Elenco Electronics Projects 306-511 Instruction Manual page 6

MORE DO's and DON'Ts of Building Circuits
After building the circuits given in this booklet, you may wish to experiment on your own. Use
the projects in this booklet as a guide, as many important design concepts are introduced
throughout them. Every circuit will include a power source (the batteries), a resistance
(which might be a resistor, lamp, motor, integrated circuit, etc.), and wiring paths between
them and back. You must be careful not to create "short circuits" (very low-resistance paths
across the batteries, see examples below) as this will damage components and/or quickly
drain your batteries. Only connect the IC's using configurations given in the projects,
incorrectly doing so may damage them. Elenco
due to incorrect wiring.
Here are some important guidelines:
USE EYE PROTECTION WHEN EXPERIMENTING ON YOUR OWN.
ALWAYS
ALWAYS include at least one component that will limit the current through a circuit, such
as the speaker, lamp, whistle chip, capacitors, IC's (which must be connected
properly), motor, microphone, photoresistor, or fixed resistors.
ALWAYS use the 7-segment display, LED's, transistors, the high frequency IC, the SCR,
the antenna, and switches in conjunction with other components that will
limit the current through them. Failure to do so will create a short circuit
and/or damage those parts.
ALWAYS connect the adjustable resistor so that if set to its 0 setting, the current will be
limited by other components in the circuit.
ALWAYS connect position capacitors so that the "+" side gets the higher voltage.
ALWAYS disconnect your batteries immediately and check your wiring if something
appears to be getting hot.
ALWAYS check your wiring before turning on a circuit.
ALWAYS connect IC's, the FM module, and the
the projects or as per the connection descriptions for the parts.
NEVER try to use the high frequency IC as a transistor (the packages are similar, but the
parts are different).
NEVER use the 2.5V lamp in a circuit with both battery holders unless you are sure that
the voltage across it will be limited.
NEVER connect to an electrical outlet in your home in any way.
NEVER leave a circuit unattended when it is turned on.
NEVER touch the motor when it is spinning at high speed.
Note: If you have the more advanced Model SC-750, there are additional guidelines in your
other project manual.
For all of the projects given in this book, the parts may be arranged in different ways without
changing the circuit. For example, the order of parts connected in series or in parallel does
not matter — what matters is how combinations of these sub-circuits are arranged together.
Warning to Snap Rover owners: Do not connect your parts to the
Rover body except when using our approved circuits, the Rover
!
body has a higher voltage which could damage your parts.
-5-
® is not responsible for parts damaged
SCR using configurations given in
Examples of SHORT CIRCUITS -
Placing a 3-snap wire directly
across the batteries is a
SHORT CIRCUIT.
!
NEVER
DO!
When the slide switch (S1) is turned on, this large circuit has a SHORT
CIRCUIT path (as shown by the arrows). The short circuit prevents any
other portions of the circuit from ever working.
!
NEVER
DO!
WARNING: SHOCK HAZARD
the electrical outlets in your home in any way!
NEVER DO THESE!!!
!
NEVER
DO!
This is also a
SHORT CIRCUIT.
!
NEVER
DO!
- Never connect Snap Circuits ® to