Day # I lost count +2

So I didn't post a picture of my circuit board yesterday as I was barely unable to finish. I had to quick hook up the battery, so here is the finished product:

Apologies on the picture quality, that's as good as it lets me get..

Unfortunately, it is not quite functional at the moment, and I'm attempting to troubleshoot why that is. I asked yesterday how exactly this thing works, and it turns out beneath the breadboard there are metal plates. Inserting the wires in the middle columns connects them together, as they are all in one circuit. The top 2 and bottom 2 rows are the + and -, + and minus, as in the way the electricity is flowing. These rows are all connected, but are separate from the middle rows. Wires from the +/- down to the middle rows will connect them for electric current.

So I went to take the battery out to check if I had a dead battery and I about burnt my hand, so I must be short-circuiting somewhere..
I also noticed I misplaced about three wires, I moved them all but to no result. The battery has cooled so I fixed the short circuit, but it's still incomplete.

I'm not quite sure why the circuit still isn't working, so I guess I'll write out my outside reference thing now.
I'll talk to my dad, because he knows a lot about computers and circuit boards. I'll ask him how they work, what components do what, and how to know if the circuit is complete. I think if he can get me a better understanding of how the board works, I'll actually get this bad boy to working condition on Thursday.

Week#3, Day number I forgot +1

So today I am starting this project: http://makezine.com/projects/projects-in-motion-control-three-types-of-motors-with-555-timers/

How does this thing work?!

Day# I lost track..

Started the power supplies experiment. Then I didn't know what the power supply diagram really was, so I took apart the Power Supply Model NO 33032 apart and this is what it looks like:

I do see a transformer in there.. Some tape (really? professionals use simple tape with something like this?!), some capacitors.. lots of wires too. I do see a couple resistors sitting on a circuit board after close observation. Oof, just realize that the inside of the box reeks...

Day#5

More looking for parts today... I also wrote on the bag what is what, hopefully the expo marker doesn't erase.. I'll let Kirk finish up the resistors, and if he gets time he can double-check what I'm pretty sure we don't have.

Updated list:

Parts list
Project 1
1- 1N914 diode - need 3
√1- Bridge rectifier - I think we have some
1- 7805 regulator IC (Three Terminal Regulator) - not seeing any of these
1- 100 µF capacitor @25 VDC - need 1
√1- 3.3 µF capacitor @50 VDC have it
√1- 220 Ω 1/4 W resistor have it
√1- 1000 Ω 1/4 W resistor have it
√1- 2200 Ω 1/4 W resistor have it
√1- 100 kQ potentiometer - have it
Project 2
1- 10 MΩ resistor
1- 1 kΩ resistor
1- 330 Ω
1- 100 kΩ
2- 10 kΩ
√1- .01 µF capacitor - have it
√1- .47 µF capacitor - have it
√1- .1 µF capacitor - have it
1- 60 Ω mini-speaker - I think odds are we don't have this
√1- 100 kQ potentiometer - still have it
√1- LED - gee I wonder if we have any LED's... haha
√1- 555 IC - have it
Project 3
7- 330 Ω resistor
8- 4.7 k-Ω resistor

√4- LEDs - we only have like a thousand of these

√1- 7 segment readout (common cathode) - have them

√1- 8 bit DIP switch - in with the 7 segment readout

√1- 7448 IC - have it

√1- 7404 IC - have it

1- GE H24A1 Opto-Coupler - Pretty sure we don't have any

Week#2, Day#4

Stole this from Kirk Brink (and edited it for what I was looking for) http://kirkelectronicsproject.blogspot.com/
I looked for hex inverters, which seem to be fairly well sorted but are still pretty hard to distinguish. I put a bunch of the ones I found in bags for easy finding later.

Parts list
Project 1
1- 1N914 diode - need 3
1- Bridge rectifier
1- 7805 regulator IC (Three Terminal Regulator)
1- 100 µF capacitor @25 VDC - need 1
1- 3.3 µF capacitor @50 VDC have it
1- 220 Ω 1/4 W resistor have it
1- 1000 Ω 1/4 W resistor have it
1- 2200 Ω 1/4 W resistor have it
1- 100 kQ potentiometer
Project 2
1- 10 MΩ resistor
1- 1 kΩ resistor
1- 330 Ω
1- 100 kΩ
2- 10 kΩ
1- .01 µF capacitor
1- .47 µF capacitor
1- .1 µF capacitor
1- 60 Ω mini-speaker
1- 100 kQ potentiometer
1- LED
1- 555 IC have it
Project 3
7- 330 Ω resistor
8- 4.7 k-Ω resistor

4- LEDs

1- 7 segment readout (common cathode)

1- 8 bit DIP switch

1- 7448 IC - have it

1- 7404 IC - have it

1- GE H24A1 Opto-Coupler

Day#3

Well I just figured out what a capacitor is! In one of the snap-circuits there was a capacitor and I had no idea what it actually did. The capacitor stores energy flowing to it, but also lets some pass. If it is connected to a battery, it eventually accumulates the same voltage as the battery, so the wire can have no current. Visually, a light bulb would light and get dimmer as the capacitor stores energy.
I also started looking through what stuff we should probably get organized... and about had a heart attack. We've got some work to do.

Day #2

Today consisted of working on a couple more snap circuits, which I have pictured below. I think I have a basic enough understanding of these circuits to move onto the actual circuit boards soon.

This first image pictures a circuit that charges a capacitor (the middle green piece), and then changes the circuit. This causes the red LED to begin by glowing, but soon fade and eventually die out, even if the circuit is still connected. The practical application of this was a nightlight that you want on to get to your bed, but shuts off soon so the room is dark to sleep in.

This circuit used a phosphoresistor to activate and deactivate the fan and space music. In the presence of light, the circuit is allowed to be completed so the fan spins and the speaker makes noise. Without light, the circuit shuts off and is incomplete. There was also a switch that could activate the circuit, or speed up the fan if there was also light present.

Day 1

Day 1 was spent mostly on snap circuits and just familiarizing myself with the typical components. I tried a couple of the example circuits it gave me and will probably need to do a few more before I start the more complicated circuits.