What is this thing? What does it do? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: TheGlassesGeek
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 21, 2015, 03:00:02 pm
content: Hello! I am a total electronics n00b, I know. But I got a question... What does this thing do? (pictures in the attachment)I tried to measure anything with my multimeter... but didn't get any change in values...

author: jeremy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2015, 03:03:03 pm
content: It's an inductor.

author: TheGlassesGeek
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 21, 2015, 03:06:19 pm
content: Quote from: jeremy on January 21, 2015, 03:03:03 pmWhat does it do? does it generate a magnetic field? What's the use of it?

author: jeremy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2015, 03:08:46 pm
content: Well I don't have the time to decently answer that one sorry, I'd need a bookBut I will direct you to the art of electronics by horowitz & hill for a good explanation.Basically, it is a component which doesn't like to have the current through it changed. It will store energy in a magnetic field, and when you try to change the current going through it, it will use that energy to create a voltage that tries to oppose your change. Of course, it will never win because it can't store infinite energy. But it will still try!Very common in frequency dependent circuits like filters.

author: TheGlassesGeek
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 21, 2015, 03:10:32 pm
content: Quote from: jeremy on January 21, 2015, 03:08:46 pmcool! thanksI scrapped it from an old broken monitor, but I had no idea what it was or what it did. So I really appreciate your reply!

author: suicidaleggroll
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2015, 03:27:53 pm
content: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inductor

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2015, 03:41:49 pm
content: In the old broken monitor, it was likely part of a power supply. You can use them for voltage conversion - start current flowing through it, and then when you interrupt the current, it'll generate a voltage. If you're clever, you can arrange it so that the voltage is useful to you.DC-to-DC converter

author: TheGlassesGeek
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 21, 2015, 03:47:46 pm
content: Quote from: c4757p on January 21, 2015, 03:41:49 pmI'll definitely put it in my parts box then!! Thanks for the great response!

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2015, 03:49:50 pm
content: Inductors are great to have in the parts box.Actually, that old monitor might be packed with useful parts box stuff, depending on how old it is...

author: TheGlassesGeek
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 21, 2015, 03:52:30 pm
content: Quote from: c4757p on January 21, 2015, 03:49:50 pmIt was an 3-4 years old 1080p monitor. a modern dell one. The backlight failed... and shipping a new one to the netherlands is almost as expensive as a new one, so I got an iiyama 144hz display. I scrapped some capacitors, connectors, this thing and some resistors from it.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2015, 03:55:06 pm
content: Ah, so notold. CRT monitors have a bunch of good stuff in them.

author: TheGlassesGeek
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 21, 2015, 04:08:36 pm
content: Quote from: c4757p on January 21, 2015, 03:55:06 pmI might have a big ass 20 yr old tv left in my basement... maybe I'll take it apart some time.

author: rx8pilot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2015, 05:59:53 pm
content: Quote from: jeremy on January 21, 2015, 03:08:46 pmThat book has shaped my future. Really fantastic approach to explaining a complex topic. Concepts first in human terms, followed by the math to support it. Most text books go directly for the math with little discussion of concepts or reasons that component was invented.

author: jeremy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2015, 06:26:49 pm
content: Quote from: rx8pilot on January 21, 2015, 05:59:53 pmI take it you have seenthisthen.

author: rx8pilot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2015, 10:18:47 pm
content: Quote from: jeremy on January 21, 2015, 06:26:49 pmIt is now on the list. There is no doubt that updates are needed. Thank you VERY much for the link.For anyone hoping to gather a solid knowledge of the fundamentals - this book goes a very long way.