Go to elenco.

com/scexp140-manuals/
to download projects 71-142

Copyright © 2023 by Elenco® Electronics, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced by any means; electronic, photocopying, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. Patent # 7144255 | SOURCE CODE:SC-EXP140 | 752603
 Table of Contents
Basic Troubleshooting 1 DOs and DON’Ts of Building Circuits 7
Parts List 2 Advanced Troubleshooting 8
How to Use It 3 Projects 1 - 71 9-22
About Your Snap Circuits® Parts 4-5 Go to elenco.com/scexp140-manuals/
to download projects 71-140
Introduction to Electricity 6

WARNING FOR ALL PROJECTS WITH A ! SYMBOL - Moving parts. Do not touch the motor or fan during operation.
! Do not lean over the motor. Do not launch the fan at people, animals, or objects. Eye protection is recommended. !
WARNING: SHOCK HAZARD - Never connect Snap WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD - Conforms to all applicable U.S.

Circuits® to the electrical outlets in your home in any way! ! Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.
government requirements and
CAN ICES-3 (B)/NMB-3 (B).

Basic Troubleshooting WARNING: Always check your wiring

before turning on a circuit. Never leave
establish the experiment’s suitability
for the child). Make sure your child
a circuit unattended while the batteries reads and follows all of the relevant
1. Most circuit problems are due to incorrect are installed. Never connect additional instructions and safety procedures,
assembly, always double-check that your circuit batteries or any other power sources to and keeps them at hand for reference.
exactly matches the drawing for it. your circuits. Discard any cracked or
This product is intended for use by
broken parts.
adults and children who have attained
2. Be sure that parts with positive/negative markings Adult Supervision: Because children’s sufficient maturity to read and follow
are positioned as per the drawing. abilities vary so much, even with directions and warnings.
age groups, adults should exercise
3. Be sure that all connections are securely snapped. discretion as to which experiments
Never modify your parts, as doing so
may disable important safety features
4. Try replacing the batteries. are suitable and safe (the instructions
in them, and could put your child at
should enable supervising adults to
risk of injury.
5. If the motor spins but does not balance the fan,
check the black plastic piece with three prongs on ● Do not connect batteries or battery
the motor shaft. Be sure that it is at the top of the ! Batteries: holders in parallel.
shaft. ● Use only 1.5V AA type, alkaline batteries
● Do not mix alkaline, standard (carbon-
zinc), or rechargeable (nickel-cadmium)
(not included). batteries.
Elenco® is not responsible for parts damaged due to ● Insert batteries with correct polarity. ● Remove batteries when they are used up.
incorrect wiring. ● Non-rechargeable batteries should ● Do not short circuit the battery
not be recharged. Rechargeable terminals.
batteries should only be charged under
Note: If you suspect you have damaged parts, you can follow adult supervision, and should not be
● Never throw batteries in a fire or attempt
the Advanced Troubleshooting procedure on page 8 to determine to open its outer casing.
recharged while in the product.
● Batteries are harmful if swallowed, so
which ones need replacing. ● Do not mix old and new batteries. keep away from small children.

1
Parts List (Colors and styles may vary) Symbols and Numbers
Important: If any parts are missing or damaged, DO NOT RETURN TO RETAILER. Visit www.elenco.com/replacement-parts/ or e-mail
us at: [email protected]. Customer Service ● 150 Carpenter Ave. ● Wheeling, IL 60090 U.S.A.

Qty. ID Name Symbol Part # Qty. ID Name Symbol Part #

r3 1-Snap Wire 6SC01 r1 Motor 6SCM1

r5 2-Snap Wire 6SC02 r1 Fan 6SCM1F

r3 3-Snap Wire 6SC03 r1 Photoresistor 6SCRP

r1 4-Snap Wire 6SC04 r1 Slide Switch 6SCS1

r1 5-Snap Wire 6SC05 r1 Press Switch 6SCS2

Battery Holder - uses

r1 2 1.5V type AA (not 6SCB1 r1 Speaker 6SCSP
Included)
Base Grid Music
r1 6SCBG r1 6SCU1
(11.0” x 7.7”) Integrated Circuit

Alarm
r1 Color LED 6SCD8 r1 6SCU2
Integrated Circuit

Space War
r1 Jumper Wire (Black) 6SCJ1 r1 6SCU3
Integrated Circuit

r1 Jumper Wire (Red) 6SCJ2 r1 Whistle Chip 6SCWC

You may order additional / replacement parts at our

r1 3V Lamp 6SCL1
website: www.elenco.com/replacement-parts

2
How To Use It
Snap Circuits® uses building blocks with To build each circuit, you have a power Next to each part in every circuit drawing is
snaps to build the different electrical and source block number B1 that needs two (2) a small number in black. This tells you which
electronic circuits in the projects. Each block “AA” batteries (not included with the Snap level the component is placed at. Place all
has a function: there are switch blocks, lamp Circuits® kit). parts on level 1 first, then all of the parts on
blocks, battery blocks, different length wire level 2, then all of the parts on level 3, etc.
blocks, etc. These blocks are in different
colors and have numbers on them so that Some circuits use the jumper wires to make
you can easily identify them. The circuit you unusual connections. Just clip them to the
will build is shown in color and with numbers, metal snaps or as indicated.
identifying the blocks that you will use and
snap together to form a circuit.

