THE CHANGE: Trend in EDUcation to Make EDUcators TEACHers MORE Professional

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Trend in EDUcation to Make EDUcators TEACHers MORE Professional

Since I follow EDUcators, TEACHers on Social Media twitter (2009), I must admit that too many of them (a lot) are on a Mediocrity status, even on a BAD status, which is no more acceptable in 21st Century!! Using Social Media twitter and others (new technologies…) to forward OLD, outdated mentality!, with a NOT up-to-date Professional Development and a lack of modern Pedagogy!!

This post is NOT mentioned for bashing, BUT to go for Deep-Thinking about the profession of EDUcators, TEACHers and its evolution.

BUT they are showing up as being superior to all others; blocking other experienced education related persons which give them feedback for better ways, and building up a PLN (Personal [Professional] Learning Network) with the same interests and same mentality where everybody is endorsing each member with ONLY nice talking, feedback is NOT welcome.

THEY want to shine on the web, presenting themselves as a golden statue, whereby the core is wooden and the surface is ONLY gold plated! 😉 The trend is to create Twitter-Chats for Professional Development, which is GOOD anyway, BUT by continuing with a “Fixed Mindset” by using modern technology and Social Media is NOT professional at all!! OH YES, EDUcators, TEACHers are ALSO narcissistic persons, even probably more as youth and career driven. Being humble isn’t their force, arrogance is present on a daily basis…!

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And as most of you know me, a related music 😉

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The trend overall on the globe is to use ONLY EdTech and apps and the Modern Pedagogy isn’t used at all!! That’s the wrong way!!

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With that “Fixed Mind” they stay on the “Status Quo”  as their outdated … is ONLY transferred by just using modern technology! In Modern-Education it’s about the learners, students; it’s about “Learning-To-Learn”!

Schools and EDUcation can’t follow anymore that quick as quick the Real-World is changing constantly and nobody knows actually WHAT will be NEW tomorrow!

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There is a SHIFT needed, and THAT shift needs to be done in the mind, check below, please.

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Learn more:

• My curation about Growth Mindset
• STILL following “WE have ALWAYS done it this way” OR ALREADY on Growth-Mindset!?

• Is My Professional Development Up-To-Date?

• Professional Development: WHY EDUcators And TEACHers Can’t Catch UP THAT Quickly AND How-To Change It

• LEARNing To LEARN For MY Professional Development | I Did It MY Way

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Modernizing Teaching

By analyzing the behavior of EDUcators, TEACHers on Social Media, especially on twitter, one must admit that a more professional attitude is to get learned; check below please, to find some pists.

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Click the image, please, to access the article.

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Learn more:

• My curation about “Professional EDUcators, TEACHers”
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For Modern EDUcation, please keep in mind the below:

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And for the “Learning-To-Learn“, please check my blog posts below:

• LEARNing To LEARN For MY Professional Development | I Did It MY Way

• PracTICE: Learning To Learn-Example 1

• My Curation about LEARNing-To-LEARN
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. L’auteur Gust MEES est Formateur andragogique / pédagogique TIC, membre du “Comité Conseil” de “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), appelé maintenant BEESECURE, partenaire officiel (consultant) du Ministère de l’éducation au Luxembourg du projet  ”MySecureIT“, partenaire officiel du Ministère du Commerce au Luxembourg du projet ”CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure). . The author Gust MEES is ICT Course Instructor, ”Member of the Advisory Board” from “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), BEESECURE, Official Partner (Consultant) from the Ministry of Education in Luxembourg, project “MySecureIT“, Official Partner from the Ministry of Commerce in Luxembourg, project “CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure).

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Stay tuned for next blog post(s) 😉

 

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Maker-First steps in electronics-The moving, rotating and lighting Mini-Brush

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The moving, rotating and lighting Mini-Brush

In OUR previous electronics projects WE were tinkering around with vibration motors and flashing LEDs, well we will continue on the same schema to get a bit more soldering practice and to discover ALSO the use of heat shrink tube, accumulators and drinking straws. This is ALSO a soldering exercise with some fun, and knowledge acquirement as usually in my tutorials. WE will learn also about accumulators, rechargeable batteries. Using accumulators instead of batteries will save us a lot of money and it is ALSO providing LESS RECYCLING! 😉 WE do something GOOD for the nature <===> Sustainability!!

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OHM’s Law, resistors and LEDs

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As WE are using a 9 Volts accumulator (rechargeable battery) this time together with a LED, WE need to put a resistor in series to the LED to protect it.As

Learn more:

• LED (Light-emitting diodes)
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Practical Tip: LEDs are transparent, so the Cathode (Minus) looks always a bit larger as the Anode (Plus).

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When working with electronics WE need to learn a bit theory and mathematics, BUT DON’T worry, it is very easy! First of all which is mandatory, is the “OHM’s Law“. YOU DON’T need to calculate! 😉 There is an online calculator who will do the job for YOU! Click the image below please to access the online calculator and play a bit around with it to get used to it, have fun.

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Click the image please to access the online calculator

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Let us make OUR calculation for the resistor: WE have a power supply of 9 Volts and the used LED has a maximum of 3 Volts while its current is 20 mA (milli Ampere). Thus meaning: 9 Volts – 3 Volts is 6 Volts which need to get dropped away from the LED to NOT destroy it! SO, on the resistor 6 Volts need to get derived away from the LED. Let us NOW convert the 6 Volts to milli Volts which gives us 6,000 mV. AND as R = U/I <===> 6,000 divided by 20 is 300! The resistor MUST have a value of 300 Ω, next standard value is 330 Ω!

WHEN YOU use the above online calculator YOU SHOULD give the values in VOLT and in Ampere; or WE have 20 mA which is 0,020 A. Check the online calculator below please:

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Useful online help:

• 4 Band Resistor Color Code Calculator

• LED Series Resistor Calculator

• Ohm’s Law Calculator

• Voltage, Current, Resistance, and Ohm’s Law

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WHAT are accumulators and WHAT’S different from batteries?

Please read the below articles to understand:

 

• Rechargeable battery

• GLOSSARY OF BATTERY TERMS

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The schematics of our project

Here below the schematics where YOU will see how the components are represented; ONLY five (5) parts.

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 Detailed parts list, supplier and prices

Please find below the detailed parts list as well as the supplier and the prices.

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Item and quantity	Supplier and order number	Price
1 x Mini-Brush	CACTUS (Supermarket)	2,50€
A bit heatshrink tube		0,50€
1 x Switch	CONRAD: 701351-62	1,09€
1 x 9 Volts accumulator	CONRAD: 251290 – 62	11,99€
1 x 9 Volts Motor from Adafruit	Adafruit: ID 711	1,84€
1 x 5mm flashing LEDs from Adafruit pack of 10 is $4.95	Adafruit: ID 680	0,50 €
Just for fun: a plastic mouse	CACTUS (Supermarket)	5€
Total:	without the plastic mouse	18,42€
	with plastic mouse	23,42€

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As you can see it is a very cheap project, ONLY 18,42€ and easy to realize! ALL what YOU need is a bit time, passion and here we GO! 😉 Have FUN!

Online ordering links:

• Adafruit
• Conrad
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The tools needed

Check below please WHAT the tools are that you will need for this project. The small saw is needed to cut off the handle of the mini brush.

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Click image please to enlarge.

