Ten Breadboard Projects For Beginners

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10 Breadboard Projects For Beginners

by Saiyam on April 4, 2015
Table of Contents
10 Breadboard Projects For Beginners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Intro: 10 Breadboard Projects For Beginners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step 1: Parts And Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step 2: Know About Breadboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step 3: Know About Electronic Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step 4: Make A Permanent Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step 5: Make A Simple LED Circuit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step 6: Project 1: Musical Bell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step 7: Project 2: IR Remote Tester . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Step 8: Project 3: Static Electricity Detector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Step 9: Project 4: Ticking Bomb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Step 10: Project 5: The Fading LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Step 11: Project 6: Light Activated LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Step 12: Project 7: Dark Activated LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Step 13: Project 8: LED Dimmer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Step 14: Project 9: Single Chip Electronic Dice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Step 15: Project 10: Manual Counter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Step 16: The End . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
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Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
http://www.instructables.com/id/Ten-Breadboard-Projects-For-Beginners/
Author:Saiyam
Hi, I am an electronic hobbyist and a robot builder. I like to make DIY projects especially that are powered by arduino.
Intro: 10 Breadboard Projects For Beginners

Use of arduino in this instructable is prohibited :D
Breadboard is a great way to construct electronic projects easily and in less time without the need of soldering. A problem that is faced by beginners in the field of
electronics is that they cannot solder the components neatly on printed circuit boards. One bad solder joint can lead to the project not working. When the project does not
work, they eventually loose their confidence and cease to continue making projects. Before attempting another project, they have to think twice. Another problem faced
by them is that if they try to solder and make a project, it does not work because of poor soldering or the circuit that was taken from a book or magazine lacked
instructions or it was wrong. Now after spending a lot of time on making it, what they have to face is dissapointment.
This instructable gives a walkthrough of ten projects that can be made easily on a standard size breadboard thus solving the problem of hobbyists. Each projects is
followed by a schematic, a breadboard layout, complete description with instructions, parts list and the difficulty level. The difficulty level increases as you make each
project. Before making the projects a description of breadboard as well as electronic components is given which gives a complete understanding to beginners. All the
projects are tested before they were added and all of them work.
It feels good sometimes to make something apart from arduino, microcontrollers and explore the world of digital and analog circuits. All the projects do not use any
microcontrollers thus making them non programmable. The parts can be easily obtained and are cheap. All the circuits were picked from internet, books and magazines
but most of the projects were taken from Talking Electronics (A special thanks to Colin Mitchell for his projects). All the schematics and breadboard layouts were made
using Fritzing library.The Projects can be modified to use them in a different and better way and to use them for other applications.
Update: Corrections have been made in schematics and breadboard layouts.
Here is a list of all the projects in the correct order:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Musical Bell
IR Remote Tester
Static Electricity Detector
Ticking Bomb
The Fading LED
Light Activated LED
Dark Activated LED
LED Dimmer
Single Chip Electronic Dice
Manual Counter
Step 1: Parts And Tools

Here are the parts required for all the mentioned projects. Some of them can be removed if you don't want to attempt all the projects. The total cost of all the parts is
around $5 or 300 INR which varies according to the store of website you buy the parts from.
PARTS:
1) ICs:
1x UM66
1x 555 timer
1x 4026
1x 4060
2) Transistors:
3x bc547 or 2n2222 or 2n3904
1x bc557
3) Resistors:
1x 220 ohm
1x 33K
1x 47K
2x 1M
1x 100K
1x 4.7K
1x 680 ohm
1x 470 ohm
1x 2.2K
2x 1K
4) Capacitors:
2x 10uf (electrolytic)
1x 100uf (electrolytic)
1x 100nf (non- electrolytic)

5) Miscellaneous:
2x 1.5v AA or AAA batteries
1x Battery holder
1x 9v battery
1x 9v battery holder
1x Toggle switch
1x 8 ohm speaker
1x IR receiver (TSOP)
6x LEDs
1x LDR
2x 1n4148 or 1n4001 diodes
1x 50K or 47K potentiometer
1x Momentary push button
1x 7 segment display
1x Breadboard
Hookup or jumper wire
TOOLS:
Wire cutter/stripper
Pliers
Breadboard power supply
Step 2: Know About Breadboard

