CAR LED music line-out electric scheme - - - - HELP!!! (Beginer)

[robikaz]

Hi mates,

I need help in my project witch is not working and I don't know why...

So I made 16 LED's in parallel each of 4 in series... (On my car roof) connected it to port plus - minus and it works correctly. Also made leads to this project of plus and minus check it out.

http://www.instructables.com/files/deriv/FCU/RRYN/G69MW3Z5/FCURRYNG69MW3Z5.MEDIUM.gif

But there is no AUX output in my stereo so I used line-out witch is the same (I guess )

Conected it everything right, checked it more than 10 times, so where is the problem? Is graphics faulty? Or car stereo isn't compatible with this project? I know that it should work cause when I plug on my sub and line out, and when I turn potentiometer I hear that hard noise and when I don't move potentiometer stick it goes to normal sound... That means, that every component is still working... Nothing is fried out...

Also, how to know that my TIP31 ( I used BD241C - It's the same) Is not fried also? maybe I bought broken one? But it looks just fine... Because it's all in my car, and all wires are wrapped above roof, there is no chance to test it somewhere else (like PC)

Thanks guys I'm a beginner so scheme is not how you are used to see everyday and please talk in my language of electronics (lame)

 

[Wiredspark]

Is there an aux out on the amp for your sub and take your signal from there?

 

[robikaz]

Is there an aux out on the amp for your sub and take your signal from there?

Sub is JBL GTO series so it's pretty good, but there is 4 Line-in from car stereo (2 channels Left and rigt to front and 2 channels Left and Right to rear) Sub is connected to REAR channel... Also because of quality amp there is other two Line-out's from amp... These are used for mono-block amp... If I would have a mono-block amp I should connect it to these channels... I don't know if those are AUX high level outputs... Maybe... But isn't it the same from stereo Line outs? I thought that player Line outs are the same as AUX?

So what you mean is that if I connect my cheap RCA plug into amp AUX ( if it is that like you said) everything should work?
And also, isn't amp too powerful for that?
And won't it harm amp AUX output, because the plug in my project is connected to DC 12v-, that mean it will touch amp AUX output minus port... Never tried anything before... Just know if speaker wire will touch to DC 12v- everything goes to silence... And that isn't good...

Thanks very much... For now it's the best way to try... The only problem, is that my amp is in the trunk and I will need a long wire to fron cause all project is near my player in front with potentiometer and switches... ;] lol

 

[robikaz]

Because of too long post, short basic question:

Is the amplifier aux output working the same as the PC AUX output (connecting headphones)...?
And will there be no harm to amp if connected minus wire from aux will be connected to 12V- wire? Because it needs to be connected by the graph.... Don't want to test it and risk of destroying AUX channel...

 

[visualchillout]

You've got the right idea. You just need to get the BD241 biased properly (assuming it isn't duff).
Change 1K res to 10K res, change 10K VR to 1K VR. Instead of 4 LED's in series, try just 3 in series with an additional 100R res. in series with the 3 LED's. Feed the audio not from line out - signal is too small - but from your sub speaker terminal via a series 1uF cap onto the base of the BD241. Keep the (new 1K) VR connected to the transistor to provide dc.

 

[robikaz]

Here is the new scheme I made..... Is it correct? There is only 3 LED's....

Some questions:
1uF cap is connected only to Base of BD241 (left side) and the plus wire from AUX, or it should be connected before it reaches the VR?
In the picture it's shown that 1uF cap only connected to transistor and plus wire from amp AUX, but not connected to Potentiometer... Is that correct or cap should be connected to both BD241 and VR 1k...?

 

[visualchillout]

The red wire connecting to 1K Var needs to connect to the other side of the 1uF capacitor - i.e to transistor.
To test the transistor, connect a new 1K res from +12V to transistor left pin. This should turn on all the LED's.
If this OK, connect another bank of 3 LED's + 100R resistor across the original bank.

