Volts vs Amps

[ChadTower]

I'm studying up on electricity itself in prep for some projects I want to start in the near future.  I want to be sure I really understand some concepts and am hoping someone can confirm (or refute) some analogies I'm working on in my head.

I'm thinking of electricity, as I've read, as water in a pipe. 

Voltage = forward water pressure. The more voltage, the faster the water will come out THE END of the pipe.  Voltage has a vector parallel to the walls of the pipe.  Too many volts will damage whatever the water is feeding into (e.g. the sprinkler at the end of the hose).

Amperage = amount of water in the pipe, pressure on the pipe walls.  Amperage has a vector perpendicular to the walls of the pipe.  Too many amps will cause the pipe walls to burst.

Are those analogies reasonable or am I misunderstanding something?

[SirPoonga]

http://science.howstuffworks.com/question501.htm
See, everyone uses the water analogy

[ChadTower]

Yeah, I was using the water analogy because I've seen reference to it, and it makes sense.  Visible physical force is easier to wrap one's mind around than "theoretical" force.

[pointdablame]

http://www.bcae1.com/

I point people there with this question because their water diagrams are perfect IMHO.  It's a car audio site, so it won't all apply to you (unless that's your project lol), but there is a LOT of good info there.... volt, amp, current, ohm, et al.  There are some good diagrams as well.

[ChadTower]

No, actually I'm trying to master the concepts involved so that I can dive deeper into monitors, vectors specifically, for an upcoming cab I'd like to design. 

[DarkKobold]

Chad, did you ever finish fixing your AD?

If not, don't you think you should walk up the hill before trying to scale a mountain?

[ChadTower]

Haven't worked on it, have been working on other things.

The primary holdup for the AD hasn't been the conceptual part, it's been my suckass soldering skills.  I won't touch the AD PCB until I'm confident I won't wreck it, and the problem is in the X/Y video section of the PCB.

My attention span is too damn short, I tend to work on 10 projects in parallel and none of them go very quickly.

[danny_galaga]

if you think of the voltage in terms of a water tank, then the height of the tank is analogous to the volts, and the size of the pipe the amps and naturally the length of the pipe is resistance. the analogy works well because you can use the same 'pascals triangle' formula to describe them both...

[HaRuMaN]

If you really wanna bake your noodle, study RLC circuits for a while!   

[NoOne=NBA=]

Volts = Water Pressure
Amps = VOLUME of the water through the pipe
Resistance = Size of the Pipe

If you increase the voltage (turn up the water pressure) without changing the resistance (using a different sized pipe), the amperage will increase (water will flow faster through the pipe).

If you decrease the resistance (use a bigger pipe) without changing the voltage (keep the same water pressure), the amperage will also increase (more water will flow through the larger pipe).


Would you like to hear my "cattle roundup" description of how a transistor works?

[DarkKobold]

If you really wanna bake your noodle, study RLC circuits for a while!

[NoOne=NBA=]

No one would steal this avatar..

I would NOT.
I like mine very much...thank you.

[forbiddenlyrics]

If you really wanna bake your noodle, study RLC circuits for a while!

I second this! I just finished my third circuits class yesterday and my brain is fried for awhile.

[Navmaxlp]

If any of you ever have any questions dealing with electronics, I am an electronics technician with the FAA. I was military trained (GO NAVY) and have been doing this for quite a long time. Please feel free to PM or post if you need help with anything. I know how the concepts sometimes are hard to grasp at first but once you understand it its easy. Good luck with the tuned tank circuits (RLC networks) and beware the transistor/JFET/MOSFET biasing area of intsruction. Not to scare you or anything hehe

Just a few things for those who may not know since i think more in math than in words

E(voltage) = I (Amps) X R (Resistance)

P (Power) = I (Amps) X E (Voltage)

Something basic for you guys starting out.

[Joystick Jerk]

Volts shock/burn you, amps kill you. As long as you stay on the good side of amps, volts won't cause you much harm(relatively speaking).

