Looking to build ... total beginner.

[SteveRosenlund]

Hello everyone,

I'm a new guy here and new to electronics projects.  Can any of you point me to some good starter projects to get my feet wet?  Something like a basic power supply, or an ac/dc rectifier bridge?  Most of the stuff you guys talk about on the beginner's forum is too advanced for me.

My equipment:
Sencore SC3100 Scope
Rigol DS1054Z Scope
Fluke 289 DMM
Fluke 117 DMM
Extech 470 DMM
Hantek HDG 2012B AWG
Breadboard
Soon to have a Rigol DP832 Power supply
bunch of components from ebay in sets of 100-1000

I just don't know where to start but I want to start building. 

I've been watching the M.I.T. Lectures on EE/CS.  Very informative stuff there. 

Hope you all can help.

Steve

[Psi]

Doesn't matter what you build, just build and don't give up until it works or you have a new idea for something to build

well.. In the end it doesn't really matter if it works
 You learn just the same. It just more enjoyable when you have something for your effort.

You can build quite complex things by breaking them down into small modules.

The key is keeping yourself motivated to work on it. So the project needs to be something you actually want.

[Shadetreeprops]

i was just a beginner a few months ago myself. I also build props..so i thought hey put this and that together and get some spactacular effects for my props.

right now i am working on my "RADIATION KING POWER CELL CHARGER" i got some pics of the project in General, the first parts of the pics are on page 2 now, and the new ones just posted.

but i built a Bench PSU using a xbox PSU brick, atari paddle for the 1M pot, for variable voltage, in like volt amp reader. and it put it all into a coffee creamer container..but now i have ripped it apart to use the PSU to run my radiation king project.

but i can make a new PSU casue i have Acopian 15v x3 AC to DC converters that i found. so i can make a 45V PSU then stick all that back in the creamer can, may stick it in a coke bottle for shats and giggles.


my rad king.. will be using 12 v LEDS, the regular 2v leds, a 555 timer, 2 bar graph leds, 2 LM3914 chips, and 1 old school kilocycle analog gague. to produce a timed tick to look like its actually charging the nuclear power cell.

so build mannnnn build your imagination is the limit.

[SteveRosenlund]

So if this were an electronics class, what projects would I be assigned first off?


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[vk6zgo]

So if this were an electronics class, what projects would I be assigned first off?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It would probably be "learn to solder".

[bitseeker]

A basic linear power supply is a good starting point. In addition to gaining a lot of general knowledge from it, so many devices have a power supply inside and die due to issues in the power supply, so you'll be able to apply what you learn to fixing things too.

Note, though, that there are many types of power supplies. So, learning how linear ones work is a starting point.

It would probably be "learn to solder".

+1

[MK14]

If your components include a NE555 oscillator IC, you can make a simple LED flasher circuit. Just google it, or try this one:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Basic-555-Timer-LED-Flasher-Circuit/

Then you can mess with the circuit, to make it do different things, such as flash alternating LEDs on and off and/or Flash at different rates.

[SteveRosenlund]

It would probably be "learn to solder".

Lol. That's probably right. I think my soldering skills are pretty adequate. I solder ALL the time. I fly RC helicopters and I solder constantly for that hobby. Plus I have an awesome Hakko FM-203 soldering station with the 70w and 140w handpieces. I'm good with through hole soldering. And I solder all my battery connectors and wiring (a bad soldering joint on a 700 class Heli is a crash and a bad day).

I do not have any SMD soldering experience however.

[SteveRosenlund]

A basic linear power supply is a good starting point. In addition to gaining a lot of general knowledge from it, so many devices have a power supply inside and die due to issues in the power supply, so you'll be able to apply what you learn to fixing things too.

Note, though, that there are many types of power supplies. So, learning how linear ones work is a starting point.

I have a few linear transformers. I ordered a 300w 24v toroidal transformer the other day off eBay to play around with. I salvaged a few transformers off of dental equipment. I have one from an X-Ray but it's only 10v but has some neat features. I also have an acme .5kva transformer I have wired for 24v.

[Shadetreeprops]

So if this were an electronics class, what projects would I be assigned first off?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It would probably be "learn to solder".

yep, soldering, and alot of boring stuff right up till almost midterm, then you have to do project based on all the book studies, and soldering, you will also being doing MATH MATH MATH MATH..learn to use a scope, and other tools of the trade followed by more math...

[SteveRosenlund]

What kind of math?  Ohms law? KCL/KVL?  And let's assume I'm fairly competent with a scope and DMM.

Less so with the scope, but enough to find a trace and a few other basics.

[Brumby]

It would probably be "learn to solder".

Lol. That's probably right. I think my soldering skills are pretty adequate. I solder ALL the time. I fly RC helicopters and I solder constantly for that hobby. Plus I have an awesome Hakko FM-203 soldering station with the 70w and 140w handpieces. I'm good with through hole soldering. And I solder all my battery connectors and wiring (a bad soldering joint on a 700 class Heli is a crash and a bad day).

I do not have any SMD soldering experience however.

