I have issues with MAKE: Electronics experiment 8? (The link may not work so tell me

[nyancatvsghosthead]

Thank you. I tried the thing hooking up the wires to the relay. The relay doesn't do anything. Should I get a new relay? Also, how do I connect the relay from the circuit to the wires. I figured that if I just copy the circuit in the book, I should be fine. How to connect it to a power source? Thank you so much. I do not hear any "click" or "buzz" or any sort. I am very thankful. My next question is, do I need to buy a new relay? I'm so glad that I have an expert like you to help me. Thank you.

 

[(*steve*)]

Your power source (what is it by the way?) needs to be connected directly to the coil.

Your power supply has 2 wires. One needs to go to one pin, the other wire to the other pin. We're talking about the pins that are slightly separated from the others.

If you don't hear a click, then one of the following is true:

1) your power supply is not the correct voltage.
2) your power supply cannot supply enough current.
3) your power supply is turned off or not working.
4) you've connected the wires wrong.
5) the relay is dead.
6) you're deaf.

 

[jackorocko]

It might help if you took a picture of the underside of the relay so we could see the pins. Then someone could use their awesome ms paint skills and draw you a picture to copy verbatim on how to make the relay "click". The click as steve has suggested is VERY important because it determines if the relay is working as designed.

From the look of that relay I would think a 9V battery shorted across the coil pins of the relay should make it "click".

 

[nyancatvsghosthead]

Yeah. I'll take a pix of the relay right now.

 

[nyancatvsghosthead]

Here is a pix of just the relay. Obviously, the photo includes no breadboard.

http://s1111.photobucket.com/albums.../?action=view&current=IMG_20120116_125512.jpg

So should I show you the wires too? I think not, but if I must. Thank you for the response. Thank you SOOOOO much. I feel quite pleasured, to know I'm making progress. =)

 

[nyancatvsghosthead]

By the way, I must give thanks to you for this information. In my view, you are quite informative and have quite a bit of expertise I see? Well, you guys rule. I totally came to the right website to run into the right people. I am awfully glad that there are people like you guys to answer the questions of people like me. If it weren't for experts like you, people like me would have much slower learning. =)

 

[(*steve*)]

Connect your power source up to the two pins circled.

Please tell us what your power source is (and what voltage/current rating if appropriate)

 

[nyancatvsghosthead]

The relay gave 0 on VDC and ADC. Should I try something else? Is my relay dead? Can relays just sort of not work, like in an end of story sort of way? I'm just asking. Thanks. What could be wrong with the relay anyways? What I mean by "just sort of not work" is can a packaged relay come completely broken? Did the relay fry after trying to use it so much? Should I measure the ohms of the relay? Thank you so much for the response.

Greatly appreciated, Josh Koloff

 

[jackorocko]

Well you ain't going to get anywhere unless you answer the questions you been asked 3 times. We are trying to help, mostly steve, but you are making it extremely hard for everyone.

 

[nyancatvsghosthead]

Are these the questions that I am being asked? Here are the answers. Sorry, it was hard to process the question thing, due to my autism. I know that I'm supposed to listen to stuff like that. Here are the questions and answers:
What is my power source?
12 volt DC adapter, connected to wall
What do I mean by same side, or opposite side?
The wires powering the machine are on one side of the breadboard, and the circuit is closer to the other side, relative to the positive and negative terminal wires, that is.
Do I hear buzzing?
No.
Is that small thing a switch?
Yes. It is a pushbutton switch.
Do the LEDs light up?
No.
Did it work before I added the capacitor?
No, because I never tried it without a capacitor. The book told me to add in a capacitor.

Also, in case it helps, nothing works, the LEDs don't light up, I hear no buzz and absolutely nothing ever happens when I plug it in and push the button. I tested the relay, and then it gives me nothing. I tested it for all of these: AC, DC and OHMs. That happens to be every setting I have on the multimeter. I'm very sorry about not answering your questions, and I completely apologize. Thank you so much for the response anyways. If I left any of the questions out, let me know please. Thanks.

 

[nyancatvsghosthead]

Also, I have this to ask.

I can't tell for sure from the photo, but it appears that on the bottom the power is connected to the RED rail and the circuit is connected to the RED rail, while on the top the power is connected to the BLUE rail and the circuit is connected to the RED rail. If that is in fact the case then the circuit is not receiving any power. One of the symptoms of such a condition is that the project does not work.

What do you mean by this reply exactly? I'm sorry to ask for another diagram but I need one explaining how I need to hook up the power. Thank you.

 

[(*steve*)]

Please follow these steps and give me the THREE meter readings.

