A power supply is one of the most interesting circuits for anyone starting to study electronics. The basic principle is to convert the alternating voltage available from the electrical mains into a voltage suitable for powering a particular circuit or device. In this project, I built a very simple power supply with an output intended
How to Build a Simple 12 V Power Supply Read More »
An audio system with a radio, cassette player, and CD player may lose some of its usefulness when these formats are no longer used. However, if the amplifier and speakers are still working, the equipment can be given a new purpose. In this project, I show how to turn an old radio into a guitar
How to Turn a Radio into a Guitar Amplifier Read More »
During soldering, the soldering iron tip can accumulate flux residue, oxidation, and leftover solder. When this happens, solder no longer spreads properly, making the work more difficult. In this project, I build a simple device for cleaning a soldering iron, using steel wool placed inside a small container. The idea is to keep the cleaning
How to Clean a Soldering Iron Tip with Steel Wool Read More »
The ESR meter is a very useful instrument for maintaining electronic equipment. It allows you to evaluate the internal resistance of electrolytic capacitors and identify deteriorated components that often appear normal when tested only with a capacitance meter. To obtain reliable results, however, you need to know how to calibrate an ESR meter. The resistance
How to Calibrate an ESR Meter to Test Capacitors Read More »
Connecting a speaker designed for 127 V to a 220 V outlet can cause immediate damage to the power supply and, in some cases, also affect the amplifier circuit. Before replacing components, it is necessary to identify which parts were affected by the overvoltage. Replacing only the fuse without investigating the cause of the failure
Repairing an Edifier Speaker Connected to 220 V: Diagnosis and Repair Read More »
When we take a measurement with a multimeter, caliper, thermometer, or any other instrument, it is common to look at the displayed number and assume that it is simply the value of the quantity we are measuring. But every measurement has limitations. If a multimeter displays: 5.02 V this does not necessarily mean that the
How to Get More Accurate Measurements with a Multimeter and Other Instruments Read More »
When we think of an electronics workbench, it is easy to imagine a huge workshop filled with equipment, drawers, instruments, and tools. But do we really need that much space? No. It is perfectly possible to set up a functional workbench in an apartment, bedroom, office, or a small corner of your home. In the
Electronics Workbench in a Small Space: How to Set Up Your Own Read More »
Do you have an acoustic guitar, ukulele, or cavaquinho and would like to connect it to an amplifier? A simple and very interesting solution is to build your own piezoelectric pickup, also known as a crystal pickup. That is exactly what I did with one of my ukuleles. The instrument had no pickup system, so
How to Make a Piezoelectric Pickup for Acoustic Guitar, Ukulele, or Cavaquinho Read More »
A small piezoelectric disc can detect vibrations, but it can also work in the opposite direction: receive an electrical signal and produce sound. This is one of the applications of the component commonly known as a piezo crystal. The same principle that allows it to be used as a sensor is also behind sound-producing devices,
Piezoelectric Crystal as a Speaker: How a Piezo Tweeter Works Read More »
A guitar pedal does not need to use dozens of components to produce an interesting effect. The Dead Easy Dirt is an overdrive and distortion circuit known precisely for its simplicity. Using the LM386 integrated circuit, capacitors, diodes, and a potentiometer, we can modify the guitar signal and produce different levels of saturation. In this
Dead Easy Dirt Overdrive Pedal with LM386: Build Your Own Guitar Effect Read More »