For those just starting to take their first steps into electronics, it is important to start somewhere. Well, we invite you to familiarize yourself with ideas that may come in handy in the future and at the same time give you an idea of how something should be done. What to choose if you want to make simple ones with your own hands? Here are options that can be used in everyday life.
Simple power regulator for smooth switching of lamps
This type of device has found wide application. The simplest is a regular diode, which is connected in series with the load. Such regulation can be used to extend the life of an incandescent lamp, as well as to prevent overheating of the soldering iron. They can also be used to change power over a wide range of values. First, there will be the simplest DIY electronic crafts. You can see the diagrams here.
How to protect yourself from mains voltage fluctuations
This device turns off the load if the mains voltage is outside the permissible limits. As a rule, a deviation of up to 10% from the norm is considered normal. But due to the peculiarities of the energy supply system in our country, such limits are not always observed. So, the voltage can be 1.5 times higher, or much lower than necessary. The result is often unpleasant - the equipment fails. Therefore, there is a need for a device that will turn off the load before something has time to burn out. But when creating such a homemade product, you need to be careful, since the work will be carried out with considerable stress.
How to make a safety transformer
Transformerless power supplies are often used in various electronic designs. Typically, such devices have low power, and to avoid electrical injury, they are placed in an insulating plastic case. But sometimes they need to be configured, and then the security is broken. To avoid possible injury, use an isolating safety transformer. It will also be useful when repairing such devices. Structurally, they consist of two identical windings, each of which is designed for the network. As a rule, the power of transformers of this type ranges from 60-100 W, these are the optimal parameters for setting up various electronics.
Simple emergency lighting source
What should you do if you need to ensure that some area remains illuminated in the event of a power outage? The answer to such calls can be an emergency lamp made on the basis of a standard energy saving lamp, the power of which does not exceed 11 watts. So if it is necessary for the light to be somewhere in the corridor, utility room or at the workplace, this homemade product will come in handy. Usually, if there is voltage, they operate directly from the mains. When it disappears, the lamp begins to function on battery power. When the mains voltage is restored, the lamp will work and the battery will automatically charge. The best electronic DIY projects have been left for the end of the article.
Boost power regulator for soldering iron
In cases where it is necessary to solder massive parts or the mains voltage often drops, using a soldering iron becomes problematic. And a step-up power regulator can help out of this situation. In these cases, the load (i.e., the soldering iron) is powered using rectified mains voltage. The change is carried out using an electrolytic capacitor, the capacitance of which allows you to obtain a voltage greater than 1.41 network voltage. So, with a standard voltage value of 220 V, it will give 310 V. And if there is a drop, say, to 160 V, then it will turn out that 160 * 1.41 = 225.6 V, which will allow for optimal operation. But this is just an example. You have the opportunity to make a scheme that is suitable specifically for your conditions.
The simplest twilight switch (photo relay)
As new parts are created, fewer components are now needed to make a device. Thus, for a regular twilight switch, only 3 of them are needed. Moreover, due to the versatility of the design, multi-purpose use is possible: in apartment building; for lighting the porch or courtyard of a private home, or even a separate room. Pointing out the features of such a design as a twilight switch, it is also called a “photo relay”. You can find many implementation schemes that were made either by amateurs or industrialists. They have their own set of positive and negative properties. Negative properties are usually either the need for a constant voltage source or the complexity of the circuit itself. Also, when buying cheap and simple parts or entire sets, people often complain that they simply burn. The functionality of the scheme is based on three components:
- Photocell. It is usually understood as photoresistors, phototransistors and photodiodes.
- Comparator.
- Triac or relay.
When there is daylight, the resistance of the photocell is low and does not exceed the response threshold. But as soon as it gets dark, the structure will be turned on at that very moment.
Conclusion
Here are some interesting electronic crafts you can make with your own hands. The main thing in cases where something doesn’t work out is to keep trying, and then everything will work out. And once you gain experience, you can move on to more complex schemes.