For Example: Usually when the motor M1 is used, the fan

This is the switch block which is green and When installing a battery, be sure the spring will usually be placed on it. On top of the
has the marking S2 on it as shown in the is compressed straight back, and not bent motor shaft is a black plastic piece (the motor
drawings. Please note that the drawing up, down, or to one side. Battery installation top) with three little tabs. Lay the fan on the
doesn’t reflect the real switch block exactly should be supervised by an adult. black piece so the slots in its bottom “fall into
(it is missing the ON and OFF markings), but place” around the three tabs in the motor top.
gives you the general idea of which part is If not placed properly, the fan will fall off when
being used in the circuit. the motor starts to spin.

PRESSS2 SWITCH

This is a wire block which is blue and

comes in different wire lengths. This one
has the number 2 , 3 , 4 , or 5 on
it depending on the length of the wire A large clear plastic base grid is included with
connection required. this kit to help keep the circuit blocks properly
spaced. You will see evenly spaced posts
2 that the different blocks snap into. You do
not need this base to build your circuits, but
This is a 1-snap wire that is used as a spacer it does help in keeping your circuit together
Note: While building circuits, be careful not to
or for interconnection between different layers. neatly. The base has rows labeled A-G and accidentally make a direct connection across
columns labeled 1-10. the battery holder (a “short circuit”), as this
1 may damage and/or quickly drain the batteries.

3
About Your Snap Circuits® Parts
(Part designs are subject to change without notice). BATTERY HOLDER
BASE GRID The batteries (B1) produce an electrical
voltage using a chemical reaction. This
The base grid is a platform for mounting parts
“voltage” can be thought of as electrical
and wires. It functions like the printed circuit
pressure, pushing electrical “current” through
boards used in most electronic products, or
a circuit. This voltage is much lower and much
like how the walls are used for mounting the
safer than that used in your house wiring. Using
electrical wiring in your home.
more batteries increases the “pressure” and so
more electricity flows. Fan

How does electricity turn the shaft in the

motor? The answer is magnetism. Electricity
is closely related to magnetism, and an
electric current flowing in a wire has a
magnetic field similar to that of a very, very
SNAP WIRES & JUMPER WIRES tiny magnet. Inside the motor is a coil of
The blue snap wires wire with many loops wrapped around metal
are wires used to plates. This is called an electromagnet. If a
connect components. large electric current flows through the loops,
They are used to it will turn ordinary metal into a magnet. The
transport electricity motor shell also has a magnet on it. When
and do not affect electricity flows through the electromagnet,
circuit performance. Battery Holder (B1) it repels from the magnet on the motor shell
They come in and the shaft spins. If the fan is on the motor
different lengths to allow orderly arrangement of MOTOR shaft, then its blades will create airflow.
connections on the base grid. The motor (M1) converts electricity into Power Contacts
mechanical motion. An electric current in the
The red and black jumper wires make flexible Magnet
motor will turn the shaft and the motor blades,
connections for times when using the snap
and the fan blade if it is on the motor.
wires would
be difficult. Shell
They also are
used to make
connections off Shaft
the base grid.
Wires transport electricity just like pipes are
used to transport water. The colorful plastic
coating protects them and prevents electricity
from getting in or out.
Motor (M1)
Electromagnet

4
About Your Snap Circuits® Parts
COLOR LED PHOTORESISTOR ELECTRONIC MODULES
The color LED (D8) is a light emitting diode, Resistors “resist” the flow of electricity and are The music, alarm, and space war ICs (U1, U2,
and may be thought of as a special one- used to control or limit the current in a circuit. and U3) contain specialized sound-generation
way light bulb. In the “forward” direction, The photoresistor (RP) is a light-sensitive ICs and other supporting components (resistors,
(indicated by the “arrow” in the symbol) resistor, its value changes from nearly infinite capacitors, and transistors) that are always needed
electricity flows if the voltage exceeds in total darkness to about 1,000W when a with them. This was done to simplify the connections
a turn-on threshold (about 1.5V for red, bright light shines on it. you need to make to use them. Schematics for them
about 2.0V for green, and about 3.0V for are available at www.elenco.com/FAQs.
blue); brightness then increases. The color Music IC:
LED contains red, green, and blue LEDs, (+) (+) - power from batteries
(–) - power return to batteries
with a micro-circuit controlling then. A high TRG HLD OUT - output connection
current will burn out an LED, so the color Photoresistor (RP) HLD - hold control input
TRG - trigger control input
LED has an internal resistor to protect it.
SPEAKER (–) OUT
Music for a few seconds on
power-up, then hold HLD to
Color LED The speaker (SP) (+) power or touch TRG to (+)
power to resume music.
(D8) converts electricity
into sound by making IN2 Alarm IC:
IN1, IN2, IN3 - control inputs
mechanical vibrations. IN1 IN3 (–) - power return to batteries
These vibrations OUT - output connection
create variations in air Connect control inputs to (+)
SLIDE & PRESS SWITCHES pressure, which travel (–) OUT power to make five alarm
sounds, see projects 21-24 for
The slide & press switches (S1 & S2) across the room. You configurations.
connect (pressed or “ON”) or disconnect “hear” sound when
Space War IC:
(not pressed or “OFF”) the wires in a circuit. your ears feel these air (+) OUT (+) - power from batteries
When ON they have no effect on circuit pressure variations. Speaker (SP) (–) - power return to batteries
OUT - output connection
performance. Switches turn on electricity just IN1, IN2 - control inputs
like a faucet turns on water from a pipe. WHISTLE CHIP IN1 IN2 Connect each control input
(–) to (–) power to sequence
The whistle chip (WC) contains two thin plates.
through 8 sounds.
When an electrical signal is applied across them
they will stretch slightly in an effort to separate (like LAMP
two magnets opposing each other), when the signal A light bulb, such as in the 3V lamp (L1),
is removed they come back together. If the electrical
contains a special thin high-resistance wire.
signal applied across them is changing quickly,
When a lot of electricity flows through, this wire
then the plates will vibrate. These vibrations create
gets so hot it glows bright. Voltages above the
variations in air pressure that your ears feel just like
sound from a bulb’s rating can burn out the wire.
speaker.
Slide & Press Switches (S1 & S2)