Curious as to what a 700 class Heli looked like - I came across this:

https://youtu.be/zb0bCtrI5Hw?t=33

Are you that good?

[SteveRosenlund]

Curious as to what a 700 class Heli looked like - I came across this:

https://youtu.be/zb0bCtrI5Hw?t=33

Are you that good?

Haha Szabo is a pro and no I'm not that good. You should see Kyle Stacy fly. I have the same Heli he flies in this video:
http://youtu.be/Uebe_HlUsBc

In fact here are a couple of my Helis at the field.

[Brumby]

I was freaking at that inverted hover.  Did he get within 1cm of the ground?!!

Me - I've just got a little CX-2.  Wouldn't mind something bigger - but can't afford it.


Anyway - I'd better let this thread get back on topic.

[rx8pilot]

First:
Get some pre-made kits with PCB's. They will introduce you to the names of the components and you learn basic assembly - soldering.

Second:
Figure out why your kits don't work which is likely.

Third:
Think of what you satisfy you to design and build. Think of the basic building blocks of what would be needed. For example: RC car would need a power source, a radio section, motor controller, motor driver, and maybe a few other things. Pick one of them and start reading about how people have designed them in the past. Pick a simple one and start reading and experimenting with it.

Fourth:
Learn how to measure. It's not easy and it is CRITICAL to be good at measuring all the parameters that impact electronic devices.

[SteveRosenlund]

Excellent thanks. Do you mean kits that I have to put together?

Like this?
https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/221451495178

[NilByMouth]

The Arduino kits are more like lego kits - you don't really learn much, except about Arduinos.

[SteveRosenlund]

Ok how about this? https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/271559725807

[hitech95]

When I started I did small projects without too many components, just to get familiar with them.

Get an LED, a pair of resistors, a switch. For power supply, battery or a bench power supply. And make a simple circuit, try changing the resistance to see what happens, try to understand why you use.
Before you build the circuit on the breadboard so that you learn how to use it, then solder the circuit in a stripboard.
You can do more complicated things like logic gates, filters, etc. It all depends on your efforts.

I started out of curiosity and necessity. Find a project that particularly interests you!

First of electronic lesson, me and my classmates have built a voltage divider.

Like others have said a kit is very useful to learn. Some time ago I built a radio kit.

[SteveRosenlund]

After getting more knowledge in EE, if you want to build your own boards, consider buying a good strength PCB package. Form your equipment list, it seems you are not running short on money, so you can consider some entry level commercial tools.

Rolling out your own PCB is completely different than building kits, and is a much more expensive and challenging, but very rewarding and knowledge boosting process.

What is a PCB package?  And by rolling out, do you mean fabricating my own PCB's?

[SteveRosenlund]

Wow that looks like serious stuff.

[Brumby]

Don't panic. 

Get a bit more experience with some basic stuff and work your way up.  You'll soon get your bearings and then it's a matter of absorbing more and more.  One day you will know when you've reached the point of PCB design - which is where you can learn a lot more, depending on how far down that rabbit hole you are prepared to venture.


Don't freak out about the rally car just yet - learn to drive the golf buggy first.

[SteveRosenlund]

As long as I've got my towel I'll be ok.

[Brumby]

( I almost put in a GIF instead of the text ......  )

[alanb]

I would recommend looking at W2aew on Youtube. Many of his videos feature interesting projects where he explains the theory and gives a schematic with sufficient detail for you to build it yourself. You will learn much more from this channel than by simply building kits. 

[SteveRosenlund]

I would recommend looking at W2aew on Youtube. Many of his videos feature interesting projects where he explains the theory and gives a schematic with sufficient detail for you to build it yourself. You will learn much more from this channel than by simply building kits.

I like this guys videos. Is this the same guy who if the oscilloscope class in New Jersey?  The guy who works for tektronix?

[MrSlack]

Another upvote for w2aew.

[SteveRosenlund]

What do y'all think about the book "Practical Electronics for Inventors"?  I got a used copy of that one as well as a copy of "How to Diagnose and Fix Everything Electronic" which has a lot of the authors troubleshooting methods which I find interesting.

[MrSlack]

It's ok - lots of errors. No real flow to it and some explanations are missing but not a terrible book.

[alanb]

Practical Electronics for Inventors is ok but if I could only have one book I would prefer The Art of Electronics. The real problem with both of these books is that they try to pack too wide a subject matter into one book. When buying electronics books don't be afraid to buy old books, the fundamentals never change. 

[bitseeker]

Practical Electronics has a new 4th edition out. I haven't heard to what level it fixes the errors from the 3rd edition. I seem to recall an extensive community-built errata for the prior version. If you get the older book, search the forum for the corrections.

[SteveRosenlund]

I have the second version

[bitseeker]

OK, I'm not sure if there was a specific errata collection for that edition. Search the forum (use the Search link in the header menu, not the search box) and see what you can find. It's been some time since I've looked at it.

[KL27x]

+1 Art of Electronics.
For a quick start on the basic electronics needed for simple digital stuff, download Rev Ed instruction manual for PicAxe.