Incase you weren't sure, I am trying to complete the $50 Robot tutorial circuitry:
I have come to a difficult juncture - wiring it all up...
You see I'm using a Breadboard (didnt want to make permanent mistakes), SO I had to try to translate all the tutorial connections
-- Basically I gave up deciphering the soldering upside down pictures and just followed exactly the super helpful color-dot schematic invention! (
http://www.societyofrobots.com/images/sbs_avr_schematic.png)
HOWEVER, the problem is this:
I've just tested the circuit with the battery and WHEN I PLUG IT STRAIGHT INTO THE MAIN CIRCUIT (anywhere) IT WORKS! (the LED lights up, --all components in place except for Servos and Programmer)
HOWEVER, when I do it as it seems im supposed to - with the 5V REGULATOR in between the Battery's +ve & GND and the rest of the circuit, NOTHING HAPPENS...The regulator ONLY gets HOTTER either way, and without the Regulator the Chip starts to BURN RED HOT. At one time, the led came on but MUCH less bright than without the regulator, and quickly died out in brightness to off. -- I believe the chip still works as the LED lights up (without the regulator in place) whether the battery's on either side of the chip.
I am totally confused, I've tried switching the regulator the other way around to the diagram (i ordered 2 to be safe) and that didnt help either.
Please advise & thanks so much in advance for taking the time to help a beginner as I.
I am certain I have followed the color dot schematic correctly I have checked and double-checked. However a couple of things are not clear:
In the schematic the resistors values are not specified (we were told to order two types) for either device (LED and Photoresistors)
I have also joined all the same color dots together with wires.
And also - For the circuit to be testable (able to plug the power in for the LED test) DO all the external components have to be in place - meaning the SERVOs, the PROGRAMMER head, and the PHOTORESISTORS....? Or do i have to unplug the wires (eg power, GND etc) that lead to those components if they are not attached to the male pins?