How do I learn basic electrical safety?
June 21, 2010 10:02 AM Subscribe
How do I learn basic electrical safety?
I'd like to start trying some Instructables involving electrical wiring stuff, mostly basic circuit bending. However, all the things I'm interested in learning to make have a disclaimer to the effect of "don't try this unless you know how to do wiring safely". A reasonable warning (and it also covers the Instructable writer from "you burned down my house" claims), but where do I go to learn such basic safety measures?
Any web resources or books that will get me started with some basic electrical wiring safety knowledge?
I have read this question and looked at the book recommended there, but I am less interested in household wiring code and more in smaller DIY wiring project safety and good practice.
I'd like to start trying some Instructables involving electrical wiring stuff, mostly basic circuit bending. However, all the things I'm interested in learning to make have a disclaimer to the effect of "don't try this unless you know how to do wiring safely". A reasonable warning (and it also covers the Instructable writer from "you burned down my house" claims), but where do I go to learn such basic safety measures?
Any web resources or books that will get me started with some basic electrical wiring safety knowledge?
I have read this question and looked at the book recommended there, but I am less interested in household wiring code and more in smaller DIY wiring project safety and good practice.
Best answer: My 5-minute guide to electrical safety (because I just got Raising Cane's and it's getting cold):
Main rule, and the one that will do more to keep you safe than anything else here: DO NOT mess with any electronics that plug into the wall. Once you've got some experience with battery powered stuff, you can move on to something using a transformer. And I don't mean a car battery, either--stick with things that use AA, C, D, or 9V cells. Anything small like that. Those batteries just cannot provide enough voltage to really shock you or enough current to kill you.
Second main thing: Exposed connections are your enemy. If you soldering to a switch or something, you want to make sure that the bare metal on the two (or more) connecting wires does not touch. This would cause a short, which would make things heat up really quickly. Heat-shrink tubing (find that at Radio Shack) is the best bet here, but you can use electrical tape in a pinch.
Third, tools: You're going to need a soldering iron. Do not get one of those ColdHeat things, and don't get a cordless iron. They suck. Also, the more you spend on your iron, the better it will be. Mine was about $70 from Amazon and probably cuts my time soldering in half as compared to the $15 firestarter from Radio Shack that I was using. However, $70 is a lot of money and if you want to dabble in it, it's fine to get something cheaper. Just don't get a cordless one!
When soldering, you want to heat the parts, not the solder. Heat the metal, and touch the solder to it on the opposite side. This is how you get a strong, reliable connection.
If you hook a component up backwards, you stand a decent chance of breaking it. Many components (resistors, some switches, some capacitors) will work when connected either way, while others (electrolytic capacitors, LED's, IC's, batteries) will only work one way. If you're following directions from Instructables, chances are they will tell you how to wire something up.
You're really going to be fine as long as you're only working with battery-powered devices. Have fun with it, that's how you learn! Just follow the directions and remember that if something seems like a bad idea, it probably is.
I'll add more as I think of it, and if you have any questions, feel free to respond here or MeMail me. I have a minor in Electrical Engineering and I've done many small electronics projects. It's a lot of fun and very educational.
posted by DMan at 11:19 AM on June 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
Main rule, and the one that will do more to keep you safe than anything else here: DO NOT mess with any electronics that plug into the wall. Once you've got some experience with battery powered stuff, you can move on to something using a transformer. And I don't mean a car battery, either--stick with things that use AA, C, D, or 9V cells. Anything small like that. Those batteries just cannot provide enough voltage to really shock you or enough current to kill you.
Second main thing: Exposed connections are your enemy. If you soldering to a switch or something, you want to make sure that the bare metal on the two (or more) connecting wires does not touch. This would cause a short, which would make things heat up really quickly. Heat-shrink tubing (find that at Radio Shack) is the best bet here, but you can use electrical tape in a pinch.
