Schematic Reference

You may have read about cycling NiCad batteries. If not, read a little here ( Red's R/C Battery Clinic) for an excellent overview. Overcharging apparently leads to voltage depression, which can be corrected by one or two complete discharges (to 1 to 1.1 volts per cell). On the other hand, over discharging the batteries to a low or zero voltage can damage them, and if the batteries have not been overcharged and have no voltage depression, cycling just uses up regular battery life. I designed and use this discharger occasionally to remove voltage depression and insure battery capacity is still ok for those planes that have no low voltage alarm.

Note that the 100 ohm resistors are 1/2 watt (these are the load resistors), the rest are 1/4 watt. The red LED lights while discharging, buzzer sounds and discharge rate drops to 15-25mA (for the buzzer) when complete. The discharge load is 60mA to 110mA depending on the battery voltage. Since that's about the same current draw as my Hitec receiver and two HS-80's draw while flying handlaunch, I can use discharge time almost directly to indicate flying time. The buzzer uses enough current to keep a 150mA battery down, but when discharging a 600mA battery, the battery recovers quickly when the load is removed--the buzzer/discharger cycles on and off. Threshold voltage of the discharger is set to 4.2 volts. Since the discharger still draws some current when buzzing, try to disconnect the discharger once the alarm sounds--don't leave it going for hours lest the battery be over discharged.

There are a couple ways you could modify the circuit to work with a 5-cell 6-volt receiver battery pack. The two 1k resistors are a divider network, so one way would be to change the resistors to change the sampling voltage at the comparator. The formula for a divider network is Vout=Vin(R2/(R1+R2)) or R1=R2*((Vin/Vout)-1). Here, R1 is the resistor connected to the positive lead and pin 7 of the comparator, Vin is 5.25 volts (1.05 volts per cell discharge shutoff threshold), and Vout is the reference 2.1 volts (the voltage produced by the LM317T and the 180 and 270 ohm resistors). You can use R2 as the same 1k value that was there before. So R1=1000*((5.25/2.1)-1)=1500=1.5k. So swap the top 1k resistor in the schematic for a 1.5k, and the new shutoff voltage for your device will be 5.25 volts.

To increase the discharge rate, decrease the resistance of the load resistors. You could use four 100 ohm resistors in parallel instead of two, for example, and it would discharge twice as fast. Resistance of a number of resistors in parallel is the value of the resistor devided by the number of the resistors. Here, 100 ohms/ four resistors is 25 ohms. At five volts, current is (5 volts)/(25 ohms)=0.2 ampere or 200mA. Be careful not to decrease resistance too much however--the small signal transistor used in this particular circuit is probably only rated for maximum 500 mA.

Circuit diagram :

Parts:
273-074 Miniature Piezo Buzzer, 12v, PC board mount
271-312 1/4 watt 5% carbon film resistors, 500 pieces (Just do it!)
276-1778 LM317T adjustable voltage regulator
276-1712 Quad comparator LM339
276-1622 LED assortment (20 count)
276-2009 NPN Silicon transistor MPS2222A (2N2222)

Custom electronics:
I post this design not because I think this is a brilliant piece of circuit design but because the design works, and it can give you a start on your own experimentation. The idea is to use the power available from the discharging battery to monitor the voltage of the battery, shut off discharging at a preset voltage (here 1.05 volts/cell), and sound an alarm when discharging is complete. To do so means a voltage reference powered by the changing voltage of the battery, here the LM317T and the 180 with 270 ohm resistors. You could just as easily use a LM336 (see the low voltage warning buzzer page) or a zener with resistor, or something else as a reference. Since the reference voltage must be below the ambient battery voltage, a pair of 1k resistors provides the divided test voltage. The LM339 is a four way comparator.
This design uses really three comparators: in addition to the one driving the transistor, a comparator drives the LED and another drives the buzzer. But you could use a single comparator (like the LM311) with the buzzer across the emitter and collector of the transistor, and the LED in series with a 270 ohm resistor across (parallel with) the 100 ohm load resistors. With the transistor conducting, the voltage drop across base and emitter is low, and the buzzer is quiet. The tiny current in a piezo buzzer (7 mA), when the transistor is not conducting, would be divided between the load resistors and the LED, and the LED is dark.
A word about the comparator. The output of the comparator serves as a meager source of current, but can sink current nicely. In other words, the high logic output of the comparator will not drive the base of a NPN transistor as here. The 560 ohm resistor provides the current here for the transistor base--the comparator takes it away when its output drops to ground. Hmmm . . . . so, maybe use a PNP transistor like a 2N3906 instead with emitter to + and collector to load, remove the 560 resistor and connect the base through a 1k resistor to the output of the comparator, then reverse the logic of the comparator by swapping the reference with the test. . . hmmmmm. Could work. Yep . . . works.

