The Simplest Circuit

This is simple way to power some 5v logic from a 240vac source. If a 120vac power adapter is used, the circuit will also work for 120vac power lines.

This timer was designed for people wanting to get tanned but at the same time wishing to avoid an excessive exposure to sunlight. A Rotary Switch sets the timer according to six classified Photo-types (see table). A Photo resistor extends the preset time value according to sunlight brightness (see table). When preset time ends, the beeper emits an intermittent signal and, to stop it, a complete switch-off of the circuit via SW2 is necessary.

Here is a simple circuit for music-on-hold with automatic shut off facility. During telephone conversation if you are reminded of some urgent work, momentarily push switch S1 until red LED1 glows, keep the telephone handset on the cradle, and attend to the work on hand. A soft music is generated and passed into the telephone lines while the other-end subscriber holds.

When you return, you can simply pick up the handset again and continue with the conversation. The glowing of LED1, while the music is generated, indicates that the telephone is in hold position. As soon as the handset is picked up, LED1 is turned off and the music stops.

Normally, the voltage across telephone lines is about 50 volts. When we pick up the receiver (handset), it drops to about 9 volts. The minimum voltage required to activate this circuit is about 15 volts. If the voltage is less than 15 volts, the circuit automatically switches off. However, initially both transistors T1 and T2 are cut off. The transistor pair of T1 and T2 performs switching and latching action when switch S1 is momentarily pressed, provided the line voltage is more than 15 volts, i.e. when the handset is placed on the cradle. Once the transistor pair of TI and T2 starts conducting, melody generator IC1 gets the supply and is activated. The mu-sic is coupled to the telephone lines via capacitor C2, resistor R1, and the bridge rectifier.

With the handset off-hook after a ring, momentary depression of switch S1 causes forward biasing of transistor T2. Mean-while, if the handset is placed on the cradle, the current passing through R1 (connected across the emitter and base terminals of pnp transistor T1) develops enough voltage to forward bias transistor T1 and it starts conducting. As a consequence, output voltage at the collector of transistor T1 sustains for-ward biasing of transistor T2, even if switch S1 is released. This latching action keeps both transistors T1 and T2 in conduction as long as the output of the bridge rectifier is greater than 15 volts. If the handset is now lifted off-hook, the rectifier output drops to about 9 volts and hence latching action ceases and the circuit automatically switches off.

EFY lab note. The value of resistor R2 determines the current through resistor R1 to develop adequate voltage (greater than 0.65 volts) for conduction of transistor T1. Hence it may be test selected between 33 kilo-ohms and 100 kilo-ohms to obtain instant latching.) The total cost of this circuit is around Rs 50.

The circuit presented here is a very simple and yet highly effective alarm system for protecting an object. The circuit requires no special devices and can be built using components that you will no doubt be able to find in the junk box. The alarm-triggering element is a simple reed switch. To generate the alarm signal itself any optical or acoustic device that operates on 12 V can be used: for example a revolving light, a siren, or even both.

In the quiescent state the reed switch is closed. As soon as the reed switch opens, the input to IC1.B will go low (previously the potential divider formed by R2 and R3 held the input at 5.17 V, a logic high level). A turn-on delay of between 0 and approximately 90 s can be set using P1, and a turn-off delay of between 0 and approximately 20 s can be set using P2. When the system is turned on (using S1), the turn-on delay is activated, giving the user of the system at most 90 s to leave the object alone before the system goes into the armed state, and the object is then protected.

Once the reed switch opens the turn-off delay of at most 20 s starts: this allows the rightful owner of the object to turn the system off before the alarm is triggered. If some unauthorised per-son causes the reed switch to open, the alarm will be triggered after the turn-off delay. Also, even if the reed switch is briefly opened and then closed again, the alarm will still be triggered.

Once the alarm is triggered, T3 will conduct for about 45 s (because of R8 and C5). The turning off of the alarm is necessary to avoid the nuisance caused by a permanently sounding alarm system. The system then returns to the armed state, which means that the next time the reed switch is opened the alarm will trigger again. If it is not desired that the duration of the alarm be limited, for example if a visual indication is used, D5 should not be fitted. The system can be extended by fitting multiple reed switches in series. As soon as any one is opened, the alarm is triggered.

When S1 is closed C3 charges via P1. Depending on the potentiometer setting, it takes between 0 and 90 s to reach the input threshold voltage of IC1.A. The output of IC1.A then goes low and D3 stops conducting. Assuming the reed switch is closed, the inputs of IC1.B stay high and the output therefore low. If the reed switch is opened after the turn-on delay expires the output of the gate will change state and turn on T1. This ensures that the output of the gate remains high even after the reed switch is closed again. C4 now starts charging via P2, reaching the input threshold voltage of IC1.C after between 0 and 20 s, again according to the potentiometer setting.

 The output of IC1.C goes low, and T2 and T3 are turned on — and the siren sounds. Any Darlington transistor can be used for T3. At  the same time, C5 charges via R8, reaching the input threshold of IC1.D in about 45 s. When the output of IC1.D swings low, it pulls the inputs of IC1.A low via diode D5: the siren stops and the system returns to the armed state.

If the potentiometers P1 and P2 are replaced by fixed resistors it is possible to build the circuit small enough to fit in a match-box, without the need to resort to SMD components. This is ideal if the circuit is to be used to protect a motorbike. If the alarm system is to be used in a car, an existing door switch contact can be used instead of the reed switch. In this case an RC combination needs to be added to prevent false triggering. Use a 10 µF/25 V electrolytic for C6, a 100 kΩ resistor for R9 and a 1N4001 for D7. It is again possible to wire multiple door switch contacts in parallel: as soon as one contact closes, IC1.B will be triggered.

A circuit for monitoring supply voltages of ±5 V and ±12 V is readily constructed as shown in the diagram. It is appreciably simpler than the usual monitors that use comparators, and AND gates. The circuit is not intended to indicate the level of the inputs. In normal operation, transistors T1 and T3 must be seen as current sources. 

The drop across resistors R1 and R2 is 6.3 V (12 –5 –0.7). This means that the current is 6.3mA and this flows through diode D1 when all four voltages are present. However, if for instance, the –5 V line fails, transistor T3 remains on but the base-emitter junction of T2 is no longer biased, so that this transistor is cut off. When this happens, there is no current through D which then goes out.

Source : www.ecircuitslab.com/2011/05/supply-voltage-monitor.html

This circuit can control any one out of 16 devices with the help of two push-to-on switches. An up/down counter acts as a master-controller for the system. A visual indication in the form of LEDs is also available.  IC1 (74LS193) is a presettable up/ down counter. IC2 and IC3 (74LS154) (1of 16 decoder/demultiplexer) perform different functions, i.e. IC2 is used to indicate the channel number while IC3 switches on the selected channel.

Before using the circuit, press switch S1 to reset the circuit. Now the circuit is ready to receive the input clock. By pressing pressing switch S2 once, the counter advances by one count. Thus, each pressing of switch S2 enables the counter to advance by one count. Likewise, by pressing switch S3 the counter counts downwards.

The counter provides BCD output. This BCD output is used as address input for IC2 and IC3 to switch one (desired channel) out of sixteen channels by turning on the appropriate triac and the corresponding LED to indicate the selected channel.  The outputs of IC3 are passed through inverter gates (IC4 through IC6) because IC3 provides negative going pulses while for driving the triacs we need positive-going pulses. The high output of inverter gates turn on the npn transistors to drive the triacs. Diodes connected in series with triac gates serve to provide unidirectional current for the gate-drive.