Published:2013/7/29 1:22:00 Author:lynne | Keyword: Voltage Doubler
A voltage higher than the supply can be created by a Charge-Pump circuit created with a 555, diodes and capacitors as shown in the following circuit. The output will deliver about 50mA (View)
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Published:2013/7/28 20:20:00 Author:muriel | Keyword: Sound Operated Switches
Notes:This sensitive sound operated switch can be used with a dynamic microphone insert as above, or be used with an electret (ECM) microphone. If an ECM is used then R1 (shown dotted) will need to be included. A suitable value would be between 2.2k and 10kohms.The two BC109C transitors form an audio preamp, the gain of which is controlled by the 10k preset. The output is further amplified by a BC182B transistor. To prevent instability the preamp is decoupled with a 100u capacitor and 1k resistor. The audio voltage at the collector of the BC182B is rectified by the two 1N4148 diodes and 4.7u capacitor. This dc voltage willdirectly drive the BC212B transistor and operate the relay and LED.It should be noted that this circuit does not latch . The relay and LED operate momentarily in response to audio peaks. (View)
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Published:2013/7/28 20:19:00 Author:muriel | Keyword: Heating System Thermostats
Parts:P1 1K Linear PotentiometerR1 10R 1/4W ResistorR2 1K 1/4W ResistorR3 3K3 @ 20°C n.t.c. Thermistor (see Notes)R4 2K2 @ 20°C n.t.c. Thermistor (see Notes)R5 10K 1/2W Trimmer CermetR6 3K3 1/4W ResistorR7,R9 4K7 1/4W ResistorsR8 470K 1/4W ResistorR10 10K 1/4W ResistorC1,C2 470µF 25V Electrolytic CapacitorsC3 1µF 63V Electrolytic CapacitorD1,D2,D4 1N4002 100V 1A DiodesD3 LED Red 3 or 5mm.Q1 BC557 45V 100mA PNP TransistorQ2 BC547 45V 100mA NPN TransistorQ3 BC337 45V 800mA NPN TransistorRL1 Relay with SPDT 2A @ 220V switchCoil Voltage 12V. Coil resistance 200-300 OhmJ1 Two ways output socketSW1 SPST Mains SwitchT1 220V Primary, 12 + 12V Secondary 3VA Mains transformerPL1 Male Mains plug & cable
Device purpose:This circuit is intended to control a heating system or central heating plan, keeping constant indoor temperature in spite of wide range changes in the outdoor one. Two sensors are needed: one placed outdoors, in order to sense the external temperature; the other placed on the water-pipe returning from heating system circuit, short before its input to the boiler. The output from the Relay contact must be connected to the boiler's start-stop control input.This circuit, though simple, has proven very reliable: in fact it was installed over 20 years ago at my parents' home. I know, it's a bit old: but it's still doing its job very well and without problems of any kind.
Circuit operation:When Q1 Base to ground voltage is less than half voltage supply (set by R7 & R9), a voltage is generated across R8 and the driver transistors Q2 & Q3 switch-on the Relay. When Q1 Base to ground voltage is more than half voltage supply, caused when one of the n.t.c. Thermistors lowers its value due to an increase in temperature, no voltage appears across R8 and the Relay is off.C3 allows a clean switching of the Relay.P1 acts as main temperature control.
Notes:R3 is the outdoor sensor, R4 the indoor sensor.If you are unable to find a 3K3 Thermistor for R3 you can use a 4K7 value instead. The different value can be easily compensated by means of Trimmer R5.R5 allows to set the heating system for outdoor temperatures ranging from about +10°C downwards. The higher R5's resistance the hotter the heating system and vice versa.The existing boiler thermostat should be set to its maximum value and not bypassed: it is necessary for safety's sake.This circuit can be dispensed with its differential feature and converted into a simple precision thermostat omitting R3. (View)
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Published:2013/7/28 20:16:00 Author:muriel | Keyword: Infra Red , Remote Control , Extenders
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Published:2013/7/28 20:15:00 Author:muriel | Keyword: On-Off Temperature Control
This circuit controls a load (in this case a dc brushless fan) based on a temperature compared with a setpoint. THe transduced is a diode in the forward polarization regime. In fact when forward biased, the forward voltage drop accross a diode has a temperature dependance, in particular has a negative linear(ish) slope. This because of the boltzmann distribuition, causing electrons to pass to the conduction band thermically, lowering the voltage drop accross the diode.Anyway this circuit comparates a precise voltage reference (zener) with the forward voltage drop of the diode forward biased with 11mA of current.The comparator is simply a LM158/258/358 working in open-loop mode, the inverting input is connected to the diode sensor, and the noninverting to the reference voltage. Se when the temperature rises above the setpoint, the forward voltage drops under the voltage reference and the comparator output is vccturning on the transistor and so the fan.Higher power transistor can be substituted for bigger fans, or you can substitute a relay, IGBT, mosfet etc to control higher loads (and higher voltages).The setpoint is adjusted with the potentiometer, and you can use a LM3914 led driver to make a temperature setpoint indicator (needs careful calibrations and the use of excel to calculate slope and intercept).Many modifications can be done, but the circuit works very well in its basic form.THe comparator can distinguish 10uV differences so approx 0.01°C differences (carefully adjusting the potentiometer can allow to feel body heat from 1/2 cm from the sensor, or feel ambient heat, making to turn the fan on and off continuosly)You can control temperatures up to 140°C (150 max diode temperature), but linearity is not ensuredPossible uses? Heatsink cooling, computer emergency cooling (but i thint that a linear device would be better than a on-off) metal cooling when drilling etc...Ah! One note: you can even heat with this circuit but you need the reverse comparator inputs and substitute the fan with a relay controlling the heater. (View)
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Published:2013/7/28 20:14:00 Author:muriel | Keyword: Light/Dark Detectors
This handy little circuit can tell the difference between darkness and light, making it very useful for switching on and off signs, porch lights or other things when it gets dark or light.