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Working with heat shrink tube

[START text from Wikipedia] Heat shrink tubing (or, commonly, heat shrink or heatshrink) is a shrinkable plastic tube used to insulate wires, providing abrasion resistance and environmental protection for stranded and solid wire conductors, connections, joints and terminals in electrical work. It can also be used to repair the insulation on wires or to bundle them together, to protect wires or small parts from minor abrasion, and to create cable entry seals, offering environmental sealing protection. Heat shrink tubing is ordinarily made of nylon or polyolefin, which shrinks radially (but not longitudinally) when heated, to between one-half and one-sixth of its diameter. [END text from Wikipedia]

Learn more:

• Heat-shrink tubing

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Watch the video below please to see the How-To to work with heat shrink tube.

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Optimizing the design

I first started to make a normal cabling and the mess I saw didn’t make me feel proud and comfortable, there was something embarrassing! I looked around on my working bench and I discovered some drinking straws which I bought (can’t remember for what, bought them as I was feeling to do so…). I took one and was plying it and suddenly the idea was there to hide the cables inside and WHY NOT to incorporate a super bright LED: the idea was born 😉

 

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The video of our project

Check the video below please:

 

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Keywords necessary for me to create this blog post: instant glue, hot glue, 9 Volts Mini-Motor, resistors in series for LEDs, LED, switch, schematics, drinking straws, unbalance, hexagonal nut, hiding cables in drinking straw (Design Thinking), creativity, accumulators and batteries (difference), …

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L’auteur Gust MEES est Formateur andragogique / pédagogique TIC, membre du “Comité Conseil” de “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), appelé maintenant BEESECURE, partenaire officiel (consultant) du Ministère de l’éducation au Luxembourg du projet  ”MySecureIT“, partenaire officiel du Ministère du Commerce au Luxembourg du projet ”CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure). L’auteur était aussi gagnant d’un concours en électronique en 1979 ( Pays germaniques ) et voyait son projet publié dans le magazine électronique “ELO”. The author Gust MEES is ICT Course Instructor, ”Member of the Advisory Board” from “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), BEESECURE, Official Partner (Consultant) from the Ministry of Education in Luxembourg, project “MySecureIT“, Official Partner from the Ministry of Commerce in Luxembourg, project “CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure). The author was also a winner of an electronics contest (Germanic countries) in 1979 and got his project published in the “Electronics Magazine ELO”).

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Stay tuned for next blog post(s) 😉

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Maker-First Steps in Electronics-Moving and rotating statue

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In OUR previous electronics projects WE were tinkering around with vibration motors and flashing LEDs, well we will continue on the same schema to get a bit more soldering practice and to discover ALSO the use of heat shrink tube. This is ALSO a soldering exercise with some fun, and knowledge acquirement as usually in my tutorials. WE will learn also about Lithium batteries and their power by connecting them in parallel.

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OHM’s Law, resistors and LEDs

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Learn more:

• LED (Light-emitting diodes)
• …

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Practical Tip: LEDs are transparent, so the Cathode (Minus) looks always a bit larger as the Anode (Plus).

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When working with electronics WE need to learn a bit theory and mathematics, BUT DON’T worry, it is very easy! First of all which is mandatory, is the “OHM’s Law“. YOU DON’T need to calculate! 😉 There is an online calculator who will do the job for YOU! Click the image below please to access the online calculator and play a bit around with it to get used to it, have fun.

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Click the image please to access the online calculator

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Useful online help:

• 4 Band Resistor Color Code Calculator

• LED Series Resistor Calculator

• Ohm’s Law Calculator

• Voltage, Current, Resistance, and Ohm’s Law

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The schematics of our project

Here below the schematics where YOU will see how the components are represented; YOU will remark that we have three (3) times a parallel circuit. Two batteries in parallel, two flashing LEDs in parallel and two vibration motors in parallel.The resistors are NOT shown in the schematic as THEY are NOT connected, they are just used as stabilization of the statue!

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WHY connecting batteries in parallel!? Check below, please:

• http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/serial_and_parallel_battery_configurations
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To find it out I recommend to make a bit PracTICE:

1. Try first to use ONLY 1 battery CR2032 and let run the statue.
2. NOW use two (2) batteries CR2032 and let run the statue.
3. Use NOW ONLY one (1) battery CR2430 (they are bigger in diameter and on power) and let run the statue.
4. NOW use two (2) batteries CR2430 and let run the statue.

Both batteries deliver 3 Volts, BUT there is a difference in the possible current they can deliver. The CR2032 delivers 225 mAh and the CR2430 delivers 280 mAh!

Through THIS “Learning-By-Doing” YOU will easily understand it!

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Detailed parts list, supplier and prices

Please find below the detailed parts list as well as the supplier and the prices.

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Item and quantity	Supplier and order number	Price
1 x Stripboard	CONRAD: 529531	2,19€
Silver wire 1 mm / 14 m <===> +/- 30 cm needed	CONRAD: 607657	0,40€
1 x Switch	Adafruit: ID 805	0,95€
2 x Button cell holder à 1,29€	CONRAD: 650546	2,58€
2 x Vibration motor from Adafruit	Adafruit: ID 1201	1,95€
2 x 5mm flashing LEDs from Adafruit pack of 10 is $4.95	Adafruit: ID 680	1 €
2 x Cell CR2032 à 4,19€	CONRAD: 651088	8,358€
2 x Cell CR2430 à 3,99€	CONRAD: 612987	7,98€
Total:		25,43€

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As you can see it is a very cheap project, ONLY 25,43€ and easy to realize! ALL what YOU need is a bit time, passion and here we GO! 😉 Have FUN!

Online ordering links:

• Adafruit
• Conrad
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The tools needed

Check below please WHAT the tools are that you will need for this project. The small saw is needed to cut out a small piece of 55 x 45 mm from the stripboard.

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Click image please to enlarge.

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Working with heat shrink tube

[START text from Wikipedia] Heat shrink tubing (or, commonly, heat shrink or heatshrink) is a shrinkable plastic tube used to insulate wires, providing abrasion resistance and environmental protection for stranded and solid wire conductors, connections, joints and terminals in electrical work. It can also be used to repair the insulation on wires or to bundle them together, to protect wires or small parts from minor abrasion, and to create cable entry seals, offering environmental sealing protection. Heat shrink tubing is ordinarily made of nylon or polyolefin, which shrinks radially (but not longitudinally) when heated, to between one-half and one-sixth of its diameter. [END text from Wikipedia]

Learn more:

• Heat-shrink tubing

• …

Watch the video below please to see the How-To to work with heat shrink tube.

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The video of our project

Please check the video below to see our project on action.

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Very important

In OUR above project we are using two (2) 3 mm red LEDs in parallel. It DOESN’T work when YOU take two different colors, I tried it out 😉 WHY!??? Please check links below:

• Why exactly can’t a single resistor be used for many parallel LEDs?
• Schaltungen mit LEDs (auf deutsch)
• ….