Every day there are more and more, many new articles appear, it is quite difficult for new visitors to immediately find their bearings and review at once everything that has already been written and previously posted.
I would really like to draw the attention of all visitors to individual articles that were posted on the site earlier. In order to avoid having to search for the necessary information for a long time, I will make several “entrance pages” with links to the most interesting and useful articles on individual topics.
Let's call the first such page "Useful electronic homemade products." Here we consider simple electronic circuits, which are available for implementation to people of any level of training. The circuits are built using a modern electronic base.
All information in the articles is presented in a very accessible form and to the extent necessary for practical work. Naturally, to implement such schemes you need to understand at least the basics of electronics.
So, a selection of the most interesting articles on the site on the topic "Useful electronic homemade products". The author of the articles is Boris Aladyshkin.
Modern electronics components greatly simplify circuit design. Even a regular twilight switch can now be assembled from just three parts.
The article describes a simple and reliable electric pump control circuit. Despite the extreme simplicity of the circuit, the device can operate in two modes: water lifting and drainage.
The article provides several diagrams of spot welding machines.
Using the described design, you can determine whether a mechanism located in another room or building is working or not. Information about the operation is the vibration of the mechanism itself.
A story about what a safety transformer is, why it is needed and how you can make it yourself.
Description of a simple device that turns off the load if the mains voltage exceeds acceptable limits.
The article discusses the circuit of a simple thermostat using an adjustable zener diode TL431.
An article about how to make a device for smoothly switching on lamps using the KR1182PM1 microcircuit.
Sometimes, when the voltage in the network is low or when soldering massive parts, it becomes simply impossible to use a soldering iron. This is where a boost power regulator for a soldering iron can come to the rescue.
An article about how you can replace a mechanical thermostat for an oil heating radiator.
Description of a simple and reliable thermostat circuit for a heating system.
The article provides a description of the converter circuit, made on a modern element base, containing minimum quantity parts and allows you to obtain significant power in the load.
Article about in various ways connecting the load to the control unit on microcircuits using relays and thyristors.
Description of a simple control circuit for LED garlands.
The design of a simple timer that allows you to turn the load on and off at specified intervals. Working time and pause time do not depend on each other.
Description of the circuit and operating principle of a simple emergency lamp based on an energy-saving lamp.
A detailed story about the popular "laser-iron" manufacturing technology printed circuit boards, its features and nuances.
Electronic homemade products, for today, are in an accessible way manufacturing useful mechanisms that can make life easier and diversify leisure time. Modern craftsmen are able to assemble with their own hands both simple toys and complex, multi-tasking mechanisms. Read below to learn how to quickly and easily make electronic toys, interesting and useful electronic crafts for your home and car!
Simple DIY electronics: making a spinner
Electrical engineering today is widely used for both practical and entertainment purposes. Some inventions (such as the smart home system) will be quite difficult for a beginner to make. They require experience and advanced knowledge of physics. Other designs are simple and accessible to beginner radio amateurs. For example, you can make interesting toys with your own hands - spinners, the sales of which have increased incredibly this year.
To assemble the toy you will need to stock up on:
- Wooden blank measuring 9x4x1.2 cm;
- Bearing size 2.2x0.8x0.7 cm (with rubber seal);
- Two RGB LEDs;
- Two CR2032 batteries and holders;
- Stainless steel bolt 0.8x2 cm;
- M8 cap nuts.
After this you can start working. First of all, you will need to find a design diagram on the Internet and transfer it to a raw block - a workpiece. To correctly mark the technological holes (there will be three of them), you will need a ruler.