Parts:R1 100K PotQ1 2N3904 NPN Transistor or 2N2222Q2 NPN PhototransistorRELAY 9V RelayMISC Board, Wire, 9V Battery Snap (if battery used), Knob For R1Notes:1. R1 Adjusts sensitivity (View)
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Published:2013/7/28 20:13:00 Author:muriel | Keyword: Touch Switch II
A touch switch is a switch that is turned on and off by touching a wire contact, instead of flicking a lever like a regular switch. Touch switches have no mechanical parts to wear out, so they last a lot longer than regular switches. Touch switches can be used in places where regular switches would not last, such as wet or very dusty areas.
PartsC1 10uF 16V Electrolytic CapacitorR1, R2 100K 1/4 Watt ResistorR3 10 Meg 1/4 Watt ResistorU1 4011 CMOS NAND Gate ICMISC Board, Wire, Socket For U1Notes:1. The contacts an be made with just two loops of wire close together, or two squares etched close together on a PC board.2. When activated, the output of the circuit goes high for about one second. This pulse can be used to drive a relay, transistor, other logic, etc.3. You can vary the length of the output pulse by using a smaller or larger capacitor for C1. (View)
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Published:2013/7/28 20:11:00 Author:muriel | Keyword: IR Remote Control, Extender Circuit
This is an improved IR remote control extender circuit. It has high noise immunity, is resistant to ambient and reflected light and has an increased range from remote control to the extender circuit of about 7 meters. It should work with any domestic apparatus that use 36-38kHz for the IR carrier frequency. Please note that this is NOT compatible with some satellite receivers that use 115KHz as a carrier frequency.
Notes:The main difference between this version and the previous circuit, is that this design uses a commercially available Infra Red module. This module, part number IR1 is available from Harrison Electronics in the UK. The IR module contains a built in photo diode, amplifier circuit and buffer and decoder. It is centerd on the common 38kHz carrier frequency that most IR controls use. The module removes most of the carrier allowing decoded pulses to pass to the appliance. Domestic TV's and VCR's use extra filtering is used to completely remove the carrier. The IR1 is packaged in a small aluminium case, the connections viewed from underneath are shown below: (View)
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Published:2013/7/28 20:10:00 Author:muriel | Keyword: Rain Detector
This circuit uses a sensor made of a small piece of etched PC board and a simple SCR circuit to detect rain and sound a buzzer. The SCR could also be used to activate a relay, turn on a lamp, or send a signal to a security system.
PartsR1 1K 1/4 W ResistorR2 680 Ohm 1/4 W ResistorD1 1N4001 Silicon DiodeBZ1 12V BuzzerS1 SPST SwitchSCR1 C106B1 SCR 106CYSENSOR See NotesMISC Board, Wire, Case, PC Board (For Sensor)
Notes1. The sensor is a small piece of PC board etched to the pattern showen in the schematic. The traces should be very close to each other, but never touching. A large spiral pattern would also work.2. Make sure to use a loud buzzer. (View)
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Published:2013/7/28 20:10:00 Author:muriel | Keyword: Everything-that-moves ALARM
A crucial failing of proximity detectors is their unreliable and tricky nature. This is where they are used to detect humans, not to speak of smaller living beings. One common approach is to detect eddy currents in a living body, which are induced in the body through a.c. mains wiring. However, such circuits become altogether unusable in the case of mains failure, or in the absence of mains electricity, or even where adjacent mains circuits are switched in and out.
The circuit of Fig.1 takes the guesswork out of proximity detection by inducing eddy currents in a living being, whether animal or human. Five turns of enamelled copper wire (say 30 s.w.g.) are wound around the area within which detection is to take place (4m x 4m in tests), and an audio signal of about ¼ Watt is pulsed through this, the Tx, coil. A smaller Rx coil (say 100 turns of 30 s.w.g. enamelled copper wire wound on a 150mm dia. former) is used as a pick-up coil. The circuit is adjusted by means of tune and fine-tune controls VR1 and VR2, so that it is deactivated when one stands back from the Rx coil.
