Float Charger + Emergency switch

[Wastedfun]

So I have made this AC schematic and it will not work. The LEDs stay on all the time from the battery and the line from the wall wart does not turn it off. I tried taking it all apart and starting over from scratch, just to make sure I didnt mess it up, still nothing. I got the first schematic to work but it was with a DC current and I still need to keep the AC current away from the battery.

Any ideas what I missed? I dont know if it will help but I will attach what I have.

 

[alec_t]

You mention LEDs, but the schematic shows only one.

I still need to keep the AC current away from the battery

The capacitors and bridge rectifiers do that already.

Edit:
Not all breadboards are necessarily the same. Are you sure the blocks of 10 holes used as the +ve and -ve rails are actually connected to each other; e.g. does hole 5 connect to hole 6?

 

[MrAl]

So I have made this AC schematic and it will not work. The LEDs stay on all the time from the battery and the line from the wall wart does not turn it off. I tried taking it all apart and starting over from scratch, just to make sure I didnt mess it up, still nothing. I got the first schematic to work but it was with a DC current and I still need to keep the AC current away from the battery.

Any ideas what I missed? I dont know if it will help but I will attach what I have.

Hi,

I am happy to see you at least did not give up

It looks like one resistor in your breadboard (nice pics BTW) is NOT the value indicated on the schematic. Do you want to find it or should i tell you which one it is?
Look carefully at the schematic again.

BTW, nice job so far.

 

[Wastedfun]

Yes LED's. With my battery and the LED's that I have, I have to run two in sequence or they burn out. Any more then two and they dont light up.

I just tested the board and yes the lines on the side all connect to each other. And I got the last schematic to work on this board using similar connection methods.

 

[Wastedfun]

On line 23, i replaced the "Rs" in the schematic with a regular wire (the one leading to the LED's) because the Resistor I had in there was dimming the LED's to much. I wasnt even sure what "Rs" meant so I just used a 10k Resistor to start. And its very possible my other resistors are off a bit because I didnt know what voltage to get. So I just got a random one that fit the "10k" and the "100k"

 

[MrAl]

Hello,

Rs is required to keep the LED current at an acceptable level. You have to choose that depending on what LED you are using.

So is the circuit turning on and off properly now?

 

[Wastedfun]

No I havent changed anything, not sure whats wrong

 

[MrAl]

You have to use the right values, not just any value for the resistors.

 

[Wastedfun]

Okay, I bought the 10k and 100k ones but didnt know what Watt to get.

 

[alec_t]

1/4 Watt or less are fine for this circuit.

 

[Wastedfun]

You have to use the right values, not just any value for the resistors.

What do I need to do to fix it? The resistors are sold with khm and watts. what do I need?

 

[MrAl]

Try removing the 100k resistor. What do you have on hand?

 

[Wastedfun]

I have a radio shack around the corner lol. but lots of 10k and some 100k

 

[Wastedfun]

I removed the 100k and ran it directly with no change. swapped for 10k, no change. im lost

 

[MrAl]

Hi,

Ok then measure the voltage across the 10uf cap.

 

[Wastedfun]

ah, yeah I dont have any tool for that

 

[MrAl]

Hello,

Well we need to troubleshoot this so you need at least a cheap $3 VOM.
You could try an Led and 10k series resistor across the 10uf cap and see if it lights,

 

[Wastedfun]

Okay, I hooked up a wire to test with the LED. Testing LED with just the ac connection it shines bright. I use a 10k res to check it after it goes through the pol capacitor and it lights up still but very dim. The schmatics provided said 50v. Should I have gotten a small voltage?

 

[MrAl]

And, what happened when you connected it across the 10uf cap?

 

[Wastedfun]

Well I feel a little dumb, so please dont give up on me here. I really appreciate all the help. Here's what I have done, to visualize it: