[sofakng]

I'm not sure if this is the correct place to ask but some of the build pictures have greatly inspired me to try learning electronics (again).

I've heard good things about the old Radio Shack - Forrest Mims books but they don't seem to be that great after taking a look through them.

So far the best book(s) I have found are free at allaboutcircuits.com however I still find the authors explanation of voltage to be a little confusing.

Anyways, I just want to learn enough about electronics to build circuits that use ICs... (eg. so I want to fully understand voltage, current, etc)

Understanding voltage seems to be my biggest problem

 

[heatmizer]

Here's some recommended by tangent.
Electronics Book Reviews

 

[amb]

HeadWize: DIY Workshop > For Beginners: Books, Videos, Tools, Software and other Recommendations

 

[MoodySteve]

As a general comment, voltage is a tricky concept to wrap one's head around and fundamentally understand...a lot of very smart EEs can do incredibly complex calculations with voltages, yet can't explain what it is to anyone who isn't at least a year into an engineering or physics program (at the moment, I can't do either particularly well )

Really, the best way to learn and start to understand this stuff is to build increasingly complex circuits, make amateurish, clumsy and puerile mistakes, and be forced to find and fix them. When your project is done, it suddenly dawns on you that you know a LOT more than you did before you started.

Also known as 'getting your diploma from Hard Knocks University'

 

[jsmithepa]

It's very simple.

Electricity are little electron guys running in a wire.

Voltage is how fast they run.

Current is how many little eletron guys go through a point in a wire.


Now u just have to learn how the load and source reacts when these voltage and current change.

 

[sofakng]

Thanks everybody!

I guess voltage is so difficult to understand because it's not something physical like current. I've heard voltage being compared to engine torque (meaning that torque isn't a physical thing either, it's more of an idea or concept)

 

[slowpogo]

I worked at Borders Books recently, and I was surprised that they had not a single book in stock on audio electronics (excluding tube guitar amp books)--and it was a big store. There were very few to order even. I'll have to check out these lists.

 

[rsaavedra]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoodySteve /img/forum/go_quote.gif As a general comment, voltage is a tricky concept to wrap one's head around and fundamentally understand...

Some simple analogies (borrowed from CCNA study material) explaining voltage and current can be found in this post.

PS. Glad to realize I have the first two books in Amb's link

Well, for the first one (Gibilisco's) I have the third edition though.