Electronics Training Simulators

Other Hardware General Electronics
1

I stumbled onto this on YouTube and thought this is what I need to better learn how to use all the various components in a typical circuit and wanted to know if anybody has used this type of app on their PC? I am on a suicidally tight budget so I must first request a link to some freeware if possible.

What brought me to Arduino was the desire to build a fairly large hydroponics controller to manage and control multiple indoor grow rooms and with limited electrical knowledge, I must learn circuit building skills and code writing/reading skills to achieve my goal. Without having to pose new threads to seek answers, I thought using an app that can simulate the flow of electricity and signal losses etc would help me learn without frying my Arduino or other components.

Does anyone have any suggestions? BTW, I do have eagle installed and was wondering if there is a simulator function in it?

2

I don't know.... I've only used a simulator once.... I'm an old-timer and I studied electronics before we had PCs...

I don't have anything against it, but my fear is that as a beginner you are just as likely likely to screw-up the simulation, or mis-characterize some components (if your exact parts are not already included with the simulation software) or that you will wire-up something that doesn't exactly match the schematic you fed-into the simulator.

I thought using an app that can simulate the flow of electricity and signal losses etc would help me learn without frying my Arduino

The basic rules for the Arduino are:

  • Don't connect more than +5V to any input. Don't connect a negative voltage to any input.

  • Don't "pull" more than 40mA out of an output pin or more than 200mA from all outputs combined. (40mA is the "absolute maximum" and most people recommend no more than 20mA from a pin). A valve or water pump will require more than a few milliamps and these cannot be directly connected to the Arduino.

  • Don't connect any pin configured as an output directly to a power supply or any voltage source.

  • Don't connect two outputs together.

  • Don't connect an LED without a resistor in series to limit the current. (That can damage the LED and/or the Arduino.)

...or other components.

Don't over-voltage the parts.

Don't exceed their current rating (or "short them out").

Don't connect polarized parts backwards.

...without frying my Arduino or other components.

It happens to everybody once in awhile... More often to beginners. But hopefully, you won't fry your Arduino.

Except for the Arduino, most parts are cheap. Buy extras! Extra parts will save time, frustration, and shipping costs when you fry or damage a part. And if think a part is bad, you'll have another one to try. And, you may end-up needing a few of the extra parts or using them on a future project, etc.

...I've had an Arduino die once, and I don't know what I did wrong (maybe static discharge?). I didn't "fry" anything on my last project, but I was trying to solder directly to opto-isolators without using a circuit board or perfboard, and I broke a couple of pins off the parts. Luckily, I had some extra parts so I went to "plan B" and wired-up some perfboard assemblies.

Just last week I over-voltaged a board at work (nothing related to an Arduino) and killed a couple of ICs.... Embarrassing!!! But, we have plenty of extra parts in stock so it's OK now.

3

All low voltage needs can be supplemented from an old 750 watt PC power supply I have for the project, but currently all of my water pumps use 120VAC.

Also, what I am hoping to get out a sim is to learn how to apply different components into a circuit, then learning differences between the minor differences of each component type so that I can better plot out all of my needed circuits for my desired project, and do all of this without spending lots of money on parts I don't know that I don't need. The sim would allow me to fumble around in folly until I learn the basic functions in a safer more cost effective manner.

4

While it's not free, Every Circuit is aimed at beginners and allows you to visualize what's going on ...

Eg taking a logic source 5v red dot connecting to the transistors base, what happens when the logic pin (arduino) fires..

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5

You can use this freeware LTspice IV from Linear Technology

6

manage and control multiple indoor grow rooms

Electronics aside, you probably want to look into ordering a bottle of NOG To my understanding it's more of a plant hormone than a fertilizer. Basically it's steroids for plants. I'm not a plant expert by any means, but I did have two onions growing a green stem so I figured best not to eat them. Out of curiosity I took both and soaked one in Nog, and used the other as a control. I can say there was a noticeable difference. I remember from the History Channel as a kid, that the Indians used fish, and seaweed to make things grow near the sea. There's a reason they used seaweed.

7

Different plants have much different needs at different times and I will definitely look into the nog as a possible supplement, but as of now, my plants grow very quick in a hydro setup. That aside I will keep looking for ways to decrease my learning curve time so I can build my project as quick as I can. Thanks for the suggestions all!

8

While it's not free, Every Circuit is aimed at beginners and allows you to visualize what's going on ...

This is free, web-based or pull the Zip to load locally. Falstad Circuit Simulator

There are a lots of pre-made and tested circuits in various categories. Virtual oscilloscope. The parts list contain many common components.

Ray

9

A little "naive user" information on the Falsted....

I didn't have much luck just with clicking on the "index" entries at http://www.falstad.com/circuit/directions.html

... nor should I have done, I realized when I RTFM.

But, when I loaded the applet, and played a bit, I saw some nice animations of some electronic things. (Didn't have to "install"... just ran it inside my browser... though I believe you can install it for off-line use?)

Not exactly an ARDUINO simulator.... unless I overlooked something... but a good simulator of many basic electronic principles and basic circuits. (For example, the illustration for AC through a capacitor... explains it the way no mere-words ever will.)

10

I doubt you will get an arduino simulator unless you emulate the atmel processor, maybe it's been done... sure you can simulate an arduino but unless the processor's emulated ...