 

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Keywords necessary for me to create this blog post: Power resistors, flashing LEDs, switch, CR2032, CR2430, Lithium Batteries, stripboard, heat shrinking tube,

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L’auteur Gust MEES est Formateur andragogique / pédagogique TIC, membre du “Comité Conseil” de “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), appelé maintenant BEESECURE, partenaire officiel (consultant) du Ministère de l’éducation au Luxembourg du projet  ”MySecureIT“, partenaire officiel du Ministère du Commerce au Luxembourg du projet ”CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure). L’auteur était aussi gagnant d’un concours en électronique en 1979 ( Pays germaniques ) et voyait son projet publié dans le magazine électronique “ELO”. The author Gust MEES is ICT Course Instructor, ”Member of the Advisory Board” from “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), BEESECURE, Official Partner (Consultant) from the Ministry of Education in Luxembourg, project “MySecureIT“, Official Partner from the Ministry of Commerce in Luxembourg, project “CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure). The author was also a winner of an electronics contest (Germanic countries) in 1979 and got his project published in the “Electronics Magazine ELO”).

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Stay tuned for next blog post(s) 😉

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Maker-First Steps in Electronics-The rotating and moving plastic container

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The rotating and moving plastic container

Click image please to enlarge.

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In previous blog post (tutorial) WE used a vibration motor from an old smartphone and we were learning also about the How-To about a vibration motor is working; it is about “Unbalance“. This unbalance is normally unwanted for motors, but for vibration motors it is a MUST. The motor we used was a 3 Volts motor and very small. In THIS NEW project we will use a 9 Volts DC-Motor and we will create from a normal motor a vibration motor with a little trick.

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Click image please to enlarge.

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We will use a square nut and saw it in the middle, then taking the hot glue pistol and gluing it (one half) on the shaft of the 9 Volts DC-Motor.

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Learn more:

• http://www.instructables.com/id/Vibrating-Motors/
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9 Volts DC Motors are actually very cheap, check below please:

• https://www.adafruit.com/?q=dc%20motors&p=1&
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Let us have a look on the unbalance and vibrations motors

A vibrating motor is essentially a motor that is improperly balanced. In other words, there is an off-centered weight attached to the motor’s rotational shaft that causes the motor to wobble. The amount of wobble can be changed by the amount of weight that you attach, the weight’s distance from the shaft, and the speed at which the motor spins.

Learn more:

• http://www.instructables.com/id/Vibrating-Motors/
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Click image please to access the article.

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The schematics

Let us first have a look on the schematics where WE will discover some NEW stuff, a mini motor; in this case it is an “vibration motor“.

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Click image please to enlarge

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As you can see there is NOTHING special; we just put five (5) elements (4 flashing LEDS, a vibration motor) in parallel. The motor will get fixed with hot glue on the bottom. And we have a switch to switch on/off our circuit. As battery we use a 9 Volts battery which will get fixed with “VELCRO” on the bottom.

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Learn more:

• What are “Series” and “Parallel” Circuits?
• Vibration Motors
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Calculating the resistor value with a 9 Volts battery and knowing that the flashing LEDs will be 3 Volts and consuming 20 mA. SO: 9-3=6 Volts which will get needed to take away from the LEDs. Check below please:

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The shown value is 300 Ohms, but that is NOT a standard value. We will use a 330 Ohm resistor, as it is a standard value.

Useful online help:

• 4 Band Resistor Color Code Calculator

• LED Series Resistor Calculator

• Ohm’s Law Calculator

• Voltage, Current, Resistance, and Ohm’s Law

 

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The tools needed

Check below please WHAT the tools are that you will need for this project. The small saw is needed to cut out a small piece of 55 x 45 mm from the stripboard. That part is needed for soldering the resistor and the switch and is used to make the necessary connections to the other parts.

 

 

Click image please to enlarge.

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Concerning the hot-glue pistol which you need as well, I recommend the one from “STEINEL” as it is a Cordless all-purpose glue applicator. Neat, practical, accurate. Cordless hot-melt glue pen neo1 for all gluing jobs around the home, particularly lightweight and practical, cordless gluing with rechargeable Li-Ion battery, ready for gluing in 15 sec.

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Learn more:

• http://www.steinel.de/en/hot-air-gluing/hot-melt-glue-applicators/neo1.html
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The price is around 35€, but worth to spend that money, comfortable precise working…

 

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The Parts List

As mostly usual in my tutorials, WE will create on the beginning ONLY small stuff with some effects and a little bit of theory to give YOU the fun and the sense for electronics. SO, in this project there also ONLY a few components, such as: 9 Volts DC-Motor, Flashing LEDs, 1 resistor, 1 switch, a 9 Volts Battery, a plastic container (actually a Ricotta Cheese plastic container).

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Item and quantity	Supplier and order number	Price
1 x Stripboard	CONRAD: 529531	2,19€
VELCRO tape  +/- 10 cm needed à 16,99€/1 m	CONRAD: 546887	1,70€
1 x Empty plastic container +/- 10 cm diameter
1 x Switch	CONRAD: 1377837	2,19€
1 x 9 Volts battery	CONRAD: 658014	3,99€
1 x 9 Volt Battery Clip	CONRAD: 624691	0,44€
4 x 5mm flashing LEDs pack of 10 is $4.95	ADAFRUIT: ID 680	2,40€
1 x Flat Bandcable	CONRAD: 604069	0,30€
1 x 9 Volts DC-Motor	ADAFRUIT: ID711	1,95 €
1 x Resistor 330 Ohm 4 x LED clips 5 mm 100 pces is 9,99€	CONRAD: 405191 CONRAD: 185806	0,10€  0,40€
TOTAL:		15,66€

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As you can see it is a very cheap project, ONLY 15,66€ and easy to realize! ALL what YOU need is a bit time, passion and here we GO! 😉 Have FUN!

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The video of the project

Please check the video below to see it in action.

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L’auteur Gust MEES est Formateur andragogique / pédagogique TIC, membre du “Comité Conseil” de “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), appelé maintenant BEESECURE, partenaire officiel (consultant) du Ministère de l’éducation au Luxembourg du projet  ”MySecureIT“, partenaire officiel du Ministère du Commerce au Luxembourg du projet ”CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure). L’auteur était aussi gagnant d’un concours en électronique en 1979 ( Pays germaniques ) et voyait son projet publié dans le magazine électronique “ELO”. The author Gust MEES is ICT Course Instructor, ”Member of the Advisory Board” from “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), BEESECURE, Official Partner (Consultant) from the Ministry of Education in Luxembourg, project “MySecureIT“, Official Partner from the Ministry of Commerce in Luxembourg, project “CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure). The author was also a winner of an electronics contest (Germanic countries) in 1979 and got his project published in the “Electronics Magazine ELO”).

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Keywords necessary for me to create this blog post: Bandkabel, Unbalance explication, DC Motors, vibration motors,

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Stay tuned for next blog post(s) 😉

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Maker-First Steps in Electronics-Soldering Learning-The Mini BUG Robot

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The Mini BUG Robot

In last blog post (tutorial) WE were practicing OUR soldering by creating “JOHNNY the ski-man“, a bit “Electronics-Art” using electronics components. In the video below, which I created with the FREEWARE <===> Windows Movie Maker <===> WE see ALSO “The Mini BUG Robot” who gives “JOHNNY” a ride. It is very easy to build that mini robot as there are ONLY six (6) components to solder.

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The schematics

Let us first have a look on the schematics where WE will discover some NEW stuff, a mini motor; in this case it is an “vibration motor” which is used in smartphones. THEY exist as round, rectangular and in disk format, please check <===> Vibration Motor Images <===> in Google searches (images).

