Nicks Car Electrics Book Request

[stevemarl]

As above.... Seems to have disappeared now - after I typed up a brief explanation of the basics - so here is my beginners guide to electrickery, if anyone`s interested/gives a shit

I can give you a brief explanation of electrickery if you want. I don`t know how much you know so this is real basic basics? If you have two tanks of water, one higher than the other, connected by a pipe, the water will run (or try to run) from the high tank to the low tank. The higher the level of water in top tank, the faster the water will flow. The narrower the pipe, the slower the water will flow through it. Mental image in place? Right, electricity works in EXACTLY the same way. If you have 2 points (for example the pplates of a car battery) in which one has a lot more electrons than the other (in this case because of the acid / lead/ copper) then the electrons will try to flow from that plate to the one with less electrons. (This is called a potential difference - because the pressure exists even if the electrons cannot flow cos there`s no connection, just as the pressure is still there in the water tank even if the tap is closed) This Potential Difference is measured in Volts. It is basically the `pressure` of electrons.
If you connect the plates, through a bulb for eg, then the electrons will begin to flow from the negative plate to the positive (to try and reach equilibrium) The rate at which the electrons flow is measured in Amps; so many units of charge per second; `current`. The thinner the wire in the bulb`s filament, just like in the water pipe, the slower the electrons, or water, can flow , so the less power they will provide. A thicker wire will allow more electrons to flow, which will give more power. The thin wire is said to have a higher `resistance` than a thicker one. The more current is flowing the more power will be generated; this may be light from a white hot wire in a bulb, or magnetic field in the coil of a motor (E.M.F.)
Power is measured in Watts and is very simple to work out; Volts x Amps = W Multiply the voltage by the current and that`s it. It`s that simple. So on a 12v supply, if a bulb is drawing 5 amps it`s a 12x5 =60watt bulb. (Equally if you know the wattage of something, say a 1000watt fire running on 250v mains it will be drawing 1000/250 = 4 amps.. A 3000w fire would use 12a which is the limit for a 13a plug, hence no 4kw domestic fires!
The resistance to flow is measured in ohms and again is a very simple formula, known as Ohm`s law.
Basically it`s: Va-Vb x 1/4x Pi Eo (Q/a - Q/b)
Only joking, it`s V = AxR, Voltage = Current x Resistance So if you have a 12v battery and something is drawing 2amps you know it has a resistance of.... 12 = 2 x [6] so 6 ohms. If you connect a 3 ohm coil to a 12v battery it will draw 12 = 3 x 4 so 4 Amps.

(For some reason, which I`ve forgotten, Amps are always given the symbol `I` in text books, I used A for simplicity. but it`s really V= IR etc)

[Fordoholic Nick]

Hi Steve.

Sorry mate you are correct. I did put in a request for help with finding a good car electrics book for beginners, then put it in hold !

I thought I would have a quick check online first to see whats out there before bothering you chaps with something so basic. I just really want to get to grips with some very basic car electrics and try to make some sense of it more and learn a bit about finding and fixing faults.. Sorry Steve you must have replied just as I decided to put my post on hold while I researched it some more.

Thank you very much for your excellent reply mate and yep it is the basics I am talking about so I will read your guide a few times to get a better understanding. Its very useful indeed Steve and very good of you to take the time to write it all out and explain it in such a way for a novice like myself.

I do also want to buy a decent beginners guide as well to run throught using multimeters and wiring diagrams etc. Just ordered myself a multimeter ( John will be 'shocked' ) so I can have a play with this and try to make light of it all. Just seen a couple of Haynes Electrical guides which look good ? Also seen a Classic Car Electrics book too.

Steve thanks very much for your very useful guide. I have read it once but will double back and read through it a few times as said I am a complete novice where electrics are concerned...John can vouch for this as I am always asking him for help

All the best Steve and thanks again mate

Nick

[Andrew 2.8i]

Hi,
Great beginner's guide, thanks Steve. I know somebody (no, not me, before anyone comments) who is convinced that electricity can "leak" out of a socket if it is left switched on with nothing plugged in. Your water analogy will not help to dispel that belief!

Nick,
If nobody has any recommendations of decent books, you can usually buy rough condition used books for next to nothing on Amazon. Buy a few and only read the ones that are any good. When buying work manuals, I keep the rough condition books in the garage to thumb through with dirty hands whilst "on the job" (no sniggers from the back, please) and also buy a new or decent condition book to keep on the bookshelf inside the house.

Hope that helps.

Andrew.

[pbar]

to thumb through with dirty hands whilst "on the job" (no sniggers from the back, please) and also buy a new or decent condition book to keep on the bookshelf inside the house.

Hope that helps.

Andrew.

So you keep all your dirty books in the garage then. Fair enough

[Andrew 2.8i]

So you keep all your dirty books in the garage then. Fair enough

Yep!