You can only learn what you love.
Goethe I.
"How to independently learn electronics from scratch?" - one of the most popular questions on amateur radio forums. At the same time, the answers that I found when I asked it myself did not help me much. So I decided to give mine.
This essay describes a general approach to self-study, and since it began to receive a lot of views every day, I decided to develop it and make a small guide to self-study of electronics and tell how I do it. Subscribe to the newsletter - it will be interesting!
Creativity and result
To learn something, you need to love it, be passionate about it, and practice regularly. It seems that I just voiced the truism... Nevertheless. In order to study electronics with ease and pleasure, you must love it and approach it with curiosity and admiration. Nowadays it is commonplace for everyone to be able to send a video message to the other side of the earth and instantly receive a response. And this is one of the achievements of electronics. 100 years of work of thousands of scientists and engineers.
As we are usually taught
The classical approach, which is preached in schools and universities around the world, can be called the down up. First they tell you what an electron, an atom, a charge, a current, a resistor, a capacitor, an inductance are, they force you to solve hundreds of problems to find currents in resistor circuits, then it gets even more complicated, etc. This approach is similar to climbing a mountain. But climbing up a mountain is more difficult than going down. And many give up without ever reaching the top. This is true in any business.
What if you go down the mountain? The main idea is to first get the result, and then analyze in detail why it works this way. Those. This is the classic approach of children's radio circles. It gives you the opportunity to get a feeling of victory and success, which in turn stimulates the desire to study electronics further. You see, there is very dubious benefit in studying one theory. It is imperative to practice, since not everything from theory translates 100% into practice.
There's an old engineering joke that says, "If you're good at math, you should go into electronics." Typical nonsense. Electronics is creativity, novelty of ideas, practice. And it is not necessary to fall into the jungle of theoretical calculations in order to create electronic devices. You can easily master the necessary knowledge on your own. And you will improve your mathematics in the process of creativity.
The main thing is to understand the basic principle, and only then the subtleties. This approach simply turns the world upside down self-study. It's not new. This is how artists draw: first a sketch, then detailing. This is how various large systems etc. This approach is similar to the “poke method,” but only if you don’t look for an answer, but stupidly repeat the same action.
Did you like the device? Assemble, figure out why it is made this way and what ideas are included in its design: why exactly these parts are used, why they are connected in this way, what principles are used? Is it possible to improve anything or just replace some part?
Design is creativity, but it can be learned. To do this, you just need to perform simple actions: read, repeat other people's devices, think about the result, enjoy the process, be brave and confident.
Mathematics in Electronics
In amateur radio design, it is unlikely that you will have to calculate improper integrals, but knowledge of Ohm’s law, Kirchhoff’s rules, current/voltage divider formulas, knowledge of complex arithmetic and trigonometry can be useful. These are the basics. If you want to know more, love mathematics and physics. It is not only useful, but also extremely entertaining. Of course, this is not necessary. You can make pretty cool devices without knowing anything about it. Only these will be devices invented by someone else.
When, after a very long break, I realized that electronics was calling me again and beckoning me into the ranks of radio amateurs, it immediately became clear that my knowledge had long since disappeared, and the availability of components and technologies had become wider. What did I do? There was only one way - to admit that I was a complete zero and start from nothing: there are no experienced electronics engineers I know, there is no self-study program either, I discarded the forums because they are a dump of information and take a lot of time (you can find out some questions there in short, but it is very difficult to obtain complete knowledge - everything there is so important that you can burst!)
And then I followed the oldest and simplest path: through books. IN good books the topics are discussed most fully and there is no idle chatter. Of course, there are errors and tongue-tiedness in the books. You just need to know which books to read and in what order. After reading well-written books, the result will be excellent.
My advice is simple but useful - read books and magazines. For example, I want not only to repeat other people’s designs, but to be able to design my own. Creating is interesting and fun. This is exactly what my hobby should be: interesting and entertaining. And yours too.
What books will help you master electronics?