A simple clock generator (IC1a-IC1b) and power MOSFET (TR1) are used for the transmitter, and a 7555 timer (IC2) is wired as a sine-square convertor for the receiver. IC2's inputs are biased through VR1, VR2 and R4. IC2 in turn switches NAND gates IC1c and IC1d, to drive relay RLA. Capacitor C5 switches the relay for about two seconds, and its value may be increased or decreased to give different timing periods. D2 is critical to prevent back-e.m.f. from re-triggering the circuit. Supply decoupling capacitors C1 and C4 are also critical, and should be located close to IC1 and IC2 respectively.
When a living being - animal or human - comes within tens of centimetres of the Rx coil, the circuit is triggered. This coil may be placed in the threshold of a door, under a carpet, or around a hatch, at the base of a tree, and so on. A number of such coils may also be wired in series.
Coils may be wound with a larger or smaller diameter, with more or less turns, and the power of the transmitter may be varied, as well as the sensitivity of the receiver. Note that a.m. radio reception may be affected at close proximity to the Tx coil. (View)
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Published:2013/7/28 20:09:00 Author:muriel | Keyword: Room Noise Detectors
Parts:R1 10K 1/4W ResistorR2,R3 22K 1/4W ResistorsR4 100K 1/4W ResistorR5,R9,R10 56K 1/4W ResistorsR6 5K6 1/4W ResistorR7 560R 1/4W ResistorR8 2K2 1/4W ResistorR11 1K 1/4W ResistorR12 33K 1/4W ResistorR13 330R 1/4W ResistorC1 100nF 63V Polyester CapacitorC2 10µF 25V Electrolytic CapacitorC3 470µF 25V Electrolytic CapacitorC4 47µF 25V Electrolytic CapacitorD1 5mm. Red LEDIC1 LM358 Low Power Dual Op-ampQ1 BC327 45V 800mA PNP TransistorMIC1 Miniature electret microphoneSW1 2 poles 4 ways rotary switchB1 9V PP3 BatteryClip for PP3 Battery
Device purpose:This circuit is intended to signal through a flashing LED, the exceeding of a fixed threshold in room noise, chosen from three fixed levels, namely 50, 70 & 85 dB. Two Op-amps provide the necessary circuit gain for sounds picked-up by a miniature electret microphone to drive a LED. With SW1 in the first position the circuit is off. Second, third and fourth positions power the circuit and set the input sensitivity threshold to 85, 70 & 50 dB respectively.Current drawing is <1mA with LED off and 12-15mA when the LED is steady on.
Use:Place the small box containing the circuit in the room you intend to measure ambient noise.The 50 dB setting is provided to monitor the noise in the bedroom at night. If the LED is steady on, or flashes bright often, then your bedroom is inadequate and too noisy for sleep.The 70 dB setting is for living-rooms. If this level is often exceeded during the day, your apartment is rather uncomfortable.If noise level is constantly over 85 dB, 8 hours a day, then you live in a dangerous environment.
dB Example of sound sources20 Quiet garden, electric-clock ticking, drizzling rain30 Blast of wind, whisper @ 1 m.40 Countryside areas, quiet apartment, wrinkling paper @ 1 m.50 Residential areas, quiet streets, fridges, conversation @ 1 m.55 Offices, air-conditioners60 Alarm-clocks, radio & TV sets at normal volume64 Washing machines, quiet typewriters67 Hair-dryers, crowded restaurants69 Dish-washers, floor-polishers70 Loud conversation, noisy street, radio & TV sets at high volume72 Vacuum cleaners78 Telephone ring, mechanical workshop80 Passing trucks, noisy hall or plant, shuffling @ 1 m.90 Passing train, pneumatic hammer, car hooter @ 1 m.95 Mega disco , circular saw100 Motorcycle without silencer (View)
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Published:2013/7/28 20:08:00 Author:muriel | Keyword: Stepper Motor Controllers
I found this circuit in my files. I don't know where it came from, but it looks like I photocopied it from somewhere years ago. I have been told that it came from The Robot Builder's Bonanza , by Gordan McComb. Anyway, I thought that it should be fairly useful, so I decided to post it here. The circuit is very simple and inexpensive. This is good thing because most commercial stepper motor controller ICs are quite expensive. This circuit is built from standard components and can easily be adapted to be controlled by a computer. If you use cheap surplus transistors and stepper motor, the price of the circuit can be kept to under $10.
