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I took a career change a year ago and have taken up the challenge of becoming a qualified electrition I've been working as an electrition mate for s year and have also been going to night college once a week . The night course I'm doing is a bit pants if I'm honest and there isn't much theory being taught your basically having to teach yourself that at home and this is where I'm struggling . I was wondering if anyone knew of any home tutors that are quite clued up in the principles of electrical science that would be willing to help (obviously I will pay ) cheers

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I'm not offering any services-but I might be able to help. I'm retired now,but I taught Electrical Installations and Diploma In Technology at Southgate College (North London ) for 30 years. I was also a practising Electrical Contracting Electrician

I'm surprised that your evening course is "pants". Maybe things have changed since I taught evening students.

If you are going to tutor yourself you need some good Electrical Installations

Textbooks. Brian Scadden has authored many good books on Electrical Installations

My advise to you is, become proficient in your maths skills. The Principles of

Electrical Installations Science become much easier to understand and apply if you are skilled in the following: Four rules of arithmetic, elementary trigonometry (Sine, Cosine, Tangent, Right Angle Triangle manipulation-

Pythagoras ,Transposition of elementary formulae- 0hm's Law,Power in Dc circuit, Power in AC circuits, Power of Numbers-eg 10 to the power,10 to the minus power, Impedance Triangle,Power Factor, True Power, Apparent Power, Resistance, Reactance, Induction,

Volt Drop Calculations;eg , Ibxmv/a/mxL divided by 1000, Cable Sizing Calculations (On Site Guide gives examples ). Understand what:milli, micro, and pico, kilo, mega all mean.

 

Maths are the real key to understanding your electrical science.

 

PS. Get a good calculator with scientific functions.But get one that is easy to use. The thinner the calculator instructions on how to use it,is a good guide to choosing the one to suit you.

Edited by petemcewan

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I'm not offering any services-but I might be able to help. I'm retired now,but I taught Electrical Installations and Diploma In Technology at Southgate College (North London ) for 30 years. I was also a practising Electrical Contracting Electrician

I'm surprised that your evening course is "pants". Maybe things have changed since I taught evening students.

If you are going to tutor yourself you need some good Electrical Installations

Textbooks. Brian Scadden has authored many good books on Electrical Installations

My advise to you is, become proficient in your maths skills. The Principles of

Electrical Installations Science become much easier to understand and apply if you are skilled in the following: Four rules of arithmetic, elementary trigonometry (Sine, Cosine, Tangent, Right Angle Triangle manipulation-

Pythagoras ,Transposition of elementary formulae- 0hm's Law,Power in Dc circuit, Power in AC circuits, Power of Numbers-eg 10 to the power,10 to the minus power, Impedance Triangle,Power Factor, True Power, Apparent Power, Resistance, Reactance, Induction,

Volt Drop Calculations;eg , Ibxmv/a/mxL divided by 1000, Cable Sizing Calculations (On Site Guide gives examples ). Understand what:milli, micro, and pico, kilo, mega all mean.

 

Maths are the real key to understanding your electrical science.

 

PS. Get a good calculator with scientific functions.But get one that is easy to use. The thinner the calculator instructions on how to use it,is a good guide to choosing the one to suit you.

 

 

Thank you for the reply and for the information it's much appreciated, I've delved in to a lot off stuff already but there's quite a bit I'm struggling to get to grips with . The course I'm doing at night is based on doing more practical stuff and your expected to learn the theory more in your own time , me and a few other students pressed for more lessons on theory especially the principles of science and the owner told us no it was for us to learn at home. There's little guidance on what direction we are to take as far as homework is concerned and me and quite a few others on the course feel a little lost with it all , I'm 38 and have not done any schooling for 20 odd years so knowing how to go about revising and getting up to scratch for exams is very alian to me

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The problem with self thought theory is that most textbooks are very one dimensional. You either get it or you don't and if you don't it is a real barrier to progressing, particularly in science subjects.

 

The best teachers I had were those that would explain something by putting a slightly different slant on it and most of the time that was all that was needed for things to click into place.

 

Are there any tutors on your course that will explain anything that you are struggling with?

