print this file and try this experiment!

View attachment 37353

 

[ShockTheSystem]

thanks heathtech I'll get that stuff and begin my journy...and I do know ohm's law and alternating and dirict current...LOAD I havent got to yet but I'm thinking something like what I'm running or using the electricity for.

what do you think about making a LED light set for a RC airplane is that a good project to get started on...it is just lights red on the bottom and green lights on the top and they turn on so you can fly at night nothing special? it sould be in parallel right...?

 

[trigger]

I think it would be better to work on a DC/battery powered project first if you have no idea on electronics/electric.

 

[ShockTheSystem]

OK I just got done reading the basics on electronics from "electronics for dummies" <--recomended if your like me and don;t know much....any way I got done with that and I have begun to fix my X-mod (fr thoes that dont know it is a remote controll car you can get at Radioshack) and I let the antenna touch the batterys and it started smoking I finally found out what I actually did and I burnt two inductors and I can't find the parts....the only store I know that carries parts is radio shcak and they don't have it so is there any other stores that sell parts without going on the internet to order????

thanks

 

[heathtech]

Well, ordering from the internet is probably your best bet.
Google Digikey, Newark, or Mouser Electronics.
But, if you live in or near a metropolitan area, I'm sure you can look in the phone book yellow pages and with some luck, you might find an industrial electronics supplier or something. In Louisiana where I live I have several, but they are local stores.

 

[audioguru2]

what do you think about making a LED light set for a RC airplane is that a good project to get started on... it sould be in parallel right...?

LEDs are a diode almost like any other diode and have a fixed voltage drop that varies with each one and its colour. Since the voltage drop is fixed, you must connect a current-limiting resistor in series with each one which sets its current.
If you connect LEDs in parallel then the one with the lowest voltage drop will hog all the current and probably burn out followed by the rest of them. Therefore each LED needs its own current-limiting resistor.

You can put LEDs in series if the supply voltage is high enough. With them in series they all have the same current and need only a single current-limiting resistor for the string of series LEDs. ;D

 

[ShockTheSystem]

thanks heathtec I guess I will resort to the internet because I don't live in the metropolitan area

audioguro, absotly funniest thing in the world that you would have posted that today because today was the day where we drew up the schamatics on that and that was the problem that I didn't know that it had an exact voltage drop so my friend and I asked my dad about it and he told us all about it he is an electrical engineer so I just thought that was funny maybe it might give you some humor but thanks for the advise I won't forget it believe me...