I found this circuit in my files. I don't know where it came from, but it looks like I photocopied it from somewhere years ago. I have been told that it came from The Robot Builder's Bonanza , by Gordan McComb. Anyway, I thought that it should be fairly useful, so I decided to post it here. The circuit is very simple and inexpensive. This is good thing because most commercial stepper motor controller ICs are quite expensive. This circuit is built from standard components and can easily be adapted to be controlled by a computer. If you use cheap surplus transistors and stepper motor, the price of the circuit can be kept to under $10. (View)
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Published:2013/7/28 20:08:00 Author:muriel | Keyword: Infrared Remote Control
This circuit will allow you to turn on any piece of equipment that operates on 115 volts ac. The reciever circuit is based on the Radio Shack infrared receiver module(MOD), part number 276-137. It is also available from some of the other sources listed on my Links page. The MOD accepts a 40khz IR signal that is modulated at 4 khz. When a signal is recieved the MOD will go low. The sensitivity of the MOD is set by different values for R1 and C1.The values for R1 may need to be as high as 10,000 ohms and for C1 40uf. This will prevent the unit from turning on under normal lighting conditions. You will need to experiment with the vaules that work best for you. The output of the 4013 chip a flip flop toggles on and off with the reception of a IR pulse. The output of the 4013 turns on the MOC optical coupler which in turn switches on the triac and supplies power to the AC load.
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Published:2013/7/28 20:07:00 Author:muriel | Keyword: Light switch
General DescriptionThis project will let you make a switch that will be activated by light falling on a sensor. It is a very useful device and can be used in automatism’s, security systems, counters, remote controls etc. It is very sensitive, fast acting and reliable. The circuit uses a Light Dependent Resistor (LDR) as a sensor and three transistors to amplify the signals from the LDR and drive the relay which does the switching.
Technical Specifications - CharacteristicsWorking voltage: ......... 12 VDCMaximum current: ....... 50 mA
How it WorksAs you can see from the circuit diagram in the input of the circuit there is a trimmer (R7) connected in series with the LDR in such a way as to form a voltage divider. When light falls on the LDR it causes its resistance to change and this causes the voltage across the LDR to change accordingly. These voltage changes are used to change the state of the transistor TR2 switching it ON and OFF. Theoutput from TR2 drives TR1 and this in turn TR3 which drives the output relay. The diode D1 protects the transistor from the back emf that is produced from the relay coil when it is turned off. The trimmer R7 adjusts the sensitivity of the circuit so it is possible to use it under widely different conditions. The circuit operates from a 9-12 VDC power supply and the relay contacts are rated at 250 V/2 A.ConstructionFirst of all let us consider a few basics in building electronic circuits on a printed circuit board. The board is made of a thin insulating material clad with a thin layer of conductive copper that is shaped in such a way as to form the necessary conductors between the various components of the circuit. The use of a properly designed printed circuit board is very desirable as it speeds construction upconsiderably and reduces the possibility of making errors. Smart Kit boards also come pre-drilled and with the outline of the components and their identification printed on the component side to make construction easier.To protect the board during storage from oxidation and assure it gets to you in perfect condition the copper is tinned during manufacturing and covered with a special varnish that protects it from getting oxidised and makes soldering easier.Soldering the components to the board is the only way to build your circuit and from the way you do it depends greatly your success or failure. This work is not very difficult and if you stick to a few rules you should have no problems. The soldering iron that you use must be light and its power should not exceed the 25 Watts. The tip should be fine and must be kept clean at all times. For this purpose come very handy specially made sponges that are kept wet and from time to time you can wipe the hot tip on them to remove all the residues that tend to accumulate on it. DO NOT file or sandpaper a dirty or worn out tip. If the tip can not be cleaned,replace it. There are many different types of solder in the market and you should choose a good quality one that contains the necessary flux in its core, to assure a perfect joint every time. DO NOT use soldering flux apart from that which is already included in your solder. Too much flux can cause many problems and is one of the main causes of circuit malfunction. If nevertheless you have touse extra flux, as it is the case when you have to tin copper wires, clean it very thoroughly after you finish your work. In order to solder a component correctly you should do the following: Clean the component leads with a small piece of emery paper - Bend them at thecorrect distance from the component body and insert the component in its place on the board. You may sometimes find a component with heavier gauge leads than usual, that are too thick to enter in the holes of the p.c. board. In this case use a mini drill toincrease the diameter of the holes slightly. Do not make the holes too large as this is going to make soldering difficult afterwards.Take the hot iron and place its tip on the component lead while holding the end of the solder wire at the point where the lead merges from the board. The iron tip must touch the lead slightly above the p.c. board. When the solder starts to melt and flow wait till it covers evenly the area around the hole and the flux boils and gets out from underneath the solder. The whole operation should not take more than 5 seconds. Remove the iron and leave the solder to cool naturally without blowing on it or moving the component. If everythingwas done properly the surface of the joint must have a bright metallic finish and its edges should be smoothly ended on the component lead and the board track. If the solder looks dull, cracked, or has the shape of a blob then you have made adry joint and you should remove the solder (with a pump, or a solder wick) and redo it. Take care not to overheat the tracks as it is very easy to lift them from the board and break them. When you are soldering a sensitive component it is good practice to hold the lead from the component side of the board with a pair of long-nose pliers to divert any heat that could possibly damage the component.Make sure that you do not use more solder than it is necessary as you are running the risk of short-circuiting adjacent tracks on the board, especially if they are very close together.After finishing your work cut off the excess of the component leads and clean the board thoroughly with a suitable solvent to remove all flux residues that still remain on it. You shouldn’t face any special problems with this project. The only unusual component is the LDR and you should decide where you want to put your project and how you are going to activate it as it will be necessary to leave a hole in the case for the sensor and possibly orientated the whole case towards the light beam. As usual start building the circuit with the resistors leaving the LDR for the final stage. Mount the relay on the board and solder the transistors and the diode in their places making sure that nothing went in the wrong place or the wrong way round. When everything is in its place solder the LDR carefully, as it is very fragile and can be easily damaged if overheated. Make the last visual check and if you are satisfied that all is well you can connect the circuit to a power supply or a battery of at least 9 VDC. Cover the sensitive surface of the LDR and turn the trimmer till you hear the relay clicking. If you uncover the sensor the relay should click again. You will probably have to read just the trimmer once the circuit is cased and you are ready to use it in some application, in order to fine-tune it to the conditions that you want it to operate in.
