Author Topic: other resources  (Read 3531 times)

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yoshhash

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other resources
« on: December 06, 2010, 10:24:39 PM »
I'm starting to realize that this forum is way over my head.  Can anyone suggest a resource (book, website, forum) for REAL beginners-  I mean really new, borderline retarded.

Bruce S

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Re: other resources
« Reply #1 on: December 07, 2010, 04:45:34 PM »
Sorry to see this.
Is it possible the FAQs are not enough?
There are websites like "howstuffworks.com" that might be a good read.
Most of what you see going on here in the different sections are from people that started with NO idea what or where to start either.
Do not be put off by us, and certainly do not be worried about asking basic questions. Some may point you to a specific FAQ, but that's mainly because the FAQ will give you a deeper understanding.

http://www.science-ebooks.com/electronics/basic_electronics.htm is a site that I still like to look at, perhaps it will help you as well.

Best of Luck
Bruce S


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wpowokal

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Re: other resources
« Reply #2 on: December 07, 2010, 05:26:46 PM »
Yoshhash, You have actually found the best possible forum, for all the reasons Bruce stated plus, members represent people at all levels of knowledge and yes there a few grumpy old buggers who shall remain nameless but the others are quite friendly.

You have not told us what you seek to learn? there are very few taboo subjects despite the primary focus being on renewable energy, just keep it family friendly and you can't go wrong, oh and when you post pics abide by the rules as there is no quicker way to bring the wrath of the board police down on ones self than to disobey pic rules.

For every "dumb" question a member asks, there are probably 50 odd other members who wanted to ask that question but were not game to, so seek and you shall find. You will find that when members reply to your questions you will be given, when appropriate, links to other sites/threads that will give you a more in depth understanding of the knowledge you seek, and don't post multiple question in one day, people soon get tired of that because it shows the poster is , simply shooting off dozens of questions to raise their post number (my person opinion) not absorbing the information.

Allan
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Rover

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Re: other resources
« Reply #3 on: December 07, 2010, 05:36:34 PM »
"For every "dumb" question a member asks, there are probably 50 odd other members who wanted to ask that question "

Yep I learn a lot from those....

as  wpowokal  said ... give a little more definition to what you are looking for....except meaning of life stuff :).  One of the hardest questions to answer here is one that is too vague. If you are vague, you will get a vague answer. (and possibly a small amount of ribbing). 

"I mean really new, borderline retarded" ... hmm that makes you smarter than some of us ... we might not be up to the task. Besides you managed to find this place, figure out how to post a question ... pretty sure that pulls you out of the category. (now if you repeat the same question at some later date , you fall back in )

 
Rover
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ghurd

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Re: other resources
« Reply #4 on: December 07, 2010, 05:53:45 PM »
I agree with them,
especially Allan's statement "You have actually found the best possible forum".

It is not just the levels of knowledge.
I am always amazed with the diverse areas of knowledge.

If an idea is not so great, someone here will tell you.  I like that better than wasting time and resources chasing bad ideas.
Many other forums seems to have members tell you the idea is great, even if it is not.

Some newbie forums are operated and read by newbies.  Hard to make any advancement if nobody knows what is going on.

I believe a lot of the newbie confusion is caused by unfamilar terminology.
There is a list of terms at the top of FAQs.

G-
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Rover

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Re: other resources
« Reply #5 on: December 07, 2010, 06:07:14 PM »
And now back to the original question "Can anyone suggest a resource (book, website, forum) for REAL beginners"

Book on what?
1. Renewable energy? (too broad, most I've read were out of date before they were published, and lacking in critical facts)
2. How to conserve?
3. How to generate enough power to not pay anyone anything, (oh the dream book,see #1 and you need #2, and a dose of #4)?
4. How to generare power from wind?, solar? hydro? .. nuclear?
5. A specific part of anyone of the above

Easiest thing , probably, is to describe what your goal is. "I am in intersted in /want to(build,use,buy)/think about/dream about/ want to start a for profit venture using your free information (not a god one for here)

Is it a hobby interest, need to to do,  etc.

We would like to help , but have no idea where toi start

Rover
<Where did I bury that microcontroller?>

JW

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Re: other resources
« Reply #6 on: December 07, 2010, 07:04:34 PM »
Quote
And now back to the original question "Can anyone suggest a resource (book, website, forum) for REAL beginners"

One thing we have been considering is to start forming some "wiki" type entrys. Theres been some recent "chatter" among GM's and Admins on this issue.

Obviously there needs to be an outline formed at some point, then the condensed version with branching links to get newbies a starting point.