 

[robikaz]

The red wire connecting to 1K Var needs to connect to the other side of the 1uF capacitor - i.e to transistor.
To test the transistor, connect a new 1K res from +12V to transistor left pin. This should turn on all the LED's.
If this OK, connect another bank of 3 LED's + 100R resistor across the original bank.

Ok... so understood... the Cap should be connected from AUX and then to both transistor and potentiometer... Will try that today, and write, what happens ;] Thanks a lot... I hope it it's the last test, because I am sick of buying new components of electronics the shop is far away from home, so burning a lot of fuel for this

Thanks again... If you come to PC more often, please write me, I'm so excited about it ;]

 

[visualchillout]

It may be worth putting a new 1K res in series with the 1uF to protect the transistor at high volume levels.
To set the 1K Var: with no music input, adjust 1K var so lights just go off. If the music doesn't trigger the LED's try connecting on other speaker wire (some amp's have one terminal grounded so this would not trigger, other amps have a balanced output and either terminal should work).

 

[robikaz]

It may be worth putting a new 1K res in series with the 1uF to protect the transistor at high volume levels.
To set the 1K Var: with no music input, adjust 1K var so lights just go off. If the music doesn't trigger the LED's try connecting on other speaker wire (some amp's have one terminal grounded so this would not trigger, other amps have a balanced output and either terminal should work).

Man it's just getting so complicated... And my English isn't that good, too... Maybe you could draw with paint the original scheme, how it should be connected... Al that sentences makes me so different to understand it's not hard to draw it with paint ;] thanks so much....

 

[robikaz]

OK... Remade it, how it's in car, but still, nothing happens.... With music, or without... Only LED's work when turned with that switch on top ON...
Please use paint and repaint it how it should be.... ;]
But still I think that the failt is somewhere in that AUX... Maybe it's not that level output that needs for the scheme to work... I don't even know how BD241 works... How high levels it should be, to let electricity to go to LED's and so on... I fell a bit disappointed of myself and now just want it to work... So will anybody could be able to help ;] ???

 

[robikaz]

I'm just dying to make it work... please guys, I know most of you are just awesome at electronic things, and this is just that simple diagram... What's wrong with this? I'm loosing my mind

 

[visualchillout]

Forget aux input for the moment.

Did you test the transistor as I suggested earlier? To do this, rotate the variable resistor to mid position. Connect a new 1K res from +12V to transistor left pin. This should turn on all the LED's. If it doesn't, the BD241 is duff - or you have connected it up back to front. I assume from your diagram that it is shown with the heatsink (metal shiny bit) of the transistor facing away from you? Check out the data sheet :

http://www.datasheetcatalog.org/datasheets/480/127968_DS.pdf

Getting technical, the BD241 needs 0.7V dc on the base (left pin in your diagram) to switch on the LED's.

 

[robikaz]

Sorry for too long I wasn't here... yeah tested it... Connected 12+ with 1k res and lights turned alltime on... beautyful... what now, that we know that it should work... oh maybe this will help...
these are AUX info about my AMP... I got it from manual
AUX OUTPUT

GTO 75.4/75.4II amplifiers are
equipped with full-range outputs that can
be used to connect additional amplifiers.
NOTE:When using the high-level inputs,
the AUX outputs can be used to pass a
line-level signal to another amplifier.

 

[robikaz]

made a new scheme, that does something, don't know why...
Look at this:


Added 1k res in lead from AUX (+) to CAP 1uF and, also, connected potentiometer from AUX (+) with same 1k res

That made one trick... with no music (or with music - no different) when turned potentiometer a bit, lights got alltime on.. No dim or bright, just normal turned on... About couple degrees less and it turns off... No mater how much I turn it lights gets on the same bright... But there is one point, where only one degree clockwise and id just turns of

That's funny, but I now know, that 10k VR and BD241 works... And that makes me very HAPPY... No I want to work on project again ;]

Please help guys...
You helped a lot and I got something ;]
Keep on good work ;]

 

[visualchillout]

I don't know how turning the potentiometer can turn lights on with this circuit - the pot is not providing any dc voltage on the base (left terminal) of the transistor!