oscillator on a circuit board and installed in a plastic container

This project is based on the oscillating LEDs which you built on your breadboard previously.

In this case, we want to make it permanent on a universal circuit board. Here are the steps.

  1. Show your box design to a teacher. After it is approved, explain your design to a teacher, give the box to that teacher and ask them to drill the necessary holes for you.
  2. Arrange the components on the circuit board, bending the leads so that the components don't fall out.
  3. Cut and place the necessary wires to connect the components; when you cut them, be sure to strip enough at the end so that you can connect them to the leads of your components.
  4. Prepare the leads for the battery, but do not attach them to the circuit board yet. Prepare the LEDs, but also do not attach them to the circuit board; you should prepare fairly long wires to connect the LEDs to the circuit board. Attach the wires to the circuit board. Put these on your breadboard so that you can test your circuit.
  5. Also prepare the potentiometer with long leads and prepare to solder them to the circuit board.
  6. Carefully confirm the layout and all connections on your circuit board.
  7. Once you have confirmed that the placement of all components are wires is correct, place the circuit board in your helping hands and begin to solder the components and wires.
  8. If you have doubts about your soldering, use your multimeter to check either continuity or resistance.
  9. Make sure that your leads all stick straight up and do not touch one another.
  10. When the components are all soldered, including the potentiometer, make sure that none of the leads are accidentally touching. Then connect the circuit board to the breadboard and test that it can light up the LEDs from battery power.
  11. If this test is successful, disconnect the power and solder the LEDs to the circuit board.
  12. After soldering, wrap the exposed leads for the LEDs with electrical tape. If you do not, you may accidentally bump the LEDs with another wire with current and burn out an LED (I did and had to cut one off and resolder a fresh LED!).
  13. After soldering and wrapping the LEDs, check again that no leads on the bottom of the circuit board are accidentally touching. Once you have confirmed that, connect your circuit to the battery pack again and test.
  14. If this test is successful, solder the leads from the battery to the circuit board. Test again.
  15. When this is successful, use the wire cutters to trim the excess leads above your soldering.
  16. Arrange the components and put them into the box, with all of the components that are protruding from the box placed properly. You'll need to unscrew the switch before inserting it into its hole. Re-screw the switch faceplate onto the switch once you have inserted it.
  17. With all of the components inside of the box, test it out!
  18. Do any necessary troubleshooting.

Take several photos of your work as you proceed. When you have finished, take a photo of your complete device, as well as a video.

Here are some photos of the build process:

  • electronics-oscillator-in-a-box.txt
  • Last modified: 13 months ago
  • by renick