LED Lightbulb

Step 3 Test

Here I'm holding the circuit with a clothespin and sticking it into an outlet, this is of course, the recommended test procedure. ;-)

Comments

[wd0013]

To:Tool Using Animal

Awesome post. I especially like the usage of a filter cap in lieu of a (very unnecessary) bridged rectifier. I like bridged rectifiers in larger arrays, but simplicity is always more elegant. Keep 'em coming!

To: Everyone else

As an engineer that does waaaaaaay more dangerous experiments than this, let me tell you all that:

A: There's not enough current draw from that small apparatus to do anything really harmful to the cloths pin. During a malfunction, the cloths pin could get charred, but there would be absolutely NO fire.

B. At the end that is being held (the side with the LED - this side of the resistor and cap), there is only a miniscule amount of power. It takes high voltage to create any kind of arcing across the cloths pin (much less to the fingers pictured here). I'm talking 500+ volts. Voltage levels of 120 - 240 (depending on which country you're from) simply will not arc in such a fashion. Honestly, though you would feel it, there is (most likely) so little power (on the LED side) that you could comfortably touch the leads for a couple of seconds, as long as it was only one hand touching. Of course body chemistry, grounding, humidity, your own level of intelligence , and many other factors means that mileage will vary here. DON'T BE STUPID - MY RESPONSE IS SHOWING THEORY NOT PRACTICE!

The reality is that "real world" electronics testing in the A/C world is typically (at least) this dangerous. Common sense, knowledge, and study are your best friends in the lab (at home or work), so read a book folks!


ONLY THOSE THAT THINK FOR THEMSELVES SHOULD EVEN READ THIS RESPONSE - SHEEPLE GO ELSEWHERE!

[noingwhat]

The wooden clothespin wouldn't conduct any electricity, but there is still the chance of, as he said, fire, or also a spark either from the LED to you, or from the LED to the clothespin spring to you.

[crono6894]

the reason he used the clothespin is because it doesn't conduct AS much electricity, but i would wear thick rubber gloves just in case, but that's just me P:

[H3xx]

Perfectly logical. And its safe because he's using a flammable, wooden clothespin! :)

[knobby_]

baaah haha! perfect!

[Derin]

...