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As you can see there is NOTHING special; we just put four (4) elements (2 LEDS, a vibration motor and a tantalum capacitor) in parallel. And we have a switch to switch on/off our circuit. As battery we use a “CR2032“.

Learn more:

• What are “Series” and “Parallel” Circuits?
• Vibration Motors
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Click image please to access the article.

 

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The electronics parts list

Check below please to find out about the electronic components.

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Click image please to enlarge.

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Detailed parts list, supplier and prices

Please find below the detailed parts list as well as the supplier and the prices.

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Item and quantity	Supplier and order number	Price
1 x Stripboard	CONRAD: 529531	2,19€
Silver wire 1 mm / 14 m <===> +/- 30 cm needed	CONRAD: 607657	0,40€
1 x Tantalum capacitor 47 uF/16V	CONRAD: 481777	2,99€
1 x Switch	CONRAD: 1377837	2,19€
1 x Button cell holder	CONRAD: 650546	1,29€
1 x Vibration motor from old smartphone
2 x 3mm LEDs red	CONRAD: 759472 à 0,20€	0,40€
1 x Cell CR2032	CONRAD: 651088	4,19€
Total:		13,65€

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As you can see it is a very cheap project, ONLY 13,65€ and easy to realize! ALL what YOU need is a bit time, passion and here we GO! 😉 Have FUN!

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The tools needed

Check below please WHAT the tools are that you will need for this project. The small saw is needed to cut out a small piece of 55 x 45 mm from the stripboard.

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Click image please to enlarge.

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The soldering

Click image please to enlarge.

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Feel FREE to make the wiring and connections as YOU want by following the schematics; on left-hand side you will see how I did it. Fix the vibration motor with a bit hot glue onto the stripboard as well (components side).

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Concerning the legs of the “Mini BUG Robot”: Cut 2 pieces of 9 mm off from silver wire and bend them both sides at +/- 3,5 cm, see PIC please, and solder them onto the stripboard.

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Very important

In OUR above project we are using two (2) 3 mm red LEDs in parallel. It DOESN’T work when YOU take two different colors, I tried it out 😉 WHY!??? Please check links below:

• Why exactly can’t a single resistor be used for many parallel LEDs?
• Schaltungen mit LEDs (auf deutsch)
• …

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L’auteur Gust MEES est Formateur andragogique / pédagogique TIC, membre du “Comité Conseil” de “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), appelé maintenant BEESECURE, partenaire officiel (consultant) du Ministère de l’éducation au Luxembourg du projet  ”MySecureIT“, partenaire officiel du Ministère du Commerce au Luxembourg du projet ”CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure). L’auteur était aussi gagnant d’un concours en électronique en 1979 ( Pays germaniques ) et voyait son projet publié dans le magazine électronique “ELO”. The author Gust MEES is ICT Course Instructor, ”Member of the Advisory Board” from “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), BEESECURE, Official Partner (Consultant) from the Ministry of Education in Luxembourg, project “MySecureIT“, Official Partner from the Ministry of Commerce in Luxembourg, project “CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure). The author was also a winner of an electronics contest (Germanic countries) in 1979 and got his project published in the “Electronics Magazine ELO”).

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Stay tuned for next blog post(s) 😉

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Electronics Books and Software for Makers-MakerED and MakerSpaces

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My selection of Electronics books

For ANY projects WE will create there are books and also online documentations which WE will need to learn from and to GET NEW ideas as well. I will propose to YOU a selection of books and links which I have read and learned from as well; links which I use as well to incorporate into my tutorials as ALSO YouTube videos to learn from.

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I bought these books on Amazon, find the references for ordering them here, please:

• The Forrest Mims Engineer’s Notebook (Englisch)

• Make: Electronics: Learning Through Discovery

• The Forrest Mims Circuit Scrapbook Volume II

• Fritzing for Inventors: Take Your Electronics Project from Prototype to Product
• …

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Software, online and/or for download

WE are really lucky today because of ICT and the internet to learn about electronics; it was NEVER THAT easy as today!! WE can find simulation software as well as schematics drawing software online and/or for download as for FREE (Open Source and FREEWARE). I remember 49 years ago when I was 12 years old and tinkering around, using curiosity to find out on the How-To things were working by disassembling them, whatever it was… Later, I was working after school (12 1/2 years old starting till 20 years…) around on any place in the village (farmer, café, gardening for private persons, etc.) to earn some money to be able to buy me necessary stuff for my electronics lab…

Nowadays WE GET all the necessary stuff online and WE DON’T need anymore to purchase an oscilloscope and a Multimeter for measuring as one can simulate everything straight on through FREE software. I am feeling HAPPY for that as it allows LEARNERS from any society status to learn about electronics!

Please check below for useful articles on Software:

• My curation about electronics
• YouTube Electronics Simulation
• …

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Check out ALSO, please, my my other blog posts about maker, MakerED, MakerSpaces:

• Ideas for Maker Spaces and MakerED-Electronics-1-Xmas Tree
• Electronics Starter Kit for Makers
• Maker-First Steps in Electronics, the basics
• …

More to come soon, stay tuned 😉

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L’auteur Gust MEES est Formateur andragogique / pédagogique TIC, membre du “Comité Conseil” de “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), appelé maintenant BEESECURE, partenaire officiel (consultant) du Ministère de l’éducation au Luxembourg du projet  ”MySecureIT“, partenaire officiel du Ministère du Commerce au Luxembourg du projet ”CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure). L’auteur était aussi gagnant d’un concours en électronique en 1979 ( Pays germaniques ) et voyait son projet publié dans le magazine électronique “ELO”. The author Gust MEES is ICT Course Instructor, ”Member of the Advisory Board” from “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), BEESECURE, Official Partner (Consultant) from the Ministry of Education in Luxembourg, project “MySecureIT“, Official Partner from the Ministry of Commerce in Luxembourg, project “CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure). The author was also a winner of an electronics contest (Germanic countries) in 1979 and got his project published in the “Electronics Magazine ELO”).

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Stay tuned for next blog post(s) 😉

 

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Maker-First Steps in Electronics-Soldering Learning-Electronics Art

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Maker-First Steps in Electronics-Soldering Learning

When WE start with electronics on the beginning we can work with so-called “Breadboards“(see photo below please), but soon or later soldering will become a MUST and an habit! SO, the BEST WE can do is to GET some PracTICE with soldering; in this tutorial we will make a bit “Electronics-Art“. WE will use already known electronic components such as resistors, stripboard parts (we will need to saw and rasp…),  a LED and an IC (Integrated Circuit), a NEW component. OUR project will ONLY serve as soldering PracTICE as there will be NO function of the electronic used, SO the IC could be ALSO a damaged one (useful recycling) 😉

Breadboard: Click image please to enlarge

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Learn more:

• Breadboards (Wikipedia)
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Please click image to access the article for more information.

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As YOU might have seen in the image of “JOHNNY the ski-man“, some resistors are BIGGER then others! WHY and what is its meaning!? Well, WE have to go back to “OHM’s Law“, as BIGGER resistors in size are, as MORE POWER they can dissipate; I used 1/2 Watt and 1 Watt resistors. Please check below.

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Learn more:

• OHM’s Law Calculator online
• Explications about Power and resistors
• Basic Idea for Resistors

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Parts List of the components used

Click image to enlarge please.

