| "ELECTRONIC PLAYGROUND AND LEARNING CENTER: 130-in-1" Electrical Engineering Kit Description:
Inexpensive electronics kit with high value!
If you are interested in a very complete electronics learning experience, in a relatively inexpensive way, this is the kit for you!
The easy-to-build circuits teach you about individual components and how they operate. You will learn how connecting the components in diverse combinations results in very different functions and why. You will enjoy making different sound effects, light effects, timers, and electronic testers.
The circuits are easy to build. Fully assembled, the components (resistors, capacitors, transistors, integrated circuits, etc) are built into the learning center, with springs attached to each end of the components. You will attach wires to different springs as the method of connecting the components into a circuit.
Building the circuits is as easy as 1, 2, 3...137,138. Each spring connector has a number associated with it (1 to 138), and the directions for each activity lists the numbers of each spring connector that need to be connected and in what order.
Each activity is described in a variety of forms. There is an engineering schematic to demonstrate how the circuit would officially be drawn by an engineer, a number list of the spring connectors to connect, and a write-up explaining the circuit and engineering concepts you are learning.
Examples of circuits to build include: electronic metronome, light dimmer, sound amplifier, basic LED display, diode-transistor logic (DTL) OR circuit with LED display, transistor-transistor logic (TTL) gates, winking LEDs, electronic organ, LED strobe light, burglar alarm, logic tester, study timer, two transistor radio, AM radio station, and a metal detector.
ELECTRONIC PLAYGROUND & LEARNING CENTER 130 provides an opportunity to start a great hobby in electronics!
Product Specifications:
Ages: 12+
Number of Players: 1
Box Size: 16" x 12" x 3.75"
Box Weight: 2.9 lbs
Product Notes:
Batteries Required: Six (6) "AA" batteries, not included.
11 Technology Areas for Circuit Building:
Entertainment Circuits (14 Circuits)
Basic Semiconductor & Components Circuits (8 Circuits)
LED Digital Display Circuits (4 Circuits)
A Tour Through Digital Circuits (7 Circuits)
More Adventures with Digital Circuits (14 Circuits)
The World of Transistor-Transistor Logic (TTL) (12 Circuits)
Application Circuits Based on the Oscillator (10 Circuits)
Basic Operational Amplifier Circuits (27 Circuits)
More Adventures with operational Amplifiers (12 Circuits)
Communication Circuits (6 Circuits)
Testing & Measuring Circuits (16 Circuits)
Product Contents:
The Learning Center includes these built-in components:
1 Bar Antenna
2 Battery Boxes
12 Capacitors
1 Capacitor, variable
1 CdS Cell
1 CdS Holder
1 Digital Display PCB Assembly
1 Diode, Germanium
1 Diode, Silicon
2 Frames
2 Integrated Circuits
1 Key Switch
3 LEDs
1 Nut
2 PCBs
15 Resistors
1 Resistor, Variable
7 Screws
1 Slide Switch
1 Speaker
138 Springs
1 Transformer
3 Transistors
4 Washers
1 Earphone
79 Wires (to connect circuits, various colors & lengths)
Black & White Instruction Manual, 159 pages
Product Warnings & Safety Information:
WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD - SMALL PARTS. This product contains small pieces and is not suitable for children under 3 years of age.
WARNING: SHARP POINTS. This pack contains wires with sharp points which are necessary for the functioning of the kit.
WARNING: ENSURE CIRCUIT IS CORRECTLY WIRED. Failure to follow these procedures may cause the battery holder to overheat. Use only under the supervision of an adult. Failure to comply with these safety precautions could result in injury to the user.
A NOTE FROM LAURI:
With built-in parts, there are very few parts to lose. Since all the components are built into the Learning Center, they will remain intact - no component parts to lose! Basically you just need to keep the Learning Center, the instruction manual and wires together. There are lots of wires included, and if any are lost they are very, very easy to replace, no worries. Great for a classroom or situation where parts are easily lost.
This kit is best for older teens and adults. Although you are certainly paying for the value of having all the components built into this kit, the greatest value is in the instructional manual which takes you through all the activities. The activity descriptions, as well as reference materials in the manual, provide excellent information about the activity as well as related math and engineering concepts. The manual has great technical depth. That said, the manual is written at a fairly advanced level, and younger teens (12-14 years old) may need some adult help.
The activities are step-by-step, with increasing difficulty. This kit is a great fit for people that learn best in a step-by-step manner and are more comfortable reading directions rather than looking at visual diagrams. Although the first 14 activities (out of 130) include a Learning Center diagram showing the wiring that is required, the remainder of the activities describe what needs to be done, list the numbers and order of the spring connectors to be wired together, and include an engineering schematic of the circuit to be built. It may be difficult for highly visual people to "translate" the written instructions, list of numbers, and engineering schematic into an image in their head to know how to proceed with building the circuit.
A high value, low cost kit to learn electrical engineering concepts. I think it would be hard to find an alternative product to learn all the electrical engineering and electronic concepts included in this kit for a lower price. This kit is loaded with information. This kit is high value for the price. The only drawback is that the manual "feels" like it was written by an engineer and is quite purposeful, straightforward, loaded with technical information, and perhaps a little "dry". If you are the type to roll your eyes at entertaining "fluff" written in other electronic kits made for kids, you may find that you are more comfortable in the writing style included in this kit. |