Breadboard is a base for constructing electronic projects and prototyping electronics. It can be a great option for beginners with the purpose of creating easy and
temporary projects without the need to solder the components. It is a great way to construct temporary projects as almost all the components can fit in easily (not the
ones with thick leads) in the holes. Almost all the components can be plugged in and out easily thus making it easily to contruct almost all electronic projects. It has
mainly two types of rows in a breadboard- bus rows or horizontal rows and vertical rows.
Bus rows or horizontal rows are used to connect power or a battery to a breadboard. There are a total of four bus rows in a breadboard- two in the uppermost part while
two in the lower part. In a 840 points breadboard, a divider is present in each row when halfway of a row is completely. Usually these dividers are connected through
hookup wire to easily connect the power lines to the vertical rows.Bus rows are also called the power rails of the breadboard.
Vertical rows are another type of rows where most of the electronic components are connected. There is a large gap in the middle of the breadboard where the
connection between the vertical rows is broken. This place mainly holds integrated circuits (ics). Since the connection is broken here, each vertical row is connected to its
respective pin of the ic where components are added. Vertical rows are connected to bus rows wherever power is needed.
Breadboard is available in various shapes and sizes to meet the needs of a project. They also have grooves through which they can be inter-connected to each other to
make bigger breadboards. A special type of wire called hookup wire of jumper wire is used to make connections in a breadboard. Using other types of wires can damage
it.
Check out amandaghassaei's How to: Breadboard guide for more details about breadboard.
Step 3: Know About Electronic Components

Before you start making the projects, you should understand the functioning of every project to know what are you really doing. For this you need to know about important
electronics components used in a circuit. So here is a brief description of all the electronic components used in the projects. I have left the ones that are not used in the
projects and are too complicated to understand.
Check out randofo's Basic Electronics guide that teaches you almost everything about basic electronics.
(1) Resistor:
A resistor is a device that reduces current in a circuit by offering obstruction to the flow of electrical current. So if you connect an LED directly to a 3v battery and then
connect it by adding a resistor in series. The brightness in the second case would be lower than the first one as the resistor in the second case would not allow much
current to pass through thus reducing the brightness. Resistance is measured in ohms, kilo ohms and mega ohms.
(2) Capacitor:
A capacitor is a device that stores electricity inside it when it is supplied and gives it out in a circuit when there is a loss in electricity. It is like a rechargeable battery but
there is a lot of difference between them. A capacitor can store a small amount of current and can charge instantly whereas a battery can store a large amount of current
and takes a while to charge. There are many types of capacitors but the two common types are- electrolytic (polarized) and non electrolytic (non polarized). Capacitance
is measured in pico farads, nano farads and micro farads.
(3) Transistor:
A transistor is a device that amplifies a small current applied on its base pin to produce a large current that flows between the collector and emitter pins. It does not create
a large current but acts as a switch which when supplied a small current on the base pin, closes the switch (switches it on). There are two types of transistors- NPN and
PNP.
(4) Integrated Circuit (IC):
An integrated circuit is a small package that is made for a particular task. It has a miniature inbuilt circuit that has many components inside it can perform a particular task.
For example- a 555 ic is meant for timing circuits and LM386 is meant for amplifying audio signals. It is usually a small black chip with pins coming out. There are 3 pin ics
as well as 32 pin ics and even more.
(5) Diode:
A diode is a device that allows current to flow only in one direction. This is the reason it has polarity and should be connected correctly for its proper functioning. It is used
to prevent the reverse flow of current.
(6) Light Emitting Diode (LED):
A light emitting diode is a special type of diode that can emit light when electricity is passed through it. Like a diode, an led also allows current to flow only in one direction
so to make it work it should be connected properly in a circuit. These days LEDs are preferred over lightbulbs as they consume much less electricity than bulbs and
CFLs. They are available in different shapes, sizes and colors but being energy efficient, their cost is much high.
(7) Potentiometer:
A potentiometer or a variable resistor is a device that allows us to choose different resistances that may be required in a circuit. It has a knob that can be adjusted to
produce a specific resistance.
(8) Light Dependent Resistor (LDR):
An LDR is a special type of resistor that changes its resistance according to the intensity of light falling on it. The resistance of an ldr increases when it is dark and
decreases when the intensity of light falling on it is high.
(9) Infra-Red Receiver (IR receiver):
An IR receiver is a device that receives infrared light and gives an output depending on the signal received. It decodes and tells the type of signal received. It is present in
all the devices that are controlled using IR remotes.
(10) Seven Segment Display:
A seven segment display is a device that is used to display digits and letters. It has usually a series of seven leds put in a certain odder to form an 8. All the digits can be
displayed by lighting a certain number of leds. It also has an extra led for decimal point.
Step 4: Make A Permanent Power Supply

A problem that you have to face in every project is what power supply to use? In this instructable, all the projects that are mentioned are low power projects that do not
suck too much power. High power ics and motors are not used here so a 9v battery would be ideal as a power supply for the projects. The first project that is a musical
bell uses a um66 ic which cannot be supplied a voltage more than 4.5v. So in that project you need to substitute the 9v battery with two 1.5v batteries. Rest all other
projects can be powered safely with a 9v battery. An adjustable power supply can also be a good option for powering the projects.
As for now, connect a switch to the breadboard as shown in the image above. Connect two small pieces of hookup wire to the 9v battery clip as well as the 3v battery
holder. Do not connect a battery or a power source right now as we will see to that later.
Step 5: Make A Simple LED Circuit

