(You) >What do you (ed: an electrician) use [algebra] for? I know plenty of electricians in this country and they couldn't spell algebra.
I'm an electrician and someone asked me this in another Sup Forums thread about algebra. I didn't get to respond to them, so here's my response to the community. Make of it what you will.
I use algebra on a daily basis to size conduit and boxes. Sizing conduit requires using algebra to calculate the number of conductors the conduit can hold based on the purpose of the wires in it, the number of wires in it, the types of circuits they feed, how long the circuits will be active, etc.
The point I made in another thread is that algebra is such a part of my daily worklife that I have invested in learning Excel programming to cut down on the time I spend doing calculations in person.
Also electrician/mechatronics/electro-mechanical technician/industrial electronics skilled trades thread. AMA anything along those lines.
Electrical Engineer here and I approve this message.
Carson Richardson
Let me correct that, Calculating conductors and shit doesnt require that much math. The most labour intensive is probably short circuit current calculations but even that is pretty basic grade 10 algebra and trig mostly. But still fun designing the feeders, xfer sizing, control systems etc etc.
Daniel Lee
train engineer here, i also approve this message, so does my wifes son!
Julian Wilson
>Sizing conduit requires using algebra to calculate the number of conductors the conduit can hold based on the purpose of the wires in it Not really, NFPA 72 defines this.
Jaxon Rogers
>I know plenty of electricians in this country and they couldn't spell algebra.
Those are pretty shit electricians desu senpai.
Thomas Powell
Not completely true, you do have to perform some simple calculations for de-rating conductors for different things like p.f. and temp and length etc etc
Ethan Turner
>excel macros for algebraic expressions
Welcome to excel 101, son.
Lucas Howard
Its hard to say that requires algebra, its literally basic multiplication
David Davis
I work in a warehouse. it's piss easy and after my next promotion i will be acquiring rental properties.
You're all suckers and I'm moving out to the middle of nowhere.
Angel Torres
...
Caleb Evans
I use trig to calculate my measurements between bends for offsets. 1/sin(degree of bend)(offset height)
Carson Stewart
It wasnt until I found out excel can work with imaginary numbers that I realized how deep the rabbit hole goes.
Shhhhh
But you are correct. There is nothing in electrical code that requires algebra really. everything is given to you with multipliers for X circumstance or Y circumstance. I guess current relays and CT's require basic algebra but I didn't think electricians did those.
Mason Edwards
kek using voltage testing screwdriver on a low voltage and even with gloves. must be a mathematical genius.
Joshua Sullivan
I use my tongue
Tyler Jackson
No you don't. You're a coward Canadian.
Ethan Jackson
yeah... just what i'd expect from a leaf.
Alexander Lewis
...
Aiden Sullivan
That's some demented sick in the head shit leaf. Love Canada? Omfg that's so fucked in the head.
Andrew Martinez
dude wtf is electrical code supposed to mean.
Andrew Gomez
im primarily a PLC programmer but i am the only electrical engineer at the company so i also do the SCCR ratings, load calculations for our UL 508a panels and entity parameter calculations for our UL 698 panels
Anthony Lewis
I work in a warehouse. it's piss easy and after my next promotion i will be acquiring rental properties.
You're all suckers and I'm moving out to the middle of nowhere.
Good for checking run capacitors during operation.
Using this calculation (1 uf in place of C), you take [(Amps * 2562.7)/ voltage] to get actual uf.
Colton James
Why are you such a fucking dumb ass that you don't realize there are apps that can do this?
You don't need to memorize the size of your moms tits using algebra when you have programming skills.
When I was an electrical apprentice my phone came in handy for more than posting on an outerspace communist ambulance neopet forum.
Austin Bell
>went to trade school for electro-mechanical technician >2 years later still can't find a job
Camden Rivera
ahhh code = norm. thanks.
i thought of.. well, code.
Austin Murphy
Electricians dont deal with capacitors. Maybe repair technicians. Wuuttt???
Yes, Canada is slightly difference in some things but pretty similar.
This. You learn how to do them so your know if your program doesn't make sense.
Yeah, North America calls it code, but what we really mean is safety standard. Basically a bunch of engineers and etc get together and devise a book that electricians have to follow to prevent them from fucking up. You can deviate from the code but you have to be able to validate why you deviated from it and have documentation with you signing off on it. You then take person responsibility if something happens like a conductor melts and arc and burns down the buildings.