Whistle chip (WC) Lamp (L1)

5
Introduction to Electricity
What is electricity? Nobody really knows. We only know how to produce it, There are two ways of arranging parts in a circuit, in series or
understand its properties, and how to control it. Electricity is the movement in parallel. Here are examples:
of sub-atomic charged particles (called electrons) through a material due to
electrical pressure across the material, such as from a battery.

Power sources, such as batteries, push electricity through a circuit, like a pump
pushes water through pipes. Wires carry electricity, like pipes carry water.
Devices like LEDs, motors, and speakers use the energy in electricity to do
things. Switches and transistors control the flow of electricity like valves and
faucets control water. Resistors limit the flow of electricity.

The electrical pressure exerted by a battery or other power source is called

voltage and is measured in volts (V). Notice the “+” and “–” signs on the
battery; these indicate which direction the battery will “pump” the electricity.
Series Circuit
The electric current is a measure of how fast electricity is flowing in a wire,
just as the water current describes how fast water is flowing in a pipe. It is
expressed in amperes (A) or milliamps (mA, 1/1000 of an ampere).

The “power” of electricity is a measure of how fast energy is moving through a

wire. It is a combination of the voltage and current (Power = Voltage x Current).
It is expressed in watts (W).

The resistance of a component or circuit represents how much it resists

the electrical pressure (voltage) and limits the flow of electric current. The
relationship is Voltage = Current x Resistance. When the resistance increases,
less current flows. Resistance is measured in ohms (W), or kilo ohms (kW,
1000 ohms). Parallel Circuit

Nearly all of the electricity used in our world is produced at enormous

generators driven by steam or water pressure. Wires are used to efficiently Placing components in series increases the resistance;
transport this energy to homes and businesses where it is used. Motors convert highest value dominates. Placing components in parallel
the electricity back into mechanical form to drive machinery and appliances. The decreases the resistance; lowest value dominates.
most important aspect of electricity in our society is that it allows energy to be
easily transported over distances. The parts within these series and parallel sub-circuits may be
arranged in different ways without changing what the circuit
Note that “distances” includes not just large distances but also tiny distances. does. Large circuits are made of combinations of smaller
Try to imagine a plumbing structure of the same complexity as the circuitry series and parallel circuits.
inside a portable radio - it would have to be large because we can’t make water
pipes so small. Electricity allows complex designs to be made very small.

6
DOs and DON’Ts of Building Circuits
After building the circuits given in this booklet, you may wish to Examples of SHORT CIRCUITS - NEVER DO THESE!!!
experiment on your own. Use the projects in this booklet as a guide, as
many important design concepts are introduced throughout them. Every Placing a 3-snap wire

!
circuit will include a power source (the batteries), a resistance (which directly across the batteries
might be a resistor, lamp, motor, integrated circuit, etc.), and wiring is a SHORT CIRCUIT.
paths between them and back. You must be careful not to create “short
NEVER
circuits” (very low-resistance paths across the batteries, see examples
below) as this will damage components and/or quickly drain your ! DO!
batteries. Only connect the ICs using configurations given in the projects,
incorrectly doing so may damage them. Elenco® is not responsible for NEVER This is also a
DO! SHORT CIRCUIT.
parts damaged due to incorrect wiring.
When the slide switch (S1) is turned on, this large circuit has a SHORT
Here are some important guidelines: CIRCUIT path (as shown by the arrows). The short circuit prevents any
ALWAYS USE EYE PROTECTION WHEN EXPERIMENTING ON YOUR OWN. other portions of the circuit from ever working.
ALWAYS include at least one component that will limit the current
through a circuit, such as the speaker, lamp, whistle chip, ICs
(which must be connected properly), motor, photoresistor, or
resistor.
ALWAYS use the LED and switches in conjunction with other
!
components that will limit the current through them. Failure to NEVER

!
do so will create a short circuit and/or damage those parts. DO!
ALWAYS disconnect your batteries immediately and check your wiring if