Before you start attempting the projects, it is necessary to make this simple circuit that involves only an led with a resistor. This is only for absolute beginners who have
not made anything before and you may skip it if you have worked before with breadboard.
Connect the negative lead of led to the negative power rail of the breadboard. Now connect a 470 ohm resistor to the positive power rail and the other lead of resistor to
the positive lead of led. A resistor is added here to prevent the led from burning as a 9v battery gives a higher current than the led requires. Connect a 9v battery to the
power rails through a battery clip. Now switch the circuit on, this will make the circuit closed (on) and current will flow from positive to negative thus illuminating the led.
After that switch it off, now the led will stop glowing as you have made the circuit open (off). As the circuit is broken, current will not flow thereby not illuminating it.
Note: Use a 1K resistor instead of 220 ohm for better results. Using a 220 ohm can damage the resistor as well as the LED.
Step 6: Project 1: Musical Bell

Description: This is simple project that can be made easily in five minutes. It is a musical bell that produces a melodious sound just like doorbells. It uses the um66 ic
popularly known as the melody ic which has a built in oscillator and an amplifier which can directly drive a buzzer but needs an external circuit to drive a speaker. The
supply voltage if the ic is 1.5 - 4.5v so cannot be powered by a 9v battery.
Instructions: Connect everything to the breadboard according to the layout given above. Refer to the images above for the pin configurations of the transistor as well as
the ic. Connect a battery holder with 2 AA or AAA batteries to the power rails of the breadboard. Do not connect a 9v battery as it would burn the ic. On switching it on, a
musical sound will be heard.
Difficulty: Easy
Parts List:
1x UM66 ic
1x bc547 or 2n2222 or 2n3904 transistor
1x 1K resistor
1x 8 ohm speaker
2x AA or AAA batteries
1x Battery holder
Related Project: Check out buildcircuit's Infrared based music transmitter and receiver that uses the same circuit but can transmit and receive music through an IR led
and a photodiode.
Step 7: Project 2: IR Remote Tester

Description: This is another simple project to learn about infrared light. It is an IR remote tester which can be used to test an IR remote whether it is working or not. IR
remotes are basically TV or music player remotes. The circuit makes use of an IR receiver which gives a repeated high and low output when it receives infrared light. TV
remotes have an IR led in front of them which is use to transmit signals so if the led is working and the receiver is receiving, that means the remote is working. Since
infrared light has a higher wavelength than our eyes can see so we are not able to see it however it can be seen clearly using a camera. The circuit is so modified that if
you press a button on the remote, an led will glow indicating that the remote is working.
Instructions: Connect everything according to the layout given above. Refer to the image above for pin identification of the components. Connect a 9v battery to the power
rails and switch it on. Now bring an IR remote near it and press any button. The led would glow indicating that the remote is working.
Note: Use a 6v battery instead of a 9v as TSOP can handle voltages upto 6v only. Giving it a higher voltage can damage it however it still works with it. Also use a 470
ohm instead of 220 ohm connected to the LED for better results.
Difficulty: Easy
Parts List:
1x IR receiver (TSOP)
1x bc557 transistor
1x 10uf capacitor
1x 1K resistor
1x 220 ohm resistor
1x LED
Related Project: Check out ynze's RC circuit for a Bibberbeest/vibrobot that moves on pressing a button on a tv remote. The circuit is a little different but uses the same
principle of the circuit mentioned above.
Step 8: Project 3: Static Electricity Detector

Description: You may have read that static electricity is the type of electricity in which the charges are at rest. It is present almost everywhere around us. So this is a
project which can check the presence of static electricity around us. If you touch it to anything, the led will glow indicating the presence of static electricity. The circuit is so
sensitive that it can detect your hand even if keep it near to the antenna without touching it.
Instructions: Connect everything as shown in the layout about. Look at the image above for the pinout of bc547. Extract a piece of wire from the base of the third
transistor which will act as an antenna to detect charges. After completing everything, switch it on and bring your hand close to the antenna. The led would glow dimly.
Now touch your finger to the antenna. This time the led would glow brightly.
Note: Use a 470 ohm instead of 220 ohm connected to the LED for better results.
Difficulty: Easy
Parts List:
3x bc547 or 2n2222 or 2n3904 transistors
1x 220 ohm resistor
1x 100K resistor
1x 1M resistor
1x LED
Related project: Check out this Ridiculously Sensitive Electric Charge Detector that uses another circuit but does the same job.
Circuit Source: http://www.talkingelectronics.com
Step 9: Project 4: Ticking Bomb

