10mA precision current source Stripboard Layout

MC34063 12 volt to 5 volt DC to DC Converter Stripboard Veroboard Layout

I made a little switchmode power supply using the extremely common MC34063 Buck/Boost switcher IC to basically test a big bag of grey market MC34063 ICs
So I thought I would make a stripboard layout instead of just breadboarding it because I needed a car phone charger.

so here is a very basic 5 volt 500mA switchmode power supply based on the MC34063 chip

Atari Punk Console Stripboard Veroboard Layout

Another quick one. A favorite among beginners - originally by Forrest Mims
I got an email this morning asking to check over a layout he'd found and also how to add a volume pot so I just did a new layout, built it and made some stupid noises for half an hour and now I'm posting it here.
this is obviously the version that is adapted to use 2 single 555 timers rather than 1 dual 556 timer but it's the same. 

have fun.

 

Battery Simulator With Voltage Sag And Bar LED Indicator Stripboard Veroboard Layout

This is sort of a request - I was asked if I had a layout for the KAT Deacy Amp Battery Simulator which of course I don't but I thought "it can't be that hard to design one"
the KAT one has a "voltage sag" control on it to simulate the various battery discharge states so I designed that into it as well.
I thought however; I would go one step further though and include a battery state monitor too which is configured to show the working voltage of a 9 volt battery.

I thought it would be a good idea to do this little project because it has many uses outside of the Deacy amp - you can of course use it to sag the voltage of any 9 volt device such as guitar FX pedals which I know people like to do.

As you can see - I tested this using my constant current load set at 100mA and even pushed it to 200mA but I didn't want to go too far because I couldn't be bothered to find a heatsink. you can get upto 1.5 Amps if you use a decent heatsink.

Op-amp +/- Power From Single Supply Fragment Stripboard Veroboard Part 2

a while ago I did a split supply circuit fragment which included a voltage follower HERE - however there are much cheaper ways of achieving split supplies for experimentation with Op-Amps and other dual supply IC's (obviously this is for low power circuits eg guitar FX development etc.)

The first example uses a Trim pot to divide the voltage which is pretty cool for biasing to favor either the positive or negative rail.

The second example is the most common type of rail splitter - cheap as buggery and does its job. in the example I've given - it will divide the voltage in half so that if you put in 9 volts you get +4.5v and -4.5v

The Third example uses Zener Diodes to give you a regulated split supply - however you do lose a volt or 2 so you need to supply them above their combined values.
eg if you use 2 5.1 volt diodes in the circuit provided - you need to supply it with 11 - 12 volts to get +5.1v and -5.1v

I shall include a table of Zener diode values at the bottom that I found in some datasheet a long time ago - unfortunately I am not sure where it came from because as usual I only saved the relevant page so if you stumble across this page and it's yours or you know whose it is - let me know so I can give you credit etc. I assume it's National Semiconductors though.

Linear PC Fan Speed Controller Stripboard Veroboard Layout

Extremely simple fan speed controller.

the input voltage depends on the fan you're using however the fan I used is a 12 volt fan so mine is powered by a 12 volt power supply.

I made this for a soldering iron fume extractor however it will work for your PC fans too and I plan on using it in mine.

here is a good video by fixitdaz on a very similar circuit

Acoustic Probe / Electronic Stethoscope ( based on Robert Penfold Design ) Stripboard Veroboard Layout

I was trying to track down a noisy inductor (I like to call them a squealer) in the back of a monitor so I thought I would design a electronic stethoscope - then I remembered I had one from something I built from Robert Penfolds article in a practical electronics (silicon chip magazine for people in other countries) magazine in my youth. so I checked my box o'junk and found that I had salvaged parts from it.
So I made myself a new stripboard layout and built a new one. I had to change the odd part cause the original called for stuff that costs stupid money by opportunist eBayers.
But it works a lot better than the old one ever did - so hurray for opportunists I guess.

I use this to drive a pair of in-ear headphones and it really does work really dam well. so if you need something to track down the source of noise or spy on people through the wall or something - this is for you.

