good resources for learning about electricity/electronics?

[Balog]

Any thoughts on good books/websites for learning the basics of electricity in general and electronics specifically? I'm studying for my electrician's license and the course material we have sucks. Poorly written, confusing subject jumps, and so dry I think I'm back in the Mojave every time I try to read it.

In addition to my professional interest, I'm also getting into playing bass and I really want to understand and be able to work on all the electronics, both in the bass and the amp. Any good beginner guides to the subject?

[Jim147]

You might try this for a website

• http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/solid-state-electronics-channel.htm

I don't now if they still sell them but I've bought a few books at Radio Shack.

jim

[CNYCacher]

A wire is a pipe.
Electrons are water,
Resistance is a kink in the pipe.
Voltage is water pressure.
Current is gallons per minute.
A voltage source is like a water tower, the more voltage: the higher the tower.

Power (wattage) is voltage * current ; like how hard can you turn a water wheel with X gallons per minute at Y pressure

That should cover the basics,

[Nick1911]

Electric:
Are you looking more at residential house wiring (split-phase, 120v/240v), or getting more into commercial, poly-phase systems?

Electronics:
Do you want to be able to design circuits and PCBs (leaning toward a math/theory plan of study), or do you want to be able to repair/test existing circuits? (Much less math, more practice considerations)

[K Frame]

Fork and an electrical outlet.

You'll learn a lot really fast.

[Balog]

Nick: I work in a high rise and need the more commercial side of thing s for that, but I also want to be able to do residential work.

I'm not looking to design circuits (at least not right away) just understand and work on existing stuff.

[Kingpin46]

Contact your local IBEW and they should be able to point you toward basics and the codes and requirements of your area.

[RocketMan]

Contact your local IBEW and they should be able to point you toward basics and the codes and requirements of your area.

And probably do their best to coerce you into the union.  Never again for this lad.

[Hawkmoon]

What you need to know for an electrician's license is completely different from what you need to know for repairing electronic devices. For long-term sanity, it's probably best to decide which is more important, study that until you reach the level you wish to attain, then move on to the other.

[drewtam]

I went to a junior college before transfering to the big state school. I found it to be very well taught, and great value for the money. I recommend it to anyone looking for a big name degree at half the cost.

Look for this at your junior college:


http://www.jjc.edu/about/college-info/catalog/Pages/descriptions.aspx?prefix=ELC

 ELC 101 - Basic Electrical Circuits (0.5 credits)

This seminar is for the maintenance person with no electrical experience. It is designed to give a day of hands-on training, building and testing the most common electrical circuits used in residential and industrial applications. It is also designed for maintenance personnel who are looking for some cross training in the electrical field. Theory and math are kept to a minimum, with emphasis placed on electrical safety, component usage, and the identification of circuit problems. The first part will cover standard residential circuits to allow the participant to get familiar with working around electrical circuits and taking standard measurements when testing an electrical circuit. The second part will cover standard industrial power and control circuits.





http://www.jjc.edu/about/college-info/catalog/Pages/descriptions.aspx?prefix=EET

 EET 101 - Fundamentals of Electronics (4 credits)

This course provides a survey of basic electronic concepts and theories in combination with hands-on instruction to reinforce classroom theory. Topics addressed include: DC/AC circuit concepts, magnetism, semiconductor devices, amplifier basics, digital number systems, combinational logic circuits, and microcomputer basics.
Prerequisite - High school algebra

[French G.]

Anybody done the Navy NEETS modules?  http://www.cn-coleman.com/neets/index.html

I'm about to start them because I need to learn and it helps my naval reserve career. Right now I do what Cacher suggested, I think of it like a hydraulic system which helps.

Come to think of it though, a hyd system has never tried to kill me. Damn I hate electricity!

[Balog]

What you need to know for an electrician's license is completely different from what you need to know for repairing electronic devices. For long-term sanity, it's probably best to decide which is more important, study that until you reach the level you wish to attain, then move on to the other.

I'm learning electrical stuff for work, but I'm just interested in the electronics. If I detect any incipient madness I'll back off on it. :)

Drewtam: most collegiate options aren't going to work as I have a full time job and can't make normal class hours.

[Rudy Kohn]

Find a copy of Horowitz and Hill's Art of Electronics.
http://www.amazon.com/Art-Electronics-Paul-Horowitz/dp/0521370957/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1249401644&sr=8-1

When I first got dropped into a physics lab, that's the book they gave me to learn how to make the boxes they needed.  I learned almost everything I needed from that book, from resistors in parallel to operational-amplfiers, and I've only really used 5 or 6 chapters.

Give it a look.

[RoadKingLarry]

You could do it like I did, all expenses paid by Uncle Sam. The only catch was they made me ride submarines after the school was done. 

Actually the NEETS stuff above looks pretty good.

[RaspberrySurprise]

Fork and an electrical outlet.

You'll learn a lot really fast.

Quickest way to "see the light" I know of.

[Physics]

Find a copy of Horowitz and Hill's Art of Electronics.
http://www.amazon.com/Art-Electronics-Paul-Horowitz/dp/0521370957/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1249401644&sr=8-1

When I first got dropped into a physics lab, that's the book they gave me to learn how to make the boxes they needed.  I learned almost everything I needed from that book, from resistors in parallel to operational-amplfiers, and I've only really used 5 or 6 chapters.

Give it a look.

That is a good book for electronics.  I can also recommend Cogdell's Foundations of Electronics and Foundations of Electric Circuits.  If you are looking for a good theory text on Electricity and Magnetism, I would recommend David Griffiths but it is, as I said, theory. 

[cosine]

Fork and an electrical outlet.

You'll learn a lot really fast.

Now you tell me.

And here I am spending thousands on an electrical engineering degree from the university...

[seeker_two]

Fork and an electrical outlet.

You'll learn a lot really fast.

...and a great way to see if your babysitter is up to snuff... 

[Balog]

Sweet merciful crap those books are expensive. $50 used? I wonder if work will reimburse me for them...

[Gewehr98]

USAF Tech. School.   

[RevDisk]

I'm learning electrical stuff for work, but I'm just interested in the electronics. If I detect any incipient madness I'll back off on it. :)

Embrace the madness...

http://www.ibiblio.org/kuphaldt/electricCircuits/

http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/

http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Electrical-Engineering-and-Computer-Science/6-002Spring-2007/CourseHome/index.htm

http://www.khanacademy.org/#Physics



And buy a kit from either http://www.curiousinventor.com/store/category/40 or http://www.adafruit.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8&products_id=136

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