WarningSmart kits are sold as stand alone training kits. If they are used as part of a larger assembly and any damage is caused, our company bears no responsibility.While using electrical parts, handle power supply and equipment with great care, following safety standards as described by international specs and regulations.
If it does not workCheck the power supply to make sure there are at least 9 VDC across the circuit, and that the polarity is correct. Make sure the transistors and the diode are connected the right way round. Check your work for possible dry joints, bridges across adjacent tracks or soldering flux residues that usually cause problems.
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Published:2013/7/28 20:07:00 Author:muriel | Keyword: Magnetic-Radiation Remote-Control
Transmitter parts:R1 68K 1/4W ResistorC1 4n7 630V Ceramic or Polyester CapacitorC2 60-80pF 63V Ceramic TrimmerC3 100µF 25V Electrolytic CapacitorQ1 BC337 45V 800mA NPN TransistorQ2 BD139 80V 1.5A NPN TransistorL1 500 turns on a 10mm. diameter, 10cm. long ferrite rod.Enameled wire diameter: 0.2mm.The tap is made after 200 turns, ground sideP1 SPST PushbuttonB1 6-9V Battery (4 to 6 AA 1.5V Cells in series, see Notes)
Receiver parts:R1,R3 1M 1/4W ResistorsR2,R4 47K 1/4W ResistorsR5 330K 1/4W ResistorR6,R7 68K 1/4W ResistorsR8 180R 1/4W ResistorR9 100R 1/4W ResistorC1 470pF 63V Ceramic Capacitor (See Notes)C2 10nF 63V Polyester or Ceramic CapacitorC3 100µF 25V Electrolytic CapacitorC4,C5 100nF 63V Polyester or Ceramic CapacitorsC6 1µF 63V Polyester, Ceramic or Electrolytic CapacitorD1 5 or 3mm. Red LEDQ1,Q2,Q3 BC549C 25V 100mA NPN High-gain Low-noise TransistorsQ4 BD328 30V 800mA PNP TransistorL1 700 turns on a 10mm. diameter, 10cm. long ferrite rod.Enameled wire diameter: 0.2mm.The tap is made after 350 turns, i.e. at the center of the windingBZ1 Piezo sounder (incorporating 3KHz oscillator, optional, see Notes)RL1 5V DIL Reed-Relay SPDT or DPDT (Optional, see Notes)B1 3V Battery (2 x 1.5V AA, AAA or AAAA Cells in series or 1 x 3V Lithium Cell)
Device purpose:This unit can be useful as a short-range, single-channel remote-control. When the pushbutton in the transmitter circuit is briefly activated, the LED D1 in the receiver illuminates and an optional beeper or relay can be operated.Circuit operation is based on a non-modulated 35KHz frequency carrier transmitter, and on a high-gain two-stage 35KHz amplifier receiver, followed by a frequency-voltage converter and DC load driver.Outstanding features for this design are as follows:No outer antenna is required on both transmitter and receiver sections, due to the very low frequency operation. The antennas are 10mm. diameter, 10cm. long ferrite rods supporting the coils.Unlike Infra-red remote-controls, this unit operates through the walls etc.No radio-frequency interference in spite of simple circuitry.The receiver operates at ultra-low voltage supply (3V) and standing current (100µA): in this manner it can be left in stand-by mode for years before a battery replacement is needed. Snags are: the short-range operation (about a medium-sized apartment), the high number of windings for the coils and the high current drawn by the transmitter.Luckily, this latter snag is compensated by the fact that only a short pulse from the transmitter is needed to operate the receiver. Therefore, if the transmitter is not operated continuously, its battery should last long.
Transmitter circuit operation:Q1 and Q2 are wired as a Darlington pair to obtain the highest possible output from a Hartley type oscillator. C2 must be trimmed to obtain the highest sinewave output (best viewed on oscilloscope). In the prototype the sinewave amplitude measured at C1 leads reached 800V peak-to-peak at 9V supply and 450mA current.
Receiver circuit operation:Q1 and Q2 form a two-stage linear amplifier. Therefore, the small 35KHz signal picked-up by L1 is highly amplified by these devices and feds Q3 wired as a pulse-to-DC converter.When the input signal reaches Q3, the collector voltage of this transistor goes low, thus activating the LED D1 (or the optional beeper or relay) by means of Q4.Stand-by current is only 100µA. Current drawing is about 10mA when the LED is on and about 20mA when a relay is activated.