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The following components are required:

Six (6) resistors of 1/2 Watt, two (2) resistors of 1 Watt, one (1) IC (14 or 16 pins), one (1) LED, two (2) diodes (1N4007), some colored rigid wire for the scarf, 1 mm² rigid copper cable wire and 1 mm silver wire.

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Tools needed.

Click image please to enlarge.

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The following tools are required:

Vise, rasp, solder iron and solder wire, electronic cutter, electronic flat-nosed pliers, small handsaw and don’t forget the vacuum cleaner for cleaning up the working place later, please 😉

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Learn more:

• Different types of saws
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• …

 

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Where to start? The mechanical part

Click image please to enlarge.

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WE will start with the hardest part of the job, the skis. The skis are made of a small part of a stripboard which has to be sawn; we count four (4) holes and saw along the strips there, see pic. The length would be about 5 cm ( +/- 2 inches).

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Click image please to enlarge.

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Once the two (2) pieces of the stripboard sawn they must get rasped to look smooth. See pic please.

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Click image please to enlarge.

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As the stripboard pieces are rectangular on the edges they must get rounded as well with the rasp, see pic details please.

Solder together now the three rows on the top of the stripboard as shown in image, this will give a bit weight to keep the balance once the other electronic components are soldered.

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The soldering

Click image please to enlarge.

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SO, the hardest job is done now! UP to solder the electronic components, but where to start!? Start first with the soldering of the diode (1N4007) on both skis, followed by soldering the small resistors, check pic please.

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A little exercise: WHAT are the values in OHM (Ω) of the resistors used (check pic, please)? Hint: if YOU don’t remember how the code is working, check here <===> http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/reference/chpt-2/resistor-color-codes/ <===> and/or here for an online calculator <===> http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/tools/resistor-color-code-calculator/.

BTW: for OUR project it doesn’t matter which value the resistors have as they are used ONLY for the soldering PracTICE..

Concerning the PracTICE about soldering check <===> https://www.kemo-electronic.de/en/loetkurs.php?page=1 <===> A GREAT step-by-step guide.

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Hint: For THOSE who can’t wait for NEXT tutorial, have a look on my proposed links in this tutorial and YOU will find more 😉

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Check out ALSO, please, my my other blog posts about Maker, MakerED, MakerSpaces:

• Ideas for Maker Spaces and MakerED-Electronics-1-Xmas Tree
• Electronics Starter Kit for Makers
• Maker-First Steps in Electronics, the basics
• …

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The finished project

SO, that’s it folks!  Wishing YOU some fun with this project and hopefully you will get more interested about electronics 😉 Check the video below please to see OUR STAR in action… BTW: The “Mini BUG Robot” present in the video will get proposed ALSO in another tutorial…

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L’auteur Gust MEES est Formateur andragogique / pédagogique TIC, membre du “Comité Conseil” de “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), appelé maintenant BEESECURE, partenaire officiel (consultant) du Ministère de l’éducation au Luxembourg du projet  ”MySecureIT“, partenaire officiel du Ministère du Commerce au Luxembourg du projet ”CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure). L’auteur était aussi gagnant d’un concours en électronique en 1979 ( Pays germaniques ) et voyait son projet publié dans le magazine électronique “ELO”. The author Gust MEES is ICT Course Instructor, ”Member of the Advisory Board” from “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), BEESECURE, Official Partner (Consultant) from the Ministry of Education in Luxembourg, project “MySecureIT“, Official Partner from the Ministry of Commerce in Luxembourg, project “CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure). The author was also a winner of an electronics contest (Germanic countries) in 1979 and got his project published in the “Electronics Magazine ELO”).

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Stay tuned for next blog post(s) 😉

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Maker-First Steps in Electronics-Building a Power Supply

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Building a Variable Power Supply With Few Components

Click the image please to enlarge

In previous tutorial Maker-First Steps in Electronics, the basics WE got a bit the PracTICE of soldering and WE learned ALSO about schematics, resistors, LEDs, diodes and OHM’s Law. WE used ALSO a 9 Volt battery as a power supply for our projects; BUT batteries are expensive (3,99 €) and when playing around a lot on experimenting WE would use a lot of them. This will certainly be the case as on the beginning while tinkering around, my personal experience, as one is curios and tries out everything. Which is good by the way, but better is to build a variable power supply for few money and for small projects like WE are working on.

SO, let us have a look on the schematic about WHAT WE will create next. WE will discover some NEW components, such as a voltage regulator integrated circuit (IC), a variable resistor (potentiometer), capacitors, electrolytic capacitors… which WE will learn more about as well in this tutorial.

WE had already the experience with a stripboard, which we will continue (on the beginning) to build our variable power supply. It will be a very easy one with ONLY 10 components to solder on the stripboard. The tension will be adjustable  by a potentiometer (variable resistor) from 0-24 Volts and a maximum current of 1 Ampere. WE will ALSO provide it with a switch so that we can ALSO use it as a Volt-Meter to measure the tensions on our strip-board projects…

WE will ALSO learn to drill and to rasp as WE will enclose our project into an enclosure; well mechanics are part as well when one tinkers with electronics 😉

WE will solder measure points on the strip-board as well. so we can learn about measuring and to understand what is going on when AC gets through a rectifier bridge and becomes DC…

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Schematics

Electronic Schematics – Need-To-Know

BEST explication I have found and WHICH I agree!!! Electronic schematics are like recipes for electronics. They tell you what ingredients to use and how to mix the ingredients. But instead of using text to explain the recipe, a drawing is used.

Learn more:

• http://www.build-electronic-circuits.com/electronic-schematics/

Please check the schematics of OUR project below:

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The above schema was created with:

• TinyCAD
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Fuse	Rectifier bridge	Voltage Regulator
Transformer	Capacitors and Polarized Capacitors (Electrolytic Capacitors)	Variable Resistor (Potentiometer)
Resistors

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Learn more:

• Electrical and electronics symbols
• How to Read a Schematic
• Reading Schematics
• Electronic schematics

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The Components and the Parts List

Please check below the photo to get familiarized with the parts.

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In above image WE see parts which we used already in first tutorial <===> Electronics Starter Kit for Makers <===> such as resistors, diodes  and the stripbord. NEW components are (please check the links below to learn more):

• AC Waveform and AC Circuit Theory
• Capacitors
  • Kunststoff-Folien Kondensatoren (Deutsch)
• Electrolyte Capacitors (polarized)
  • Elektrolyt Kondensatoren (Deutsch)
• Adjustable Voltage Regulator (such as LM317T)
• Potentiometer (variable resistor)
  • Potentiometer (Deutsch)
• Bridge Rectifier (4 Diodes)
  • Gleichrichter (Deutsch)
•  LCD-Panelmeter
• Transformer
  • Transformatoren (Deutsch)
• Resistors
  • Widerstände (Deutsch)
• My curation about Electronics
• Liste elektrischer und elektronischer Bauelemente (Wikipedia)
• Elektronik-Wissen (Deutsch)
• …

This time WE will ALSO need to use some tools and mechanical parts; well electronics without mechanics doesn’t exist 😉 Will get explained in a new tutorial…

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List of online Electronics shops (mostly for Europe, but some are delivering ALSO global):

• CONRAD
  • Delivery and costs
• VÖLKNER
  • Delivery and costs
• REICHELT
  • Delivery and costs
    • REICHELTPEDIA
• POLLIN
  • Delivery and costs
• BÜRKLIN
  • Delivery and costs
• RUTRONIK
•  RS Components International the world’s largest distributor of electronics and maintenance products.
• Sparkfun
  • Worldwide distributors, delivery and costs
• ALLELECTRONICS
• BUDGETRONICS
  • Delivery and costs
• …

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Detailed parts list, supplier and prices

Please find below the detailed parts list as well as the supplier and the prices.