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The problem with self thought theory is that most textbooks are very one dimensional. You either get it or you don't and if you don't it is a real barrier to progressing, particularly in science subjects.

 

The best teachers I had were those that would explain something by putting a slightly different slant on it and most of the time that was all that was needed for things to click into place.

 

Are there any tutors on your course that will explain anything that you are struggling with?

 

Id agree with the sentiment but I've seen some of the Brian Scadden books and they are very well written and worth at least looking at. the main library should have one in for the OP to at least look at.

 

It does sound though that the course is a bit poor if they cannot really teach the theory, it's not that tricky a subject to be honest.

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Mr Mickybmick,

 

Private message me and tell me exactly what practical work you are doing and the Title of the Course.

Any electrical science should begin with an introduction to Ohm's Law.

eg: The current flowing in a circuit is directly proportional to the Voltage and inversely proportional to the resistance Therefore current (I) equals V divided by R (resistance.).The maths is multiplication,and division.

You should be able to transpose this formula to nfind anyb of the unknowns .

 

 

V

-------

I X R

Just put your finger over the one you want to find: eg: R and what remains is

V divided by I.

 

 

So there are some simple procedures for transposing simple formulae.

 

Private message me and I might be able to help .

Edited by petemcewan

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It does sound though that the course is a bit poor if they cannot really teach the theory, it's not that tricky a subject to be honest.

 

It is not a question of whether it is tricky but whether or not you get it. Most people with even basic maths can work out the dc voltage across and current through a simple resistance but stick that in a more complicated circuit with a mix of direct and alternating currents and you can very quickly get completely lost. To look at that part of the circuit and find what affects what you should expect there and dismiss what doesn't is what is tricky, and that is where you need a teacher to present a number of ways to look at it until you get it.

 

Even the best text books struggle to do this as every student is different.

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It is not a question of whether it is tricky but whether or not you get it. Most people with even basic maths can work out the dc voltage across and current through a simple resistance but stick that in a more complicated circuit with a mix of direct and alternating currents and you can very quickly get completely lost. To look at that part of the circuit and find what affects what you should expect there and dismiss what doesn't is what is tricky, and that is where you need a teacher to present a number of ways to look at it until you get it.

 

Even the best text books struggle to do this as every student is different.

 

Oh I entirely agree. But what I'm saying is that the Scadden books are the best out there and that may be enough, especially if he's relying on the course handout from what might be a bit of a pants course as it were.

 

Ultimately there is nothing to beat giving the student a DC/AC variable supply some nichrome wire and volt and ohm meters and building a mini circuit to measure and play with and show where and what goes on..

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Obelix is correct,

 

Get your hands on the following:

 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Electrical-Installation-Work-by-Brian-Scaddan-Paperback-2008/91453408?iid=283062688152

 

 

When you PM me, I'll return you a scheme of work that you and your mates can follow.

 

But get cracking with the OSG and work out a few Volt Drop problems using : The design current (Ib) x the

millivolt/amp/metre x lemgth of run in metres divided by 1000.

The answers will be in volts. The 1000 comes in because you are multiplying by millivolts in the top of the equation.

 

 

Top Cats Hat,

 

You are right as well. But the chap is stuck with what appears to be an inadequate course. In my ex-college

we had some teachers who applied the FOFO principle.

I'll leave you to work out the acronym . It begins with a four letter word and finishs with "out".

Edited by petemcewan

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An Introduction to Electrical Science by Adrian Waygood looks like a good book if the course hasn't recommended a text book. There is also a later version of this book entitled "Electrical Science for Technicians" by the same author. I would get the later edition if you can, but bear in mind that the fundamental principles of electricity don't change.

 

What exams do you need to take to complete your course?

Edited by tlangdon12

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An Introduction to Electrical Science by Adrian Waygood looks like a good book if the course hasn't recommended a text book. There is also a later version of this book entitled "Electrical Science for Technicians" by the same author. I would get the later edition if you can, but bear in mind that the fundamental principles of electricity don't change.

 

What exams do you need to take to complete your course?

 

Thanks for the info it's much appreciated, the course is electrical installations 2365 city and guilds .

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