Description: This project uses a 555 timer ic which is the most commonly used timer ic by hobbyists. This project will produce a sound just like a ticking bomb as it is clear
by the name. The 555 timer is wired in astable multivibrator mode so produces a square wave output waveform which is nothing but switching the output between high
and low. The circuit is set at a frequency of 1hz so it produces a tick every 1 second. The frequency of the circuit is determined by the value of the resistor and the
capacitor present on the left hand side of the circuit. Another capacitor is added at pin 3 to stabilize the output to drive a speaker. An led can be added in place of speaker
by removing the capacitor at pin 3.
Instructions: Connect all the parts on the breadboard as per the layout given above. Be careful when putting the ic on the breadboard and make sure that the small semicircle present on the top of the ic should face left hand side when looking from the front. Do not alter the power supply which was made earlier in step 4. On switching it
on, you would hear tick-tick sound coming from the speaker.
Difficulty: Medium
Parts List:
1x 555 timer ic
2x 10uf capacitors
1x 47K resistor
1x 8 ohm speaker
Related Project: Check out taipeihackerspace's Ticking Bomb Package that can be packed in a box and used as an april fool's day prank.
Step 10: Project 5: The Fading LED

Description: As the name already tells, this project fades an led high and low. This is done through the capacitor that is added on pin 3 which repeatedly charges and
discharges producing a fading effect which is quite pleasing to see than to think.
Instructions: Make all the connections looking at the layout above. On switching the circuit on, the led would fade off then fade on and will repeat until you switch it off.
You can try different led colours to produce better effects.
Difficulty: Medium
Parts List:
1x 555 timer ic
1x bc547 transistor
1x 33K resistor
1x 220 ohm resistor
1x 100uf capacitor
1x LED
Related Project: Check out soraj619's USB Fading Star that uses the same circuit but the leds are wired in the form of a star that fades up and down.
Step 11: Project 6: Light Activated LED

Description: As explained earlier, ldr is a device which gives a certain resistance depending upon the light falling on it. So this circuit makes use of and ldr to switch on an
led when it receives a high amount of light falling on it. An ldr gives a low resistance when receiving more light so the 555 timer is triggered when light falls on the ldr and
the output becomes high switching on the led. The output becomes low when no light is falling on it.
Instructions: Connect everything according to the layout given above. Ldr has no polarity so connect it in either way. Now switch the circuit on, the led would glow if there
is enough light in your surroundings. Now enter a dark room, the led would go off. On putting a glowing torch just above the ldr, the led would glow again.
Difficulty: Medium
Parts List:
1x 555 timer ic
1x 100nf capacitor
1x 10nf capacitor
1x 10K resistor
1x 4.7K resistor
1x 220 ohm resistor
1x LDR
1x LED
Related Project: Check out C.V. Hariharan's 555 Timer Based Light Seeking Robot that uses the light detector circuit to make a light following robot. The circuit can also
be used as a burglar alarm and a morning alarm.
Step 12: Project 7: Dark Activated LED

Description: This project has a reverse configuration of the previous project. It can detect the presence of darkness. The 555 timer is triggered when ldr receives low light
making the output high and switching on the led while when more light is detected, the output becomes low switching off the led. This type of circuit is used in automatic
street lights that switch on automatically when it turns dark.
Instructions: If you still have the previous project on your breadboard, do not alter the connections but just switch the connection of ldr i.e. connect it to gnd (-) and change
the 4.7K resistor to 100K. On switching the circuit on you will notice that the led will not glow initially. Now keep your hand above the ldr to block the light or enter a dark
room. The led would glow this time as the ldr is not receiving light.
Difficulty: Medium
Parts List:
1x 555 timer ic
1x 10K resistor
1x 100K resistor
1x 220 ohm resistor
1x 100nf capacitor
1x 10nf capacitor
1x LDR
1x LED
Related Project: Check out ManishVarma's Automatic Streetlight System that uses the circuit to switch on a street light when it turns dark.
Step 13: Project 8: LED Dimmer

Description: This is a project used to change the brightness of an led by varying the resistance using a potentiometer which has a knob that can be turned to set it at a
particular value. The circuit is somewhat similar to PWM (pulse width modulation) circuit which is used to control the speed of motors. The brightness is altered by
switching the led between on and off at a fast rate which reduces the brightness. The rate is controlled by the potentiometer thus changing the brightness.
Instructions: Connect everything according to the layout given above. Make sure you connect the diodes in the right way as they have polarity. Switch the circuit on and
turn the pot slowly. You will observe that the brightness of the led changes.
Difficulty: Medium
Parts List:
1x 555 timer ic
1x 1K resistor
1x 220 ohm resistor
1x 100n capacitor
1x 50K or 47K potentiometer
1x LED
Related Project: Check out my Desktop Lamp instructable that uses a similar circuit to change the brightness of 36 leds in a reading lamp.
Step 14: Project 9: Single Chip Electronic Dice

