Do you have a technical question that doesn't really fit a specific console? Want some general info on electronics, hacking, making cookies, etc? Here's the place to ask! Go nuts.
1) LED's are typically 3v or 5v, although you can use a 47R resistor to make an LED work 6v-12v (I am using two of these on my project). You are using 4 cells, which is 6v (I presume), this might blow an LED.
2) Issue is most probably that you have the LED the wrong way around; reverse the contacts. An LED is a Light Emitting DIODE so therefore only works one way around....
Do both the positive and negative wires go to the switch? (your text diagram looks like it) If so, thats not good. Just put the positive wire on the switch. One wire coming from the batteries going to one side of the switch, another wire going to the LED coming from the other side of the switch. Also, using AA batteries or AAA batteries wouldn't make a difference. The only difference between AA and AAA is the capacity. Same with C and D batteries. They are all 1.5V if they are just standard alkaline batteries or 1.2V if they are rechargeable.
Current projects:
Ultimate N64 Guide
N64 Portable (x2)
NES Portable
Are you holding the right side of the soldering iron? Perhaps you should pick up a copy of Ben's book...
Okay, if you haven't got it by now, you need someone to tell you EXACTLY what to do.
First, map out your switch with the continuity test (or the lowest resistance test) or your multimeter. Determine which connects to what when the switch is in what state.
Usually, a switch has 3 rows of 2 pins. Use only one side of the pins (ex. The 3 on the left side) to connect your circuit. Usually, the middle pin and one on the side is a safe bet. With 3-position switches, it becomes a little more difficult. But THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES DO NOT *EVER* CONNECT TO EACH OTHER. They are completely separate, and if you're assuming otherwise your circuit will fail.
So go ahead, wire one side of the battery (Negative or positive, but I prefer negative, do to the direction of electron flow. For this situation, attach the negative lead.) to the switch's middle right pin, and wire the LED to one of the free pins on the RIGHT. If there is one set of pins farther away from the other two, attach one wire to those, and another to one of the grouped pins.
- Look inside your LED. The big part that hangs ominously over the smaller part is the negative end. Attach this to your switch.
Now attach the resistor to the LED's positive end. (Make sure it's not too high of a resistance, try something like 10 ohms to 100 ohms)(Make sure your LED ain't fried by now...). The direction the resistor faces doesn't matter. Connect the other end to the positive battery terminal, using the hot end of your soldering iron, and you're done.
Yes, often times they will have a large bag filled with lots and lots of resistors. Since you can always add resistors together in series one bag will last you a very long time. Definitely worth getting it.
dragonhead wrote:sweet. ive spent a third of my life on benheck!