I spent a lot of time looking for suitable books. And I realized that I had to say thank you to the USSR. He left such an array of useful books! The USSR can be scolded, but it can be praised. It depends on what. So we must be grateful for books and magazines for radio amateurs and schoolchildren. The circulation is crazy, the authors are selected. You can still find books for beginners that will give a head start to all modern ones. Therefore, it makes sense to go to used bookstores and ask around (and you can download everything).
- Klimchevsky Ch. - ABC of a radio amateur.
- Aimishen. Electronics? Nothing could be simpler.
- B.S. Ivanov. An oscilloscope is your assistant (how to work with an oscilloscope)
- Hublowski. I. Electronics in questions and answers
- Nikulin, Povny. Encyclopedia of the beginning radio amateur
- Revich. Entertaining electronics
- Shishkov. First steps in radio electronics
- Sorcerers. Amateur radio alphabet
- Bessonov V.V. Electronics for beginners and more
- V. Novopolsky - Working with an oscilloscope
This is my list of books for the little ones. You should definitely flip through Radio magazines from the 70s to the 90s. After that you can already read:
- Gendin. Design Tips
- Kaufman, Sidman. A practical guide to circuit calculations in electronics
- Volovich G. Circuitry of analog and analog-to-digital electronic devices
- Tietze, Schenk. Semiconductor circuitry. 12th ed.
- Shustov M. A. Practical circuitry.
- Gavrilov S.A.-Semiconductor circuits. Developer Secrets
- Barnes. Electronic design
- Milovzorov. Elements of information systems
- Revich. Practical programming of AVR MK
- Belov. Self-instruction manual on Microprocessor technology
- Suematsu. Microcomputer control systems. First meeting
- Yu.Sato. Signal Processing
- D.Harris, S.Harris. Digital circuitry and computer architecture
- Jansen. Digital Electronics Course
I think these books will answer many questions. More specialized knowledge can be gleaned from more specialized books: on audio amplifiers, on microcontrollers, etc.
And of course you need to practice. Without a soldering iron, the whole theory is in the hole. It's like driving a car in your head.
By the way, more detailed reviews You can use some books from the list above.
What else should you do?
Learn to read device diagrams! Learn to analyze the circuit and try to understand how the device works. This skill only comes with practice. We must start from the very simple circuits, gradually increasing complexity. Thanks to this, you will not only study the designations of radio elements on the diagrams, but also learn to analyze them, and also remember common techniques and solutions.
Is it expensive to do electronics?
Unfortunately, you will need money! Amateur radio is not the cheapest hobby and will require a certain minimum of finance. investments. But you can start with virtually no investment: books can be obtained from bookcrossings or borrowed from libraries, read electronically, devices can be bought to begin with, the simplest ones, and more advanced ones can be purchased when the capabilities of simple devices are not enough.
Now you can buy everything: an oscilloscope, a generator, a power supply and other measuring instruments for a home laboratory - all this should be purchased over time (or you can do it yourself what can be done at home)
But when you are small and a beginner, you can get by with a tip and parts from broken equipment that someone throws out or has simply been lying around at home for a long time without use. The main thing is to have a desire! And the rest will follow.
What to do if it doesn't work?
Continue! Rarely does anything work out well the first time. And it happens that there are no results and no results - as if you have hit an invisible barrier. Some people overcome this barrier in six months or a year, while others only after a few years.
If you encounter difficulties, then you don’t need to tear your hair out and think about yourself that you are the stupidest person in the world, since Vasya understands what reverse collector current is, but you still can’t understand why it plays a role. Maybe Vasya is just puffing out his cheeks, but he doesn’t boom-boom =)
The quality and speed of self-learning depend not only on personal abilities, but also on the environment. This is where we should rejoice at the existence of forums. There you still (and often) meet polite professionals who are ready to happily teach beginners. (There are still all sorts of grims, but I consider such people a lost branch of evolution. I feel sorry for them. Bend your fingers - this is show-off of the lowest level. It’s better to just remain silent)
Useful programs
You should definitely familiarize yourself with CAD systems: drawings of circuit diagrams and printed circuit boards, simulators, useful and convenient programs (Eagele, SprintLayout, etc.). I have dedicated a whole section on the site for them. From time to time there will be materials on working with programs that I use myself.