Description: Have you heard about electronic dice before? If not, it is a simple dice but instead of shaking it you have to press a button. The device will tell you a random
number between 1 and 6 through a series of LEDs. The number of LEDs that light up will indicate the number. This project uses a 4060 counter that counts the clock
pulses received sets a particular number of pins high. Pressing the button creates a fast clock pulse so the pins that would be high cannot be estimated. This is the
reason that makes this dice a completely random number generator. The pins that are set high light up a series of leds that indicates the number. The good thing about
this project is that it does not use any microcontrollers thus making it non- programmable thus making it cheap. Most of the projects that you may have seen require
arduino or other microcontrollers. Truly speaking, this is the most tedious and time consuming project.
Instructions: Connect everything according to the layout given above. Make sure you connect everything properly as the connections are too many. Switch the circuit on
and press the button. A certain number of LEDs will light up indicating the number which is completely random. Connecting the LEDs like a real dice in a certain order
forming a rectangle would make the project look more good.
Difficulty: Hard
Parts List:
1x 4060 ic
1x 2.2M resistor
1x 470K resistor
1x 100K resistor
1x 560 ohm resistor
1x 470 ohm resistor
1x 220 ohm resistor
2x 1n capacitors
6x LEDs
Related Project: Check out xBacon's ATtiny85/45/25 LED dice that uses an attiny 85 microcontroller instead of an integrated circuit.
Step 15: Project 10: Manual Counter

Description: Sometimes certain events are needed to count to make keep a record of a particular event. In this case electronic counters can be quite useful. They have a
small button and a display to show the count. This is a smaller version and can count only from 0 to 9 however it can be increased by adding more LEDs. It uses a 4026
ic which a 7 segment display driver and counter. It counts the clock pulses received and displays in on a 7 segment display. A button is added here which sends a clock
pulse to the ic whenever it is pressed. The ic counts it and advances a digit by one. To increase the number of digits, pin 5 of the first ic should be connected to the pin 1
of second ic. Connections of the second ic should be the same as the first ic. When the first ic completes the count from 0 to 9, it sends another clock pulse through pin 5
to the second ic to advance the tens digit by one. Similarly, hundreds and thousands digit can also be added. These type of counters were used in sports events and in
factories but the coming up of technology has almost finished the use of these type of counters. Not denying their importance, they can be very useful sometimes as they
can be made pocket sized and are quite handy.
Instructions: Connect everything according to the breadboard layout given in the picture above. Make sure you connect the seven segment display properly as connecting
just one pin wrong would result in a display of digits that you may have never seen before. After connecting everything, switch it on. The display would show 0. Now press
the button and the digit would advance by one. Similarly repeat the process till the count reaches 9. This time on pressing the button, the counter would reset showing 0
again on the display. If the display is not counting properly, add a 47nf capacitor or 2 22nf capacitors in parallel between the two terminals of switch.
Difficulty: Hard
Parts List:
1x 4026 ic
1x 10K resistor
1x 220 ohm resistor
1x 7 segment display
Related Project: Check out mischka's Advent Calendar for Geeks that uses two ics to make a two digit counter that can be used as a calendar by pressing the button
everyday once.
Step 16: The End

So, you've learned a lot!!
That's the end of the instructable. Hope you liked it. I had no idea about the response of people to this instructable. I assure you if it will be good, I would make another
instructable on it. If you think it was good, click the favourite button and do post your pictures if you have made them. Do not forget to comment or ask any questions if
you have any doubt. THANK YOU :)
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Comments
50 comments Add Comment
view all 62 comments
belfastrab says:
May 9, 2015. 11:23 AM REPLY

Thank you for the hard work and effort put into this Instructable. Also for the beginner friendly plans in addition to the traditional layouts.
Saiyam says:
May 9, 2015. 11:20 PM REPLY
Thanks.. :)
colin55 says:
May 8, 2015. 10:41 AM REPLY
There are still lots of mistakes.

220R is too small for 9v.
Fading LED circuit will not work
TSOP is only for 3v to 6v.
LED Dice should have LEDs in series and not parallel
Saiyam says:
I don't know how but all of them work.
220 ohm is added in every project and it doesn't cause any problems.
Fading led circuit just works perfectly.
TSOP circuit also works great.
May 8, 2015. 10:55 PM REPLY
LED dice originally had leds in series but the brightness of leds was reduced so I connected them in parallel. Still Works.
colin55 says:
May 8, 2015. 11:39 PM REPLY
"I don't know how, but all of them work."