Then follows:
- In the middle of the workpiece, drill a through hole with a diameter of 2.2 cm for the bearing;
- Drill two holes on the sides of the workpiece with a diameter of 2.5 cm and a depth of 7.5 mm;
- Using a drill, make two holes with a diameter of 6 mm for LEDs in the middle of two blind holes;
- Countersink the holes;
- Give the toy a rounded shape using a jigsaw, band saw or jigsaw;
- Sand the workpiece with sandpaper and coat it with varnish;
- Solder the LEDs to the battery holders;
- Check the LEDs and install them in the mounting holes, fixing them with super glue;
- Clean the bearing and treat its insides with WD 40;
- Cut off the bolt head and secure the axle in the bearing on both sides with nuts;
- Install the bearing into the mounting hole.
The spinner is ready! The toy will be interesting not only for children. Adults can also use this electronic device: the device, rotating, will help you relax or get distracted.
Simple electronic homemade circuits: making an electric call
You can make an electric call quite simply and quickly with your own hands.
Such a call will last a long time and will please the ear. After all, when pressed, it will be able to create signals of different frequencies and tones.
Thus, an electric call can be single-tone or multi-tone.
The ability of the bell to reproduce sound in one or more tones will be influenced by the presence of a multivibrator with two bipolar transistors in the radio design circuit. Let us consider in detail the circuit of an electronic call with a complex sound signal.
Yes, electronic homemade circuit will consist of the following radio components:
- Step-down transformer series TA;
- Call button;
- Five alloy silicon diodes;
- Electrolytic capacitor with a capacity of 1000 microfarads
- Two electrolytic capacitors with a capacity of 10 microfarads;
- Two trimming resistors with a resistance of 470 kilo-ohms;
- Two MLT resistors with a resistance of 10 kiloohms;
- Two MLT resistors with a resistance of 33 kilo-ohms;
- MLT resistor 1 kilo-ohm;
- MLT resistor 470 kilo-ohms;
- Three silicon-plenary transistors type 630D
- Silicon planar transistor type 630G.
The principle of operation of the device is simple. Pressing the button will open the third transistor of type 630D, allowing current to pass to the fourth transistor of type 630G. This will create the primary signal. When the second transistor of type 630D opens, the third and fourth transistors will be locked, creating a signal of a different tone.
DIY crafts for the car
Automotive electronics are in great demand today. At the same time, homemade automation often has simple circuits, easy execution and installation. What kind of electrical homemade products can you make for your car yourself?
So, you can do the following for your car with your own hands:
- Dynamic turn signals using the KIT DIY constructor;
- Universal charger from old electronics;
- Water pump based air conditioning;
- Heated wipers and much more.
The easiest way would be to design a backlight for the seat belt buckles. To do this, you will need to dismantle and disassemble the locks using a flat-head screwdriver. After that, using hot-melt adhesive, you need to secure the LEDs in the locks.
Each LED can be turned on through its own current-limiting resistor: this will extend the life of the semiconductor light-emitting device.
After this, you should assemble the locks, and run the wires powering the LEDs under the seats to the ignition or the parking button through the cigarette lighter. At the owner's request, the car's interior lighting can be supplemented with lamps that indicate that the seat belt is not fastened.
Unusual electronic homemade products: do-it-yourself binary clocks
You can make cool binary clocks for your home with your own hands. To do this you need an Arduino platform. The electrical circuits on this platform are simple and convenient; they are used for the manufacture of most electronic homemade products.
Additionally, to make a binary clock you will need:
- Real time clock module on DS1302 chip;
- Diffuse LEDs with a diameter of 1 cm (20 pieces);
- Resistors with a resistance of 10 Ohms (20 pieces);
- Resistors with a resistance of 10 kilo-ohms (2 pieces);
- Two tact buttons;
- Frame.
The watch case must consist of two halves, which can be made of wood, plastic, or metal. It depends on what style your watch will be. Before making the housing, you will need to assemble the LED matrix.
In this case, each LED must be connected through its own current-limiting resistor.
After this, the leads from the LEDs must be connected to the platform. The controller itself will need to be connected to the real time clock module. After this, the contacts from Arduino and the module must be routed to the clock buttons to set the time through resistors with a nominal value of 10 kilo-ohms. They will serve as load bearings. Finally, you should connect the power cable to the circuit.