!
something appears to be getting hot.
ALWAYS check your wiring before turning on a circuit. NEVER
ALWAYS connect ICs using configurations given in the projects or as DO!
per the connection descriptions for the parts. NEVER
NEVER connect to an electrical outlet in your home in any way. DO!
NEVER leave a circuit unattended when it is turned on.
NEVER touch the motor when it is spinning at high speed.
We encourage you to tell us about new circuits you create. If they are
unique, we will post them with your name and state on our website
For all of the projects given in this book, the parts may be arranged in at www.elenco.com/for-makers. Send your suggestions to Elenco®:
different ways without changing the circuit. For example, the order of [email protected].
parts connected in series or in parallel does not matter — what matters
is how combinations of these sub-circuits are arranged together. Elenco® provides a circuit designer so that you can make your own Snap
Circuits® drawings. This Microsoft® Word document can be downloaded
from www.elenco.com/for-makers.
Warning to Snap Circuits® owners: Do not connect additional
! voltage sources from other sets, or you may damage your parts.
WARNING: SHOCK HAZARD - Never connect Snap Circuits® to
Contact ELENCO® if you have questions or need guidance.
the electrical outlets in your home in any way!

7
Advanced Troubleshooting (Adult supervision recommended)
Elenco® is not responsible for parts damaged due to incorrect wiring. 7. Music IC (U1): Build project 8, but initially leave out the whistle
chip (WC). Turn on the slide switch (S1), music plays for a
If you suspect you have damaged parts, you can follow while and stops. Once the music stops push the press switch
this procedure to systematically determine which ones (S2), the music should play as long as you hold it down. Now
need replacing: add the whistle chip and tap it, the sound should resume for a
while.
1. 3V lamp (L1), motor (M1), speaker (SP), color LED (D8),
and battery holder (B1): Place batteries in holder. Place 8. Space war IC (U3) and photoresistor (RP): Build project 6,
the 3V lamp directly across the battery holder, it should light. both switches (S1 and S2) should change the sound. Then
Do the same with the motor (motor + to battery +), it should replace the slide switch with the photoresistor, waving your
spin to the right at high speed. Next place the LED across the hand over it should change the sound.
battery holder (LED “+” to battery “+”), the LED should light
and change colors. Now “tap” the speaker across the battery
holder contacts, you should hear static as it touches. If none
work, then replace your batteries and repeat, if still bad then the
battery holder is damaged.

2. Jumper wires: Use this mini-circuit to

test each jumper wire, the lamp should
light.

3. Snap wires: Use this mini-circuit

ELENCO ®

to test each of the snap wires, one 150 Carpenter Avenue

at a time. The lamp should light. Wheeling, IL 60090 U.S.A.
(847) 541-3800
4. Slide switch (S1) and Press switch (S2): Build project 1, if
[email protected]
the lamp (L1) doesn’t light then the slide switch is bad. Replace www.elenco.com
the slide switch with the press switch to test it.

5. Alarm IC (U2): Build project 21, you should hear a siren.

Projects 22-24 should make different siren sounds.
You may order additional / replacement parts at:
www.elenco.com/replacement-parts/
6. Whistle chip (WC): Build project 29, you should hear sound
from the whistle chip.

8
Project 1 Electric Light
Snap Circuits® uses electronic blocks that snap onto a clear plastic grid to
build different circuits. These blocks have different colors and numbers on
them so that you can easily identify them.
Build the circuit shown on the left by placing all the parts with a black 1
next to them on the board first. Then, assemble parts marked with a 2.
Install two (2) “AA” batteries (not included) into the battery holder (B1).
When installing a battery, be sure the spring is compressed straight
back, and not bent up, down, or to one side. Battery installation
should be supervised by an adult.
Turn on the slide switch (S1), and the lamp (L1) lights.

Snappy says when you turn on the slide switch,

electricity flows from the batteries through
the lamp and back to the battery through the
switch. If the switch is off, the flow of electricity
Placement Level Numbers is blocked, and the lamp won’t light.

Project 2 + Color Light

Replace the lamp (L1) in the preceding circuit with the color LED (D8).
Turn on the slide switch (S1) and enjoy the light show from the color
LED (D8). For best effects dim the room lights.

Project 3 Light Controlled Light

Use the same circuit, but replace the 3-snap wire with the
photoresistor (RP). Vary the amount of light shining on the
photoresistor to change the brightness of the color LED.

The photoresistor (RP) uses light to control electric current. Parts like this are used
in a number of ways that affect our lives. For example, you may have streetlights in
your neighborhood that turn on when it starts getting dark and turn off in the morning.

