That seems like a great kit (for the price). Outputs look clean and such a simple circuit can be easily modified to change the frequency range. Great video, thanks!
Wow! I didn't even know this thing came with instructions, I ended up putting this together by using a multimeter and online potentiometers value part look up and not to mention some of the values of the resistors are off I ended up rounding off. However, for the cheap price, I can't complain it worked and I used it to test my oscilloscope.
So, I being unskilled in soldering am going to try breadboarding it first, but I don't even have confidence that I won't burn something up by accident. So, could you do a "breadboard" version of this? I am using a 12+ volt power supply, with ground as my bottom rail, does this sound reasonable? Anyway, I will know my results probably before you can answer, but the breadboard version is needed for people like me, new to the art and science.
Oh yes, you can drive it to 300 Khz but from 200 KHz and on you will have distortion of the triangel and sine wave not to mention the Square wave. This is due to the low charge of the capacitor and the switching from the top and down on the triangel wave you wil see af bulk/notch which also distort the sien wave and with the higher frequency the more distortion on the top and down. However there is also some distortion from the kick-back of the Square wave into the Circuit one has to have to take into account.Mine ICl 8038 is a genuine Intersil Circuit from that time.
No mention here about using a split rail power supply. The kit´s 104 capacitor blew up when I powered it up using -12 and +12 volt supply. The manufacture recommends this to get symmetry on the wave forms. I don´t know how this video shows symmetrical waves using a 12 volt and ground power configuration.
+Joseph Nicholas that cap might have been poor quality or it's voltage rating might have been below 24V. With single positive supply the kit outputs a waveform bias shifted in the positive side. The waveform never goes below 0V in my video.
+VoltLog The intersil data pdf clearly states this ICL8038 will give a better response if you use a split power supply of plus and minus 12 volts. If you look at the board it has markings like this + 12 - for the power supply. If you try to use this like intersil recommends the board will blow this cap. If you use this Chinese board it will not work correctly when putting out other than square wave forms. The wave forms I got on my scope were terrible except at some of the very low frequencies. I will replace this cap and just use the board in a 12 volt and ground mode.
+Joseph Nicholas I agree with you, the datasheet does state that. I was just trying to explain what might of happened in your case and why it works with just a single positive supply. You could also try to power the board with something like +6 and -6V for a start with the new cap. Also the electrolytic on the power input is only rated for 16V. Powering the board with +12 and -12V you will exceed that cap rating and it should have blown before the ceramic which usually has a min 50VDC rating in that package.
+VoltLog It did blow the cap, but nothing else. My quarrel is with the Chinese supplier. The board is just plain stupid. Why is it designed to use 12 volt and ground and not support -12 and +12 supply. There is a polish engineer that has a page for the ICL8038 that utilizes this chip in the best way and it gives its full use. He even will let you download eagle files. Like i mentioned before, the intersil data sheet seems to say if you use it in the 12 volt to ground way it will show a asymmetrical sine wave. This is what happened.
I've assembly a circuit with this 8038 that can go up to 100 Khz and more. It has a driver at the output to provide more current. The issue is that, at higher frequencies the distortion also grows a lot!!! This is definitely not a good option for a signal generator.
+Roberto Espenica I don't need a very clean signal for playing with a flyback converter, just a decent looking 150KHz square wave with adjustable duty cycle. Were you able to get that with your circuit?
Probably a bit late, but there is a XR-2206 signal generator kit that goes to 1MHz. It has to be hacked to make it better, but there are vids on youtube to tell you how.
I haven't looked to see if you've done a follow-up on this, but your sweep range issue is addressed on P7 of the DS. Even more in AN013:- www.intersil.com/content/dam/Intersil/documents/an01/an013.pdf I'm just now looking into making a FG, and will be going with the MAX038, which (apparently) is a much better chip, despite some superficial similarities. And it goes up to 20MHz. This one looks nice:- th-cam.com/video/oh8KG8OSkmU/w-d-xo.html
That seems like a great kit (for the price). Outputs look clean and such a simple circuit can be easily modified to change the frequency range. Great video, thanks!
+Hugatry's HackVlog yup, it certainly is!
@@voltlog easyest way to change the output frequecy range is swap out c3/c34 with a 104 for low frequencies or a 101 for high frequency
I always look inside the LED and the bigger metal part is negative so regardless of the notch or lead length I can always be sure.
+Elecifun yup, that's also a good indicator.
I always do that too, especially when I'm recycling LED's who's legs are both the same length!
Not always. I have some old red rectangular LED's that have that bigger metal part positive, with longer lead. Fooled me one day!
Wow! I didn't even know this thing came with instructions, I ended up putting this together by using a multimeter and online potentiometers value part look up and not to mention some of the values of the resistors are off I ended up rounding off.
However, for the cheap price, I can't complain it worked and I used it to test my oscilloscope.
I guess it depends on the seller if it includes any instructions or not.
if you were to connect a small speaker at the outputs, will it output audio ? - thanks!
