Timeline for Does a capacitor discharge and recharge in a loop while power is going through it? or only when power is cut off?
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
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| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Sep 8, 2018 at 2:04 | comment | added | Glenn Willen | A capacitor can do any number of different things depending on the circuit. In this circuit, the transistor is used to make the capacitor charge and discharge in a loop. The capacitor won't do that by itself. | |
| Sep 8, 2018 at 2:04 | comment | added | Joseph a | So If I use a capacitor in a circuit (other than flashing LEDs), it will charge and discharge in a loop? why would that be helpful, isn't it similar to plugging and unplugging the circuit from power? | |
| Sep 8, 2018 at 2:01 | comment | added | Glenn Willen | The capacitor charges and discharges each time through the loop. For some simple LED flasher circuits, see this page, from the old Nuts & Volts Magazine: nutsvolts.com/magazine/article/… Scroll down to the section titled "LED Flasher Circuits" (or read the rest too, it's useful and interesting!) The very first design is a good example of a simple LED flasher using only transistors, resistors, and capacitors. Many of the other circuits use the 555 timer chip, which is simpler than it looks at first, but might be unsatisfying. | |
| Sep 8, 2018 at 1:57 | comment | added | Joseph a | thank you, can you point me to a better LED flash circuit? also generically speaking (not in this circuit) does a capacitor keep its charge the whole time its plugged in? it does not discharge until its cut off power? | |
| Sep 8, 2018 at 1:54 | history | answered | Glenn Willen | CC BY-SA 4.0 |