The color LED actually contains separate red, green, and blue lights, with a micro-
circuit controlling them.
LEDs have a “+” side, because they only work in one direction. LEDs can be
damaged by high current, so your color LED has an internal resistor to protect it.
LEDs are increasingly replacing incandescent lamps for room lighting because they
9 are more efficient, using less electricity to make light.
 Project 4 Flying Saucer
Build the circuit shown on the left by placing all the parts with a black 1 next to
them on the board first. Then, assemble parts marked with a 2. New alkaline
The air is being blown down batteries are recommended.
through the blade and the
motor rotation locks the fan on Push the press switch (S2) until the motor reaches full speed, then release it.
the shaft. When the motor is The fan blade should rise and float through the air like a flying saucer. Be careful
turned off, the blade unlocks not to look directly down on fan blade when it is spinning. If the fan doesn’t fly

+ from the shaft and is free to act

as a propeller and fly through
off, then press the switch several times rapidly when it is at full speed.

the air. If speed of rotation is Project 5 Fan

too slow, the fan will remain Use the same circuit, but reverse the position of the motor (M1). Push
on the motor shaft because it the press switch (S2) to spin the motor and fan.
does not have enough lift to
propel it. With Fan circuit, the blade is blowing air upward; place your hand a
short distance above the motor and you should be able to feel it.
Placement Level Numbers In this project electrical power was changed into mechanical power.
Motors like this one are used in battery powered equipment requiring
WARNING: Moving parts. Do not touch the fan or rotary motion, such as a cordless drill, electric toothbrush, and toys.
! motor during operation. Do not lean over the motor. An electric motor is much easier to control than gas or diesel engines.

Project 6 Space War

Build the circuit shown on the left, which uses the space war integrated
The upper-right snap of
circuit (U3). Activate it by flipping the slide switch (S1) or pressing the
the space war IC is like an
press switch (S2); do both several times and in combination. You will hear
electrical gate, opening and
an exciting range of sounds, as if a space war is raging!
closing quickly to let small
bursts of electric current
flow in. The bursts of electric Project 7 Photo Space War
current also flow through the Use the preceding circuit, but replace the slide switch (S1) with the
speaker (which produces photoresistor (RP). Cover and uncover the photoresistor to change
sound). The space war IC the sound.
produces the different sounds
by adjusting the pattern of
two separate current bursts Like the other integrated circuits, the space war
through the speaker. IC is a super-miniaturized electronic circuit that
can play a variety of cool sounds stored in it by
using just a few extra components.
In movie studios, technicians are paid to insert
these sounds at the precise instant a gun is fired.

10
 Project 8 Meet the Music IC
Build the circuit shown and turn on the slide switch (S1). A tune plays for
a short time and then stops. Push the press switch (S2) and music plays
until you release S2. Tap on the whistle chip (WC) to re-start the music;
the music may also start if you blow on the whistle chip or clap near it.

Project 9 Spin the Music

Use the preceding circuit, but replace the whistle chip with the motor
(M1, “+” side up or down, omit the fan). Spin the motor top with your
finger to re-start the music.

Project 10 Light Controlled Music

Use either of the preceding circuits, but replace the press switch with
the photoresistor (RP). After the start-up tune finishes, the music
continues if there is light on the photoresistor.

Project 11 Whistle Music

Build the circuit shown and turn on the slide switch (S1). A tune plays for
a short time and then stops. Push the press switch (S2) and music plays
until you release S2. You can replace the press switch with a 3-snap wire
to make the music play continuously.

Project 12 Funky Whistle Music

Use the preceding circuit, but replace the lamp (L1) with the color
LED (D8 “+” on top). The circuit works the same way but the light and
sound are different.

Project 13 Light Whistle Music

Use the preceding circuit, but replace either the press switch or the
color LED with the photoresistor (RP). After the start-up tune finishes,
the music continues if there is light on the photoresistor.

Project 14 Spin Whistle Music

Use the project 11 circuit, but replace the lamp with the motor (M1,
“+” on top) and fan, and replace the press switch with a 3-snap wire.
The fan speed changes a little as the sound changes.

11
Project 15 Musical Doorbell
Turn on the slide switch (S1). A tune plays for a sort time and then stops.
When there is no sound, push the press switch (S2) to play a tune. The
press switch acts like a musical doorbell.

Musical integrated circuits are used to

entertain young children in many of the
toys and chairs made to hold infants.
If the music is replaced with words,
the child can also learn while they are
The lower-right snap of the music IC is
entertained. Because of great advances
like an electrical gate, opening and closing
in miniaturization, many songs are stored
quickly to let small bursts of electric
in a circuit no bigger than a pinhead.
current flow in. The bursts of electric
current also flow through the speaker
(which produces sound). The music IC
produces the tune by adjusting the pattern
These are single snaps, placed
beneath other parts as spacers of current bursts through the speaker.

Project 16 Whistle Space War

Build the circuit as shown. Turn on the slide switch (S1) or push the press
switch (S2); do both several times and in combination. You will hear an
exciting range of sounds, a little different from project 6 and not as loud.

Project 17 Funky Whistle Space War

Use the preceding circuit, but replace the lamp (L1) with the color
LED (D8 “+” on top). The sound is a little different now.

Project 18 Spinning Whistle Space War

Use the preceding circuit, but replace the color LED with the motor
(M1, “+” on top) and fan. Use the switches to change the sound, the
fan spins on some sounds.

Project 19 Light Controlled Whistle Space War

Use the preceding circuit, but replace the motor with the photoresistor
(RP). Vary the amount of light shining on the photoresistor to change
the sound volume.

