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What are some sweet electrical/electronic experiments I can do?

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adamjon858

Sun Apr 06 2008, 06:15PM

Registered Member #1401 Joined: Tue Mar 18 2008, 03:20PM
Location:
Posts: 12

Alright, so I need to do a 15 minute senior presentation on what I would like to study when I go to college next year. I'm hoping to go to Carnegie Institute of Technology (#2 in the US for EE/CE) and study electrical and computer engineering.

My problem is that for this presentation we are supposed to provide a live example of something related to our field choice. Does anyone have any suggestions for a cheap, small little experiment I could do?

Originally, I was going to build a tesla coil, but I decided that would be a bit too time consuming, hazardous, and $$$. I also tried building a wireless power transmitter but there were some problems with inductance and it was only sending like 0.2 volts a couple centimeters.

I have a bunch of basic electronic components and a few microcontrollers as well as basic electrical knowledge if the project would require them. I'm looking for something that looks cool but is cheap and requires less than 8 hours or so to set up/create.

Backyard Skunkworks

Sun Apr 06 2008, 08:28PM

Registered Member #1262 Joined: Fri Jan 25 2008, 05:22AM
Location: Maryland, USA
Posts: 451

You could always get some used disposable cameras and make a capacitor bank that will make massive sparks or a coilgun.

adamjon858

Sun Apr 06 2008, 10:50PM

Registered Member #1401 Joined: Tue Mar 18 2008, 03:20PM
Location:
Posts: 12

What exactly is a coil gun?

FireBird

Sun Apr 06 2008, 11:31PM

Registered Member #1104 Joined: Tue Nov 06 2007, 07:38PM
Location: Wisconsin, United States
Posts: 34

This doesnâ€™t exactly explain the theory of a coil gun (Iâ€™m sure you could Google it) but it dose show you a simple way of making one out of a single disposable camera

Of course you can add more cap's for more power.

HV Enthusiast

Mon Apr 07 2008, 12:06AM

Registered Member #15 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 01:11PM
Location:
Posts: 3068

well, first of all, you didn't tell us what you want to study? Power, digital, RF, communications, etc . . .

...

Mon Apr 07 2008, 12:29AM

Registered Member #56 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 05:02AM
Location: Southern Califorina, USA
Posts: 2445

I doubt he knows what he plans to do, most people do not even know what they are going to major in at this point.

We have to do the same presentation at my high school, I don't know what you school is like but at ours the teachers would be happier if you just showed them a powerpoint of pictures you collected from the internet

In any case, I (and others) have found crouds impressed with musical devices (coils, flyback, etc). But whatever you try to do, make sure that it works reliably before you show it.

teslaguy

Mon Apr 07 2008, 04:18AM

Registered Member #617 Joined: Fri Mar 30 2007, 07:29PM
Location: Buffalo NY
Posts: 49

I was also accepted into carnegie mellon for ee/ce next year and it is my first choice school. I am just waiting for my aid package. I was going to say exactly what skunkworks said, I have done it and it is a very simple and rewarding project. You can also just blow up wires if you want to instead of making a coil gun because a coil gun requires more knowledge of electronics than putting capacitors together on a disposable camera. My advice to you is to check craigs list for an old television or computer moniter and rip out the power supply as it is and to draw some sparks. You can send them through a camera flash tube if you want which is also really really cool. If you have aim send me a message sometime: ilikepudding14 (im always on, even if it appears that i am not). I would like to know someone at carnegie mellon before i go there.

Backyard Skunkworks wrote ...

You could always get some used disposable cameras and make a capacitor bank that will make massive sparks or a coilgun.

Ultra7

Mon Apr 07 2008, 03:20PM

Registered Member #1157 Joined: Thu Dec 06 2007, 12:11PM
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 307

The Jacobs ladder is REAL easy.
One cheapo switchmode NST, and one cut up coat hanger, mount it on a block of wood, and you have a nice buzzing gadget out of the old Frankenstein movies.

adamjon858

Tue Apr 08 2008, 05:01AM

Registered Member #1401 Joined: Tue Mar 18 2008, 03:20PM
Location:
Posts: 12

Yeh, good ideas. I'm also thinking of just making some basic circuits such as radios (both transmitter and reciever) as well.

Thanks for the heads up about the jacobs ladder as well.

Coronafix

Thu Apr 10 2008, 05:59AM

Registered Member #160 Joined: Mon Feb 13 2006, 02:07AM
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 938

This Theremin is pretty interesting. Doesn't take much to make it,
but a lot of fiddling to make it work.

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