Taking a class - CLASS CANCELLED!!!

[Oldragbaggers]

Lots of great replies and information here. You guys never fail to come through!! Thanks to all, and also for all the helpful pm's I received.

(Sharon, I am currently reading 12V Bible for Boats, but I plan on ordering the book you suggested. Thank you.)

[jstrubberg]

Becky,

Everybody learns differently, good for you if classes work for you.

The suggestions given above are pretty darn good, in fact great. I learn by tinkering, so here's another suggestion.

Get a battery, something small that doesn't scare you, maybe one of those squareish 9 volts, you know the ones in the smoke detectors.

On a table, connect a small light bulb (flashlight size or maybe a DC fixture you have already purchased)

Wear some rubber gloves, and tinker, Maybe go to radio shack and get some wires with clips on the ends, so you can clip the ends to things like battery terminals, wires from fixtures, or switches

Have fun learning, no matter how you do it,

John

This is a fantastic suggestion. A 9 volt battery, some wire and alligator clips and a couple of LED bulbs and you could set up and tear apart circuits with zero chance of hurting yourself. Hands on is a great way to learn.

[S. Heisley]

Lots of great replies and information here. You guys never fail to come through!! Thanks to all, and also for all the helpful pm's I received.

(Sharon, I am currently reading 12V Bible for Boats, but I plan on ordering the book you suggested. Thank you.)

I haven't read the 12V Bible for Boats; but, it'll probably give you what you need to do the job. People who have done DC wiring say it's no big deal; but, for those who haven't, it's best to at least read a how-to manual. You are a smart woman.

[bobhenry]

Joanne's dessert dawg build journal help to clearify a great deal of my concerns on electrical. The picture type schematics were a great help and the color coded wiring for the dc circuits were easy to follow.

http://www.asolidfoundation.com/dd_electrical_1.shtml

Another source was deezee's excellent build journal that also was well narrated and easy to follow. I was unable to find IT but I am sure someone on her can link to it as well.

[Oldragbaggers]

Becky,

Everybody learns differently, good for you if classes work for you.

The suggestions given above are pretty darn good, in fact great. I learn by tinkering, so here's another suggestion.

Get a battery, something small that doesn't scare you, maybe one of those squareish 9 volts, you know the ones in the smoke detectors.

On a table, connect a small light bulb (flashlight size or maybe a DC fixture you have already purchased)

Wear some rubber gloves, and tinker, Maybe go to radio shack and get some wires with clips on the ends, so you can clip the ends to things like battery terminals, wires from fixtures, or switches

Have fun learning, no matter how you do it,

John

This is a fantastic suggestion. A 9 volt battery, some wire and alligator clips and a couple of LED bulbs and you could set up and tear apart circuits with zero chance of hurting yourself. Hands on is a great way to learn.

Actually I have LOTS of this kind of experience because I was a science lab assistant in a middle school for 4 years and have set up and helped kids with more electrical labs than I can count. But in my mind those little bulbs, switches, wires and batteries just don't translate to wiring a trailer to me.

[Oldragbaggers]

I have Joanne's wiring schematic bookmarked on my toolbar. Thanks.

[Forrest747]

Actually I have LOTS of this kind of experience because I was a science lab assistant in a middle school for 4 years and have set up and helped kids with more electrical labs than I can count. But in my mind those little bulbs, switches, wires and batteries just don't translate to wiring a trailer to me.



Do not fear that is the actually the same just longer wires, bigger batteries same light bulbs and switches. You can use house switches for your lights. I am sure there are plenty of teardroppers taht live close by that could spend a day and help. As always ask questions and take lots of pics.

[angib]

I believe the most important thing to learn about wiring is that electricity is just compressed smoke - which explains why, when anything goes wrong, smoke comes out.

Starting with good quality smoke is the basis of proper electrical work and I recommend the following, as produced by the Prince of Darkness himself (Joseph Lucas):

[Forrest747]

I believe the most important thing to learn about wiring is that electricity is just compressed smoke - which explains why, when anything goes wrong, smoke comes out.

Starting with good quality smoke is the basis of proper electrical work and I recommend the following, as produced by the Prince of Darkness himself (Joseph Lucas):

I love it. I recall in the army when learning electronics someone blew something and you could see the smoke coming out, the instructor then yelling at the privates what the he** were they doing letting the smoke out and that they should be trying to put it back in. the soliders then trying to wave the smoke back into the circuit, too funny.

[Oldragbaggers]

Andrew, do you know a good source for that smoke. Distributors in the USA or is this a product sold exclusively in the UK??

(Hopefully my foray into wiring won't turn me into a producer of same.)

[Forrest747]

[Shadow Catcher]

Hay I have been doing smoke testing on electrical circuits for years, it is a sub set of leak testing.

[Dale M.]

You need to get online and order this unit....





A absolute must for working any automotive or trailer wiring....

Dale

[Verna]

And here, I always thought that not letting the smoke out of equipment only applied to telephone central office equipment!!!!

Becky, you'll do just fine. As the others have said, you're one smart lady, and you'll be be able to apply the AC principles to the DC principles.

[Oldragbaggers]

Major bummer. My class was supposed to start tomorrow night but when I got home from work tonight there was a recorded message on my voice mail saying the class was cancelled because of low enrollment.

I'm going to have to come up with a plan B.