Electronics Newbie and just joined

[j7512]

Hello Everyone,
I just joined and I'm hoping to learn a lot. I'm currently studying Computer Science and upon learning I got interested in the Hardware side of computers which lead me to electronics which eventually lead me here. I have REAL no idea where to start and I want to know where I should start? I already have a soldering kit with a book on soldering. I've read up about a lot of things about electronics on the internet.

So far this is all I know:
- Flux is the chemical inside the solder, that removes oxidation from the metals. Letting the user to easily fuse the solder to the component on the printed circuit board.

- Solder, usually made of tin or lead and it is used to fuse the PCB(Printed Circuit Boards) and the components together.

- De-solder pump, it sucks away the solder but you must heat up the solder around the component before sucking it in. There are many other ways to de-solder, including solder wick, desoldering resin I think it's called.

- ROM Chips, Read Only Memory my guess from what I know from Computer Science is that these store data that cannot be erased or modified and I only know that these can be found in Game Boy Game Cartridges.

- Microchips are just integrated circuits, correct me if I'm wrong. Microchips come in many forms, such as Memory Controllers, CPUs, RAM, ROM and etc.

- EPROM, Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory, this is similar to the ROM but it's just that it's a microchip that keeps it's data when it's power is turned off.

I also have little knowledge of components like resistors and transistors. It's not much but I have been looking in to electronics little by little over the few weeks.

 

[MrAl]

Hi,

Welcome to the club. Start stocking up on resistors, capacitors, and whatever else you think is interesting.
Maybe start out with a small project about something you are interested in doing.
By all means check out LEDs.

 

[House0Fwax]

Hello and welcome.

- Solder, usually made of tin or lead and it is used to fuse the PCB(Printed Circuit Boards) and the components together.

The good stuff is made of lead and tin. Stay clear of lead free if you can, it's rubbish.

 

[j7512]

Aw, really? Lead-free? Thats the only solder that came with my soldering kit. Why is it rubbish by the way? I'm interested.

 

[Boncuk]

Hi j7512,

don't start out at high levels.

Start out as MrAl suggested with small things so you can see what you have done right after you apply power.

Small brushed DC-motors are available for small money and they can be of use if you use them right, e.g. moving the drapes in your living room according to sunlight.

Learn the basic laws first, such as Ohm's Law, Kirchhoff's law etc. to know how electronics work.

You can't smell electrons, neither can you see them, but you might be able to feel them up to a strength when you won't feel anymore.

So be patient and don't reach for the stars now.

Boncuk

 

[House0Fwax]

Why is it rubbish by the way?

It doesn't flow as easily as leaded. It also grows 'tin whiskers' over time, which on fine pitched surface mount IC's for example is just asking for a short circuit eventually.

When I first used lead-free, it made such bad joints I thought I'd actually forgotten how to solder.

If it is all you have and you learn to solder using it then you'll be ok.

 

[MEJY1988]

It doesn't flow as easily as leaded. It also grows 'tin whiskers' over time, which on fine pitched surface mount IC's for example is just asking for a short circuit eventually.

When I first used lead-free, it made such bad joints I thought I'd actually forgotten how to solder.

If it is all you have and you learn to solder using it then you'll be ok.

Lead-Free solder requires a hotter iron. That is why they put the lead in it. Just thought you would like to know.

 

[4pyros]

Try led throwies. Just Google it. Andy

 

[j7512]

LED Throwies are way too easy! I've already started practicing de-soldering components like mini usb ports and LED's and I'm having difficulty because the solder doesn't seem to melt with my 40W soldering iron.

On another note, I was thinking of buying an old used brick game boy and just making it smaller in size, putting it on a more compact PCB and smaller outer plastic shell and
keeping the components together but that would be hard as I have no idea how to
put them onto the new PCB. I'm guessing you can't just put components anywhere
you want and they have to be in specific places to fit the plastic shell and so
on.

Where do you guys buy your PCB's or do you make them yourself? I've seen etching kits in the shops.

 

[4pyros]

Where do you guys buy your PCB's

PCBexpress home prototype printed circuit board manufacturer - RoHS Compliant Circuit Boards

do you make them yourself?

Thare are many whys to make them yourself, google it.

 

[4pyros]

I was thinking of buying an old used brick game boy and just making it smaller in size, putting it on a more compact PCB and smaller outer plastic shell and

I would not try it, to hard for a beginnner, it would have to be many surface mount components.
you should start with through hole stuff. Take a look at the many kits out thare.

I've already started practicing de-soldering components like mini usb ports and LED's and I'm having difficulty because the solder doesn't seem to melt with my 40W

USB ports may have to much mass to heat up. Is your iron properly tinned?
Andy

 

[j7512]

I think so, the solder melts onto the tip but weird thing is before tinning smokes starts to come out of the soldering iron, is that normal?

 

[crutschow]

I think so, the solder melts onto the tip but weird thing is before tinning smokes starts to come out of the soldering iron, is that normal?

That's just the rosin flux, that's inside most solder wire, burning. The flux helps clean the soldering area of oxide to make a good solder joint.

 

[j7512]

No what I mean is that the soldering iron is smoking before any solder is applied.

 

[crutschow]

So how long does it keep smoking?

 

[MEJY1988]

No what I mean is that the soldering iron is smoking before any solder is applied.

Also check to make sure that the tip is not loose. I had a problem with one that liked to loosen up on me, set screw was stripped.

 

[j7512]

So how long does it keep smoking?

It keeps smoking until solder is applied, sometimes the smoke still comes after the solder is applied.

 

[crutschow]

It keeps smoking until solder is applied, sometimes the smoke still comes after the solder is applied.

So it keeps smoking forever? If so then the iron appears to be burning out.

Otherwise I suspect you have some rosin flux on the iron from previous usage and that is what is smoking.

 

[j7512]

So it keeps smoking forever? If so then the iron appears to be burning out.

Otherwise I suspect you have some rosin flux on the iron from previous usage and that is what is smoking.

Hmm well I don't think it's burning out because it's brand new and brought from a reputable retail shop. Most likely flux from factory testing and previous solder.