And most importantly, experience the joy of creativity from amateur radio! In my opinion, any business should be treated as a game. Then it will be both entertaining and educational.
About practice
Usually every radio amateur always knows what device he wants to make. But if you haven’t decided yet, then I would advise you to assemble a power source, figure out what it’s for and how each part works. Then you can turn your attention to amplifiers. And assemble, for example, an audio amplifier.
You can experiment with the simplest electrical circuits: a voltage divider, a diode rectifier, HF/MF/LF filters, a transistor and single-transistor stages, the simplest digital circuits, capacitors, inductors. All this will be useful in the future, and knowledge of such basic circuits and components will give you confidence in your abilities.
When you go step by step from the simplest to the more complex, then knowledge is layered on top of each other and it is easier to master more complex topics. But sometimes it is not clear from which bricks and how the building should be put together. Therefore, sometimes you should do the opposite: set a goal to assemble some device and master many issues when assembling it.
May Ohm, Ampere and Volt be with you:
We offer a small material on the topic: “Electricity for beginners.” It will give an initial understanding of the terms and phenomena associated with the movement of electrons in metals.
Features of the term
Electricity is the energy of small charged particles moving in conductors in a specific direction.
With constant current, there is no change in its magnitude, as well as in the direction of movement over a certain period of time. If a galvanic cell (battery) is chosen as the current source, then the charge moves in an orderly manner: from the negative pole to the positive end. The process continues until it completely disappears.
Alternating current periodically changes magnitude as well as direction of movement.
AC transmission circuit
Let's try to understand what a phase is in a word everyone has heard, but not everyone understands its true meaning. We will not go into details and details; we will select only the material that the home craftsman needs. A three-phase network is a method of transmitting electric current, in which current flows through three different wires, and one returns it. For example, there are two wires in an electrical circuit.
Current flows through the first wire to the consumer, for example, to a kettle. The second wire is used to return it. When such a circuit is opened, the passage electric charge there will be no conductor inside. This diagram describes a single-phase circuit. in electricity? A phase is considered to be a wire through which electric current flows. Zero is the wire through which the return is carried out. In a three-phase circuit there are three phase wires at once.
An electrical panel in the apartment is necessary for current in all rooms. are considered economically feasible, since they do not require two. When approaching the consumer, the current is divided into three phases, each with a zero. The ground electrode, which is used in a single-phase network, does not carry a working load. He is a fuse.
For example, if a short circuit occurs, there is a threat of electric shock or fire. To prevent such a situation, the current value should not exceed a safe level; the excess goes into the ground.
The manual “School for Electricians” will help novice craftsmen cope with some breakdowns of household appliances. For example, if there are problems with the functioning of the electric motor of the washing machine, current will flow to the outer metal casing.
If there is no grounding, the charge will be distributed throughout the machine. When you touch it with your hands, a person will act as a grounding conductor and receive an electric shock. If there is a ground wire, this situation will not arise.
Features of electrical engineering
The textbook “Electricity for Dummies” is popular among those who are far from physics, but plan to use this science for practical purposes.
The date of appearance of electrical engineering is considered to be the beginning of the nineteenth century. It was at this time that the first current source was created. The discoveries made in the field of magnetism and electricity managed to enrich science with new concepts and facts of important practical significance.
The “School for Electrician” manual assumes familiarity with the basic terms related to electricity.
Many physics books contain complex electrical diagrams and a variety of confusing terms. In order for beginners to understand all the intricacies of this section of physics, a special manual “Electricity for Dummies” was developed. An excursion into the world of the electron must begin with a consideration of theoretical laws and concepts. Illustrative examples, historical facts, used in the book "Electricity for Dummies", will help novice electricians absorb knowledge. To check your progress, you can use assignments, tests, and exercises related to electricity.
If you understand that you do not have enough theoretical knowledge to independently cope with connecting electrical wiring, refer to reference books for “dummies”.
Safety and Practice
First you need to carefully study the section regarding safety precautions. In this case, during work related to electricity, there will be no emergency situations hazardous to health.
