Elenco Snap Circuits® Home Learning - Manual (Page 5)

DO’s and DON’Ts of Building Circuits
-4-
After building the circuits given in this booklet, you may wish to
experiment on your own. Use the projects in this booklet as a guide, as
many important design concepts are introduced throughout them. Every
circuit will include a power source (the batteries), a resistance (which
might be a resistor, lamp, motor, integrated circuit, etc.), and wiring paths
between them and back.
You must be careful not to create “short circuits”
(very low-resistance paths across the batteries, see examples below)
as this will damage components and/or quickly drain your batteries.
Only
connect the IC using configuration given in the projects, incorrectly doing
so may damage it. ELENCO
® is not responsible for parts damaged
due to incorrect wiring.
Here are some important guidelines:
ALWAYS use eye protection when experimenting on your own.
ALWAYS include at least one component that will limit the current
through a circuit, such as the speaker, lamp, electromagnet,
music IC (which must be connected properly), motor,
photoresistor, or resistor.
ALWAYS use the LED and switches in conjunction with other
components that will limit the current through them. Failure to
do so will create a short circuit and/or damage those parts.
ALWAYS disconnect your batteries immediately and check your wiring
if something appears to be getting hot.
ALWAYS check your wiring before turning on a circuit.
ALWAYS connect the music IC using configurations given in the
projects or as per the connection descriptions for it.
NEVER connect to an electrical outlet in your home in any way.
NEVER leave a circuit unattended when it is turned on.
NEVER touch the motor when it is spinning at high speed.
For all of the projects given in this book, the parts may be arranged in
different ways without changing the circuit. For example, the order of
parts connected in series or in parallel does not matter — what matters
is how combinations of these sub-circuits are arranged together.
Examples of SHORT CIRCUITS - NEVER DO THESE!!!
WARNING: SHOCK HAZARD - Never connect your Snap
Circuits ® set to the electrical outlets in your home in any way!
Placing a 3-snap wire directly
across the batteries is a
SHORT CIRCUIT.
When the slide switch (S1) is turned on, this large circuit has a SHORT
CIRCUIT path (as shown by the arrows). The short circuit prevents any
other portions of the circuit from ever working.
!
!
!
NEVER
DO!
NEVER
DO!
NEVER
DO!
NEVER
DO!
!
NEVER
DO!
!
This is also a
SHORT CIRCUIT.
(STANDING)