"SALES INFO" Essential HHO "Booster" Components

[Redmeanie]

Hey Red,

No worries about the sketch. I'm just trying to help ease the load on you a little since you've done so much already. I do have two questions. One, what is the voltage rating on the tantalum capacitors? Two, did you etch the boards yourself, or did you send off for them?

Thanks,

Jerry

Jerry,
They are 50v. Also I etch all my own boards. I don't have that kind of time or money to blow having someone else make them. Plus I usually can test a design within a day if I have all the parts for the circuit.

[jaybone]

well,
one of the boards tested perfectly on the bench,
the other board not so good; the led does not light.
I replaced the led with a new one and still no go.
I also examined the board closely and do not see any cross-connected pads or bad soldering.
So, what would be my next troubleshooting step? the IC? I handled them quite carefully.

[Redmeanie]

well,
one of the boards tested perfectly on the bench,
the other board not so good; the led does not light.
I replaced the led with a new one and still no go.
I also examined the board closely and do not see any cross-connected pads or bad soldering.
So, what would be my next troubleshooting step? the IC? I handled them quite carefully.

With the ic out the LED should still just barely light. So remove it and see if the LED comes on. If so the ic could be bad. If it doesn't look elsewhere...Important...Make sure the Tant Cap is in correct. It is + and - configured... Let me know

[jaybone]

took out the IC, still no led light.
The tantalum is in correctly.

I replaced the led you sent with one from the shack earlier, it is a T-1 size, 3 volt, 15mA, 2.5mcd. Is that the correct led? the parts sheet said T-1 3/4 which I took to mean 3 or 4 volts, not 3/4 volt.

[Redmeanie]

took out the IC, still no led light.
The tantalum is in correctly.

I replaced the led you sent with one from the shack earlier, it is a T-1 size, 3 volt, 15mA, 2.5mcd. Is that the correct led? the parts sheet said T-1 3/4 which I took to mean 3 or 4 volts, not 3/4 volt.

The LED is fine. The size is not paramount. Take your Multi Meter and check the Trim Pots and make sure they are functioning correctly. You can do this throughout the whole circuit to verify that each part is good (that is how you troubleshoot a circuit).Make sure all power is disconnected and Check them all and let me know what you get. This is a simple, pretty much bullet proof circuit. All I can think if the soldering is good and there are no bridges, is there has to be a bad component somewhere. Also when I said the LED will barely light without the IC, I mean very very dimly. Aslo make sure your test voltage is about .75v to 1v to check this way.

[jaybone]

I may be onto something

checked the trimmers, they seem to be working OK

I removed the MPSA14 transistor from the board and checked using diode setting on the multimeter:
C-B one way was OL, the other way was .845
B-E was OL both ways
so does this mean I have a bad transistor?

This is all very new to me, many thanks for the help.
It is amazing what one can do with google, forums like this, and the will to learn.

[Redmeanie]

checked the trimmers, they seem to be working OK

I removed the MPSA14 transistor from the board and checked using diode setting on the multimeter:
C-B one way was OL, the other way was .845
B-E was OL both ways
so does this mean I have a bad transistor?

This is all very new to me, many thanks for the help.
It is amazing what one can do with google, forums like this, and the will to learn.

If everything else checks out it could be. The MPSA is a static sensitive component also, and hey could just be defective. Does the shack have an equivalent? They are pretty common. Let me know if not and I will send you what you need.

[Redmeanie]

If they dont have the MPSA just about any small NPN Darlington Transistor will work.

[jaybone]

the only darlington that RS had was this one:
TIP120
Power dissipation of 80W. Case type: TO-220.

* V(CE):2.0
* V(BE): 2.8
* I(C) Max: 8.0A

which I assume is too large.

[Redmeanie]

the only darlington that RS had was this one:
TIP120
Power dissipation of 80W. Case type: TO-220.

* V(CE):2.0
* V(BE): 2.8
* I(C) Max: 8.0A

which I assume is too large.

Yeah that is...If you don't have any other options I will mail you one...But its only a .30 cent part

[Redmeanie]

Kit Assembly.....

Due to overwhelming Requests from people who feel they might not be able to build these, I am now offering these kits Assembled and Calibrated.... The Pricing post above has details updated...

[jaybone]

Yeah that is...If you don't have any other options I will mail you one...But its only a .30 cent part

is it possible to "make" a darlington using two regular npn transistors?
I've been picking through all of my castaway PC components looking to salvage a darlington.

[Redmeanie]

is it possible to "make" a darlington using two regular npn transistors?
I've been picking through all of my castaway PC components looking to salvage a darlington.

Yes you can....Be sure you know what you are doing.

[jaybone]

Well I don't really know what I am doing but it has not stopped me so far...
I do know how to find C B and E, and correlate them to this:

so, I would just take two npn transistors and connect them as in the diagram.
Is there anything else I need to know?

[Redmeanie]

Well I don't really know what I am doing but it has not stopped me so far...
I do know how to find C B and E, and correlate them to this:

so, I would just take two npn transistors and connect them as in the diagram.
Is there anything else I need to know?

No just make sure they are identical, and you should be fine.