Pls tell me what if i use 5k potentiometer will it work fine
Does frequency changes while changing the duty cycle?
hi, could this be a sound generator?
So, I being unskilled in soldering am going to try breadboarding it first, but I don't even have confidence that I won't burn something up by accident. So, could you do a "breadboard" version of this? I am using a 12+ volt power supply, with ground as my bottom rail, does this sound reasonable? Anyway, I will know my results probably before you can answer, but the breadboard version is needed for people like me, new to the art and science.
Which power supply we use ac or dc v?
the icl8038 goes up to 300khz depending on the resistors on pin 4 and 5, plus the C on pin 10. There is a formula in the datasheet
+John Knutsson thanks, I will probably play with those values, next time I need my signal to play with the DIY flyback converter.
Oh yes, you can drive it to 300 Khz but from 200 KHz and on you will have distortion of the triangel and sine wave not to mention the Square wave. This is due to the low charge of the capacitor and the switching from the top and down on the triangel wave you wil see af bulk/notch which also distort the sien wave and with the higher frequency the more distortion on the top and down. However there is also some distortion from the kick-back of the Square wave into the Circuit one has to have to take into account.Mine ICl 8038 is a genuine Intersil Circuit from that time.
No mention here about using a split rail power supply. The kit´s 104 capacitor blew up when I powered it up using -12 and +12 volt supply. The manufacture recommends this to get symmetry on the wave forms. I don´t know how this video shows symmetrical waves using a 12 volt and ground power configuration.
+Joseph Nicholas that cap might have been poor quality or it's voltage rating might have been below 24V. With single positive supply the kit outputs a waveform bias shifted in the positive side. The waveform never goes below 0V in my video.
+VoltLog The intersil data pdf clearly states this ICL8038 will give a better response if you use a split power supply of plus and minus 12 volts. If you look at the board it has markings like this + 12 - for the power supply. If you try to use this like intersil recommends the board will blow this cap. If you use this Chinese board it will not work correctly when putting out other than square wave forms. The wave forms I got on my scope were terrible except at some of the very low frequencies. I will replace this cap and just use the board in a 12 volt and ground mode.
+Joseph Nicholas I agree with you, the datasheet does state that. I was just trying to explain what might of happened in your case and why it works with just a single positive supply. You could also try to power the board with something like +6 and -6V for a start with the new cap. Also the electrolytic on the power input is only rated for 16V. Powering the board with +12 and -12V you will exceed that cap rating and it should have blown before the ceramic which usually has a min 50VDC rating in that package.
+VoltLog It did blow the cap, but nothing else. My quarrel is with the Chinese supplier. The board is just plain stupid. Why is it designed to use 12 volt and ground and not support -12 and +12 supply. There is a polish engineer that has a page for the ICL8038 that utilizes this chip in the best way and it gives its full use. He even will let you download eagle files. Like i mentioned before, the intersil data sheet seems to say if you use it in the 12 volt to ground way it will show a asymmetrical sine wave. This is what happened.
Where can I find that? I've bought a couple of this 8038's and looking forward building a generator with it
I built this kit today, both 100nF caps had way lower capacity, around 60nF.
do you hawe a new inverter ?
Do you have the schematics?
Please could you post the schematic? I have a few of these ICs knocking around.
+InnaSoulSounds 2:00 and forward schematic is visible on video, just watch in HD.
Lazy get. (cheers) ;-)
intersil had a 40 pin function generator chip back in the '90s. i thought it was this part number but i guess not unless the big one had lots of nc
Thank You ! You saved me. I received no data sheet or instructions with my kit.
no problem! :)
Plz share the curcuit diagram
Good work!
thanks!
I've assembly a circuit with this 8038 that can go up to 100 Khz and more. It has a driver at the output to provide more current. The issue is that, at higher frequencies the distortion also grows a lot!!! This is definitely not a good option for a signal generator.
+Roberto Espenica I don't need a very clean signal for playing with a flyback converter, just a decent looking 150KHz square wave with adjustable duty cycle. Were you able to get that with your circuit?
+VoltLog In my circuit I could not adjust the duty cycle. I was more interested in sine waves.
Thank you, this will be useful :)
Probably a bit late, but there is a XR-2206 signal generator kit that goes to 1MHz. It has to be hacked to make it better, but there are vids on youtube to tell you how.
it might be good for experimenting but I really need to get myself a proper signal gen.
I haven't looked to see if you've done a follow-up on this, but your sweep range issue is addressed on P7 of the DS.
Even more in AN013:-
www.intersil.com/content/dam/Intersil/documents/an01/an013.pdf
I'm just now looking into making a FG, and will be going with the MAX038, which (apparently) is a much better chip, despite some superficial similarities.
And it goes up to 20MHz.
This one looks nice:-
th-cam.com/video/oh8KG8OSkmU/w-d-xo.html
I am currently looking at getting a professional signal/function generator
Its use to emp jamer
Output how khz
You should have done a voltage test BEFORE inserting the 8038!
Ma davvero?
подари мультиметр ;-)