Circuit analysis and general study tips
Circuit analysis and general study tips
(OP)
The more work I do in the field of EE, the more I realizing that my general circuit analysis skills are usually the root of my confusion and could use improvement. Even after putting on my break-a-big-problem-into-smaller-pieces hat, I still find myself confused about the relationships between parts (especially when multiple parts share a net).
I'm sure that years of experience down the road will eventually provide this, but I'd like to create a solid foundation sooner than later (and hopefully avoid a lot of the frustration and embarrassment I'm already dealing with).
That being said, my main question is this: what advice would you have for a focused, targeted studying approach for quickly becoming fluent in circuit analysis?
I've known people who are similarly aged as me (young) who can cruise through analysis in no time at all, and I too want to work toward having this superpower. Should I start at a modular level and fully understand each component type (i.e. Make's Encyclopedia of Electronics) before moving forward? Should I slowly wade through the newly revised tome of EE? Should I dive into certain types of circuits (e.g. current mirrors, voltage regulators, etc.) to better understand topologies? Is there a resource that compiles a large number of circuit problems that start out very simple and increase in difficulty, accompanied with thorough explanations (sort of like a Khan Academy approach)? I have nearly a dozen books, but most just offer the answer and lack elaborate explanation, so even when I get the answer right I'm still unsure of many aspects.
Another way to look at it: if an arbitrary/tight time limit of, say, 25 hours, was imposed what circuit analysis topics and best practice approaches to studying them would you use?
Thanks for any help with this! My head's spinning and feeling overburdened, so any clarity would be greatly appreciated. (It'll also help alleviate me burdening this forum with a laundry list of questions :) )
I'm sure that years of experience down the road will eventually provide this, but I'd like to create a solid foundation sooner than later (and hopefully avoid a lot of the frustration and embarrassment I'm already dealing with).
That being said, my main question is this: what advice would you have for a focused, targeted studying approach for quickly becoming fluent in circuit analysis?
I've known people who are similarly aged as me (young) who can cruise through analysis in no time at all, and I too want to work toward having this superpower. Should I start at a modular level and fully understand each component type (i.e. Make's Encyclopedia of Electronics) before moving forward? Should I slowly wade through the newly revised tome of EE? Should I dive into certain types of circuits (e.g. current mirrors, voltage regulators, etc.) to better understand topologies? Is there a resource that compiles a large number of circuit problems that start out very simple and increase in difficulty, accompanied with thorough explanations (sort of like a Khan Academy approach)? I have nearly a dozen books, but most just offer the answer and lack elaborate explanation, so even when I get the answer right I'm still unsure of many aspects.
Another way to look at it: if an arbitrary/tight time limit of, say, 25 hours, was imposed what circuit analysis topics and best practice approaches to studying them would you use?
Thanks for any help with this! My head's spinning and feeling overburdened, so any clarity would be greatly appreciated. (It'll also help alleviate me burdening this forum with a laundry list of questions :) )





RE: Circuit analysis and general study tips
In general, however, most modern circuits are not particularly amenable to anything less than just dumping it into Spice. The stuff I learned in college for doing circuit analysis almost seems quaint now, since the complexity of even a 741 is beyond what you can really do by hand, which is all the more amazing that guys like Widlar and Wilson were able to produce products that are still usable 4 decades after they were designed, with mostly hand calculations.
TTFN
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Of course I can. I can do anything. I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!
There is a homework forum hosted by engineering.com: http://www.engineering.com/AskForum/aff/32.aspx
RE: Circuit analysis and general study tips
RE: Circuit analysis and general study tips
Does that apply to SWMBOs too?
TTFN
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Need help writing a question or understanding a reply? forum1529: Translation Assistance for Engineers
Of course I can. I can do anything. I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!
There is a homework forum hosted by engineering.com: http://www.engineering.com/AskForum/aff/32.aspx
RE: Circuit analysis and general study tips
RE: Circuit analysis and general study tips
RE: Circuit analysis and general study tips
Keith Cress
kcress - http://www.flaminsystems.com
RE: Circuit analysis and general study tips
Or, in today's world you can visit these manufacturers sites and download the application notes and design guides. Very few of the seminar books can be found online. Browsing these references is an excellent way to learn and quickly recognize the various circuit function-blocks that make up a design. Another way is to study schematics of equipment, and have to repair and maintain it. Better yet, reverse-engineer competitors designs to the point you have detailed and formal schematics, however sometimes designs are compromises of time, resources, and internal company politics, so some parts of a design may not be real good. You know you've got a knack for it when you can look at a design, can quick estimate what time period it was designed by the approach and components used, and can quickly estimate how good the engineer who did the design was, and what goal or limitations he was under when he did the design (cost, reliability, time, space, etc).
RE: Circuit analysis and general study tips
25 hours - google "555 timer". If you can get your hands on one and a few capacitors and resistors and a battery you can have hours of fun seeing how that IC uses analog circuitry to make a 'digital' outputs.
Are you really interested in learning circuitry (analog, digital, the low level stuff) or more into systems (computers, networks, cable modems, power systems, etc.)? There are a lot of different fields within Electrical Engineering.
Z