DIY Circuit Schematic

Start with a very basic schematic by consulting design books to get an understanding what is taking place in the design chosen. Enter the design information into the computer drawing program, or sketch it using pencil and paper. Be sure to use the correct symbols for the components. The design should incorporate a 9-volt battery to power the circuit and a light to show when the circuit is working and powered up.

Go over the completed design to see if anything has been omitted. With the aid of electronic books enter the calculations for voltage and current at various points on the drawing. Enter the names and values of all components on the drawing, for example a 100-ohm resistor. Doing so makes the circuit easier to troubleshoot later on.

Make a circuit diagram (block diagram) using the schematic to show the layout of the components as they will be positioned on a board. A computer drawing program will do the conversion drawing from the schematic drawing to the circuit diagram. Sketch in the connecting points linking all the components.

Insert the components into the electronic breadboard kit exactly as shown on the circuit diagram. Use jumper wires to make connections from one component to the next as indicated in the drawing. Check to make sure nothing has been overlooked. Attach the battery to the circuit. Check to see if the light is on. If it is, continue to the next step. If not go over your wiring.

Using a multimeter carry out voltage and current checks at the locations where the mathematical calculated results were made. See if the voltage and current readings are similar. Do not expect the results to be exact but they should be close to those calculated earlier. If not, go back over the drawing and calculations. If they are, the electronic circuit design is correct.