In order to put into practice theoretical knowledge obtained after self-studying the basics of electrical engineering, you can start with old household appliances. Before starting repairs, be sure to read the instructions included with the device. Don't forget that you shouldn't joke with electricity.
Electric current is associated with the movement of electrons in conductors. If a substance is not capable of conducting current, it is called a dielectric (insulator).
For free electrons to move from one pole to another, there must be a certain potential difference between them.
The intensity of the current passing through a conductor is related to the number of electrons passing through the cross section of the conductor.
The speed of current flow is affected by the material, length, and cross-sectional area of the conductor. As the length of the wire increases, its resistance increases.
Conclusion
Electricity is an important and complex branch of physics. The manual "Electricity for Dummies" examines the main quantities characterizing the efficiency of electric motors. The units of voltage are volts, current is measured in amperes.
Everyone has a certain power. It refers to the amount of electricity generated by a device over a certain period of time. Energy consumers (refrigerators, washing machines, kettles, irons) also have power, consuming electricity during operation. If you wish, you can carry out mathematical calculations and determine the approximate price for each household appliance.
Faced with a situation where some electrical unit in the house fails, we immediately begin to look for a solution to this problem. The right thing to do is call a qualified professional who will quickly fix it. But many take on the work on their own, having no idea how it’s done, they begin to pick, unscrew, and peer for a long time, trying to determine what the reason is. And with basic electrical knowledge and the right selection of tools, you can fix the problem efficiently and with a minimum of time.
What a novice electrician needs to know
First of all, it is necessary not only to familiarize yourself, but to learn the safety rules. Electrical current is very dangerous to the human body and non-compliance (TB), can lead to serious consequences.
There are two types of effects of current on a person: electrical injuries and electrical shocks. The main injuries include burns, electrical marks, mechanical damage and electroplating of the skin.
Need to know! Compliance with safety regulations and following instructions significantly reduces the risk of accidents.
With an electric shock, the current passing through the human body causes maximum muscle contraction, which, with prolonged exposure, leads to clinical death.
Important rules:
- Before starting work, turn off the power;
- Post a sign warning of the work in progress;
- Make sure the repair area is well lit;
- Check the presence of electricity using special devices;
- Use an insulated tool for work.
Advice from an experienced person: Touch bare conductors only with the back of your hand, so that in the event of an electric shock, the muscles clenching your hand into a fist do not grab the wire, and it is possible to remove your hand from contact.
Everything about electricity for a novice electrician: the basics
The use of electricity has become truly global. These include lighting fixtures with fluorescent, neon and incandescent lamps. Household appliances that are primarily powered by electricity.
Electric current is divided into two types: alternating, with variable magnitude and direction of charged particles, and constant, with stable properties and direction.
Information and communication means, such as telephones and computers. Electronic musical instruments. Electric current is used as driving force for metro trains, trolleybuses and trams. Automotive electronics cannot function without current. Even nervous system The human body operates on weak electrical impulses.
Electric current values:
- Current strength (measured in amperes);
- Voltage (measured in volts);
- Power (measured in watts);
- Frequency (measured in hertz).
Do not forget about the materials from which the current-carrying elements are made. Conductors – this group includes metals (copper, aluminum and silver) that have high electrical conductivity.
Semiconductors - conduct current either with large losses, or in one direction in the presence of certain factors (light, heat, electric or magnetic field).
Dielectrics are substances that do not conduct electric current.
Tools to help an electrician
It doesn’t matter whether you are a master or a novice electrician, for your work you should have a set of specialized tools that will help you cope with the task efficiently and much faster. Although there are a huge number of instruments, they are divided into three groups.
Types of tools:
- Hand tools;
- Power tools;
- Measuring instruments.
Hand tools include: various mounting screwdrivers (flat and shaped). Pliers, which not only cut wires, but also connect contacts into “twists”. Various mounting knives for stripping cable insulation. Side cutters, with their help, can easily cut through thicker wires. Crimping pliers, if sleeves are used to connect the contacts. Hammer and chisel.