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Item and quantity	Supplier and order number	Price
1 x Transformer 230V/1A	CONRAD: 710422	15,99€
1 x Bridge rectifier B40/C7000-4000	CONRAD: 501980	4,49€
2 x Electrolyte capacitor 1000uF/63V	CONRAD: 1472875 à 1,49€	2,98€
1 x Diode 1N4007	CONRAD: 1262766	0,22€
1 x Resistor 100 Ω	CONRAD: 405132	0,10€
1 x Potentiometer 4K7 Ω	CONRAD: 440778	1,99€
1 x Knob for potentiometer	CONRAD: 715840	1,09€
1 x LM317T	CONRAD: 176001	0,34€
1 x Capacitor MKS2-1uF/63V	CONRAD: 455318	1,49€
1 x Panel-Meter	CONRAD: 101950	35,99€
1 Heatsink for LM317T	CONRAD: 183870	1,03€
1 x Mounting-Kit TO220	CONRAD: 155140	0,72€
1 x Stripboard	CONRAD: 529531	2,19€
2 x PCB Connector 2 pins	CONRAD: 1192188 à 0,28€	0,56€
Total:		69,18€

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Check out this video tutorial to understand

A GREAT video tutorial to watch for understanding about the used “Voltage Regulator Chip LM317T“:

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First tests without the transformer

I propose to make the first test(s) without the transformer; by using a 9 Volts battery! This to make sure that there isn’t any mistake on the wiring as a short-circuit could cause damage!! Check photo below please:

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Click image please to enlarge

 

Using a copy of the schematics and a pen to erase the done connections already; this allows to keep an eye on how far one is…

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Safety FIRST as WE are working with 230 Volts!!

I will propose two different projects, one for NEWBIES and one for advanced users! NEWBIES will NOT solder the transformer on the stripboard, BUT will connect it to the stripboard by <===> Safety FIRST rules <===> and advanced users could solder it on the stripboard by respecting these Safety rules! WE will use ALSO heat-shrinking tubes to insulate ALL the components where 230 Volts is connected to assume that nobody could touch them to avoid electrical shock by touching!!!

Learn more about heat-shrinking tubes:

• In English on Wikipedia
• In German on Wikipedia
• …

 

I am NOT the guy WHO follows any rules, BUT THESE ONE I follow myself ALSO as it is mandatory!! YOUR life and/or the life of OTHERS could be in danger if NOT followed!!! SO, take YOUR responsibility, please 😉 Well, enough blabla, let us have a look WHY:

Learn more:

• Electric shock (English)
• Stromunfall (Deutsch)
• …

Check photos below please:

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Click image please to enlarge.

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Click image please to enlarge

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Let us protect and ALSO our workbench with a plastic underground (plastic is insulating…), check below please:

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Click above image please to enlarge it.

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Two different projects, one for NEWBIES and one for advanced users: thus meaning; NEWBIES will NOT solder the transformer on the stripboard, BUT fixing and connecting it apart! Advanced users will be able to solder the transformer on the stripboard by taking care of safety rules, check above image please for connected transformer on the stripboard and image below please for transformer connected with wires to the stripboard .

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Building UP from the beginning a system for wiring

WE have two different possibilities for the wiring and connection of the components on the stripboard:

1. Using really wiring with colored insulated wires
2. Using ONLY the copper strips on the stripboard to make the connections
3. OR using both as I did in above; one red colored wire was used to make a connection…

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WHEN WE use the wiring with colored insulated wires, we need to have a system in it, let us define UP from the beginning which colors mean WHAT! I propose this:

• Red for the “PLUS” of DC Power Supply
• Blue for the “Minus” (Ground) of DC Power Supply
• Green for the connections of AC
• White or blank silver wire for bridges on the stripboard: connections from one component to the other…

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List of free electronics circuit simulators

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Click image please to access the video

Nowadays WE have the chance to profit from FREE Simulator software to examine the How-To circuits work, please find below some useful links:

• List of free electronics circuit simulators

• …

 

Please check below for useful articles on Software:

• My curation about electronics
• YouTube Electronics Simulation
• …

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Learn more:

• http://makezine.com/projects/0-24-volt-2-amp-bench-top-power-supply/
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• …
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Next steps to come

Well, first build the above and finish it! Later WE will bring in ALSO some test points (soldering them on the stripboard) for measuring the voltage on different points and we will solder as well on the stripboard some more components to protect out project against short circuits, an electronic fuse with ONLY five (5) components. WE, once finished the above mentioned will then go for mechanical works as the whole will get fit into an enclosure. There will be then a bit drilling, rasping and…

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Some electronics projects made +/- 25-30 years ago, check video below please 😉 I stopped tinkering around for the peace of our conjugal life, well wife was right! I had to much hobbies; NOW I am retired and I have too much time, SO I started again…

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Keywords necessary for me to create this blog post: Learning about alternative current (AC), Direct current (DC), Zenerdiodes, Voltage regulators, 7809, LM317T, Panelmeter, Digital Voltmeter, testing, measuring, test points, potentiometer, variable resistors, capacitors, electrolytic capacitors, LCD Display…

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L’auteur Gust MEES est Formateur andragogique / pédagogique TIC, membre du “Comité Conseil” de “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), appelé maintenant BEESECURE, partenaire officiel (consultant) du Ministère de l’éducation au Luxembourg du projet  ”MySecureIT“, partenaire officiel du Ministère du Commerce au Luxembourg du projet ”CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure). L’auteur était aussi gagnant d’un concours en électronique en 1979 ( Pays germaniques ) et voyait son projet publié dans le magazine électronique “ELO”. The author Gust MEES is ICT Course Instructor, ”Member of the Advisory Board” from “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), BEESECURE, Official Partner (Consultant) from the Ministry of Education in Luxembourg, project “MySecureIT“, Official Partner from the Ministry of Commerce in Luxembourg, project “CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure). The author was also a winner of an electronics contest (Germanic countries) in 1979 and got his project published in the “Electronics Magazine ELO”).

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Stay tuned for next blog post(s) 😉

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Maker-First Steps in Electronics, the basics

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Where to start?

Strip-Board

I propose to work with system when WE use strip-boards; thus meaning: preparing them ALL the same way. Any electronics project will need a power supply, so WE will start with the power supply which will mostly be a 9 Volt battery. WE will use the outside strips to connect them to plus and minus and WE will ALSO provide a diode (1N4007) to protect against polarity reversal. As a newbie in electronics this might be the best way to protect you to destroy the electronic parts if + and – would get reversed 😉 With normal rectifier diodes the power supply voltage will typically drop by 0.8 volts. WE will have then ONLY 8.2 Volts which is enough in most cases.

WE will solder also a PCB-Connector (Printed Circuit Board Connector) where we can feed the strip-board with the power supply.

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SO, as WE will solder a bit, it will be also a soldering training before we start on more serious projects later 😉

Check below please how the finished project will look, which we will discuss in detail on the How-To. WE use a 100 mm x 75 mm strip-board (CONRAD 529531 – 62  for 2,19€).

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Necessary material

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In above image I used a 2 pin screw terminal from CONRAD (1192188 – 62) for 0,28€ and for the wire I choose from a “Wire Kit from Velleman” (60 m from different colors).

• full core, 0.2mm²
• colours: 5 metres : white / blue / brown / green / yellow / orange / grey / violet + 10 metres : black / red
• external diameter: 1.4 mm
• max. voltage: 60 V
• max. current: 4.3 A
• PVC insulation
• tinned CU
• AWG24

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To make sure to have proper bent edges; I suggest to bend the diode (1N4007) over the left-hand side shown “Wire Bender” (CONRAD 425869 – 62  at 3,29€).

 

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First start to solder the 2 pin screw terminal in the middle of the strip-board, followed by the diode (1N4007). Now measure the distance and cut the wires. For the red wire (Plus) it will be 4 cm (3 cm distance), the blue wire (Minus) will be 6 cm (5 cm distance). Take the electronics cutter and strip off o,5 cm of the insulation at each end and bend it. Put it into the holes in the strip-board and solder it. P.S.: WE will use the red wire for the Plus (+) and the blue wire for the Minus (-) of the power supply; that are internationally conventions in electronics. Sometimes for the Minus (-) is also used the black color (see 9 Volt battery clip).

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Solder the wires and cut off the stick out wire close to the soldering with the electronics cutter.

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Strip-board solder side . . . Click the above image please to enlarge it .	Cutting off stick out wire . . . Click the above image please to enlarge it .	Disconnect the upper strips from the lower strips by breaking the copper with a 4,5 mm HSS drill . Click the above image please to enlarge it
		Selfmade stripboard cutter with a grill handle and an 4.5 mm HSS drill Click image please to enlarge

 

When WE want to start with electronics there is a little bit theory to learn as well; in electronics there are special symbols who get used in schematics. Any component (even a battery) has its own symbol. In the following tutorials and projects, WE will learn by easy step-by-step WHAT they are and HOW to make OUR PracTICE (to GET used to it…) with them. I am certainly NOT a friend of learning by heart, BUT symbols need to get learned that way to understand schematics of electronics!

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Symbols used in this tutorial: battery, resistors, LEDs and diodes…

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Battery symbols

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Diode symbols

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Resistor symbols

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LED symbols

Learn more:

• Electrical and electronics symbols
• How to Read a Schematic
• Reading Schematics

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Strip-Board tutorial with Fritzing

Here below a small description about the How-To to work with strip-boards in general:

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After viewing the above tutorial YOU will understand. The above tutorial uses the FREE software “Fritzing” which WE will use as well in the next blog posts; you can download it here:

• http://fritzing.org/download
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Wiring and soldering on the strip-board

Here the wiring and soldering on the strip-board, as well as the parts list:

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. As You have remarked, I added ALSO a resistor and a LED (Light-Emitting Diode); the red (could also bee a green one) LED is lightning when the power supply (9 Volt battery) is connected. SO, YOU might solder the two components (330 Ohm resistor and LED) as well, not mandatory BUT it will give YOU a bit more training on soldering and alerts YOU to NOT solder when it is on!! NEVER work on whatever project with connected (switched on) power supply <===> Safety first! WHY has the resistor a value of 330 Ohm? In above example we used a 5 mm red LED with this characteristics: 2.25 Volt and 20 mA current (that’s the maximum values which DON’T have to become higher otherwise the LED will get destroyed) and as power supply we use a 9 Volts battery.  WE will use the “Online Calculator” to calculate the value of the resistor. First let us do some mental calculation, there WE DON’T need any calculator. WE have a 9 Volts battery and the LED will have maximum 2.25 Volts, so “9 V – 2.25 V = 6.75 V” which needs to get taken away from the LED to avoid destruction. . .. THAT value of 337.5 Ohms doesn’t exist! Resistors are manufactured by following <===> In 1952 the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) decided to define the resistance and tolerance values into a norm, to ease the mass manufacturing of resistors. These are referred to as preferred values or E-series, and they are published in standard IEC 60063:1963. These standard values are also valid for other components like capacitors, inductors and Zener diodes. The preferred values for resistors were established in 1952, but the concept of the geometric series was already introduced by army engineer Renard in the 1870s. By checking the below link, WE will see that the closest value is 330 Ohm. BTW: The symbol for “Ohm” is “Ω“; SO, we write 330 Ω. Tip: You find it in the “Special Characters” in any editing software. . Read more http://www.resistorguide.com/resistor-values/ . In the above website is a video integrated which explains very well about the How-To of that norm, give it a try. . MY experience described in ONLY some phrases: Give the LEARNers, students (whatever age) the freedom of LEARNing without squeezing THEM into a FRAME and concentrate on guiding them as a coach by analyzing THEIR behavior and show them the How-To to become self-directed learners, autodidacts. SHOW THEM ALSO up from the beginning WHAT THE <===> LEARNing Path <===> will be with design of it and explain THEM that they could design themselves it with a short introduction on the How-To. THEY will learn the ICT-PracTICE which will help them once out of the <===> #SchoolCocoon <===> to be ready for Life-Long LEARNing and to be able to adapt very quickly in the workforce! WHEN YOU show the LEARNers, students <===> WHAT the profit is for THEIR private life <===> YOU will engage them very quickly 😉 AND DON’T teach THEM more as necessary, propose them some links to go further ONLY for those who want!! Check ALSO (Up from 11 years old, give THEM THE confidence THEY need to grow): Andragogy | Adult Teaching: How-To Teach ICT!? | PracTICE . WHAT’S my message and WHY did I create this blog post!? Well, I will encourage all youth and also adults, seniors, oldies to become <===>Life-Long LEARNers <===> and staying Up-To-Date with their knowledge, especially concerning their skills in ICT, called NOW <===> #eSkills <===>! In the modern world YOU will change YOUR job probably +/- 12 times in YOUR working career, it is very rare to stay life-long in the same job and/or same company!!! SO… The workforce is looking for people with ICT skills which YOU mostly didn’t learn at school, right!?  Bring in YOUR kids to such creative makerplaces WHERE THEY can develop (and perhaps parents as well…) THEIR creativity and GET interested in something WHICH could boost THEIR interest into ICT in their future 😉 YOU won’t have (mostly) the time to learn by visiting courses, right!? START to become Life-Long LEARNers by LEARNing on YOUR OWN pace, by becoming <===> Autodidacts <===> Self-Directed LEARNers. YOU are able to, I did it, so can YOU!? 😉 I found a job because of my ICT eSkills and I am STILL LEARNing on a daily base routine for being Up-To Date with my <===> Professional Development <===>, even being retired NOW! THE pleasure of LEARNing! I did THE <===> ICT PracTICE <===> and THAT’S WHAT the workforce needs!!!  Due to my eSkills I could share my knowledge AND expertise ALSO with the below mentioned as well as to a broad range of visitors from around the globe!  Check out my blog posts: Success Story of Life-Long LEARNing | Best PracTICE | ICT eSkills For Jobs Blog posts in English from Gust MEES (LUXEMBOURG/EUROPE) … AND check my profile below as well, at the bottom of this blog post please! 😉

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OHM’s Law, resistors and LEDs

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Learn more:

• LED (Light-emitting diodes)
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Practical Tip: LEDs are transparent, so the Cathode (Minus) looks always a bit larger as the Anode (Plus).

