tool box

Mr. Richard

I am trying to build a small, but effective box of parts. I want to spent about $30-$40 to have a bunch of components that can be used and reused on a Board of Ed with a BS2. I would also appreciate some sources to buy these components.

The stamp work I do is with my high school students, we find a challenge, they build it, play with it, then start over with a new challenge. I would like to avoid the usual stop by Radio Shack on the way home so we can do it tomorrow routine. What components should I keep on hand for simple stamp and robotic activities? I plan on buying the Parallax sensor kit soon; we currently have a robot kit with a pneumatic system.

thanks for the help
Josh

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Magic Smoke Theory of Electronics –
Inside every electronic part there is magic smoke.
The magic smoke is what makes everything work.
If you release the magic smoke, the part stops working!

Post Edited (Mr. Richard) : 3/17/2007 11:59:58 AM GMT

Steve Joblin

There are a variety of good suppliers out there... Digi-Key, Jameco, and Mouser are probably the biggest.· If you are in the education field, check out Electronix Express (they cater to the education market).

You willl want to buy a variety pack of resistors, electrolytic capacitors, tantalum capacitors, LED's, voltage regulators, headers, crimp connectors, and diodes... from there, your shopping list will really be dependent on what project you are doing.

Desy2820

I'd add some transistors to this list, such as the 2N3904 and 2N3906 or equivalents. Maybe some power transistors too, TIP120s?
Some·power FETs, such as the IRL510s.· Possibly some H-bridge chips and/or ULN2803s.

If your budget allows, multiplexers and shift registers, such as the 74LS595, 74LS165 and the 74LS245.· (Or equivalent functions/logic families)

Finally, some 555 or 556 timers and OPAMPs, such as the 741s or LM358s.·

Other suggestions, some relays with 5 volt coils and at least 12 volt rated contacts.· Maybe some Solid-Sate Relays (SSR) if you plan to use AC?· Again, just make sure that all the parts above accept logic-level·inputs.

Just some suggestions for you.· I hope this helped.

Mr. Richard

thanks,

what the functions of the multiplexers and shift registers?

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Magic Smoke Theory of Electronics –
Inside every electronic part there is magic smoke.
The magic smoke is what makes everything work.
If you release the magic smoke, the part stops working!

kjennejohn

An explanation for a shift register:
www.madsci.org/posts/archives/jan2001/980394872.Cs.r.html

And one for the multiplexer and its alternate, the demultiplexer:
www.cs.mun.ca/~paul/cs3724/material/web/notes/node7.html

And a better explanation of the multiplexer:
www.cs.mun.ca/~paul/cs3724/material/web/notes/node7.html

The LS245 mentioned above is a buffer IC, not a shifter or multiplexer. This chip is sometimes used to strengthen the digital drive of a signal that has to go to several other chips at far corners of the board. It also has "tristate" capability. This means the buffer can go to an extremely high impedance, which is the same as going open circuit. This allows multiple signal sources to share the same bus. Just turn on the one (I stress ONE) buffer you want to give bus access to. None of the buffers will interfere.

Later!
kenjj