Third, tools: You're going to need a soldering iron. Do not get one of those ColdHeat things, and don't get a cordless iron. They suck. Also, the more you spend on your iron, the better it will be. Mine was about $70 from Amazon and probably cuts my time soldering in half as compared to the $15 firestarter from Radio Shack that I was using. However, $70 is a lot of money and if you want to dabble in it, it's fine to get something cheaper. Just don't get a cordless one!
When soldering, you want to heat the parts, not the solder. Heat the metal, and touch the solder to it on the opposite side. This is how you get a strong, reliable connection.
If you hook a component up backwards, you stand a decent chance of breaking it. Many components (resistors, some switches, some capacitors) will work when connected either way, while others (electrolytic capacitors, LED's, IC's, batteries) will only work one way. If you're following directions from Instructables, chances are they will tell you how to wire something up.
You're really going to be fine as long as you're only working with battery-powered devices. Have fun with it, that's how you learn! Just follow the directions and remember that if something seems like a bad idea, it probably is.
I'll add more as I think of it, and if you have any questions, feel free to respond here or MeMail me. I have a minor in Electrical Engineering and I've done many small electronics projects. It's a lot of fun and very educational.
posted by DMan at 11:19 AM on June 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
For me most came from listening to others, like DMan above. The warnings about bare wire sound trite (what's a 1/4 inch next to the connections... they'll never touch!) but you'll inevitably get bitten by that, for instance, the second you drop a component while the thing is on, which brings up another point: problems compound themselves greatly. Do it right the first time or don't do it at all. Learning the proper way to solder and insulate your connections is a part of that.
There's also a degree of street smarts. Open a power supply and the wires will probably be held together by a plastic tie. Using scissors on that tie was the stupidest thing I've done electronically and I got a nice shock to remind me even though it'd been off for 10 minutes.
Lastly, and this is probably fairly uninformed since it isn't a common hobby for me, but for whatever reason the Brits and Aussies seem to have a better handle on it that anyone else. It's probably that they use 220v (more efficient and deadly! Bonus!) and are native English speakers. I'd look for sources and knowledge on their side of the ponds. Checking in with local Hams would probably also be a good idea for a more journeyman angle to it if that appeals to you.
posted by jwells at 12:31 PM on June 21, 2010
There's also a degree of street smarts. Open a power supply and the wires will probably be held together by a plastic tie. Using scissors on that tie was the stupidest thing I've done electronically and I got a nice shock to remind me even though it'd been off for 10 minutes.
Lastly, and this is probably fairly uninformed since it isn't a common hobby for me, but for whatever reason the Brits and Aussies seem to have a better handle on it that anyone else. It's probably that they use 220v (more efficient and deadly! Bonus!) and are native English speakers. I'd look for sources and knowledge on their side of the ponds. Checking in with local Hams would probably also be a good idea for a more journeyman angle to it if that appeals to you.
posted by jwells at 12:31 PM on June 21, 2010
The best lesson you can possibly get on electricity comes from accidentally electrocuting yourself but not dying. Or frying an expensive component because you hooked things up backwards. Or making something catch on fire.
The second-best lesson you can possibly get on electricity comes from talking with, and getting help from, people who have done the former. DMan's advice re: ramping up slowly is totally useful and valid, but sooner or later you're going to want to cross a bridge that you can't ramp up to -- and you want to have someone trustworthy you can ask before you do it.
Also: just about every piece of safety advice you'll receive will come from someone who hasn't heeded it, and has suffered because of it. For instance, I recently gave advice about bulbs that weren't working that suggested flipping off the wall switch wasn't enough and both the wall switch and breaker should be shut off; I gave that advice because I've been shocked a couple of times -- once badly -- by someone either flipping the switch or flipping the breaker back on. That's also why I typically recommend wearing insulated gloves, or at least taping your fingers, and using a fiberglass ladder, and so on. It's all overkill until you almost get killed, so heed such advice.
posted by davejay at 3:00 PM on June 21, 2010
The second-best lesson you can possibly get on electricity comes from talking with, and getting help from, people who have done the former. DMan's advice re: ramping up slowly is totally useful and valid, but sooner or later you're going to want to cross a bridge that you can't ramp up to -- and you want to have someone trustworthy you can ask before you do it.
