Circuit Software Recommendations

[Brain75]

I was sketching up a circuit in my favorite program and was getting pretty crowded and visibility was poor so I thinking of looking at some new software. I tried Circuit Lab based on the fact some others have used it and posted in the tech library. After 45 minutes of using their free version suddenly it demanded a subscription and wont let me start a new circuit, continue my old, or even delete the old - so basically it is broken till you fork over money.

I read 3 or 4 comparision reviews and even downloaded Circuit Maker (I think a version 100 back is what I used in college) - that is not a simple circuit friendly, it is for designing PCBs.... read some more reviews, tried www.circuit-diagram.org , which interestingly enough had a schematic in an unsaved in progress state for me, so obviously I have used it before.... I give up, they all seem to be pretty crappy....

Anyone know of a good simple circuit design software that is free?

And by simple I am talking switches (like SPST, etc) lights, power sources, and passive components, not something that has a 50,000 part library you have to look up all by mfg #.

 

[Curious Hound]

I recently started using Qelectrotech. It is open source and free. I felt like the learning curve was reasonably short and it's doing the things I need. It has a symbol library that I haven't fully explored yet. But what I like best is that it has a symbol editor that is easy to use. So I can make any symbol I want and add it to my library. Works on any OS. Seemed a little bit buggy on my Ubuntu distro. But works pretty decent in Windows. Can also be run from a thumb drive without installing the software on a computer.

I have been using it for a project at work where I am completely gutting and refurbishing a PLC controlled machine. I'll try to post some screen shots later this evening. I'm even using it to sketch out my PLC program before getting the actual equipment to install.

 

[Brain75]

FWIW, this software wont let me run circuits with a test of any sorts (it's just a static draw), but this is the output I have from the software I have... maybe just a 2nd pair of eyes is all I need - to double check nothing is stupid.

I bought a 6 fuse/6 relay block (cheap chinese) online and found a place to mount it. The idea here is to run full power battery to headlights and fog lights through relays with a side of adding DRL/Auto headlights that are both run/park and actual headlamps. (Not having any illumination on the rear end was just a bad idea of early early DRL, I agree with the logic you need illumination all around like the run/park.)

I think I have logic'd everything out and don't have any power flowing in reverse on stock wiring issues, but a 2nd set of eyes wouldn't hurt. It is based of the DIY DRL here (https://www.therangerstation.com/forums/index.php?threads/diy-drls.116027/):

 

[Brain75]

This is on a 2nd gen btw, Fuse 17 is Dash and electric 4wd (which I don't have) hot in Run only.

 

[Curious Hound]

I didn't realize you wanted to do simulations. I'm pretty sure Qelectrotech doesn't do that.

I'll glance over your drawing, though.