Notes:Q2 in the transmitter should have a small heatsink.A good compromise is to use a 6V supply for the transmitter (four 1.5V AA cells in series). In this case current drawing is 300mA.Needing a shorter range operation, Q2 in the transmitter can be omitted. Therefore, the emitter of Q1 will be connected to the tap of L1 coil. In this case the circuit could be powered by a 9V PP3 alkaline battery, drawing about 100mA current.The receiver must be tuned to the transmitter frequency. Starting with a 470pF value for C1, you should try to modify its value by means of small capacitors wired in parallel to it, in order to obtain the highest AC voltage output at Q2 or Q1 collector (best measured with an oscilloscope). C1 value might vary from about 400 to 800pF.Do this setup with transmitter placed 4-5 meters away from receiver. During setup it is wise to temporarily connect the transmitter to a 6 or 9V regulated power supply, in order to save batteries.A small DIL 5V reed-relay was used in spite of the 3V supply of the receiver. Several devices of this type were tested and it was found that they switch-on with a coil voltage value comprised in the 1.9 - 2.1V range. The coil resistance values varied from 140 to 250 Ohm. (View)
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Published:2013/7/28 20:06:00 Author:muriel | Keyword: TRIAC Light Dimmers
This little circuit can be used to dim lights up to about 350 watts. It uses a simple, standard TRIAC circuit that, in my expirience, generates very little heat. Please note that this circuit cannot be used with fluorescent lights.
PartsR1 50K PotR2 15K 1/2W ResistorC1, C2 0.068 250V CapacitorL1 Lamp To Be Controlled (up to 350 watts)L2 Neon LampTR1 40502 TRIACMISC Case, Knob, Heatsink For TR1, Wire, Socket For L1Notes1. This circuit is for 117VAC only. 220 or 240 V will burn up the circuit. L1 can be a maximum of 350 watts.2. The circuit must be installed and used in a case. (View)
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Published:2013/7/28 20:05:00 Author:muriel | Keyword: Temperature-controlled Fan
Parts:P1 22K Linear Potentiometer (See Notes)R1 15K @ 20°C n.t.c. Thermistor (See Notes)R2 100K 1/4W ResistorR3,R6 10K 1/4W ResistorsR4,R5 22K 1/4W ResistorsR7 100R 1/4W ResistorR8 470R 1/4W ResistorR9 33K 4W ResistorC1 10nF 63V Polyester CapacitorD1 BZX79C18 18V 500mW Zener DiodeD2 TIC106D 400V 5A SCRD3-D6 1N4007 1000V 1A DiodesQ1,Q2 BC327 45V 800mA PNP TransistorsQ2 BC337 45V 800mA NPN TransistorSK1 Female Mains socketPL1 Male Mains plug & cable
Device purpose:This circuit adopt a rather old design technique as its purpose is to vary the speed of a fan related to temperature with a minimum parts counting and avoiding the use of special-purpose ICs, often difficult to obtain.
Circuit operation:R3-R4 and P1-R1 are wired as a Wheatstone bridge in which R3-R4 generates a fixed two-thirds-supply reference voltage, P1-R1 generates a temperature-sensitive variable voltage, and Q1 is used as a bridge balance detector.P1 is adjusted so that the reference and variable voltages are equal at a temperature just below the required trigger value, and under this condition Q1 Base and Emitter are at equal voltages and Q1 is cut off. When the R1 temperature goes above this balance value the P1-R1 voltage falls below the reference value, so Q1 becomes forward biased, pulse-charging C1.This occurs because the whole circuit is supplied by a 100Hz half-wave voltage obtained from mains supply by means of D3-D6 diode bridge without a smoothing capacitor and fixed to 18V by R9 and Zener diode D1. Therefore the 18V supply of the circuit is not true DC but has a rather trapezoidal shape. C1 provides a variable phase-delay pulse-train related to temperature and synchronous with the mains supply zero voltage point of each half cycle, thus producing minimal switching RFI from the SCR. Q2 and Q3 form a trigger device, generating a short pulse suitable to drive the SCR.