Project 20 Light Whistle Space War

Use any of the project 16-18 circuits, but replace the slide switch with
the photoresistor (RP). Cover and uncover the photoresistor or press
S2 to change the sound.
12
 Project 21 Siren
Turn on the slide switch (S1) and a siren sounds.
Z
Y Project 22 Machine Gun
Use the preceding circuit, but add a connection between the points marked B & C using
a 1-snap wire and a 2-snap wire, or a jumper wire. Now it sounds like a machine gun.

Project 23 Fire Engine

A B C Use the preceding circuit, but remove the connection between B & C, and add a
connection between A & B. Now it sounds like a fire engine.

Project 24 European Siren

Use the preceding circuit, but remove the connection between A & B, and add a
D
connection between A & D. Now it sounds like a European siren.
E F
Project 25 Light Siren Changer
Use the project 21 circuit, but add the photoresistor (RP) between Y & C. Cover and
uncover the photoresistor to change the sound.

Project 26 Light Siren

The lower-right snap of the alarm IC (U2) is Use the project 21 circuit, but replace the 3-snap wire at Z & B with the photoresistor
like an electrical gate, opening and closing (RP). A siren sounds when there is light on the photoresistor.
quickly to let small bursts of electric current
flow in. The bursts of electric current also Project 27 Softer Siren
flow through the speaker (which produces Use any of the preceding circuits, but replace the 3-snap wire between E & F with the
sound). The alarm IC produces different color LED (D8, “+” on left). The sound is not as loud, but LED does not light. If you
siren sounds by adjusting the pattern of flip the color LED so its “+” is on the right, the LED lights but you can barely hear the
current bursts through the speaker. sound. A protection resistor inside D8 is causing most of the sound reduction.

Project 28 Materials
that have low
resistance
Conduction Detector
to the flow Build the circuit as shown. When you place a metal paper clip across the snaps on
of electricity the red & black wires as shown in the drawing, current flows from the batteries (B1)
are called through the paperclip, through the lamp (L1), and back to the battery. The paper clip
conductors, completes the circuit and can current flow through the lamp.
and materials Now replace the metal paperclip with other materials in your home, and see if
that have the lamp lights. This circuit can be used to see if a material like plastic is a good
high electrical conductor of electricity, or a poor conductor of it.
resistance
are called You may replace the lamp with the color LED (D8, “+” on left).
insulators.

13
 Project 29 Soft Siren
Turn on the slide switch (S1) and a siren sounds.
Z
Project 30 Soft Sirens
Use the preceding circuit, but add a connection between the points
marked A & B, B & C, or A & D using a 1-snap wire and a 2-snap
wire, or a jumper wire.
A B C Project 31 Funky Siren
Use either of the preceding circuits, but replace the lamp (L1) with the
color LED (D8 “+” on top). The sound changes a little as the color
D LED changes colors.

Project 32 Light Adjusted Siren

Use the projects 29 or 30 circuits, but replace the lamp (L1) with
the photoresistor (RP). Vary the amount of light shining on the
photoresistor to change the sound volume.

Project 33 Siren & Fan

The resistance of the lamp, color LED, Use the project 30 circuits, but replace the lamp (L1) with the motor
photoresistor, or motor is used to (M1, “+” on top) and fan. The fan speed changes as the sound
adjust the sound from the whistle chip. changes, especially with the Machine Gun sound.

Project 34 Water Alarm

Build the circuit shown but initially leave the jumper wires outside the cup.
Turn on the slide switch (S1); nothing happens. Place the jumper wires
into a cup of water and an alarm sounds!
A You could use longer wires and lay them on your basement floor, if your
basement floods during a storm, then this circuit will sound an alarm.
Don’t drink any water used here.

B
Project 35 Salt Water Alarm
Add salt to the water and the tone of the alarm is louder and faster,
telling you that salt is in the water you detected.

Normal tap water has some electrical

resistance, but much less than air.
Adding salt to water lowers its resistance.

14
 Project 36 Symphony
A B C Build the circuit as shown. Note that the color LED (D8) does not snap on
the battery holder (B1), but is secured by the 2-snap wire on level 3.
Turn on the slide switch (S1); you hear sounds from the music & alarm
ICs (U1 & U2), the color LED (D8) & lamp (L1) light, and the motor spins
the fan. Push the press switch (S2) several times to add sounds from the
D space war IC (U3).

Project 37 Photo Symphony

Use the preceding circuit, but replace the press switch (S2) with the
photoresistor (RP). Cover and uncover the photoresistor to change
some of the sounds.

Project 38 Whistle Symphony

Use any of the preceding circuits, but replace the speaker (SP) with
the whistle chip (WC).

Project 39 Sirens Symphony

Use any of the preceding circuits, but add a 2-snap wire across points
A & B, B & C, or A & D.
WARNING: Moving parts. Do not touch the fan or
! motor during operation. Do not lean over the motor.

Project 40 Using Parts as

Conductors
Turn on the slide switch (S1). The color LED (D8) lights and you hear
space war sounds. For a short time the sound is continuous but then you
can stop the sound by covering the photoresistor (RP), or change the
sound by covering and uncovering the photoresistor. You can also replace
the photoresistor with the press switch (S2).