Source : electronic

Here is a simple transmitter that when connected to a phone line, will transmit anything on that line (execpt the dial tone) to any FM radio. The frequency can be tuned from 88 to about 94Mhz and the range is about 200 feet. It is extremely easy to build and is therefore a good, useful beginner project.

Circuit diagram:

FM Telephone Bug Circuit diagram

Parts

R1 180 Ohm 1/4 W Resistor
R2 12K 1/4 W Resistor
C1 330pF Capacitor
C2 12pF Capacitor
C3 471pF Capacitor
C4 22pF Capacitor
Q1 2SA933 Transistor
D1, D2, D3, D4 1SS119 Silicon Diode
D5 Red LED
S1 SPDT Switch
L1 Tuning Coil
MISC Wire, Circuit Board

Notes
1. L1 is 7 turns of 22 AWG wire wound on a 9/64 drill bit. You may need to experiment with the number of turns.
2. By stretching and compressing the coils of L1, you can change the frequency of the transmitter. The min frequency is about 88 Mhz, while the max frequency is around 94 Mhz.
3. The green wire from the phone line goes to IN1. The red wire from the phone line goes to IN2. The green wire from OUT1 goes to the phone(s), as well as the red wire from OUT2.
4. The antenna is a piece of thin (22 AWG) wire about 5 inches long.
5. All capacitors are rated for 250V or greater.
6. The transmitter is powered by the phone line and is on only when the phone is in use. S1 can be used to turn the transmitter off if it is not needed.
7. If you have problems with the LED burning out, then add a 300 ohm 1/4W resistor in series with it.

Source : electronic

This circuit produces a ringing sound similar to that made by more recent telephones. It consists of three almost identical oscillators connected in a chain, each generating a squarewave signal. The frequency of each oscillator depends on the RC combination: R4 and C1 around IC1.A, R8 and C2 around IC1.B and R12 and C3 around IC3.C. The pairs of 100 kΩ resistors divide the asymmetric power supply voltage (between 5 V and 30 V) so that, in conjunction with the 100 kΩ feedback resistors (R3, R7 and R11) either one third or two thirds of the supply voltage will be present at the non-inverting inputs to the opamps. The voltage across the capacitor therefore oscillates in a triangle wave between these two values.

Circuit Diagram :

  Electronic Telephone Ringer Circuit Diagram

The first oscillator is free-running at a frequency of approximately 1/3 Hz. Only when its output is high, and D1 stops conducting, can the second oscillator run. The frequency of the second oscillator is about 13 Hz, and optional LED D3 flashes when it is running. When the output of the second oscillator is low, the third is allowed to run. The frequency of the third oscillator is around 1 kHz, and this is the tone that is produced. The second oscillator is not absolutely necessary: its function is just to add a little modulation to the 1 kHz tone. A piezo sounder is connected to the output of the third oscillator to convert the electrical signal into an acoustic one. The current consumption of the circuit is just under 1mA with a 5V power supply, rising to about 1.65mA with a supply voltage of 15 V.

Author: L. Libertin Copyright: Elektor Electronics

Before its move offshore, I was lucky enough to be involved in developing the avionics system for the Flightship Ground Effect FS8 craft (see www.pacificseaflight.com/craft.shtml). Although officially classed as a boat, it has wings and can travel at 180km/h some three metres above the water. The communications system was adapted from an aircraft unit and was a particular problem. It was expected to allow speech between the two pilots and radio, as well as receive audible warnings from the onboard computers and feed sound to the onboard data logger. Initially, the system was very noisy due to ground loops and incompatibility problems.

A circuit similar to that shown here was the solution. Although optimised to suit Softcom brand headphones with active noise reduction, it should be suitable for most aviation sets. The plugs indicated are standard aviation types but are insulated from the instrument panel to eliminate earth loops. The inputs from the two pilots' microphones are summed and amplified by transistors Q1 & Q2. When one pilot presses his or her transmit key (mounted on the yoke), the transmit relay (RLY1) closes, muting the other pilot’s microphone via the optocoupler (OPTO1).