Notes:The circuit is designed for 230Vac operation. If your ac mains is rated at about 115V, you can change R9 value to 15K 2W. No other changes are required.Circuit operation can be reversed, i.e. the fan increases its speed as temperature decreases, by simply transposing R1 and P1 positions. This mode of operation is useful in controlling a hot air flux, e.g. using heaters.Thermistor value is not critical: I tried also 10K and 22K with good results.In this circuit, if R1 and Q1 are not mounted in the same environment, the precise trigger points are subject to slight variation with changes in Q1 temperature, due to the temperature dependence of its Base-Emitter junction characteristics. This circuit is thus not suitable for use in precision applications, unless Q1 and R1 operate at equal temperatures.he temperature / speed-increase ratio can be varied changing C1 value. The lower the C1 value the steeper the temperature / speed-increase ratio curve and vice-versa. (View)
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Published:2013/7/28 20:03:00 Author:muriel | Keyword: PWM Motor, Light Controllers
A pulse width modulator (PWM) is a device that may be used as an efficient light dimmer or DC motor speed controller. The circuit described here is a general purpose device that can control DC devices which draw up to a few amps of current. The circuit may be used in 12 Volt and 24 Volt systems with a few minor changes. This device has been used to control the brightness of an automotive tail lamp and as a motor speed control for small DC fans of the type used in computer power supplies. A PWM circuit works by making a square wave with a variable on-to-off ratio, the average on time may be varied from 0 to 100 percent. In this manner, a variable amount of power is transferred to the load. The main advantage of a PWM circuit over a resistive power controller is the efficiency, at a 50% level, the PWM will use about 50% of full power, almost all of which is transferred to the load, a resistive controller at 50% load power would consume about 71% of full power, 50% of the power goes to the load and the other 21% is wasted heating the dropping resistor. Load efficiency is almost always a critical factor in alternative energy systems. An additional advantage of pulse width modulation is that the pulses are at the full supply voltage and will produce more torque in a motor by being able to overcome the internal motor resistances more easily. Finally, in a PWM circuit, common small potentiometers may be used to control a wide variety of loads whereas large and expensive high power variable resistors are needed for resistive controllers. The main Disadvantages of PWM circuits are the added complexity and the possibility of generating radio frequency interference (RFI). RFI may be minimized by locating the controller near the load, using short leads, and in some cases, using additional filtering on the power supply leads. This circuit has some RFI bypassing and produced minimal interference with an AM radio that was located under a foot away. If additional filtering is needed, a car radio line choke may be placed in series with the DC power input, be sure not to exceed the current rating of the choke.
SPECIFICATIONSPWM Frequency: 400 HzCurrent Capacity: 3 Amps with IRF521 FET, more with IRFZ34N FETPWM circuit current: 1.5 ma @ 12V with no LED and no loadOperating Voltage: 12V or 24V depending on the configuration.
THEORYThe PWM circuit requires a steadily running oscillator to operate. U1a and U1d form a square/triangle waveform generator with a frequency of around 400 Hz. U1c is used to generate a 6 Volt reference current which is used as a virtual ground for the oscillator, this is necessary to allow the oscillator to run off of a single supply instead of a +/- voltage dual supply. U1b is wired in a comparator configuration and is the part of the circuit that generates the variable pulse width. U1 pin 6 receives a variable voltage from the R6, VR1, R7 voltage ladder. This is compared to the triangle waveform from U1-14. When the waveform is above the pin 6 voltage, U1 produces a high output. Conversely, when the waveform is below the pin 6 voltage, U1 produces a low output. By varying the pin 6 voltage, the on/off points are moved up and down the triangle wave, producing a variable pulse width. Resistors R6 and R7 are used to set the end points of the VR1 control, the values shown allow the control to have a full on and a full off setting within the travel of the potentiometer. These part values may be varied to change the behavior of the potentiometer. Finally, Q1 is the power switch, it receives the modulated pulse width voltage on the gate terminal and switches the load current on and off through the Source-Drain current path. When Q1 is on, it provides a ground path for the load, when Q1 is off, the load's ground is floating. Care should be taken to insure that the load terminals are not grounded or a short will occur. The load will have the supply voltage on the positive side at all times. LED1 is optional and gives a variable brightness response to the pulse width. Capacitor C3 smooths out the switching waveform and removes some RFI, Diode D1 is a flywheel diode that shorts out the reverse voltage kick from inductive motor loads. In the 24 Volt mode, regulator U2 converts the 24 Volt supply to 12 Volts for running the pwm circuit, Q1 switches the 24 Volt load to ground just like it does for the 12 Volt load. See the schematic for instructions on wiring the circuit for 12 Volts or 24 Volts. At the 1 amp current level, no heat sink is needed on Q1, if you will be switching more current, a heat sink is recommended. Q1 may be replaced with a higher current device such as an IRFZ34N, all of the current handling devices, switch S1, fuse F1, and the wiring between the FET, power supply, and load should be able to handle the maximum load current.
CONSTRUCTONThe prototype for this circuit was constructed on a regular IC proto board with parts and wires stuck into the proto board holes. One version of the finished circuit was used to make a variable speed DC fan, the fan was mounted on top of a small metal box and the PWM circuit was contained inside of the box (Fig 1). I built a simple circuit board (Fig 2) using a free circuit board CAD program, PCB (1) that runs on the Linux operating system. The circuit board image was printed on a PostScript laser printer onto a mask transfer product called Techniks Press-n-Peel blue film (2). The printed on film is then ironed on to a cleaned piece of single sided copper clad board. The board is etched with Ferric Chloride solution. Holes are drilled with a fine gauge drill bit, parts are soldered in, and the board is wired to the power and load. This technique is great for producing working boards in a short time but is not suitable for large numbers of boards. A board pattern is shown in Fig 3, this may be photo-copied onto a piece of press-n-peel blue film. Alternately, the dead-bug construction method may be used, this involves taking a piece of blank copper PC board, glueing a wire-wrap IC socket to the board with 5 minute epoxy, then soldering all of the parts to the wire wrap pins. Grounded pins can be soldered directly to the copper board.
