INTERESTING iN AMERICA BIG, BAD ae TOOLS GROUP PROJ LUT oy NS Size VEHICLE OMNIWHEEL ROBOT Te el RULE oti ol.WEEKEND PROJECTS) vo" Qa SNIFF QUT THE SMALLEST SPARK. Build the Non-Contact Voltage Detector. ‘Atransistor isan electrical component ‘that functions, most basicaly, as a switch—in priniple not so different ‘rom alight switch Instead ofa physical movement, however, a transistor is controlled by a flow of electricity, And unlike your basi ight switch, a transistor canbe on, off or somewhere in between, Most transistors have thre connections one for current i, one for current out and one that controls the switch The current flowing through a transistor canbe lager ‘than the curent controling it, soit can become an amplifier. Connect the input t0.apower source (like a battery) and the control lead toa weak signal (like a guitar pickup) and the output will sound ike the control signal, only louder. Just how much louder depends on alot of things, but a factor of 200i routine, This number is called gain, H you use the output from one transistor to control another, the gains multiply. verti DINO SEGOVIS HAROWARE HACKER With two transistors, the ideal gain bbocomes 200 « 200 = 40,000, and with three transistors (asin this circuit), 200 200 «200 = 8,000,000! That huge gain lets you use it ta detect the tiniest ‘movements of electriity—even those created at a distance by induction or static charge! Cut pice prcard5 hols wie and eventalestall Als shave of te canors. Use apermanent marke tlabel herons 1H7andthecolunne CM, (Columns A&B wifnotbo used) @ Solder he est rancor with its emitter iL, base nL and teller in the acon wiht eit in 2 basin J and ‘elctcin Ja eth th onion base Zand olecorin 3.One copper side, band and slr the excess Inaso conect L310 J and J2t0 H2 Sli the 220 esetor serosa, Sole the [OK resistor aeress 5 and 65, Soler the IM resistor across Band Bend and slr the ne eachore nd eens and strip the ends Slder leads a connet W410, JS oA ard L610. @ there wire the LED ane and ie lack tis cathode, ‘henge tho jon with eas ubm Sole ao and ofthe lack wie pertboard Sand bnd ane slierndeacarh taconnact with Sle thera wrt E7 Sor of tack wire ‘twoor oe sf th switch an perboard HT. Bend and slr underethas nde a cannect t wih he esse at and Trang three a E7 Sd tho wce ome batery clint eather side ofthe swith and the lack wire toperbnad Bee an sole anderneath connect wih he kansstor cetera HL Slr th geen wie perfor d Md and connect demeathwthhe waist base atBuild the Non-Contact Voltage Detector. won radioshack.com/OIT PARTS TOOLS Dual Mini Perfboard zs © Momentary Pushbutton Switch 2: 55 © Soldering Iron and Solder © 2N3904 Transistor (3) © Snap Connector 27 ae © /AW Resistors (IM, 100K © av Battery z2zc0 © Wire Cuter sie and220) O Protect Entlosire'tiows © Pliers vt O Hookup Wire © LEDHolder 2 O Wire Stripper s+ © 5mm Red LED © Copper-Clad PC Board 270 Q Drill and Dril Bits © Heat-Shrink Tubing zi6er © Double-Sided Foam Tape sio2 © Rotary Too! and Saw Blade os 0 (rl a/6"hle ithe op ight ofthe encase i jst below the is screw ale: rable nthe tpl, alselo thes erewhole er he LED alrite holromthe ursie are LED inte ole rom he inside Reno ie butlon mou he wtchbady noe fle with itbundled haronare, tighten down andretach the btn, 244" 12" tipo eoppeladbord witha rotary ol and tan end ofthe enesue wth euble-sieé tape Dla oe trough both cope and ease near the mide testi, Theadhe green we rom the perbord veut ale tom cade, band over adler tothe apa ener and insert, lng wh th prtoar roth enclosure putas toad he battery. Aa ary re ae he i O Hohe detetoc near an appliance crt and ress he buon LED we rd ikve The device can ao bevsed ed ine rend an deter ert anh ir 5 aybare ies that ight angsrus cunts)