Useful DIY crafts: how to make household scales
Today, almost every home has a floor or kitchen scale. In order to make this useful yourself meter, you need to understand its structure and operating principle.
Thus, the external components of the scales include:
- Weight processor;
- Frame;
- Display screen;
- Platform;
- Legs.
The principle of operation of the scales is extremely simple. The load, falling on the platform, presses on it due to gravity, activating the strain gauge load cell inside the device. The strain gauge, in turn, influences the strain gauge, changing its resistance. The latter transmits the signal to an analog-to-digital converter. After this, the ADC converts the signal to digital and feeds it to the microcontroller, which draws conclusions about the mass of the load on the platform and displays the values on the screen.
When assembling the circuit, you need to pay attention to the type of strain gauge.
So, for a central location under the platform of floor, commercial and technical scales, it is better to choose a single-point sensor. For bending installation, a block sensor is used. At the same time, you need to ensure that the strain gauge has a reliable connection to the ADC. A weight processor will help solve the problem of connecting devices.
DIY radio circuits for the home: making an electronic lock
Electrics can also serve to protect your home. So, today, homemade sites offer simple radio circuits for electronic locks for front door. It is impossible to open such a lock using a physical key.
The simplest electrical circuit for making a lock is usually based on a four-digit Johnson meter.
This scheme can be implemented in several variations. The simplest one is using the 4017 microcircuit. The principle of operation of the circuit is quite simple: when you enter the correct four-digit code, a logical unit is activated at the input of the microcircuit, which opens the lock.
Let's take a closer look at the operation of the device:
- When the wrong keys are pressed, the circuit restarts without triggering the mechanism through the RESET input.
- The correct signal when pressing a key should be sent to field effect transistor VT1, which, after opening, supplies voltage to the output corresponding to the key;
- After the correct code has been completely entered, from the output corresponding to the last correct key, the signal is sent to the transistor VT2 connected to the relay;
- The transistor is activated for a time that determines the capacitance of the capacitor;
- The relay opens an actuator (for example, a latch).
In order to open such a lock, you will need to go through about ten thousand different codes. At the same time, the numbers on the code should not be repeated. That is, code 3355 will not be possible; all digital values must be different.
Most of the electronic homemade products that modern craftsmen make are designed to perform ordinary household tasks faster and better than authentic devices. For example, an electric spinning wheel will significantly speed up the process of creating yarn. You can quickly make an electric spinning wheel by placing an electric motor on an authentic device.
At the same time, the motor for an electric spinning wheel must have a power of at least 15 W.
As a motor, you can use a motor from a fan, auto cleaner, or player. The pedal must be used to operate the engine. It will be possible to change the movements of the motor by including a TP-type toggle switch in the circuit, which provides connection of a capacitor and resistance to different windings.
An electric fly swatter will be useful and easy to assemble and operate.
In order to implement such a mechanism, you will need to assemble a standard blocking generator. At the same time, you will need to remember to insulate the handle of the fly swatter.
Where to find amateur radio circuits and homemade products
Modern sites for radio amateurs offer to make not only useful, but also unusual homemade radios. So, for example, on the Mozgochina website you can find interesting electronic circuits for making refrigerator reminders, thermometers that change color depending on the temperature, etc.
Electrical gadgets for everyday life and crafts made from scrap materials for fishing from the site “Visiting Samodelkin” will be interesting and useful.
You can read about how to design, debug and manufacture electronic mechanisms at home in the book “Entertaining Radio Electronics”. New items among homemade radios are often posted on the website “Amateur Radio Workshop”. Entertaining and useful technical materials contain new issues of the magazine “Radio Amateurs”.
