Cheap Way to Create AC Current For Breadboard At Home?

[Ascendant0]

I bought a cheap breadboard (included basic components as well - resistors, capacitors, LEDs, etc) off Amazon a while back to conduct some of the Intermediate Lab class tests at home, and try to learn more in the process. I really want to get more experience with AC current, but I don't know a relatively cheap and safe way to connect an AC current to the breadboard? Looking around online, I'm seeing suggestions of running a transformer to it, similar to what we have in class, but all of them seem fairly expensive, and most of the more basic (and less expensive) ones would put way too much power through the breadboard.

Is there some kind of simple device (or circuit) I can make to change DC to AC current on the breadboard? I do have a typical college student budget, even more so since I have kids. So, I need to either do this fairly cheap (maybe $30 or so max), or I can't do it at home.

 

[berkeman]

By AC, do you mean 50/60Hz AC, or audio AC signals? If 50/60Hz, you can buy an inexpensive wall wart that puts out AC. If audio AC signals, look at using the sound generation capability of your PC/laptop and find some software that lets you generate various sine wave signals.

 

[DaveE]

https://www.jameco.com/c/Power-Supp...0Adapters/filter:ss_attr_normally_stocked:Yes

 

[Rive]

DIY, with a cheap DC motor and parts from a dead HDD:

 

[Ascendant0]

By AC, do you mean 50/60Hz AC, or audio AC signals? If 50/60Hz, you can buy an inexpensive wall wart that puts out AC. If audio AC signals, look at using the sound generation capability of your PC/laptop and find some software that lets you generate various sine wave signals.

I was looking for the 50/60Hz AC type. Not sure what type of wall wart you'd be referring to that I could use? All the wall outlets I find convert it to DC, which isn't what I want to use.

 

[Ascendant0]

DIY, with a cheap DC motor and parts from a dead HDD:

A cheap DC motor I can do. As far as parts from a dead HDD, that might be a little more challenging to find. I would like to do that though, as I feel it'd be a great learning experience. It's just where would I go about finding a dead HDD for a decent price? I'm thinking somewhere on Craigslist or my local FB marketplace, but I don't think you'd see people selling a dead HDD very often, lol.

 

[Rive]

I don't think you'd see people selling a dead HDD very often

Usually these have no price^* (except maybe for deads from the newest or the oldest series), so no wonder they are not 'sold' often.
Just ask around.

^* 'no price' usually means a thank you cookie or so.

 

[rbelli1]

I don't think you'd see people selling a dead HDD very often

Search ebay for "HDD for parts" and you will find thousands of listings for dead hard drives. Rive's suggestion to find one locally for free is probably better though. Look for an old computer on the side of the road on junk day.

You will want to find a set of very small Torx screwdrivers to disassemble the drive.

BoB

 

[Tom.G]

Try pricing a doorbell transformer at your local hardware store.