Old Dog....new tricks. Warning OT

[tim slocum]

Well guys and girl, Im back in school....at 42. My course of study this semester is Electricity. This area has always been a weak point for me, so I spend my days saying" Oh, thats how that works" My boat building and model RRing will hopefully benefit from this. The second day we saw a really interesting video on Tesla(and his "rc" boat) Wish me luck, my first test is Monday. Gotta love that Ohm's Law.

[Aerominded]

Good luck, Tim!

[ropanach]

Yes Tim good luck, :)
Before you know it you'll be burnning the ends off your screw drivers in no time, :eek: saying I know I turned off the power, I know I did. :censored: :censored:

[mfr02]

You can always tell a sparky by his screwdriver. A delicate shade of blue at the tip with a little chunk missing at the top end of the blue. Thinking about it, thats probably how they got the name.
Just remember that whereas AC crosses zero and lets go 100 times a second (or 120 in the US), DC doesn't.

[norgale]

Good luck with your studies Tim. Electrical things are mostly beyond me but I do remember that which I use often. If you don't use it you lose it. Pete

[pkboo]

It´s never to old to get some more learning Tim, so go for it :) Beside your hobby you´ld be able to fix or at least not get ripped by the dealer of your future car, indicate to the energy company how much they have to pay you for your contribution to the grid due to your self installed solar panels and do side jobs fixing your neighbours cleaning robot :eek: Boo

[Kmot]

Learning new things keeps the brain loose. :p

Tim, no matter how lost you may seem while studying Electricity 101, don't give up hope.

When I went to A&P school, the one course that caused most students who were not serious about getting an A&P license to drop out, was the electricity class. It was an 8-week concentrated course within the whole program. We had to "get it" early on in the program in order to be able to do the rest of the schooling.

The instructor told us that many students struggled with the electricity course, but that eventually it would click. I went through that myself. For the first 3 or 4 weeks I was struggling, it just didn't seem to make sense and I was really nervous because I was dead serious about the schooling and I could not allow myself to be dropped from the program. I had given up a career and a lot of financial stability to go back to school at age 28 to get my A&P. So I was sweating bullets because the lessons were just not "clicking".

Then suddenly, it all clicked. Just like that! Just like the instructor said it would. It all made perfect sense suddenly, and then direct current electricity, Ohms law, series-parallel circuits, all were EASY.

Hang in there! :cool:

[tghsmith]

Enjoy it!!!!my wife helped understand electrical thoery by making me think of it as water in a pipe, bigger and smaller pipes, higher and lower flows(she has a double E)I went back as a full time student at 27 four years later had a bio-degree with honors, the other "kids"(who had someone else paying) would ask why I studied so much(was also working as a motorcycle mech as many hours as possible). basic answer was find me in five years and ask me that stupid question again. looking at taking classes involving light spectrum, trying to get a physics prof. to set up an indepent class that will fit in with work.. see also has a great electrical section http://www.amazon.com/Cartoon-Guide-Physics-Larry-Gonick/dp/0062731009/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top#

[tim slocum]

Thanks guys. This is a 10week course,so its pretty condensed. The instructor said he's going to be throwing alot of info at us very quickly and to not get discouraged. Like you said Kmot, the electricity course causes alot of students that are not serious or just can't do it to drop out. Actually, Im surprised how much Im enjoying it! I've always liked to learn about new things,but this is on a whole new level. I get alot more satisfaction out of it than when I was young. Also, I get to rub it in when I get a better grade than my daughter. :)

[tim slocum]

Tghsmith, the analogy of the pipes with water flowing through them has helped me too.

[jeepers1940]

Good luck with it, Tim. I guess I'm the 1 in 100 whom the analogy of the water flowing through the pipes didn't help at all. Good thing I majored in the humanities.
Bill

[green-boat]

Good luck with it Tim, if you get stuck, you've got my number.

[QUOTE=mfr02]You can always tell a sparky by his screwdriver. A delicate shade of blue at the tip with a little chunk missing at the top end of the blue. Thinking about it, thats probably how they got the name.
QUOTE]
Don't forget about the hole vaporised in the wire cutters. Sure the power is turned it off.... Zaaapoooof. :eek:

[fooman2008]

Remember rules of troubleshooting;
1) check the on/off switch to ensure it is in the operating position
2) is the output turned up enough to read (speaker, etc.)
3) is the gain on the meter set high enough to read
4) is it plugged in?
I learned those rules and they told me it would work for everything from a lightbulb to a nuclear reactor.
Foo

[Prins Willem]

Tim, pay real close attention so we can start sending you our ESC's for repair. The high school I went to has an electronics shop and I had two semesters. Your right that once it is explained you go "really it is that simple". If you enjoy learning and the subject is of interest going to school is fun. It does help if the instructor is good.

[der kapitan]

Willem said it all, "if the instructor is good"---. ;)

In one of my courses, I recall one who wasn't---. :(

[GreenAmphibian]

Tim, enjoy every bit of it! If there is one thing that can't be taken from you, without some serious problems, it is knowledge. We may not always use or like what we learn, but the experience is going to be with us for the rest of our lives. Some of us don't learn that until later in life. I didn't start college until I was in my late 40's. I now have my Masters, earned with honors.

[785boats]

Hi Tim.
As a commercial & industrial electrician I'd like to say 'Good on ya mate'.
I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
Now you'll know just enough to be dangerous. :D
Just remember ...
touch a 12V battery lead---- nothing.
touch a 240V wire ---everything tastes like tinfoil for a while.
Oh. I forgot, it's 110V over there isn't it?
As for the "Sparks" thing. Yes I've created a few in my time.
Best of luck in your exams.
Paul.