That's the skill of being a design-engineer.
220R wit a red LED and 9v will allow 33mA to flow and a red is best at 17mA and up to 25mA.
Fading circuit has no oscillator components.
TSOP - read the data sheet 3v to 6v max.
LED dice with LEDs in series and a lower-value current limiting resistor.
Saiyam says:
May 8, 2015. 11:55 PM REPLY

I do not deny the fact that you are a great design engineer but I have already mentioned that I am just 15 years old. I am still learning new things
everyday and I'm not like an experienced person like you.
Still finding a way to make you believe they work with the same schematics mentioned in this instructable.
Uploading a video soon.
madhavdivya says:
May 9, 2015. 5:05 AM REPLY

@Saiyam: Just making a circuit work does not necessarily mean that reliability is an inbuilt part of it. That's the point of Colin55. You don't have
to upload a video to make him believe. For a LED, 33mA is way too high and greatly shortens the life. You need to request Colin55, how to select
(design) the right value of the resistor. It's as simple as that. Great effort for a 15 year old. Keep it up and keep learning through out, that the way
to a bright future.
Saiyam says:
May 9, 2015. 9:13 AM REPLY
Yes you're right. I should correct them as well. Thanks for your blessings.
RobertD2 says:
May 8, 2015. 11:10 PM REPLY
I greatly appreciate the effort, and a tutorial like this is a wonderful resource for beginners.
As to the errors, a comment board such as this is a great thing to have if someone has a problem with a project. I would second the point that you should
reference any site you got "inspiration" from, so that makers can have additional information regarding the concept and techniques for the project.
Thanks again!
pfred2 says:
May 6, 2015. 9:09 PM REPLY

For me using a mains fed bench power supply was really a game changer as far as electronics goes. With batteries it is often an issue whether it can supply
the current needed to operate a circuit.
I often tell people it is one of the first projects they should build. Because without electricity electronics isn't nearly as much fun.
Saiyam says:
May 8, 2015. 7:50 AM REPLY

Beginners won't have the confidence to use wall current at their first attempt. A 9v battery is easily available so can be a great option to power the
projects. LEDs don't take up too much power.
pfred2 says:
May 8, 2015. 11:26 AM REPLY
LEDs actually can draw quite a bit of current. This board draws over 3 amps in some display states
http://i.imgur.com/It2khek.jpg
It is the LEDs drawing all of that power too. I had to up my power supply game to run that circuit.
Saiyam says:
May 8, 2015. 10:59 PM REPLY

That's a different story. If you look at the circuits, all of them are simple involving just one led. 555 timer is used in most of them which takes just
20ma of current so the power consumption won't go above 100ma leaving the Dice circuit which uses six leds.
ac-dc says:
May 7, 2015. 10:48 AM REPLY

A battery pack consisting of AA or larger cells, particularly NiMH, NiCd, or Li-Ion, can easily provide 4A current which is far more than a beginning
hobbyist building circuits on a breadboard should need.
Just don't use a little 9V battery. Yes a bench PSU is VERY useful to have, especially if the hobbyist builds it themselves to improve their understanding,
BUT at the same time it would be better to wait a while before tackling a project that deals directly with mains AC input. Instead a safer option would be
to keep an AC-DC adapter such as those used on laptops, whole and intact, then build a step-down circuit for it.
Such a laptop adapter also has a certain current limitation but often it is 3A or higher and that too is plenty for the majority of beginner projects, plus if the
day comes that the PSU is upgraded to something else, you could re-purpose the step down DC-DC for something like vehicle 13.8V to lower peripheral
gadget needs.
pfred2 says:
May 7, 2015. 4:30 PM REPLY

I overcame my fear of wall current when I was 13 years old. The power supply I built then still works today too. Before that I was constantly frustrated
by trying to use dead batteries in experimental circuits. Batteries serve one purpose, to make circuits portable. If you're at your workbench working on
a project you really don't need that feature. What is so difficult about insulating electrical connections anyways? If anything amateurs over do it, but
that's OK.
Now as far as safety goes what about sanity? Dead batteries drive me crazy!
russ_hensel says:
May 7, 2015. 10:27 AM REPLY
This is great, but would be even better with schematics, could you add them?
Saiyam says:
May 8, 2015. 10:48 PM REPLY
Schematics are added in each step if you see.
madhavdivya says:
May 8, 2015. 2:58 AM REPLY

