Bad circuit design was holding the music chip in a reset state. With the addition of a 10k resistor, the Happy Birthday tune is able to play freely.

By Julian

Youtuber, shed dweller, solar charge controller aficionado

18 thoughts on “Update: dream happy birthday music kit – fixed!”
  1. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Richard Allsebrook says:

    Perhaps the original circuit was designed for a greetings card and it's meant to be activated by a photo-resistor? I dunno. I'm new to this…

  2. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Dave -in-NJ says:

    replace the transistor with a FET .

  3. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Ray Konold says:

    Well done!

  4. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Craig W says:

    Thanks for the video. I have two nearly identical eBay "birthday" DIY kits but instead of the transistor yours has, mine uses a 9013. Mine suffers the same issue and the 10k resistor fixed my kits as it did for you. My kit can be distinguished by having a 5.5×2.1 power plug and I mention this because my kits do NOT play happy birthday even though the item listing is for "DIY Kit CD4060 Dream Light Birthday Gift Suite." Instead, they play several short snippets of Christmas music.

  5. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Richard Smith says:

    I think the issue is that you did not have all the other circuitry hooked up, so all the current is beating the shit out of the transistor. I bet if you had the whole board wired up, it wouldn't overcurrent like that.

  6. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Ron Thompson says:

    Did you ever make the heart shape version of this kit,I looking for a video to watch to help my assembly ,anyone

  7. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Roy Riederer says:

    Well, I am glad you found the fix. Last week when I saw the video where you got that kit, I thought that it would be a great kit for my niece to build. So I ordered one thinking that maybe you just had a dud. Now I know that when the kit arrives, it too will be a dud but, you have found the fix. So thank you from myself, and my 14 year old niece who has recently become interested in Arduino and small electronic kits.

  8. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars The Restoration of Dr Who says:

    You need to do the rest of it!

  9. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Bob says:

    If it was being reset then why did the other speaker work?

  10. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars karen berry says:

    Great tutorial, I new you would sort it out,   How did you know to use a 10k?  Thanks John  🙂

  11. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars David Rodriguez says:

    Hello, i have been watching you for a while, But this is my first comment. Was wondering if it is possible to change the music to something else or would a different board be better? I want something cheap, more or less prebuilt that can be put into a toy to add lights and sounds to it.

  12. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Hari Wiguna says:

    Brilliant debugging! Thank you for explaining the solution Julian!

  13. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Luc Peeters says:

    Now how do you get inside a card?

  14. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars il51diablo says:

    Nice work!

  15. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars DanieleGiorgino says:

    I think this thing was designed that way. They were hoping that the draw from the leds would lower the voltage enough for the chip to function.

  16. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars RetroGames1979 says:

    Could there nor be a resistor in the chip? And maybe it's just faulty? Too much tolerance?

  17. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Archie McMullan says:

    Oh my god its my birthday today!

  18. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Narasimha Krishna says:

    All I can say is "Wow"….

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