Single turn pot

[fixit7]

I am happy with my circuit and am ready to solder the components.

I used a pot to reduce the volume of a piezo buzzer.

Is a single turn 1k pot what I would use in a circuit board?

It is rated at .5 watt.

I will also order 22 gauge hook up wire, spdt switches, and a 4 conductor small gauge wire.

It will be used to connect the photocell outside with the rest of the circuit inside.

Thanks.

 

[KMoffett]

Please post your circuit diagram.

Ken

 

[fixit7]

I did the best I can with Gimp. I am looking for a circuit drawing program for Ubuntu.

 

[dr pepper]

Generally speaking that isnt good practice but if it works go ahead, over time the buzzer may not start up with resistance in series.
A piece of tape over the hole is a convenient way to quieten a beeper.

 

[audioguru]

This thread is about a pot but your schematic does not show the pot and does not show how you connected it.
Resistor R2 does not show its resistance.
Pin 2 is the trigger pin on a 555 but yours is connected to nothing. Interference picked up by the pin 2 wire might trigger the 555 to turn off the LED and beeper.
Pin 6 is the threshold pin on a 555 used as a timer but yours detects darkness to turn off the beeper.
The switch does not turn off the circuit, just the LED so the battery will slowly run down.

 

[fixit7]

Generally speaking that isnt good practice but if it works go ahead, over time the buzzer may not start up with resistance in series.
A piece of tape over the hole is a convenient way to quieten a beeper.

If it isn't good practice then what would be the way to reduce the current?

 

[dr pepper]

In the beeper there is a driver circuit, this will have a minimum voltage supply, this will be the quietest the thing will go while operating it within the manufacturers ratings.
If you were making a production run you'd go for a different beeper.
You could try using Pwm to control the volume but that would make your circuit more complex.

 

[fixit7]

I ordered a lower Db beeper and one that is not a pulse one.

This is my current one.

MODEL NO.
7P3120LFLA
OPERATING VOLTAGE RANGE ( VDC ) 3 ~ 15
RATED VOLTAGE ( VDC ) 12

* MAX. RATED CURRENT ( mA ) 10
Does this value mean that I if I lower volume more than 90 db, it won't sound at all?

* MIN. SOUND OUTPUT ( dBA/ 30 cm ) 90

* FREQUENCY
( Hz )
TONE NATURE PULSE

 

[audioguru]

The minimum sound output is at its rated 12V. It will produce less volume at a lower voltage. It will produce no sound if you feed it less than 3V.

 

[fixit7]

I put a piece of PVC pipe around the LDR. It stopped the sunlight from having a detrimental effect.

But then it is overcast. I will test it when the sun comes back out.

 

[dr pepper]

It means the beeper will make at least 90dba, sort of an efficiency statement.

 

[gophert]

I put a piece of PVC pipe around the LDR. It stopped the sunlight from having a detrimental effect.

But then it is overcast. I will test it when the sun comes back out.

View attachment 118351

If it has trouble in direct sunlight, painting the inside of the tube with flat black will help.

 

[fixit7]

Ok.

It worked without painting.

 

[unclejed613]

I did the best I can with Gimp. I am looking for a circuit drawing program for Ubuntu.

try this: (you need to open a terminal window)

sudo apt-get install wine*
winecfg      #(set up wine)
wget http://ltspice.analog.com/software/LTspiceXVII.exe
wine LTSpiceXVII.exe    #(this installs LTSpice)

#you should now have LTSpice in your dropdown menu under the "other" or "miscellaneous" submenu