DIY crafts at home (video)
Amateur radio clubs today are popular among both schoolchildren and adults. Master classes and radio circuits presented on various websites allow you to assemble almost any electrical appliance at home. The main thing is to find necessary diagrams, strictly follow the instructions, and adhere to safety precautions when working with electricity. And you can collect whatever you want!
Since you have decided to become a self-taught electrician, then probably after a short period of time you will want to make some useful electrical appliance for your home, car or cottage with your own hands. At the same time, homemade products can be useful not only in everyday life, but also made for sale, for example. In fact, the process of assembling simple devices at home is not difficult. You just need to be able to read diagrams and use the ham radio tool.
As for the first point, before you start making electronic homemade products with your own hands, you need to learn how to read electrical circuits. In this case, ours will be a good helper.
Among the tools for novice electricians, you will need a soldering iron, a set of screwdrivers, pliers and a multimeter. To assemble some popular electrical appliances, you may even need a welding machine, but this is a rare case. By the way, in this section of the site we even described the same welding machine.
Special attention should be paid to available materials, from which every novice electrician can make basic electronic homemade products with their own hands. Most often, old domestic parts are used in the manufacture of simple and useful electrical appliances: transformers, amplifiers, wires, etc. In most cases, novice radio amateurs and electricians just need to look for all the necessary tools in a garage or shed in the country.
When everything is ready - the tools have been collected, spare parts have been found and minimal knowledge has been obtained, you can proceed to assembling amateur electronic homemade products at home. This is where our small guide will help you. Each instruction provided includes not only detailed description each stage of creating electrical appliances, but is also accompanied by photo examples, diagrams, as well as video lessons that clearly show the entire manufacturing process. If you don’t understand some point, you can clarify it under the entry in the comments. Our specialists will try to advise you in a timely manner!
Those who do radio electronics at home are usually very inquisitive. Amateur radio circuits and homemade products will help you find a new direction in creativity. Perhaps someone will find it for themselves original solution one problem or another. Some homemade products use ready-made devices, connecting them in different ways. For others, you need to completely create the circuit yourself and make the necessary adjustments.
One of the simplest homemade products. More suitable for those who are just starting to craft. If you have an old but working cell phone with a button to turn on the player, you can use it, for example, to make a doorbell for your room. The advantages of such a call:
First you need to make sure that the selected phone is capable of producing a sufficiently loud melody, after which it must be completely disassembled. Basically, the parts are secured with screws or staples, which are carefully folded back. When disassembling, you will need to remember what goes with what, so that you can put everything back together later.
The player's power button is unsoldered on the board, and two short wires are soldered in its place. These wires are then glued to the board so the solder doesn't come off. The phone is going. All that remains is to connect the phone to the call button via a two-wire wire.
Homemade products for cars
Modern cars are equipped with everything you need. However, there are times when it is simply necessary homemade devices. For example, something broke, they gave it to a friend, and the like. That’s when the ability to create electronics with your own hands at home will be very useful.
The first thing you can tamper with without fear of damaging your car is the battery. If you don’t have a battery charger at hand at the right time, you can quickly assemble it yourself. To do this you will need:
A transformer from a tube TV is ideal. Therefore, those who are interested in homemade electronics never throw away electrical appliances in the hope that they will be needed someday. Unfortunately, two types of transformers were used: with one and with two coils. To charge a battery at 6 volts, any will do, but for 12 volts only two.
The wrapping paper of such a transformer shows the winding terminals, the voltage for each winding and the operating current. To power filaments vacuum tubes a voltage of 6.3 V with high current is used. The transformer can be remade by removing the extra secondary windings, or you can leave everything as is. In this case, the primary and secondary windings are connected in series. Each primary is rated at 127 V, so combining them produces 220 V. The secondary are connected in series to produce an output of 12.6 V.
Diodes must withstand a current of at least 10 A. Each diode requires a radiator with an area of at least 25 square centimeters. They are connected into a diode bridge. Any electrical insulating plate is suitable for fastening. A 0.5 A fuse is included in the primary circuit, and a 10 A fuse in the secondary circuit. The device does not tolerate short circuit, so when connecting the battery, do not confuse the polarity.
