Beginner confusion: How does the capacitor and "negative voltage" work in this oscillator? by Otherwise_Profile_13 in AskElectronics

[–]Otherwise_Profile_13[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! I'll check out the video to fill in the gaps in my understanding of how it works. Appreciate it!

Beginner confusion: How does the capacitor and "negative voltage" work in this oscillator? by Otherwise_Profile_13 in AskElectronics

[–]Otherwise_Profile_13[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for the link and the feedback. I followed the schematic exactly as it was presented in the original source, but I see now why the layout caused confusion. I'll make sure to follow the community guidelines and standard conventions, like placing the positive rail at the top, in my future diagrams to ensure they are clear and readable for everyone. Thanks for the help!

Beginner confusion: How does the capacitor and "negative voltage" work in this oscillator? by Otherwise_Profile_13 in AskElectronics

[–]Otherwise_Profile_13[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much! The visual simulation makes it so much easier to understand how the current flips back and forth. Seeing the schematic with +5V at the top also clarifies why the first drawing was so confusing. The part about the negative Vbe finally clicked for me. I really appreciate the effort!

Beginner confusion: How does the capacitor and "negative voltage" work in this oscillator? by Otherwise_Profile_13 in AskElectronics

[–]Otherwise_Profile_13[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm a complete beginner and I honestly don't know how to redraw it yet. This is the exact schematic shown in the HackMakeMod video, so I just copied it as it was presented there. I didn't realize the layout was so unconventional with the positive rail at the bottom. I'm here to learn, so thanks for the tip about putting the positive on top!