Beginner Buzzer Question

Using Arduino General Electronics
1

Hi Everyone,
I'm new to arduino and finished going through some of the beginner tutorials.

I tried hooking up a buzzer to my arduino and couldn't get it to make a sound.
The Buzzer is a model 273-055 from Radio Shack. The description says it operates on 12VDC and delivers 75dB at 15mA maximum current.

I had the red wire running into the Ground port on the arduino, and the black wire first hitting a 1k Ohm resistor and then going into the 5V
port on the arduino.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks

2

Firstly its a 12V buzzer. Secondly red is positive, black is negative. Thirdly what current does it take?

3

The arduino only has 5 volts max. There are 5 volt buzzers at radio shack, so I'd get another one.

4

Big Oil, alright I'll go pick up a 5 volt buzzer.

But is there a way to get the 12v buzzer to work with the arduino?

5

Yes. You will need:
12v battery or a 12 volt dc power adapter (some 12v power supply)
An NPN transistor.

In case you don't know how a transistor works, it's basically a light switch that you turn on with the arduino. You don't have the power going into the arduino, over 9 volts can damage it. You can search around for transistor info. Basically:
12v power--- transistor ----- buzzer
|
|
Arduino

You send power to the transistor like you would an LED, and it allows 12v power to flow to the buzzer

6

Or rather:

12v power---resistor---buzzer--- NPN transistor ---GND
|
resistor
|
Arduino

http://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/trancirc.htm#npn

7

raron:
Or rather:

12v power---resistor---buzzer--- NPN transistor ---GND
|
resistor
|
Arduino

Transistor Circuits

No need for that resistor shown between the buzzer and 12v power, it's a 12volt buzzer.

8

retrolefty: Ah ok, thanks. The main point was the placement of the NPN transistor though.

12v power---buzzer--- NPN transistor ---GND
|
resistor
|
Arduino

9

The main point was the placement of the NPN transistor though.

OK, but then it should have included E/B/C information if that was the main point:

12v power---buzzer--- NPN C > transistor < E ---GND
|
B
resistor
|
Arduino

10

OK, but then it should have included E/B/C information if that was the main point

There is a little link there for the specially interested. But yeah.