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When working with electronics WE need to learn a bit theory and mathematics, BUT DON’T worry, it is very easy! First of all which is mandatory, is the “OHM’s Law“. YOU DON’T need to calculate! 😉 There is an online calculator who will do the job for YOU! Click the image below please to access the online calculator and play a bit around with it to get used to it, have fun.

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Click the image please to access the online calculator

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Useful online help:

• 4 Band Resistor Color Code Calculator

• LED Series Resistor Calculator

• Ohm’s Law Calculator

• Voltage, Current, Resistance, and Ohm’s Law

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The schematics of our project

Here below the schematics where YOU will see how the components are represented; YOU will remark that ANY component gets represented with its part number as well, apart from the battery.

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LED’s explained in German in a Video Tutorial

Please check the video tutorial below, in Deutsch:

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Print out this sheet for YOUR PracTICE

Here below THE sheet for PracTICE, ALL the necessary stuff is on it to make sure that the project will be successful. Print it out please and give it to YOUR learners, as well for YOU 😉

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Have FUN and stay tuned for the next tutorials about electronics 😉

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L’auteur Gust MEES est Formateur andragogique / pédagogique TIC, membre du “Comité Conseil” de “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), appelé maintenant BEESECURE, partenaire officiel (consultant) du Ministère de l’éducation au Luxembourg du projet  ”MySecureIT“, partenaire officiel du Ministère du Commerce au Luxembourg du projet ”CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure). L’auteur était aussi gagnant d’un concours en électronique en 1979 ( Pays germaniques ) et voyait son projet publié dans le magazine électronique “ELO”. The author Gust MEES is ICT Course Instructor, ”Member of the Advisory Board” from “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), BEESECURE, Official Partner (Consultant) from the Ministry of Education in Luxembourg, project “MySecureIT“, Official Partner from the Ministry of Commerce in Luxembourg, project “CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure). The author was also a winner of an electronics contest (Germanic countries) in 1979 and got his project published in the “Electronics Magazine ELO”).

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Stay tuned for next blog post(s) 😉

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Electronics Starter Kit for Makers

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Electronics Starter Kit for Makers: What is the minimum equipment?

What is the minimum equipment and what are the costs? That’s certainly the first question you will ask. Let us have a look: in electronics we need to solder the components, a solder iron is required with its accessories. Please check below to find out in detail.

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Soldering station .	Soldering iron kit . 14,99 € CONRAD: 588332-62	Solder Wire   9,99 € CONRAD: 812811-62
Desoldering pump . 7,99 € CONRAD:  588257-62	Stripboard  .  . .  2,19 € CONRAD: 529531-62	Selfmade Stripboard Cutter . . . Click image please to enlarge
Helping hand with magnifying glass   8,99 €  CONRAD: 588221-62	Wire bender for components . .   3,29 €  CONRAD: 425869 – 62	Electronics pliers set . . 19,99 € CONRAD: 822910 – 62

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Concerning the soldering iron, you have two choices: buying a normal 30 Watt soldering iron as a kit or a soldering station which is about 170 €. Up to your budget what you will buy.

Concerning the stripboard: this is ideal for prototyping of new projects.

Learn more:

• How To Make Circuits On A Stripboard
• Free Electronic Circuits And Schematics Online
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stripboard

 

 

CONRAD order number: 400009 – 62

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Resistors have a color-code; you may buy as well for 1,99 € a help to learn to find the value of the resistors as long as you don’t know by heart the how to to know.

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Useful online help:

 

• 4 Band Resistor Color Code Calculator

• LED Series Resistor Calculator

• Ohm’s Law Calculator

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WHERE can I get the equipment?

As we know now what is the equipment required we need also to find out from where we can get it. Well, we can find out if there is a local electronics store and/or buying it online.

Find below, please, addresses of online electronics stores:

• Conrad International (from where I order my stuff…) delivers to 210 countries worldwide
• Reichelt
• RS electronics UK
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WHAT should I know about soldering?

Soldering is no magic, there are only some rules to follow to get a perfect soldering which are not difficult at all. You can find a great guide below, please read it.

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Please click the image to access the article.

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Learn more:

• Soldering presentation shortform

• Learn how to solder Kit
  • CONRAD: 192294 – 62 <===> 7,99 €

 

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How and with what should I start?

I would advice you to start with electronic kits as they are delivered with a guide who provides easy to follow steps. Please find below some good addresses from where you can buy them:

• Velleman
  • Kits for Xmas
• Radio Shack
• Kemo

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As a newbie you should buy you some books to learn the PracTICE; I recommend you to read these books (I learnt from them also…):

• Forrest Mims Engineer’s Notebook

• Getting Started in Electronics

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What else should I care about?

Protect YOUR health: Hazardous solder fumes are harmful to your health!! SO, make sure to NOT put your nose over the soldering and to breath, please! NOR to have drinks on the working place and to drink during the soldering where the soldering takes place!! Be VERY carefully ALSO about on How-To handle the soldering iron; it heats up to 150°C-450°C (30 Watt / 80 Watt)!! NEVER touch the soldering iron underneath the insulating part (on the metal) as it may be ignited and you may have severe burns!!!

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With WHATEVER tools YOU work, keep THIS in mind, please <===> Safety first!!! I am trying to give You the THINKing behind a project (Which EVER one…) LEARNing-By-Doing, should GET done with Students, LEARNers THAT way; let THEM try out till THEY find the appropriate solution. Let THEM create a blog post about it where THEY can report about THEIR adventures and HOW THEY solved the problem for BEST… Of course with photos and with the written experience; #CriticalTHINKing and #ProactiveTHINKing will emerge As well as #PracTICE of course… As a Coach You observe and guide THEM with “Couldn’t THERE be ANOTHER way to realize it?”; Make THEM curios about to challenge THEMSELVES for BETTER   Have FUN! Look at following keywords to find out about what you should think about and what this sort of creation will result in. . Keywords: creativity, motivation, self-learning,  autodidact, critical thinking, proactive thinking (learning from fails for the future…), engaging, competences, PracTICE skills, learning-By-Doing, learning to learn, problem solving , organization skills, team work, coaching, fun, gift from kids to parents for Xmas, feeling proud about having created something itself, self-esteem… .

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Learn more:

• Maker Space | A New Trend In Education And A BIG Responsibility

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L’auteur Gust MEES est Formateur andragogique / pédagogique TIC, membre du “Comité Conseil” de “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), appelé maintenant BEESECURE, partenaire officiel (consultant) du Ministère de l’éducation au Luxembourg du projet  ”MySecureIT“, partenaire officiel du Ministère du Commerce au Luxembourg du projet ”CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure). The author Gust MEES is ICT Course Instructor, ”Member of the Advisory Board” from “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), BEESECURE, Official Partner (Consultant) from the Ministry of Education in Luxembourg, project “MySecureIT“, Official Partner from the Ministry of Commerce in Luxembourg, project “CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure).

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Stay tuned for next blog post(s) 😉

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