I basically comes down to all of us users creating some type of working draft... It will be alot of work, even if a wiki type of platform is up and running.

Were cautiously looking into this, using a SMF/forum interface,  and would like to hear some user's feed back on the best way to do this (compile the information), preferably only once. This type of thing will not happen over night.

JW

fabricator

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Re: other resources
« Reply #7 on: December 07, 2010, 07:28:58 PM »
The Dans book would be an excellent place to learn about building a wind turbine.
I aint skeerd of nuthin.......Holy Crap! What was that!!!!!
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wooferhound

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Re: other resources
« Reply #8 on: December 08, 2010, 12:54:23 AM »
I think our host site is a great place to learn stuff . . .
http://otherpower.com/
be sure to check out the menu at the bottom of the pages !

yoshhash

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Re: other resources
« Reply #9 on: December 23, 2010, 06:21:37 PM »
Thx for the many welcomes and replies, sorry I was away, would have replied earlier had I known you wrote.
Ok, here is a better phrased version of my earlier question:
I am actually quite educated (44, architect) and handy (construction worker most of my life) but have thus far found nothing online which I could use, because I just have a hard time comprehending circuitry diagrams, converting them to a usable point. I need it broken down to the very basics, where to get parts, what to ACTUALLY do with them (align like this picture, solder here to here, drill a hole here, be careful not to cut this thing off, this is what it should look like, here is an example of what not to do, etc etc.)  I feel hopelessly dumb when I can't find a resource that explains it in simple enough terms.
Today though, I think I found that first baby step that I was looking for:

http://www.amasci.com/amateur/coilgen.html

Most of you will laugh at the crudeness, but it fully describes the different components tangibly- of course I will quickly move on to more refined experiments.  So it looks like I answered my own question, but I will surely be back to ask for more guidance, and of course I am still thirsty for other suggestions.
In the meantime, as part of my introduction, I would like to explain what brings me here:
Not only am I a science geek that is utterly mesmerized by the ever increasing flood of information available via internet, I am a bit of a collapse theorist, think that society (or at least North America) is in for a rude shock due to our coddled culture, peak oil, impending MASSIVE financial collapse, etc.  I just want to be more self reliant, 2 projects in the near future would be a pedal generator and a wind turbine.  I would also be very interested in integrating something already easily/cheaply available, like used car alternators, into my plans. I have many woodworking/construction tools, can build anything if I can just get my head around what it is and what it does.

I am also a sales agent for a solar panel company, so wind and other alternative energies comes up a lot in my line of work.  I would like to have a better understanding of the science behind alternative energy production beyond installing components.

ghurd

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Re: other resources
« Reply #10 on: December 23, 2010, 06:50:42 PM »
I know what you mean about "have a hard time comprehending circuitry diagrams."
And I think, for the most part, you are plumb out of luck.

Half the internet forums are lucky to get 2 people who know which way a diode faces but they won't bother to tell you, the other half will only give a link to the equivalent circuit for a doo-hickey with 96 legs you never heard of assuming you can see the obvious implications!

The learning curve is steep, but the comprehension happens fast after a few basic concepts.
Keep reading here.
G-
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wooferhound

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Re: other resources
« Reply #11 on: December 23, 2010, 08:01:31 PM »

SparWeb

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Re: other resources
« Reply #12 on: January 14, 2011, 03:39:28 PM »
Today though, I think I found that first baby step that I was looking for:
http://www.amasci.com/amateur/coilgen.html
Most of you will laugh at the crudeness, but it fully describes the different components tangibly- of course I will quickly move on to more refined experiments.

A christmas present given to my son this year was an electronic experiments kit - one of them resembles that motor.
It was a lot of fun to build and it's a good illustration of the effect of alternating a magnetic field in a wire, causing electric current to flow.
No one believes the theory except the one who developed it. Everyone believes the experiment except the one who ran it.
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WindriderNM

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Re: other resources
« Reply #13 on: January 17, 2011, 09:31:30 PM »
I have asked a lot of dumb questions and had some dumb ideas. The people here have being very good about explaining way they won't work or why they are not practical before I waste the time and money to build them. I have found a lot of good information in unusual places on this forum such as the pub and the classified sections, so keep searching and reading. Also some topics wander off the starting subject and end up in new and exciting places with lots of good information. I started out with a modified car alt. and now have 9 solar elect. panels, 6 heating panels, 12 batteries, 3 wind generators (2 flying) and 2 more under construction. I am now off the grid. I am working on bio-diesel (Starting to collect parts). Almost all from what i have learned here. All in the last 3 years.
Yes i admit it, I have become addicted.
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