During installation work, always use only insulated tools, or insulate them yourself using electrical tape or heat-shrinkable tubing.
The set of power tools includes:
- Hammer with various bits and drills for wood and concrete;
- Screwdriver;
- Grinding machine (angle grinder) – “grinder”;
- Necessary measuring instruments: Multimeter and indicator screwdriver.
Don't forget to add electrical tape, tape measure, various heat shrinks, as well as a marker or pencil to this list.
Do not rush to throw away a failed extension cord. First you need to identify the cause of the breakdown, and if it is not serious, it can be repaired. There may be several reasons. For example, during operation of the unit, one of the contacts in the plug oxidized or fell off, the integrity of the cable itself could be damaged, or the contacts in the unit itself could be damaged.
Most often, due to careless handling, a cable fails because it has either been subjected to physical impact (something heavy has been dropped) or burns out, unable to withstand the load.
There are two ways to restore functionality. Connect the old cable using a twist, or replace it completely. When replacing, some advantages appear - this, and the ability to choose a cross-section of a larger cable diameter and its length.
Required tools:
- Pliers;
- Screwdriver Set;
- Stationery or mounting knife;
- Plug (provided that the old one is not collapsible).
And so, when the tools and materials are prepared, you can start working. You need to start by dismantling the failed cable. To do this, you need to unscrew the fastening bolts on the case by removing the top cover. Loosen the bolts on the terminals and pull out the wire. Insert the cable prepared for replacement into the terminals and tighten the bolts. Assemble the extension cord housing.
Note! Before starting installation or dismantling work, always check the presence of electric current in the conductor using specialized tools.
We do the same with the plug. We disassemble it by unscrewing the fastening bolts (or bolt), loosen the bolts on the terminals and pull out the wire. We insert a new cable into the terminals, clamp and assemble the plug in the reverse order.
That's all! Your extension cord is back in working order.
How to lay cables in an apartment: electrical installation for dummies
Light switch - acts as a relay capable of forcibly closing and opening contacts. And to install it yourself, you don’t have to be an electrical guru, just strictly follow the instructions and follow the safety rules.
Provided that the cable is laid and the hole for the socket box is ready in the wall, you can begin installation.
- Screwdriver Set;
- Pliers;
- Stationery knife;
- Spatula (for installing the socket box).
After making sure that there is no voltage in the network, we install the socket box exactly along the plane of the wall, after inserting the wire, and cover the external cavities with alabaster. We disassemble the switch, and on the inside of the mechanism we find contact terminals (marking L - incoming phase wire, arrow - outgoing).
The switch opens the phase contact for ease of repair and operation.
According to the markings, we connect the wires to the mechanism, insert its socket box, align it horizontally and secure it with bolts. Install the frame and keys. Ready!
Welcome to the electrical training video course. This video The lessons will help everyone who deals with electricity at home, as well as many novice electricians, to understand the basic terms and skills. A training video course by a young electrician will help you in life and save your life from electric shock.
Young electrician course
The author of the course, Vladimr Kozin, will help you learn with video examples what it is electrical circuit and how it consists and works. You will learn how an electrical circuit works with a switch, as well as with a two-gang switch.
Brief course content: The video course consists of 5 parts, each with 2 lessons. course Young electrician course with a total duration of about 3 hours.
- In the first part you will be introduced to the basics of electrical engineering, consider the simplest diagrams for connecting light bulbs, switches, sockets and learn about the types of electrician's tools;
- In the second part you will be told about the types and purposes of materials for the work of an electrician: cables, wires, cords and you will assemble a simple electrical circuit;
- In the third part you will learn how to connect a switch and parallel connections in electrical circuits;
- In the fourth part you will see the assembly of an electrical circuit with a two-button switch and a model of the power supply of the room;
Ultimate learning goal: In the fifth part, you will consider a complete model of the electrical supply of a room with a switch and receive tips on safety when working with electrical equipment.
Lesson 1. Young electrician course.
Lesson 2. Electrician's tool.
Lesson 3. Materials for electrical installation cable AVVG and VVG.
Lesson 4. Simple electrical circuit.
