Snap Circuits Pro 500 Experiments

This is the ultimate Snap Circuits electronics experiment kit, with more than 500 projects! It has 72 snap-together components that include a transformer, analog meter, LED display, voice recording IC, and FM radio module. The three manuals (182 pages total) show how the parts can be used to build electronic devices like a voice recorder, music meter, various other meters, variable oscillator, sound and electricity controllers, and more. You provide 4 AA batteries. Ages 10 and up. Click here for larger image.

• Clear plastic base grid
• 70 colored snap-together connectors and electronic chips including a 7-segment LED display, an analog meter, relay, transformer, and recording integrated circuit.
• 2 jumper wires
• Manual 1:  46-page guidebook with first 101 projects
• Manual 2:  74-page guidebook with projects 102-305
• Manual 3:  62-page guidebook with projects 306-511
• 511 fun electronics projects total

Snap Circuits SC-500 Project Examples

Power Amplified Playing Music OBJECTIVE: To build a circuit that amplifies the recording IC. Connecting the power amplifier IC (U4) to the output of the recording IC (U6), you can make much louder music than project #308. Turn on the switch (S1), you hear a beep signaling that you may begin recording. Talk into the microphone up to 8 seconds, and then turn open the switch (it also beeps after the 8 seconds expires). Press the press switch (S2) for playback. It plays the recording you made followed by one of three songs. If you press switch (S2) before the song is over, music will stop. You may press the press switch several times to play all three songs.

Adjustable Light Control OBJECTIVE: Build an adjustable light-controlled relay. You can set the amount of light it takes to keep the bulb (L2) on by adjusting the adjustable resistor (RV). Set the adjustable resistor to the top position and turn on the switch. The bulb lights. Cover the photoresistor (RP) and the bulb turns off. Set the adjustable resistor to different positions and then cover the photoresistor. Note that only the top half of the adjustable resistor affects the circuit. If you position it below the middle, the bulb stays off.

Night Police Car OBJECTIVE: To build a night-sensitive police car sound. As the photoresistor (RP) is exposed to light, its resistance is very low, thereby connecting the gate of the SCR (Q3) to ground. This prevents the SCR from conducting, connecting the alarm IC (U2) to the batteries. The alarm IC remains off until the light is blocked, triggering the SCR. If the light in the room is not bright, the IC may turn on. Wave your hands over the photoresistor. Block the light with your hand and the speaker (SP) sounds.

Musical Space War OBJECTIVE: To combine the sound effects of the recorder and space war integrated circuits. Turn on the slide switch (S1) and you hear space war sounds as the lamp (L1) flashes. If you wave your hand over the photoresistor (RP), the sound changes. If you keep the photoresistor covered, then the sound will stop. Press the press switch (S2) and you will hear music in addition to any space war sounds that are playing. Press the press switch again to change the music. You will also hear any recording you had made previously with other projects. Replace the lamp with the 100Ω resistor (R1) to reduce the loudness.

Electronic Noisemaker OBJECTIVE: To make different tones with an oscillator. Build the circuit and turn on the slide switch (S1), you hear a high- frequency tone. Press the press switch (S2) and move the adjustable resistor (RV) control around to change to frequency of the tone. Replace the 0.1µF capacitor (C2) with the 10µF capacitor (C3, “+” on the right) to lower the frequency of the tone.

Alarm Timer OBJECTIVE: To connect the alarm IC to a timer circuit. Turn on the slide switch (S1) and the alarm may sound and slowly drift away as the lamp (L2) brightens. Press the press switch (S2) and the alarm sounds at full volume as the LED (D1) lights. Capacitor C5 is also charged. Release the press switch; the alarm IC (U2) still sounds because the voltage from the discharging C5 keeps Q1 and Q2 off. As the capacitor’s voltage drops, the LED will turn off and the sound will slowly stop. Replace resistor R5 and capacitor C5 with different values and see how it affects the circuit.

Electronic Cat OBJECTIVE: To create the sound of a cat. Set the adjustable resistor (RV) to the far left. Press and release the switch (S2). You should hear the sound of a cat from the speaker (SP). Now adjust the resistor and hear the different sounds.