noob question.  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: Marduk
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 12, 2013, 08:53:55 pm
content: Hello.. im not sure but i would like to double check but i have seen this before.in schematic form David and some random ones i seen here or there. i seen them mark resistor and Caps with "number""unit""number" like 2k2 for resistors. now what that mean? someone told me in school that just a way of saying 2 2k resistors. is that right? or is it a typo.?

author: potatogun96
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 12, 2013, 08:58:05 pm
content: On schematics, a period may be hard to see. 2k2 means the same as 2.2k. The k or other letter takes the place of the period, and tells you the multiplier. Hope this helps!

author: Marduk
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 12, 2013, 09:11:51 pm
content: ok.. thanks i thought that some thing but i seen david use both ways in the same schematics so i was a but confused.

author: ivan747
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 12, 2013, 11:46:17 pm
content: This is used because when you have printed schematics, the small dot on 2.2k can get erased with time and whatnot. I don't like using it for capacitors, it looks strange but you should always be consistent, it looks professional and sometimes it's easier to understand.

author: shamanjoe
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2013, 08:14:12 pm
content: Is there a good primer on reading schematics? I've looked at a couple that Dave has shown, and I'm just completely lost. I'm not dumb, but looking at the schematics makes me feel that way!

author: potatogun96
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2013, 05:03:43 am
content: Here's a video that may help:

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2013, 05:23:02 am
content: That's a whole lot of production work that went into a video version of a symbol chart. It doesn't really say anything about how to read schematics. Basic conventions, like "signal flows left to right" and "positive up, negative down" are not mentioned at all, as well as good advice for understanding circuits. He doesn't address at all how to understand that big schematic he shows. What's the use of being able to read it and assemble the circuit - don't you want to know how it works?I'd start with a couple basic suggestions - break the circuit into logical blocks, and try to find paths. Look for a main signal path, find feedback paths, etc. Figure out where the signal goes. Then try to identify common subcircuits, like the inverting amplifiers in the example schematic, for a better idea of what it does. Go from there, and do all you can to learn about common circuits that you might encounter in a schematic. Op amp circuits, transistor circuits, etc. There's nothing anybody can say that will make you understand a complex schematic if you don't have the experience and knowledge to know what its parts do.

author: shamanjoe
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2013, 06:36:37 pm
content: Thanks. Looks like I just need to pick up a good book, or take a class to get the basics down. I can wire up home electrical, but things like current direction, etc., just make my head hurt a little, lol.

author: Kaluriel
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2013, 08:20:26 pm
content: I always forget what the circle on an IC input means, is it enabled when low?