Modern Electronics (was Re: List charter mods & headcount... ;

From: David V. Corbin <dvcorbin_at_optonline.net>
Date: Tue Jun 22 20:03:34 2004

>So I yanked the whole
>thing, wired the fan and magnetron together (I almost always used it on
>high anyway, and lower power settings worked by imposing a <100% duty
>cycle on the magnetron), and controlled it with an ordinary wall light
>switch, on the principle that it's too simple for much to go wrong.

A classic example of where a little knowledge can be very dangerous.
Definitely NOT "UL Approved" or "CE Marked".

Lack of detailed core issues, presents a situation which is potentially
dangerous. I would hate to think of the law suit you could face if someone
comes over to your house and a fatal error occurs [your solution APPEARS to
have bypassed all of the safeties (door, etc.)).

Btw: the above is not meant to imply that I have not personally done some
boneheaded and dangerous items in my history [like string un-sinulated 3'
bananna jack ended cables across a lab to a 220V 400Hz power source. I was
only drawing a few milliAmps, but the source was rated in AMPS and not
current limited, if someone had brushed the end of a bananna or the hot and
returns ever touched....]


One thing I REALLY wonder about in this "How We Did It"/"How It is Currently
Done"/"How It SHOULD be done" debate... All of the great crafts [stonework,
woodwork, even old school electricians] went through an extended
apprenticeship under a master. For the 15 years that I worked for a major
aerospace company, this is primarily how the engineering department was
staffed. Summer/Intercession jobs for college students [even part time if
they were at a local school], this would occur for 2-5 years before the
person was offered a "Junior Enginnering" position upon graduation [BS
level]. Almost every company I know over the past 10 years, has regularly
hired people directly out of school with little or no real-world experience
and gave them design level responsibilities without any mentoring or
monitoring.
Received on Tue Jun 22 2004 - 20:03:34 BST