12 volt DC adapter, connected to wall

The first step is to turn your multimeter to a DC voltage range (somewhere between a 20 and 200 volt range)

The second step is to place one probe on each of the wires coming from your power supply

The third step is to read the multimeter. WHAT DOES IT READ?

I tested the relay, and then it gives me nothing. I tested it for all of these: AC, DC and OHMs. That happens to be every setting I have on the multimeter.

The fourth step is to change the meter to a OHMS scale (almost any one will be fine)

The fofth step is to read the meter (it should say something like OL). WHAT DOES THE METER READ?

The sixth step is to place the probes of the meter on the pins I identified in the earlier picture

The seventh step is to read the meter. WHAT DOES THE METER READ NOW?

 

[nyancatvsghosthead]

Okay. So, as for the power supply, it is around 1.57 volts. When I set it to OHMS scale, it gave me a different result each time, and then went right back to "OL." Finally I put the meter on the pins and it changed, but it stayed on and positive and did not go negative sometimes like I think the OHMS did. I also must say that I had a ranged power source. It was set to 1.5 volts. I just set it to 3 volts b/c the experiment says 3 to 12 volts. Could that be the problem? Could I just have been making a stupid mistake this whole time? Thank you so much for helping. I think the experiment does say 3 to 12 volts. But if that's a dangerous idea, then I don't want to try it, which is why I'm asking you. Thank you so much.

Thank you, nyancatvsghosthead

 

[jackorocko]

What is the relay voltage on the coil? If it is 12V, then you are way under powering the relay and yes that is the mistake you made. A 12V relay needs at the min 9V to work, I have used a 12V relay with a 9V battery before. Would be better to use 12V though.

 

[(*steve*)]

Jackoroko, it's a 12 volt relay.

nyan, your 12 volt power source is probably dead. You may have shorted it, or it may have failed for some other reason.

I missed step 3.5 which should have been "disconnect the meter"

With nothing connected to the meter, on an ohms scale it should read OL

Then connect it to the relay. Try different ohms ranges if you have them until you get a stable reading. Once you get a stable reading, tell us what that is, and what range you're using on your meter (it might be x10, x1000, 20k, 2000, etc.)

 

[nyancatvsghosthead]

First, if I have a power source of range 1.5 to 12 volts, should I switch it to exactly 12 volts? I'm just asking. Yes, I'll do what you said tonight or tomorrow. Right now I have to do Spanish but thank you. I wish I had answered your questions earlier. I sometimes wish I wasn't so autistic and sometimes I love it. Yeah, is you mean by "disconnect" to just take the probes off and put them in a different place? I mean just take the probes off of the wire or whatever I'm measuring? If that's the case then I've done that part. But yes, I will try that. Thank you, especially the OHMS part. Thanks. =) That makes sense actually. I'd love to know more of the logic behind that step in your solution. Thank you so much (sorry to monologue, just being grateful.)

 

[(*steve*)]

Yes, set your power supply to 12V. The relay is 12V. It probably won't work at much less than 9V, so 1.5V isn't going to make anything happen.

By disconnect, I mean take the meter probes off whatever they're on. Leave them attached to the meter though.

Using the wrong scale on your multimeter can damage it or what you're measuring.

Ohms ranges should only be used on unpowered equipment.

Current ranges should be used with caution (don't use them unless you know how to).

 

[jackorocko]

when steve says disconnect the leads, he means hold them up in the air separated. This is the only way to make sure that you have no connection between both leads. Your meter should give you a very large Ohm reading. Most new electronic multi-meters will read OL. This just means the resistance is infinite, which should be the case since there is no connection for current to flow.

When you are measuring resistance, the meter provides its own power, this is why it is most important that you disconnect the power from the device you are measuring. The meter expects a very low voltage to be measured, the voltage that the multi-meter provides.

It doesn't really sound like you have a good understanding of what voltage, current, and resistance even are. It would do you a world of good to understand these unequivocally before you proceed with your electronics study.

 

[jackorocko]

Here in the tutorials section, on this site is a good article on how meters work. https://www.electronicspoint.com/dc-metering-circuits-f114.html

You might be interested in the Ohmmeter section.

 

[nyancatvsghosthead]

I think I got the circuit right. Tell me if this video is correct:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=350563434968521

That's my video. I think I still kind of have a problem. Once you respond, I will read your link b/c I know that it is going to be useful. So, based on the video, does my circuit work?

I will read the OHM thing b/c I know it will help. Thank you. I just want to know if it works first please. If it does, then I'll read it and move on. I promise, that if I got it to work, then
I will not bother you further, if you think I don't need to. If you think I should keep asking you guys b/c it doesn't work though, just let me know. I don't want to get it wrong so I mean... Thank you so much, and I really must give thanks to you guys for all of the expert advice, that you have given. =)