NB: if it's a bit too hissy for you - you can remedy that by putting a 1n capacitor in parallel with R6

MXR Hot Tubes Stripboard Veroboard Layout - Craig Anderton Tube Sound Fuzz Variant

I couldn't find any information on this circuit - I found the original schematic on the free info society website but literately 5 minutes ceaseless searching on google brought up nothing about the MXR version. Anyway I redrew the schematic because the original was terrible, then laid it out and built it.
it sounds pretty cool. unfortunately I ran out of space to upload a sound sample to "soundcloud" but I imagine it sounds similar to the Craig Anderton version.

anyway enjoy.

Onboard Guitar Preamp Drive Stripboard Veroboard Layout

This is a little preamp to go inside your guitar rather than as an external pedal which is why it has no controls - feel free to add your own of course!
in the sound sample I recorded the same thing a few times - 1st with the guitars volume at quarter way 2nd halfway and 3rd full way up.

last of all - this is the 88th stripboard layout which is a special number to me cause I'm a big back to the future fan !

PCB Silkscreen Designators

this isn't a stripboard post for a change (though one is coming soon). however it is useful to know what I'm about to write if you salvage parts or want to fix electronic items.

on PCBs (and other electrical installations) you will often be confronted with silkscreen designators like shown below (the white writing on the board)

here is a list of what each abbreviation stands for.

A - Separable assembly or sub-assembly (e.g. printed circuit assembly)
AE: Aerial, antenna
AT - Attenuator or isolator
BR - Bridge rectifier
BT - Battery
C - Capacitor
CR: Diode (see D)
CRT: Cathode ray tube
CN - Capacitor network
D - Diode (including Zeners, thyristors and LEDs)
DL - Delay line
DS - Display
DSP: Digital signal processor
F - Fuse
FB or FEB - Ferrite bead
FD - Fiducial
FL - Filter
G - Generator or Oscillator
GN - General Network
GDT: Gas discharge tube
H - Hardware
HIC - Hybrid Integrated Circuit
HY - Circulator or Directional coupler
IC: Integrated circuit (see U for link)
J - Jack (least-movable connector of a connector pair) | Jack connector (connector may have "male" pin contacts and/or "female" socket contacts)
JP - Link (Jumper)
K - Relay or contactor
L - Inductor or coil or ferrite bead
LA: Lightning arrester
LS - Loudspeaker or buzzer
LCD: Liquid crystal display
LDR: Light-dependent resistor
LED: Light-emitting diode
M - Motor
MCB: Miniature circuit breaker
MK - Microphone
Mic: Microphone
MOV: Metal oxide varistor (See RV for Link)
MP - Mechanical part (including screws and fasteners)
Ne: Neon lamp
P - Plug (most-movable connector of a connector pair) | Plug connector (connector may have "male" pin contacts and/or "female" socket contacts)
PS - Power supply
PLC: Programmable logic controller
PZ - Piezo Buzzer
Q - Transistor (all types)
      FET: Field-effect transistor
      JFET: Junction gate field-effect transistor
      MOSFET: Metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor
      BJT - Bipolar Junction Transistor NPN PNP HBT
      

R - Resistor
RL - Relay
RN - Resistor network
RT - Thermistor
RV - Varistor
S - Switch (all types, including push-buttons)
SCR - Thyristor
T - Transformer
TC - Thermocouple
TH - Thermistor
 - types of thermistors are..
   PTC - Positive temperature coefficient - the resistance rises with increased heat
   NTC - Negative temperature coefficient - the resistance decreases with increased heat

TUN - Tuner
TP - Test point
U - Inseparable assembly (e.g., integrated circuit)
V - Vacuum tube - Or VALVE!
VR - Variable resistor (potentiometer or rheostat)
X - Crystal
Y - Crystal or oscillator
Z (or ZD) - Zener diode
    
IEC Mains connectors (image from unknown - if you know let me know so I can cite)