Note that the color LED (D8) lights, but the

lamp (L1) does not light and the motor (M1)
does not spin. Electricity is flowing through
the lamp and motor, but not enough to turn
them on. So in this circuit they are acting
like 3-snap wires. You could replace L1
or M1 with a 3-snap and the circuit would
work the same.
15
 Project 41 Lamp & Fan in Series
Turn on the slide switch (S1). The lamp (L1) lights and the motor (M1)
spins the fan. Notice how the lamp gets a little less bright as the motor
speeds up.

Project 42 Light Dimmer

Use the preceding circuit, but remove the fan from the motor (M1).
Turn on the slide switch (S1), and watch how the lamp (L1) lights
initially, but gets dimmer as the motor speeds up. Next, turn off the
circuit and hold the motor top with your fingers so it can’t spin, then
turn on the switch and see how bright the lamp is.

The faster the motor is spinning, the less electricity it

needs. The more electricity flows, the brighter the lamp
WARNING: Moving parts. Do not touch the fan or gets. The motor needs the most electricity when it starts up,
! motor during operation. Do not lean over the motor. making the lamp brightest. Without the fan, the motor can
spin fast and needs little electricity, making the lamp dim.

Project 43 Lamp & Fan in Parallel

+ Turn on the slide switch (S1). The lamp (L1) lights and the motor (M1)
spins the fan.
Compare this circuit to the circuit in project 41, and also try removing the
fan as done in project 42. Notice how the lamp brightness is not affected by
the motor speed, and the motor starts a little faster.

Here the motor and lamp are connected in parallel.

Each has its own path to the batteries, so they don’t
affect each other.
An advantage of connecting parts in parallel is that
if one of them burns out, the other will still work. The
switch is connected in series with both the lamp and
WARNING: Moving parts. Do not touch the fan or
motor, so if it breaks, nothing will work. Electricity flows
! motor during operation. Do not lean over the motor. out of the batteries, through either the motor or lamp,
then back to the batteries through the switch.

16
 Project 44 Motor Controlled
Sound & Light
Turn on the slide switch (S1). You hear a siren for a few
A seconds, then it stops. Spin the motor (M1) top with your
fingers to re-start the sound. Push the press switch (S2) to
make the sound louder. The color LED lights if there is bright
light on the photoresistor (RP).
B
Project 45 Motor Sounds & Light
Change the siren sound by adding the black jumper wire
across points A & B or B & C.

C When you spin the motor shaft the

energy of the spinning shaft produces
a small electrical voltage. This voltage
is used to activate the music IC (U1),
which controls the alarm IC (U2).

Project 46 Shine On Siren

Cover the photoresistor (RP) and turn on the switch (S1). A
siren is heard for a while and stops, then you can control it
by covering or uncovering the photoresistor. The lamp (L1) is
used here as a 3-snap wire, and will not light.

A B C Project 47 Shine On Sirens

Use the preceding circuit, but add a connection between
the points marked A & B, B & C, or A & D using a 1-snap
and a 2-snap, or a jumper wire. Now it sounds like a
machine gun.

D
This circuit demonstrates how
sounds can be synchronized to light
patterns through the photoresistor.

17
Project 48 Loud & Soft Tunes
Build the circuit shown. Turn on the slide switch (S1). The siren is louder
than the music.
A C
B Project 49 Loud & Soft Tunes (II)
Use the preceding circuit, but connect points A & B, B & C, or A & D
using a jumper wire.
D
Project 50 Loud & Soft Tunes (III)
Use any of the preceding circuits, but swap the locations of the
speaker (SP) and whistle chip (WC)/lamp (L1).

Project 51 Loud & Soft Tunes (IV)

Use any of the preceding circuits, but replace the lamp (L1) with the
color LED (D8 “+” on right).

Project 52 Loud & Soft Sounds

Build the circuit shown. Turn on the slide switch (S1), and cover and
uncover the photoresistor (RP) several times. The siren is louder than the
space war sounds.
A C
B
Project 53 More Loud & Soft Sounds
D Use the preceding circuit, but connect points A & B, B & C, or A & D
using a 2-snap wire and a 1-snap wire.

18
 Project 54 Spin Draw
Setup: Cut out a circular piece of thin cardboard from the back of an
old spiral notebook or note pad. Use the fan blade as a guide. Place
the fan on the cardboard and trace around it with a pencil or pen. Cut
the cardboard out with scissors and tape it to the fan blade. Do the
same thing with a piece of white paper, but tape the paper on top of the
cardboard so it can be removed easily later.
Drawing: To make a ring drawing obtain some thin and thick marking
pens as drawing tools. Spin the paper by pressing and holding press
switch (S2) down. Press the marker on the paper to form rings. To make
spiral drawings, release press switch (S2) and as the motor approaches a
slow speed move the marker from the inside outward quickly.
Change the colors often and avoid using too much black to get hypnotic
effects. Another method is to make colorful shapes on the disc then spin
the disc and watch them blend into each other. When certain speeds
are reached under fluorescent lights without electronic ballasts, the
strobe principle shown in another project will produce strange effects and
backward movement. Make a wheel with different colored spokes to see
this strange effect. Adding more spokes and removing spokes will give
different effects at different motor speeds.

Project 55 Crazy Combo

Build the circuit shown. Turn it on, press the press switch (S2) several
times or cover and uncover the photoresistor (RP) to hear all the sound
combinations. S2 may only work when RP is covered.