Its okay Mitchell. All of us have learnt from somebody, somewhere and sometime . As long as the sense of gratitude exists towards our teachers, its just
acceptable. Just point to the mistakes and correct the content, so those starting to learn will continue to do so like, diggee17.
Saiyam says:
May 8, 2015. 7:52 AM REPLY
Agreed.
vasudevan.nambudiri.56 says:
May 7, 2015. 9:59 AM REPLY
May 7, 2015. 10:01 AM REPLY
Sir,
I am a regular reader of Instructable and most of the publications are really good.
In this bread board projects,I would like to mention few points.
Project-1-Music bell. Collector of the BC547 is not getting +ve voltage as the speaker is connected from collector to -Ve of the battery.
Project-6-Light activated LED----.Here, discharge pin 7 of 555 ic is not connected and the LDR is connected as a seperate circuit. So LDR cannot control
LED.
Vasudevan Nambudiri.
Saiyam says:
May 8, 2015. 7:50 AM REPLY
Thank you sir, the corrections have been made.
colin55 says:
May 7, 2015. 10:03 AM REPLY

Some of these circuits have been copied from my website: Talking Electronics.com and some have been copied incorrectly and will not work.
Colin Mitchell
TALKING ELECTRONICS
Saiyam says:
May 7, 2015. 10:23 AM REPLY

I'm really sorry about that sir. My intention was not to copy the circuits but to publish a guide related to breadboard projects. I was looking for projects on
different websites and then found your site as a great source of electronic projects so picked up some circuit from it. Looking at the real pictures, you will
find them that all of them are made correctly and will work. I had also made a video of all the projects working which I could not publish. The real problem
was when I made circuits using fritzing where I did some mistakes. I am a human and I can't stop making mistakes.
querry43 says:
May 7, 2015. 12:49 PM REPLY

Referencing your sources is the right thing to do. In addition to giving people credit, it gives your readers additional places to look for information.
Also, you've got some silly mistakes that you should probably fix before people get frustrated. Rather than discussing the merits of reference
material, ask how you could improve. I am sure that colin55 would be happy to share information when asked.
Saiyam says:
I realised my mistake. Thanks querry43.
May 8, 2015. 7:47 AM REPLY
colin55 says:
May 7, 2015. 12:04 PM REPLY

"I am a human and I can't stop making mistakes."
That's the reason I layout everything in html, so that a correction can be made.
The projects contain so many mistakes that the .pdf should be completely revised.
These projects are just going frustrate a beginner by not being able to get them to work properly.
Secondly, if you are going to copy a project from another persons website, at least provide a link to where you stole the idea. I know my circuits
simply by recognising the component values, as very few designers understand the importance of designing a circuit using correct values.
And when you diverge from this, the circuits either do not work or show a complete lack of design-competence.
Saiyam says:
May 8, 2015. 7:44 AM REPLY

Completely agreed. I have tried to correct the silly mistakes which I think are all successfully corrected. Now there can't be a mistake as copied
the same layouts when making the projects in real life and to my surprise, they all worked. If you are telling about the light and dark detector
circuits, I have made some little modifications in them but they still work properly. I have also mentioned the name of your website in the projects
that were copied from it. Truly speaking, I am a 15 year old kid so I can't understand nor design complex circuits. This is the reason that I copied
projects from your website. I have worked really hard in documenting this guide. Hope you can understand and help me to correct any further
mistakes. Thanks.
sogoesme says:
May 7, 2015. 3:54 PM REPLY
Cheer up ;)
matt.shepker says:
May 7, 2015. 11:54 AM REPLY

It isn't like any of these circuits are novel or groundbreaking. It is hard to claim ownership of something that has been done by nearly every person just
getting started in electronics.
The author has done a fantastic job putting these together in an easy to read and follow format. He definitely did his homework and I applaud him.
Saiyam says:
May 8, 2015. 7:46 AM REPLY
Thank you matt.shepker.
diggee17 says:
May 7, 2015. 6:17 PM REPLY

Bottom line - is this information correct or not? I'm a beginning hobbist and this looks like a good place to start my studies but will only be frustrating and
discouraging if the information is incorrect. I am of course very happy to study the orig source which is mentioned in anearlier comment. Thanks all.
Saiyam says:
May 8, 2015. 7:33 AM REPLY
Hello diggee17,
Don't worry, the information is correct. I have recently made corrections in schematics and breadboard layouts. As mentioned earlier, the projects work
and I have also made a video of them working which I could not publish.
Sirplus says:
May 7, 2015. 4:27 PM REPLY

Well done! No obscure hard to find components. projects thought through. Should be VERY helpful as a confidence builder, Thank You.
rustygray says:
May 7, 2015. 10:42 AM REPLY
Just excellent!
Rand0mUser says:
May 7, 2015. 8:31 AM REPLY
Nice! This makes a good tutorial for those starting out in electronics.
Just being nitpicky here, but the simple LED circuit can end up overdriving some smaller LEDs, especially those with a small forward voltage (so small red,
orange or green indicator-style ones), putting up to 40mA through some. I'd recommend a 1k resistor for that. But that's me being a bit pedantic :)
Saiyam says:
May 7, 2015. 9:43 AM REPLY
Ah, that's right. Thanks for telling. :)
Rand0mUser says:
No problem, happy to help!
May 7, 2015. 10:33 AM REPLY
gregjd5000 says:
May 7, 2015. 7:09 AM REPLY

