Experiment 9; MAKE: Electronics

[Rleo6965]

You did not connect the other of resistor to the positive wire or capacitor .We removed connection of push button switch to simplify circuit.

That's the reason that capacitor does not have charge voltage because current path was discontinued or not connected.

Please check if negative wire of capacitor was connected in line with gtreen wire. Use multimeter to confirm connection of wires and components.

 

[jackorocko]

does this help your confusion on how a breadboard is wired internally?

 

[(*steve*)]

The connections under the holes go the way I've drawn the red lines.

If you need a connection between two wires they need to be along one of these lines.

Do you understand that?

 

[nyancatvsghosthead]

Here are the results (varied):

This was on DCV setting:

2v = 31 volts
20v = varied from 12 volts to 14 volts
200v = 1 volt
500v = 0 volts

Does that mean anything?

 

[nyancatvsghosthead]

Thank you so much for helping me once again.

 

[twister]

Thank you so much for helping me once again.

I think that your experiment is working properly. The problem is that your RC time constant is too short for you to see it charge up. Try using larger resistors, like a 5k ohm.
Resistance times capacitance equals Time. RC=T. This is the time it takes for a capacitor to reach 63.2% of a full charge. 1/RC= frequency.

First, discharge your capacitor to ground, Then hook your voltmeter from ground to the positive on the cap. Now apply a positive voltage to the cap. and observe the volt meter.
1. What did you see?

Discharge the cap. Now put the positive of the cap to the positive rail. Hook the 5k resistor to ground. Hook your volt meter from ground to the negative of the cap. Apply positive voltage to the rail.
2. Now what did you see?

The most important tool you have is your brain.Stop and think about everything that you are doing. Write a new circuit down on paper and when you build it, go over every connection at least twice before you apply the power. A electrolytic cap can explode if it is hooked backwards. Always close your eyes or look away when you apply the power.

 

[nyancatvsghosthead]

Does that mean that I should use four band resistors instead? I think that it would work much better. I figure that I have no four band resistors. Should I buy some?

 

[(*steve*)]

The number of bands won't matter much in this case

 

[(*steve*)]

nyan... I'm not sure you understand what you're expecting to see.

Do you have the Make electronics book? or are you doing this from the web somewhere.

The book clearly indicates what you're supposed to do and what you're supposed to see.

Here is a youtube video which demonstrated what you might see:

The whole thing with experiments like this is that you are supposed to understand what you're going to see and to try to reproduce it. I don't have confidence that you actually know what to expect, so the experiment is going to be pretty pointless for you.

Can you clarify?

 

[nyancatvsghosthead]

I can't quite clarify. It seems that I'm supposed to put the capacitor in a whole that isn't on the side, but in one of the two middle columns. I think that it would make sense that I don't see what I'm supposed to do. Forgive me, as I am in high school so I don't have a lot of time to do things like this. I love electronics though. I totally think that I don't get this. You're right. I don't know what to expect. No, I don't think I'm getting it. Yes, I'm only getting this directly from my MAKE: Electronics Book, but to be honest, I haven't done this experiment in a while. I wish I could move it a little quicker but you get the idea. Anyways, I think what I'm supposed to see is that it takes a longer time on the multimeter for the voltage to go up to a certain point right? I could be totally wrong though. Thanks for helping. My misunderstanding is totally my fault. I think thought that I need to reread to chapter to before I respond to the next comment of yours, I'll reread so that I can get a better idea of what I'm trying to do again. Thank you.

 

[(*steve*)]

OK, you need to read the experiment and keep reading until you understand what is supposed to happen. Then the experiment will serve as confirmation.

It may help if this is just one page that you scan it so we can see it. It may help us help you (because we don't have the book)

 

[jackorocko]

I wish I could move it a little quicker

I remember on the last experiment you didn't figure it out and yet you said, "I just want to move on." The problem with that, you are starting to see. The book is trying to build your knowledge, if you skip past a section and fail to understand it then I don't see how you can expect to understand the next section. This should now seem pretty evident to yourself.

 

[jackorocko]

this is gonna sound so cliche, but 'patience is a virtue!'

 

[nyancatvsghosthead]

Yes I know. I'm doing that. I totally need to work on my patience. I have no patience whatsoever for ANYTHING. Believe it or not, I can't even wait at the doctor's office. I HAVE to fix this, and I know that only I can. But it would be great if there was some sort of unrealistic therapy for this but there isn't so I might as well wait in earnest. Yes, here are a few a page of the book for you:

That's the objective. Thank you for helping.

 

[davenn]

Hi Nyan

its all a learning process, we all started with the basics
The main thing is to follow instructions. if you look at that pic you have posted above and compare that to the actual pic of your layout you posted much earlier in the thread, I'm sure you will see where you have some gaps in the circuit

cheers
Dave

 

[jackorocko]

When I pressed the button nothing happened at all. Sorry.

As davenn has said, take a look at this picture again. The problem is with the resistor side of the circuit. The photo above looks nothing like the diagram in your book!!! We already showed you a picture of how the breadboard is electrically connected. So fix the switch and resistor according to the book and check the voltage across the capacitor again. Then once it is working, make sure you understand why it is now and wasn't earlier, should be pretty simple to see if you take all the advice given to you.

 

[nyancatvsghosthead]

I did it. I found the solution. Thank you. I just had to try the resistor thing you told me. Yes, I took your advice about not getting four stripes. I also had to reposition the circuit. At the end of the day, I got it to work though.

Here it is:

 

[twister]

I'm so glad you got it working.
You have one strong virtue; you don't give up easy!

 

[Rleo6965]

Welcome to the world of electronics.

Be one of us.

 

[(*steve*)]

Glad you finally got there.