I ordered a really cheap kit on line (from Hong Kong), and when it arrived, it needed to be wired. The input jack plug is a 3 lead type, 1 red, 1 white, and 1 ground bundle. I have 2 Alligator Clips, 1 red, and 1 black. I'm not sure how to wire it up.

I'm guessing that the ground wires and the white wire go together, with the black clip, then the red plug wire goes with the red clip.

Does that sound right?

Thanks,
Gary

 

If they did not give you documentation on the kit then can you follow the wires from the connectors to the first components, maybe a voltage regulator?

The last kit I ordered came with no instructions in the kit but there were drawings and schematics on the web for them. Try that as well...

S@H Electronics

 

Please say what the plug is for.

It is a stereo plug. Red and white are left and right channels and the copper wire is the common. Shorting the white wire to ground or to the common might blow up something.

 

I believe it plugs into a laptop; doesn't seem like Audio, although that could certainly produce a wave form.

It appears to be the two leads coming from an Oscilloscope (a software / PC oscilloscope).

I ordered it thinking I could learn a little bit about O-scopes, and circuits.

Where would the ground wire go then? Just leave it unconnected? CLip it?

If it's DC, then it's + and -, and I would suppose red with red will do.

Thanks,
Gary

 

This cheap kit will quickly wind up roasting your sound card in your laptop/computer if you try to hook it up, and it may very well destroy more than just the sound card when things go awry.

You've been scammed, I'm afraid.

The components are only worth about a dollar or so even if you'd bought them from Radio Shack. If you attempt to use them for the purpose they sold them to you for, you could do many times that investment in damage.

Here's a link to a hardware buffer schematic that will at least provide a modicum of protection for a PC sound card:
http://xoscope.sourceforge.net/hardware/hardware.html

You could still easily roast your computer using it, but it's far better than what you have now.

 

Thanks Sarge, I just consider this a lesson learned.

Gary

 

Everything is made in China anyway, so I there is absolutely no arguement about this thing made there and something made here.

 

I'll let you two Canadians argue that one out.

Actually, I don't see anything wrong with using the computer speaker out as a function generator, as long as you build a buffer, such as an op amp.

If you're going to that much trouble though, I'd build one from the ground up. I've been working on one off and on for long before I got here, I'll finish it up eventually and put it in the projects collection forum.