I am interested in your story

[DavidR8]

as is 110 , 111 or whatever it takes .

I just used that quote the other day!

 

[davidpbest]

I want to know if you can tell a story as to how you learned so much. I am a reader, and have studied electrical troubleshooting not only in college, but on the job. I have only ever met a couple people who could find the problem and fix it as fast as I could. But I'm a novice compared to you guys. What gives? What's your story?

When I was 8, my dad bought me a HeathKit shortwave radio kit and a soldering iron. From there, I built several other KnightKits, and started designing my own circuits with some mentoring from the science teacher in middle school. By the time I was 12, I had started my own business fixing radios and TV's. See attached. From there, I tried to absorb everything I could and ended up getting in on the ground floor of the computer industry in the latter part of the 1960's. I worked my way up at IBM, Digital Equipment, and ended up the top executive of the microprocessor division of Intel in the lathe 1970's. in the 1980's I got into the venture capital business in silicon valley and helped start several successful computer, networking, electronic and mechanical CAD companies as a mentoring chairman. I got off the high-tech gravy train in the 1990's so I could branch out into other fields of interest. I've been very lucky, but have also dedicated myself to being a life long learner. It's been a wild ride and I am forever grateful for the opportunities and experiences over the past six decades.

 

[Ulma Doctor]

I started before i can remember.
i played with my toys for a couple days, then took them apart to find out WHY, instead of how they work
i performed countless experiments with magnets and DC electricity
i went to tech school, learned vehicular electricity
got a job as a forklift technician, worked on electric material handling equipment and their charging systems
became proficient in DC electric troubleshooting, motor repair, & rebuild
endless reading of everything regarding electrical i could get my hands on -
countless experiments with AC electricity
designed my first rotary phase converter
got a job as a food packaging equipment technician, went to factory schools for 12 different manufacturers on many types of equipment
became very proficient over the last 25 years by servicing in excess of 1,000 pieces of electrically controlled equipment
i have to have strong electrical, pneumatic ,hydraulic , welding and mechanical skills just to keep up

 

[erikmannie]

I doubt often come to this forum, because I had been serving as an electrician at work for the last 7 years. My standard advice has almost always been, "hire an electrician" regarding electrical issues.
But I've been reading through, and I see several of you are quite well versed in electrical principles. So well versed in fact, that my own knowledge seems quite shallow in depth, and narrow in breadth.
I want to know if you can tell a story as to how you learned so much. I am a reader, and have studied electrical troubleshooting not only in college, but on the job. I have only ever met a couple people who could find the problem and fix it as fast as I could. But I'm a novice compared to you guys. What gives? What's your story?

Check out the book entitled The Art of Electronics. It is quite expensive, but absolutely worth whatever you pay for it.

 

[JPMacG]

Got involved in ham radio when I was 14. That led to electrical engineering in college. BSEE, M.Eng.EE, P.E., 40 years professional work in microwave circuits and antennas. Worked on commercial communications satellites, GPS Block III, MUOS, and others, 6 patents, over 30 publications, etc. That being said, I know virtually nothing about motors and electrical power systems and I look to others on this forum for advice.

 

[Zack]

What gives? What's your story?

My story. Sounds like machinists anonymous, LOL.

I went through a good machine shop trade school in high school in the early 70s. Liked it and made good grades. After graduation I got hired on as a turret lathe operator in a lawn mower factory and lasted as I remember less than two weeks. Endlessly making lawnmower deck driveshafts was not near as fun as working on different lathes, mills and surface grinders or making gears.
Then I went in the army for a few years. After the army I got an apprenticeship as an electrician and spent the next 43 years as an inside wireman. Collected an electrical masters license in the early 90s. Spent the last 10 years or so working as a contract electrician in a large hospital in SW Missouri. Fire alarms, ex-ray equipment, HVAC, 4160 and 13,200 high voltage and anything else the maintenance men couldn't or weren't licensed to do. This covid business came along and I decided at 66 yrs it was a good time time to retire. Also, got interested in amateur radio in the late 70s and got licensed. Hold an extra class ham license. Ham radio always complimented my electricial career. It gave me a lot of insight as to how different machines utilize electricity, not something all electricians are required to know. Anyway, back to machinery, have had a lathe and mill for years, don't think I could do without one. Working with metal is 90 % of what electricians do and that time way back in high school that I spent in machineshop class helped me SO much in my trade.

"Well, that's my story". (quietly take my chair)

 

[homebrewed]

When I was five, I held my Dad's tools as he renovated and rewired the lower floor of the 2 story we lived in.
I learned physics in grade school and built a working atom smasher for grade 7 science fair.
Moved on to computers in HS and started building them.
Engineering in U, then did renovations on my own after.
Started helping guys in industrial bays wire their 3phase stuff.
After that, worked for an electrician for fun doing primary work - pulling wires, etc, and watched very carefully what he did. an learned tons of the electrical code.

Mostly I'm curious and love to learn stuff.

Making a working atom smasher! That's another multidisciplinary thing for sure. Was it based on the Amateur Scientist article on the subject?

 

[homebrewed]

All these posts make me think I should talk a lot less and listen a lot more

 

[Dabbler]

Was it based on the Amateur Scientist article on the subject?

@homebrewed I couldn't find the right tubes for a cyclotron, so I made a linear accelerator like the new one (at the time) in California.

 

[markba633csi]

Impressive how many electronics guys there are here- not too surprising, actually
No wonder I like it here