Project 56 Whistle Crazy Combo

Use the preceding circuit but replace the speaker (SP) with the whistle
chip (WC), a 1-snap wire, and the motor (M1) and fan, as shown.

WARNING: Moving parts. Do not touch the fan or

! motor during operation. Do not lean over the motor.

19
 Project 57 Fun with the Alarm IC
Place the fan on the motor (M1) and turn on the slide switch (S1).
The lamp (L1) lights, the motor spins, and you hear a machine gun
sound (with very faint music in background). Cover the photoresistor
(RP) with your hand and the sound becomes a siren. After a while
the sound will stop, hold down the press switch (S2) and the sound
resumes.

Project 58 Whistle Fun

Use the preceding circuit but replace the speaker (SP) with the
whistle chip (WC) and color LED (D8), as shown.

WARNING: Moving parts. Do not touch the fan or

! motor during operation. Do not lean over the motor.

Project 59 Nifty Noises

Build the circuit shown. Turn on the slide switch (S1), press the
press switch (S2) several times, and cover and uncover the
photoresistor (RP) to hear all the sound combinations. S2 may only
B C work when RP is covered.
A
Project 60 Nifty Noises (II)
Use the preceding circuit, but add a connection between the
D points marked A & B, B & C, or A & D using a 1-snap and a
2-snap. The sound is different now.

Project 61 Nifty Noises (III)

Use any of the preceding circuits but replace the lamp withe the
color LED (D8, “+” on right). The LED lights and the sound is
different.

Project 62 Nifty Noises (IV)

Use any of the preceding circuits, but replace the speaker (SP)
with the whistle chip (WC). The sound is not as loud now.
20
 Project 63 Singing Motor
Do not place the fan on the motor (M1). Turn on the switch and the motor
spins (you may need to give it a push with your finger to get it started). The
A sounds from the IC are used to drive the motor. Because the motor uses
magnets and a coil of wire similar to a speaker, you may even hear the
space war sounds coming faintly from the motor.

B Project 64 Singing Motor (II)

Use the same circuit, but add the color LED (D8, “+” on top) across
points A & B using a 1-snap wire.

Project 65 Singing Motor (III)

Use the same circuit, but replace the color LED with the lamp (L1).

The motor has a coil and a magnet similar to the speaker. An

electrical signal in the coil creates a magnetic field, which makes the
shaft spin. Normally the motor is used with a stable electrical signal,
but in this project it is used with a changing signal from the space
war IC. This creates mechanical vibrations, which create air pressure
variations that sound like the speaker does, though not as efficiently.

Project 66 Periodic Sounds

Build the circuit shown on the left and turn it on. The lamp (L1) alternates
between being on and off, the color LED (D8) flashes at intervals, while the
speaker (SP) alternates between two musical tones. It is as if someone is
flipping a switch, but at a very consistent rate. Periodic signals like this are
very important in electronics.

Project 67 Double Blinking Flashlight

Use the same circuit but remove the speaker.

Project 68 Periodic Sounds (II)

Use the project 66 circuit but swap the locations of the speaker and
lamp. The sound and light patterns are different now.

Periodic electrical signals are

used for things like flashing lights
or to indicate batteries are low.
21
 Project 69 Super Circuit
Turn on the slide switch (S1) to make sound and lights. Some of
the sound may stop after a few seconds unless there is light on the
photoresistor (RP).
Push the press switch (S2) until the motor reaches full speed, then

+
release it. The fan blade should rise and float through the air like a
flying saucer. Be careful not to look directly down on fan blade when
it is spinning.
If the fan doesn’t fly off, then press the switch several times rapidly
when it is at full speed. The motor spins faster when the batteries
are new. If you don’t want the fan to fly off then reverse the
orientation of the motor.

Project 70 Sirens Super Circuit

A B Use any of the preceding circuits, but add a 2-snap wire across
points A & B, B & C, or A & D.
C
WARNING: Moving parts.
! Do not touch the fan or
motor during operation. Do
not lean over the motor.
D

Project 71 Light Spots

Position the fan so its blades are not directly over the photoresistor
(RP). Turn on the slide switch (S1) and shine enough light on the
WARNING: Moving parts. photoresistor so that you hear a fire engine sound (and blocking
! Do not touch the fan or
light to the photoresistor should change the sound to a normal
motor during operation. Do
not lean over the motor. siren). Now push the press switch (S2) to spin the fan and change
the sound.

As the fan blades cross over the photoresistor

they block light to it for short intervals. The
photresistor controls the alarm IC(U2), and
changes the siren it produces.

Go to elenco.com/scexp140-manuals/
to download projects 71-142

22
 Explorer 140 Block Layout

Base Grid (11.0” x 7.7”) overlays many parts

Important: If any parts are missing or damaged, DO NOT RETURN TO RETAILER.

Go to www.elenco.com/replacement-parts/ or e-mail us at: [email protected].
150 Carpenter Ave. Wheeling, IL 60090 U.S.A. • (847) 541-3800
Note: A complete parts list is on page 2 in this manual.
Parts layout may be different on some versions. Go to elenco.com/scexp140-manuals/
to download projects 71-142