[ChadTower]

The problem is, he is going to have to if he wants to do his project.

I think Chad was talking about making his own 25" vector monitors. Lots of inductance, capacitance, and EM there.

Soldering just takes practice Chad.... Find some crappy pcbs and start soldering to them.

Yep... my problem is that every time I get my workbench clear, my wife stacks 50 things on it.  It's like she sees a clear spot and thinks "hey, I can put some crap there."  I do something fundamentally wrong when soldering, I had trouble even reflowing last time.  I had to sit the tip directly on the solder blob for 20 seconds before it would even start to melt.

[Navmaxlp]

One thing you can do to speed up the heat transfer is put a little solder on the tip first before you start to desolder a joint. Also tro to get as much of the iron surface area on the joint as you can. And lastly keep as much metal from touching the joint as possible ie dont hold the joint with a pair of pliers. Not only can this burn you but, it also dissipates a lot of heat. The more heat you dissipate the more it will take for the solder to melt. Oh and wick is easier for me to use than a solder sucker but, thats a matter of opinion. Hope that helps.

[Quarters]

Yep... my problem is that every time I get my workbench clear, my wife stacks 50 things on it.  It's like she sees a clear spot and thinks "hey, I can put some crap there."

I have this same problem with my cocktail. Flat surfaces attract crap.

[danny_galaga]

The problem is, he is going to have to if he wants to do his project.

I think Chad was talking about making his own 25" vector monitors. Lots of inductance, capacitance, and EM there.

Soldering just takes practice Chad.... Find some crappy pcbs and start soldering to them.

I do something fundamentally wrong when soldering, I had trouble even reflowing last time.

[Shooter]

If any of you ever have any questions dealing with electronics, I am an electronics technician with the FAA. I was military trained (GO NAVY) and have been doing this for quite a long time. Please feel free to PM or post if you need help with anything. I know how the concepts sometimes are hard to grasp at first but once you understand it its easy. Good luck with the tuned tank circuits (RLC networks) and beware the transistor/JFET/MOSFET biasing area of intsruction. Not to scare you or anything hehe

Just a few things for those who may not know since i think more in math than in words

E(voltage) = I (Amps) X R (Resistance)

P (Power) = I (Amps) X E (Voltage)

Something basic for you guys starting out.

Wow that is weird I also was Navy trained (ET2) and i now work for the FAA (Milwaukee).  It is a common transition from what i have heard.  Most of our techs are ex military.  I'm going to ILS school later this year.

Shooter

[Navmaxlp]

ILS concepts or an equipment course? I just had the Mark 1f OJT and am awaiting the cert exam hehe.  I'm in Baltimore but, I start VORTAC school in June. Let me know if you'll be out there at the same time, we can hit Red Dog LOL. BTW what ship were you on in the Navy?

[Shooter]

I'm heading down there Monday for 10 weeks.  Going to the new hire class then after that its on to ILS concepts.  This past week i helped install a mk1f, I learned a ton from that.  You should look me up. I'll probably be at Mansions North.
My ship was the USS Mitscher (DDG 57)

Shooter

[Navmaxlp]

I always stay at mansions north. Best by far imo. Just a warning. If you haven't taken vor concepts yet, ils concepts can be a bear of a course. It sucks when the normal rules of electronics no longer apply. I'll PM you once I've booked my room.

[ChadTower]

clean is good, and is the iron powerful enough for the job? the hotter the better (within reason) as you can do the job so much more quickly which means less total excess energy is going into the component...

Unless it's faulty, it should be.  20/40W station.

[Shooter]

clean is good, and is the iron powerful enough for the job? the hotter the better (within reason) as you can do the job so much more quickly which means less total excess energy is going into the component...

Unless it's faulty, it should be. 20/40W station.

I agree I had a 45 Watt iron and it really was more then I needed so I went to a switchable 15W/30W iron and it works great.

[danny_galaga]

P (Power) = I (Amps) X E (Voltage)

note that P (power) is in watts. in australia we just refer to it as W (watts)