Designing a kit - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: shane_95
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2012, 01:33:55 pm
content: Would designing a kit be a good way to learn things?I'v been trying to designing an IR flood light, for a bit if fun. I have been working on the idea for a day or so now, and I have learnt so much already. I'm watching one of Daves Live shows, and he had a 11 year old kid ask how to become an electronics engineer, Dave said thing like studdy , read books, and designing a kit and selling it. This got me thinking.So would that be a good ideaEdit: I would do it all up properly - proper PCB's, a box to put it all in, stuff like that

author: notsob
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2012, 01:49:15 pm
content: shane - you will need passives in your designs [capacitors,resistors,etc]. I realise that you are $deprived, so plan ahead, perhapswww.futurlec.commay help, but with the lowest cost delivery sequence, it may take 8 weeks to be delivered, hint - they also sell starter packs - [ i.e. resirtors/capacitors]I hope this helps a little

author: shane_95
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2012, 01:56:46 pm
content: Quote from: notsob on June 27, 2012, 01:49:15 pmI know what i would need-- 2 x 9V battery and the clips- 35ohm resistor- 10x 100mA 1.4V IR LEDs- on/off switchI have had help with this from the awesome people of this forumhttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginners/ir-flood-light/

author: shane_95
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 02, 2012, 01:51:05 pm
content: OMG DAVE THANK YOU!!!

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 02, 2012, 05:05:26 pm
content: That is a good idea. Firstly it means your laying out a PCB and second it means you have set yourself those constraints to design it so that nothing can go wrong for an end user, a totally different perspective to something you lash together yourself and are prepared to tinker with along the way.

author: obiwanjacobi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 02, 2012, 05:27:34 pm
content: [posted on youtube]I totally disagree. Now all the points Dave brings to the table are absolutely valid, but they are not for beginners. Beginners should get out their bread board and build something they like. Start simple, start with a kit, start with a blinking light, whatever you feel you're up to. You will get bored and look for more advanced projects soon enough, but its crucial that you stay motivated. If you want to do all the things that Dave mentions you be overwhelmed and confused with info overload.So ask yourself what you like and build something that relates to that. Start simple, start small. Don't expect you will be able to build a microcontroller driven stereo hifi 200 Watt audio amp on your first day. Do small tests of concepts and compose those into a complete working system. Look at other schematics and try to understand them completely and use/test parts of them. But most important, do what you love. If you don't like laying out PCBs, dont do it, there are services that provide this, no harm. If you don't like building housings, don't do it. Just double-tape it to the table. When you advance in your knowledge and experience you will find new avenues of interest opening. So do what feels good and you think you can manage and build from there.