Saturday, September 27, 2008

A simple astable multivibrator, LED flasher


To test if transistored circuits with 2N3904 transistor can operate on 2.5V power supply I build a simple astable multivibrator. The components are of the shelf. I found some schematic. As on all my experiments, the value of condensators is readed from them, but value of resistors is measured.

I note some formulas describing the multivibrator.

The las thing I did is connecting som old analog meter to multivibrator and made some video of it.

The 2.5V Power Supply

Build a 2.5V power supply was the first step in experimenting. Because without a powers upply, no transistor will do anything useful.

As I remember, there has to be some LT317T chip somewhere in my boxes. I dig int them and found only one, but it's enough. Then I search the internet, just to find how it can be used. Some of the pages I found:

I look for components I have and draw shematic. The value of resistor is measured, the values of condensator is read from them. The schema is on the right.

With schematic I began putting components on the breadboard.
The result is on the next picture. There is not much to see. Resistors are mounted vertically to save space and the 220µF condensator is so big. The LED diode is shining, because the power suply is under the power. The resistor on the host right part has no function. It's there only to allow me measure output voltage. The last picture shows the output voltage, It's 2.45V.


The diary just begins

When I first saw a MT15 I just couldn't resist and began dreaming about my one. And as I began to use EBay, I found a supplier of 2N3904 and 2N3906 transistors. A month ago I ordered a package of 100 pieces of each of them.

I must say, that I never study electronic engineering on the school. I'm amateur i this area. And beacuse of this I began collecting of informations and make a first step on a long way to my, maybe never build, transistor computer.

Also my english os not so good.