Lesson 5. Electric circuit with a switch.
Lesson 6. Parallel connection.
Lesson 7. Electric circuit with a two-gang switch
Lesson 8. Premises power supply model
Lesson 9. Model of power supply for a room with automatic shutdown
Lesson 10. Safety.
Before you begin work related to electricity, you need to get a little theoretical knowledge on this issue. Simply put, electricity usually means the movement of electrons under the influence of electromagnetic field. The main thing is to understand that electricity is the energy of tiny charged particles that move inside conductors in a certain direction.
D.C practically does not change its direction and magnitude over time. Let's say a regular battery has constant current. Then the charge will flow from minus to plus, without changing, until it runs out.
Alternating current- this is a current that changes direction and magnitude with a certain periodicity.
Think of the current as a stream of water flowing through a pipe. After a certain period of time (for example, 5 s), the water will rush in one direction, then in the other. With current this happens much faster - 50 times per second (frequency 50 Hz). During one period of oscillation, the current increases to a maximum, then passes through zero, and then the reverse process occurs, but with a different sign. When asked why this happens and why such current is needed, we can answer that receiving and transmitting alternating current is much simpler than direct current.
The receipt and transmission of alternating current is closely related to a device such as a transformer. A generator that produces alternating current is much simpler in design than a direct current generator. In addition, alternating current is best suited for transmitting energy over long distances. With its help, less energy is lost.
Using a transformer (a special device in the form of coils), alternating current is converted from low voltage to high voltage and vice versa, as shown in the illustration. It is for this reason that most devices operate from a network in which the current is alternating. However, direct current is also used quite widely - in all types of batteries, in the chemical industry and some other areas.
Many have heard such mysterious words as one phase, three phases, zero, grounding or earth, and they know what it is important concepts in the world of electricity. However, not everyone understands what they mean and how they relate to the surrounding reality. However, it is necessary to know this. Without delving into technical details that are not necessary for a home handyman, we can say that a three-phase network is a method of transmitting electric current when alternating current flows through three wires and returns back through one. The above needs some clarification. Any electrical circuit consists of two wires. One way the current goes to the consumer (for example, a kettle), and the other returns it back. If you open such a circuit, then no current will flow. That's all the description of a single-phase circuit.
The wire through which the current flows is called phase, or simply phase, and through which it returns - zero, or zero. A three-phase circuit consists of three phase wires and one return wire. This is possible because the phase of the alternating current in each of the three wires is shifted relative to the adjacent one by 120 °C. A textbook on electromechanics will help answer this question in more detail. The transmission of alternating current occurs precisely using three-phase networks. This is economically beneficial - two more neutral wires are not needed.
Approaching the consumer, the current is divided into three phases, and each of them is given a zero. This is how it gets into apartments and houses. Although sometimes a three-phase network is supplied directly to the house. Usually, we're talking about about the private sector, and this state of affairs has its pros and cons. This will be discussed later. Earth, or more correctly, grounding, is the third wire in a single-phase network. In essence, it does not carry the workload, but serves as a kind of fuse. This can be explained with an example. When electricity becomes out of control (such as a short circuit), there is a risk of fire or electric shock. To prevent this from happening (that is, the current value should not exceed a level that is safe for humans and devices), grounding is introduced. Through this wire, excess electricity literally goes into the ground.
One more example. Let's say that a small breakdown occurs in the operation of the electric motor of a washing machine and part of the electric current reaches the outer metal shell of the device. If there is no grounding, this charge will continue to wander around the washing machine. When a person touches it, he will instantly become the most convenient outlet for this energy, that is, he will receive an electric shock. If there is a ground wire in this situation, the excess charge will flow down it without harming anyone. In addition, we can say that the neutral conductor can also be grounding and, in principle, it is, but only at a power plant. The situation when there is no grounding in the house is unsafe. How to deal with it without changing all the wiring in the house will be discussed later.
Attention!
Some craftsmen, relying on basic knowledge of electrical engineering, install the neutral wire as a ground wire. Never do this. If the neutral wire breaks, the housings of grounded devices will be under voltage of 220 V.