USEThis circuit will work as a DC lamp dimmer, small motor controller, and even as a small heater controller. It would make a great speed control for a solar powered electric train. I have not tried the circuit with larger motors, in theory, it should work in applications such as a bicycle motor drive system, if you experiment with this, be sure to include an easily accessible emergency power disconnect switch in case the FET shorts on. Wire the circuit for 12 Volts or 24 Volts as per the schematic, connect the battery to the input terminals, and connect the load to the output terminals, be sure not to ground either output terminal or anything connected to the output terminals such as a motor case. Turn the potentiometer knob back and forth, the load should show variable speed or light.PartsU1:LM324N quad op-ampU2:78L12 12 volt regulatorQ1:IRF521 N channel MosFetD1:1N4004 silicon diodeLED1 Red LEDC1: 0.01uF ceramic disc capacitor, 25VC2-C5:0.1uF ceramic disk capacitor, 50VR1-R4:100K 1/4W resistorR5:47K 1/4W resistorR6-R7:3.9K 1/4W resistorR8:2.7K 1/4W resistorVR1:10K linear potentiometerF1:3 Amp, 28V DC fast blow fuseS1:toggle switch, 5 Amps
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Published:2013/7/28 20:02:00 Author:muriel | Keyword: Metal Detectors
The circuit described here is that of a metal detector. The opera- tion of the circuit is based on superheterodyning principle which is commonly used in superhet receivers. The circuit utilises two RF oscillators. The frequencies of both oscillators are fixed at 5.5 MHz. The first RF oscillator comprises transistor T1 (BF 494) and a 5.5MHz ceramic filter commonly used in TV sound-IF section. The second oscillator is a Colpitt’s oscillator realised with the help of transistor T3 (BF494) and inductor L1 (whose construction details follow) shunted by trimmer capacitor VC1. These two oscillators’ frequencies (say Fx and Fy) are mixed in the mixer transistor T2 (another BF 494) and the difference or the beat frequency (Fx-Fy) output from collector of transistor T2 is connected to detector stage comprising diodes D1 and D2 (both OA 79). The output is a pulsating DC which is passed through a low-pass filter realised with the help of a 10k resistor R12 and two 15nF capacitors C6 and C10. It is then passed to AF amplifier IC1 (2822M) via volumecontrol VR1 and the output is fed to an 8-ohm/1W speaker. The inductor L1 can be constructed using 15 turns of 25SWG wire on a 10cm (4-inch) diameter air-core former and then cementing it with insulating varnish. For proper operation of the circuit it is critical that frequencies of both the oscillators are the same so as to obtain zero beat in the absence of any metal in the near vicinity of the circuit. The alignment of oscillator 2 (to match oscillator 1 frequency) can be done with the help of trimmer capacitor VC1. When the two frequencies are equal, the beat frequency is zero, i.e. beat frquency=Fx-Fy=0, and thus there is no sound from the loudspeaker. When search coil L1 passes over metal, the metal changes its inductance, thereby changing the second oscillator’s frequency. So now Fx-Fy is not zero and the loudspeaker sounds. Thus one is able to detect presence of metal.
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Published:2013/7/28 20:00:00 Author:muriel | Keyword: Economical Pump Controller
The automatic pump controller eliminates the need for any manual switching of pumps installed for the purpose of pumping water from a reservoir to an overhead tank (refer Fig. 1). It automatically switches on the pump when the water level in the tank falls below a certain low level (L), provided the water level in the reservoir is above a certain level (R). Subsequently, as the water level in the tank rises to an upper level (M), the pump switched off automatically. The pump is turned on again only when the water level again falls below level L in the tank, provided the level in the reservoir is above R. This automated action continues. The circuit is designed to ‘overlook’ the transient oscillations of the water level which would otherwise cause the logic to change its state rapidly and unnecessarily. The circuit uses a single CMOS chip (CD4001) for logic processing. No use of any moving electro-mechanical parts in the water-level sensor has been made. This ensures quick response, no wear and tear, and no mechanical failures. The circuit diagram is shown in Fig. 2. The device performed satisfactorily on a test run in conjunction with a 0.5 HP motor and pump. The sensors used in the circuit can be any two conducting probes, preferably resistant to electrolytic corrosion. For instance, in the simplest case, a properly sealed audio jack can be used to work as the sensor. The circuit can also be used as a constant fluid level maintainer. For this purpose the probes M and L are brought very close to each other to ensure that the fluid level is maintained within the M and L levels. The advantage of this system is that it can be used in tanks/reservoirs of any capacity whatsoever. However, the circuit cannot be used for purely non-conducting fluids. For non-conducting fluids, some modifications need to be made in the fluid-level sensors. The circuit can however be kept intact.
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