Circuit diagram:

Aviation Intercom Circuit Diagram

The outputs from the microphone preamp, computer audio transformer (T1) and radio speaker transformer (T2) are summed via 10kΩ resistors and applied to the input of IC1, an LM386 audio amplifier. Note that transformers are used here to avoid creating additional earth loops. The output of the LM386 drives the pilots’ headphones via transformers T3 & T4, which are needed for impedance matching. Each audio source has its own level control (VR1, VR3 & VR4). The main volume control (VR5) is included to allow for ambient noise level. VR2 is used to set the signal level for the data logger.

Author: Gary Smith Copyright: Silicon Chip Electronics

No complex switching required, Simple circuitry, 6-12V supply

This design allows to operate two intercom stations leaving the operator free of using his/her hands in some other occupation, thus avoiding the usual "push-to-talk" operation mode. No complex changeover switching is required: the two units are connected together by means of a thin screened cable. As both microphones and loudspeakers are always in operation, a special circuit is used to avoid that the loudspeaker output can be picked-up by the microphone enclosed in the same box, causing a very undesirable and loud "howl", i.e. the well known "Larsen effect". A "Private" switch allows microphone muting, if required.

Circuit Diagram :

Full-duplex Intercom Circuit diagram

Parts:

P1_____________22K Log. Potentiometer
R1_____________22K 1/4W Resistor
R2,R3_________100K 1/4W Resistors
R4_____________47K 1/4W Resistor
R5______________2K2 1/4W Resistor (See Notes)
R6______________6K8 1/4W Resistor
R7_____________22K 1/2W Carbon or Cermet Trimmer
R8______________2K7 1/4W Resistor
C1,C6_________100nF 63V Polyester or Ceramic Capacitors
C2,C3__________10µF 63V Electrolytic Capacitors
C4_____________22µF 25V Electrolytic Capacitor
C5_____________22nF 63V Polyester or Ceramic Capacitor
C7____________470µF 25V Electrolytic Capacitor
Q1____________BC547 45V 100mA NPN Transistor
IC1_________TDA7052 Audio power amplifier IC
SW1____________SPST miniature Switch
MIC____________Miniature electret microphone
SPKR___________8 Ohm Loudspeaker
Screened cable (See Text)

Circuit operation:

The circuit uses the TDA7052 audio power amplifier IC, capable of delivering about 1 Watt of output power at a supply voltage comprised in the 6 - 12V range. The unusual feature of this design is the microphone amplifier Q1: its 180° phase-shifted audio output taken at the Collector and its in-phase output taken at the Emitter are mixed by the C3, C4, R7 and R8 network and R7 is trimmed until the two incoming signals almost cancel out. In this way, the loudspeaker will reproduce a very faint copy of the signals picked-up by the microphone.

At the same time, as both Collectors of the two intercom units are tied together, the 180° phase-shifted signal will pass to the audio amplifier of the second unit without attenuation, so it will be loudly reproduced by its loudspeaker. The same operation will occur when speaking into the microphone of the second unit: if R7 will be correctly set, almost no output will be heard from its loudspeaker but a loud and clear reproduction will be heard at the first unit output.

Notes:

• The circuit is shown already doubled in the diagram. The two units can be built into two separate boxes and connected by a thin screened cable having the length desired.
• The cable screen is the negative ground path and the central wire is the signal path.
• The power supply can be a common wall-plug adapter having a voltage output in the 6 - 12V dc range @ about 200mA.
• Enclosing the power supply in the box of one unit, the other unit can be easily fed by using a two-wire screened cable, its second wire becoming the positive dc path.
• To avoid a two-wire screened cable, each unit may have its own separate power supply.
• Please note that R5 is the only part of the circuit that must not be doubled.
• Closing SW1 prevents signal transmission only, not reception.
• To setup the circuit, rotate the volume control (P1) of the first unit near its maximum and speak into the microphone. Adjust Trimmer R7 until your voice becomes almost inaudible when reproduced by the loudspeaker of the same unit.
• Do the same as above with the second unit.

Source : www.redcircuits.com

If you are lucky enough to have a big house, a large garden, and small children, this project just might interest you. It’s actually a telephone ringer capable of making any mains-powered device work from the ringer of your fixed line. With it, you will be able to control a high-powered siren or horn, as you like, in order to relay and amplify the low-level sound of your telephone (making it audible in a big house or in a large garden)! Alternatively, you can make a lamp light (or an indicator light) and so create a ‘silent ringer’ (helpful when small children are napping).

