NerdKits - electronics education for a digital generation

You are not logged in. [log in]

NEW: Learning electronics? Ask your questions on the new Electronics Questions & Answers site hosted by CircuitLab.

Support Forum » Having difficulty understanding the instructions for the initial nerdkit project.

May 01, 2011
by int80_h
int80_h's Avatar

On page 24 of the kit's manual I'm having trouble reconciling the instructions with the corresponding picture. Instruction 7 says to plug the black wire of the battery clip into the blue rail. The picture shows the black wire of what looks to be the battery clip plugged into the mid-section. So I think one of three things is wrong here.

1) I'm totally confused and there's no discrepancy at all. 2) The instructions are wrong and the picture is right 3) The picture is wrong and the instructions are right.

There may be other possibilities but I think I've got it covered. Could someone clarify for me? I've eager to move on.

May 01, 2011
by missle3944
missle3944's Avatar

Hi int80_h,

I see what you are confused on. Notice that on the red box below it it says that you connect the 2 ground wires to negative. In a sense I think that ground is "ground" and it technically should be the same for 12volts, 9volts,or 5volts. Maybe one of the more experienced nerdkitters can chime in on this one.

-missle3944

May 01, 2011
by hevans
(NerdKits Staff)

hevans's Avatar

Hi int80_h,

That is a great observation. I am glad you are paying attention. The answer is that there is no electrical difference between our description and the picture. As part of a previous step we told you to connect with a wire row 29 of the breadboard with the blue GND rail. This means that electrically row 29 of the breadboard (on the left side) is part of the GND node. Does that make sense?

Humberto

May 01, 2011
by Ralphxyz
Ralphxyz's Avatar
 4. Then using wire (which you'll have to strip) connect row 29 of the
 breadboard to the blue (ground, “-”, GND) rail.

The picture shows the black battery lead connecting to column 29 "NOT":

7.  Connect the black wire of the battery clip to the blue rail.

So your sanity is sound, but no matter what you did following the instructions or the picture you would have moved on from here.

As long as pin 29 was connected to "ground" it does not matter if the battery lead was connected to column 29 or inserted into the blue rail, to the electrical circuit is is all the same!

Next question,

Ralph

May 01, 2011
by mongo
mongo's Avatar

Blue rail... same as ground rail. As long as they all go to the same place, it's cool.

Post a Reply

Please log in to post a reply.

Did you know that you can connect to certain car computers via the OBD-II port with a microcontroller? Learn more...