Also: just about every piece of safety advice you'll receive will come from someone who hasn't heeded it, and has suffered because of it. For instance, I recently gave advice about bulbs that weren't working that suggested flipping off the wall switch wasn't enough and both the wall switch and breaker should be shut off; I gave that advice because I've been shocked a couple of times -- once badly -- by someone either flipping the switch or flipping the breaker back on. That's also why I typically recommend wearing insulated gloves, or at least taping your fingers, and using a fiberglass ladder, and so on. It's all overkill until you almost get killed, so heed such advice.
posted by davejay at 3:00 PM on June 21, 2010
Best answer: Ack, where to begin...
Well, first you should read about what electrocution really is. Here is my favourite AskMe on the topic: Electrocution in a pool. Don't forget to click and read both articles called the Fatal Current linked in that thread.
Also, you might spend some time with the Electrical Wiring FAQ and the Electronics Repair FAQ. Both are quite sensible but still very careful about safety.
Be cautious, but DON'T be over cautious, it will just kill your interest. Do try to work with others, communicating this kind of stuff in typing is a real pain, so in person instruction is much better.
Almost anything powered by a wall-wart power adaptor is completely safe to play around inside (not the wall warts themselves, but the stuff they plug into). Also anything using batteries. Even car batteries, but batteries capable of driving hundreds of amps do add new considerations.
Consumer electronics that plug directly in the wall typically have one small portion that is "live" and dangerous, the rest is "safety isolated" (using transformers and other methods) and is fairly safe to mess about with.
posted by Chuckles at 7:01 PM on June 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
Well, first you should read about what electrocution really is. Here is my favourite AskMe on the topic: Electrocution in a pool. Don't forget to click and read both articles called the Fatal Current linked in that thread.
Also, you might spend some time with the Electrical Wiring FAQ and the Electronics Repair FAQ. Both are quite sensible but still very careful about safety.
Be cautious, but DON'T be over cautious, it will just kill your interest. Do try to work with others, communicating this kind of stuff in typing is a real pain, so in person instruction is much better.
Almost anything powered by a wall-wart power adaptor is completely safe to play around inside (not the wall warts themselves, but the stuff they plug into). Also anything using batteries. Even car batteries, but batteries capable of driving hundreds of amps do add new considerations.
Consumer electronics that plug directly in the wall typically have one small portion that is "live" and dangerous, the rest is "safety isolated" (using transformers and other methods) and is fairly safe to mess about with.
posted by Chuckles at 7:01 PM on June 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
With regards to wall-warts, Chuckles is correct, anything using a wall wart will have safe levels of voltage in the device itself.
And yeah, don't be scared of the stuff, the best way to learn is to start taking things apart and figuring out how they work. As long as you aren't working with high current or voltage (and you won't be, if you're working on something with batteries or a wall wart) the worst thing you'll do is break a component. Everyone makes mistakes doing this stuff. Just today I was soldering a header onto a board and heated it too long, which made it melt a bit and kind of made a mess.
I would actually highly recommend Make: Electronics as a good primer on DIY electronics, with plenty of good examples and projects. You can buy it from the Maker Shed store with a kit of parts too, if you want.
posted by DMan at 9:15 PM on June 21, 2010
And yeah, don't be scared of the stuff, the best way to learn is to start taking things apart and figuring out how they work. As long as you aren't working with high current or voltage (and you won't be, if you're working on something with batteries or a wall wart) the worst thing you'll do is break a component. Everyone makes mistakes doing this stuff. Just today I was soldering a header onto a board and heated it too long, which made it melt a bit and kind of made a mess.
I would actually highly recommend Make: Electronics as a good primer on DIY electronics, with plenty of good examples and projects. You can buy it from the Maker Shed store with a kit of parts too, if you want.
posted by DMan at 9:15 PM on June 21, 2010
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posted by Flood at 10:07 AM on June 21, 2010