The other interesting part of this simple and inexpensive project is that it doesn’t require a power supply, contrary to similar items on sales in the shops. Before examining the drawing and understanding the principle involved, it is important to know that the ringer voltage on a fixed telephone line is pretty high. Since Europe and the EU Commission have not yet interfered, the exact value of this voltage and its frequency varies according to the country, but that’s not important here. The line carries direct current whether unoccupied or occupied.

Moreover, no more than a few hundred mAs needs to be stolen from an unoccupied telephone line to make the PSTN exchange believe the line is occupied. Therefore, capacitor C1 has the dual role of insulating this project with respect to direct current present on the line while unoccupied, or while occupied, while also allowing the ringer current to pass. The latter is rectified by D1 and clipped by D2 which makes about 6 V DC available to the C2 terminals when a ringer signal is present.

Circuit Diagram :

 Telephone Ringer Circuit Diagram

This voltage lights LED D3 which only serves as a visual indicator of proper operation as does the LED contained in IC1. This is a high-power photo triac with zero crossing detection from the mains, which allows it to switch the load it controls without generating even the lowest level of noise. This component, that we might just as well call a solid-state relay, was selected because it is comes in the form of a package similar to a TO220, a little bigger, and equipped with four pins. The pinout will not cause confusion because the symbols shown on our diagram are engraved or printed on the packaging. Since this circuit is not yet very common, we need to mention that it’s available from the Conrad Electronics website (www1.uk.conrad.com).

For the purpose of safe operation, the circuit is protected by a GeMOV on the mains side, called Varistor, VDR or SiOV depending on the manufacturer. The model indicated here is generally available. The load will be limited to 2 A, considering the model selected for IC1, which is more than sufficient for the application planned here. Finally, since a number of components in this circuit are connected directly to the mains power supply, the assembly should be placed in a completely insulated housing for obvious safety reasons.

Author: Christian Tavernier - Copyright: Elektor Electronics Magazine

A long time ago when telephones were so simple almost nothing could go amiss from an electrical point of view, Telecom operators installed surge protection on all telephone lines exposed to storm risks. Paradoxically, now that we are hooking up delicate and expensive equipment such as telephones filled with electronics, fax machines, (A)DSL modems, etc., this protection has disappeared.

However, if you have the good fortune to live in the countryside in a building served by overhead telephone lines, there’s an obvious risk of very high voltages being induced on the lines during thunderstorms. While we have lost count today of all of the modems, fax machines and other telephones that have been destroyed by a ‘bolt of lightning’, surprisingly you only have to invest a few pounds to get a remarkably efficient protection device like the one we are proposing here.

During a storm, often with lightning striking near a telephone line, the line carries transient voltages up to several thousands of volts. Contrary to the HV section of television sets or electrical fences, on which practically no current is running, in the case of lighting striking current surges of thousand of amps are not uncommon. To protect oneself from such destructive pulses, traditional components are not powerful or fast enough.

As you can see on our drawing, a (gas-filled) spark gap should be used. Such a component contains three electrodes, insulated from each other, in an airtight cylinder filled with rare gas. As long as the voltage present between the electrodes is below a certain threshold, the spark gap remains perfectly passive and presents an impedance of several hundreds of MW. On the other hand, when the voltage rises above this threshold, the gas is very rapidly ionized and the spark-gap suddenly becomes a full conductor to the point of being able to absorb colossal currents without being destroyed.

Circuit diagram:

 Protection Circuit Diagram For Telephone Line

The one we are using here, whose size is of the same magnitude as an ordinary one watt resistor, can absorb a standardized 5,000 amps pulse lasting 8/20 ms! Since we are utilizing a three-electrode spark gap, the voltage between the two wires of the line or between any wire and ground, cannot exceed the sparking voltage, which is about 250 volts here. Such protection could theoretically suffice but we preferred to add a second security device made with a VDR (GeMOV or SiOV depending on the manufacturer), which also limits the voltage between line wires to a maximum of 250 volts.

Even if this value seems high to you, we should remember that all of the authorized telephone equipment, carrying the CE mark must be able to withstand it without damage. This is not always the case however with some low-end devices made in China, but that’s an entirely different problem. Since pulses generated by lightning are very brief, the ground connection of our assembly must be as low-inductance as possible.

It must therefore be short, and composed of heavy-duty wire (1.5 mm2 c.s.a. is the minimum). If not, the coil, composed of the ground connection, blocks the high frequency signal that constitutes the pulse and reduces the assembly’s effectiveness to nothing. Finally, please note that this device obviously has no effect on the low frequency signals of telephones and fax machines and it does not disturb (A)DSL signals either.

Author: Christian Tavernier - Copyright: Elektor Electronics Magazine