Lincoln Smith
>socialist Canada >want a job
Pick one.
Kevin Fisher
What does a electro-mechanical technician work on?
Austin Ross
Components that use electricity to cause its parts to move and the monitoring/control circuits for it.
Isaac Carter
>you take [(Amps * 2562.7)/ voltage] to get actual uf
if you devive ampere thru volt you get Siemens = A/V = 1/R if you devide volt thru ampere you get Resistance = V/A
not a capacity. somewhere you missing a unit.
Noah Morgan
No shit. I meant the systems he was taught in school and what kind of jobs he was promised while in school.
Luke Sullivan
in germany we call it a Mechatronic or Automation Technician
James Reed
what do yu mean by system taught in school?
Lincoln Lopez
frig you randy. you cheeseburger eating slut.
Samuel Moore
Most of the ones I knew are now in their 50's and 60's and worked on everything from ATM machines to Pinball machines. One guy worked on robotics related inventory pick machines. These guys could troubleshoot and diagnose down to the component level in the field with nothing more than an analog VOM. Today all you need is some 20yo kid from India or Pakistan to turn off a switch, swap out a board or module, turn back on the power and send the bad circuit card to the depot for repair. Beyond that these new kids they have working in the field are utterly useless. Nothing more than board-swap monkeys.
Isaiah Lee
PLC programming, data communications, repairing/calibrating/installing kinds of instruments(pressure, temperature, flow, ect...) creating HMI's, process operating, control theory
Unfortunately it's a trade and every company only wants journeyman, and few take on apprentices, the people with connections get first dibs
I don't know if I should just double down and get a computer/electrical engineering degree or just move on to something else
Andrew Mitchell
It would be more applicable to get a Electrical Engineering degree. The first couple of years is all math and general studies but once you start touching on stuff like PLC programming and data com you will be far better off then most of the kids going through the programs. Its alot of work but if you come out with it you will be flooded with work.
Easton Wright
Programmer/sw-engineer. I use a fuck load of math. Circuit logic, algorithmic analysis. I wish I was smarter, all the cool shit and cutting edge is basically pushed by mathematicians
Xavier Morgan
Super useful for solving any system of equations through the use of determinants.
Joseph Evans
any electrician can install sensors, holy fuck you are retarded.
Grayson Long
That may have been true with integrated logic but the way everything has moved with micro controllers and surface mounted shit. Most things you cant repair like the "good ol days" in the field. At least not in any feasible capacity. Cheaper to send dead boards to India and pay pennies in labour and get the machine up and running asap.
Nathan Johnson
What books did you all use for learning about electrical work? I've heard that trade school doesn't help much, and its just better to learn on the job.
Noah Richardson
Basically lots of C/C++, java, VHDL and ladder programming.
VHDL cancer apart, yeah, its fun.
Noah Taylor
how is it any harder to do surface mount soldering in the field than through hole soldering? you just need steadier hands and a hot air gun rather than an iron
Nicholas Myers
Define electrical work? Like electrician? Book are good to understand WHY you do something. Just doing something because your told makes you no better than a fuckin monkey
FUCK VHDL FUCK FUCK FUCK. So fuckin triggered right now
Nicholas Brooks
Really? I never would have guessed
Cooper Lopez
lol. Screw that! Go on cancer Xilinx (terror intensifies) and just spam the fucking components for whatever purpose you want. Generate the code afterwards. A lot easier.
Sebastian Stewart
Yes. Like an electrician. I'm currently an electrician and HVAC helper. I've learnt plenty of shit on the job already, (5 months) but sometimes I don't know why something has to be done. I always ask my boss why we have to change a certain part out/why he's doing like that; and he always explains, but I want to start learning some shit on my own.
Ryder Williams
linear algebar
Take voltage and resistance at various parts of the circuit, solve for current. Or any facsimile thereof.
It's been so long. I got my career started by knowing excel.
Thomas Evans
VHDL gave me night terrors. Fuck FPGA's Hope I never have to deal with that shit again.
Charles Brown
The problem with HDLs is that they tend to teach them after programming and before students have a decent grasp of hardware.
Writing hardware description like software you're going to have a bad day.
The best way to teach it would be to have students build something with discrete components, and then mimic that with an FPGA but noone has the time for that because "WE GOTZDA GRIND OUR DEM ENGINURS"