Unless your question is super-private, send it to the mailing list. If you
encounter a problem, some of your classmates almost certainly have the same
problem. If you are worried that the question sounds dumb, don't be shy. I
guarantee that I have made almost every non-lethal mistake possible with
digital circuits. I have broken off teeth, blown up transistors resulting in
chunks of plastic partially-embedded in my forehead, burned my thumb on an
improperly-wired integrated circuit, and destroyed chips by blasting through
their gate oxides as a result of handing them to a friend with a
dramatically-lower potential without first touching him. Questions and
mistakes are expected when learning. The only thing that needs
to be free of mistakes is the finished product. You can define that in two
ways: the lab when it is entirely completed, or you when you are done with
the course.

> Professor Dick,
>
> I think the issue is actually with my Bread Board and not my logic probe. I
> am set up a very simple circuit with an LED and the light didn't show.

I hope you used the current-limiting resistor, too.

> I also check the power supply, and power is running through the cables.
> However when I attached the prob to two wires coming off the circuit board
> it failed to power up. My power supply also has some pretty badly frayed
> cables. I will bring my box to class on Monday; hopefully you will have a
> moment to take a look at it. Otherwise I will see David. Thank you.

That is easy to fix. Your kit has the tools required to re-wire the banana
plugs on the power supply. I'll show you Monday morning. If you want to fix
it now, use the screwdriver to remove the plug from the wire, cut off the
frayed wire, strip the wire, and reattach the plug.

-Robert Dick-
Received on Sat Apr 5 22:08:01 2008