Simple heaters
During the cold season, it may be necessary to warm up the engine. If the car is parked where it is electric current, this problem can be solved using a heat gun. To make it you will need:
- asbestos pipe;
- nichrome wire;
- fan;
- switch.
The diameter of the asbestos pipe is selected according to the size of the fan that will be used. The performance of the heater will depend on its power. The length of the pipe is everyone's preference. You can assemble a heating element and a fan in it, or just a heater. When choosing the latter option, you will have to think about how to allow air flow to the heating element. This can be done, for example, by placing all components in a sealed housing.
Nichrome wire is also selected according to the fan. The more powerful the latter, the larger diameter nichrome can be used. The wire is twisted into a spiral and placed inside the pipe. For fastening, bolts are used that are inserted into pre-drilled holes in the pipe. The length of the spiral and their number are selected experimentally. It is advisable that the coil does not become red hot when the fan is running.
The choice of fan will determine what voltage needs to be supplied to the heater. When using a 220 V electric fan, you will not need to use an additional power source.
The entire heater is connected to the network via a cord with a plug, but it itself must have its own switch. It can be either just a toggle switch or an automatic machine. The second option is more preferable; it allows you to protect the general network. To do this, the operation current of the machine must be less than the operation current of the room machine. A switch is also needed to quickly turn off the heater in case of problems, for example, if the fan does not work. This heater has its disadvantages:
- harmful to the body from asbestos pipes;
- noise from a running fan;
- smell from dust falling on the heated coil;
- fire hazard.
Some problems can be solved by using another homemade product. Instead of an asbestos pipe, you can use a coffee can. To prevent the spiral from closing on the jar, it is attached to a textolite frame, which is fixed with glue. A cooler is used as a fan. To power it, you will need to collect another electronic device- a small rectifier.
Homemade products bring those who do them not only satisfaction, but also benefits. With their help, you can save energy, for example, by turning off electrical appliances that you forgot to turn off. A time relay can be used for this purpose.
The simplest way to create a time-setting element is to use the charging or discharging time of a capacitor through a resistor. Such a chain is included in the base of the transistor. The circuit will require the following parts:
- high-capacity electrolytic capacitor;
- transistor p-n-p type;
- electromagnetic relay;
- diode;
- variable resistor;
- fixed resistors;
- DC source.
First you need to determine what current will be switched through the relay. If the load is very powerful, you will need to connect it. magnetic starter. The starter coil can be connected via a relay. It is important that the relay contacts can operate freely without sticking. Based on the selected relay, a transistor is selected and it is determined what current and voltage it can operate with. You can focus on KT973A.
The base of the transistor is connected through a limiting resistor to a capacitor, which, in turn, is connected through a bipolar switch. The free contact of the switch is connected through a resistor to the power supply negative. This is necessary to discharge the capacitor. The resistor acts as a current limiter.
The capacitor itself is connected to the positive bus of the power source through a variable resistor with a high resistance. By selecting the capacitance of the capacitor and the resistance of the resistor, you can change the delay time interval. The relay coil is shunted by a diode, which turns on in the opposite direction. This circuit uses KD 105 B. It closes the circuit when the relay is de-energized, protecting the transistor from breakdown.
The scheme works as follows. In the initial state, the base of the transistor is disconnected from the capacitor, and the transistor is closed. When the switch is turned on, the base is connected to the discharged capacitor, the transistor opens and supplies voltage to the relay. The relay operates, closes its contacts and supplies voltage to the load.
The capacitor begins to charge through a resistor connected to the positive terminal of the power source. As the capacitor charges, the base voltage begins to rise. At a certain voltage value, the transistor closes, de-energizing the relay. The relay switches off the load. In order for the circuit to work again, you need to discharge the capacitor; to do this, switch the switch.