Hi! I am just glancing through, but on step 11, should pin 4 of the 555 be connected to pin 2 of the LDR? I don't believe having it up top would do anything
because it is shorted to VCC. Correct me if I am wrong!
Excellent collection though! I wish I had this years ago.
Saiyam says:
May 7, 2015. 9:50 AM REPLY
Oh sorry for that. Thanks for correcting :)
gregjd5000 says:
May 7, 2015. 10:13 AM REPLY
You're very welcome!
doctorlock says:
May 7, 2015. 10:12 AM REPLY
Nice job good for a newbee
May 7, 2015. 10:08 AM REPLY
LorenzoB says:
May 7, 2015. 9:55 AM REPLY

Very interesting projects. Could you please make something like this using Raspberry Pi GPIO Pins to make like, LEDs flash, or stepper motor control or
something like that? Thank you anyway, very well done!
louis.m says:
May 7, 2015. 8:44 AM REPLY

Very nice projects !
I am an electronic engineer and now retired, but when I was a boy I started tinkering just like this, and thus my hobby became my profession. :)
Saiyam says:
May 7, 2015. 9:51 AM REPLY
Thanks :)
SPLatManOz says:
May 7, 2015. 4:45 AM REPLY

On the bell circuit you have the schematic and the breadboard drawing showing the speaker returned to gnd rather than V+. The photo appears correct.
Saiyam says:
May 7, 2015. 9:44 AM REPLY
Oh, I would definitely correct that.
alcurb says:
May 7, 2015. 8:42 AM REPLY
Forrest Mims would be proud of you.
j0h4wk says:
My father and Mr Mims, two people I look up to.
view all 59 comments
May 7, 2015. 9:25 AM REPLY

Ten Breadboard Projects For Beginners

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Ten Breadboard Projects For Beginners

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10 Breadboard Projects For Beginners

Intro: 10 Breadboard Projects For Beginners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 1: Parts And Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 2: Know About Breadboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 3: Know About Electronic Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 4: Make A Permanent Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 5: Make A Simple LED Circuit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 6: Project 1: Musical Bell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 7: Project 2: IR Remote Tester . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Intro: 10 Breadboard Projects For Beginners

Step 1: Parts And Tools

1x 100nf (non- electrolytic)

Step 2: Know About Breadboard

Step 3: Know About Electronic Components

Step 4: Make A Permanent Power Supply

Step 5: Make A Simple LED Circuit

Step 6: Project 1: Musical Bell

Step 7: Project 2: IR Remote Tester

Step 8: Project 3: Static Electricity Detector

Step 9: Project 4: Ticking Bomb

Step 10: Project 5: The Fading LED

Step 11: Project 6: Light Activated LED

Step 12: Project 7: Dark Activated LED

Step 13: Project 8: LED Dimmer

Step 14: Project 9: Single Chip Electronic Dice

Step 15: Project 10: Manual Counter

Step 16: The End

view all 62 comments

May 9, 2015. 11:23 AM REPLY

May 9, 2015. 11:20 PM REPLY

May 8, 2015. 10:41 AM REPLY

There are still lots of mistakes.

May 8, 2015. 10:55 PM REPLY

May 8, 2015. 11:39 PM REPLY

"I don't know how, but all of them work."

May 8, 2015. 11:55 PM REPLY

May 9, 2015. 5:05 AM REPLY

May 9, 2015. 9:13 AM REPLY

May 8, 2015. 11:10 PM REPLY

May 6, 2015. 9:09 PM REPLY

May 8, 2015. 7:50 AM REPLY

May 8, 2015. 11:26 AM REPLY

May 8, 2015. 10:59 PM REPLY

May 7, 2015. 10:48 AM REPLY

May 7, 2015. 4:30 PM REPLY

May 7, 2015. 10:27 AM REPLY

May 8, 2015. 10:48 PM REPLY

Schematics are added in each step if you see.

May 8, 2015. 2:58 AM REPLY

May 8, 2015. 7:52 AM REPLY

May 7, 2015. 9:59 AM REPLY

May 7, 2015. 10:01 AM REPLY

May 8, 2015. 7:50 AM REPLY

Thank you sir, the corrections have been made.

May 7, 2015. 10:03 AM REPLY

May 7, 2015. 10:23 AM REPLY

May 7, 2015. 12:49 PM REPLY

May 8, 2015. 7:47 AM REPLY

May 7, 2015. 12:04 PM REPLY

May 8, 2015. 7:44 AM REPLY

May 7, 2015. 3:54 PM REPLY

May 7, 2015. 11:54 AM REPLY