Newbie to electronics

Hi Tom, welcome to the forum!

Posted by: @toml

All my life I've needed to know the who, what, where, why, when of things.

We have something in common then.

I've always needed to know why things work, I remember losing sleep as a child because I couldn't understand how the refrigerator worked - I understood how electricity made things HOT, but making them cold was a mystery to me, at least it was back then!  And after I took apart my family's first cassette recorder an hour after we bought it my parents issued a standing order that I wasn't to come within 5-feet of any appliance with a screwdriver!

I think you'll find that we are very "newbie-friendly" around here, so don't be shy to ask any questions you might have.

?

Bill

Posted by: @dronebot-workshop

I've always needed to know why things work,

That I find interesting because it really sums up my own childhood. Once someone commented to me that they wondered how a television set worked and I suggested they find out how it works. Truth was they weren't all that curious. Modern technology is just one magic toy after another for the vast number of users. My interest in how things work goes beyond electronic devices.

HI All,

I chose to write my question here because it's relevant so to avoid creating a new post. I am also new to electronics and I am struggling to start my first project. I don't know how I should proceed, I thought starting to work on something after reading so much and watching many video is the best way. My project is simply creating a PIR sensor with Arduino to light two strips of LED. I saw Bill's videos on the types of Arduino then I decided to go ahead with the ATTiny85 as he mentioned. Then I thought of the battery and searched and I found his video on the Buck-Boost converter and I decided to add it to the project. Then I saw many videos on strips and I figured that I should see more due to the current requirements and I saw Bill's video about the MOSFET and BJI for High current or high voltage requirements. My problem is that I am kinda lost now and I don't know where to start. I want to create this project since I am also a DIYer I want to make my own PCB and carve the box for it. I also have other requirements for the project such as having two USB connectors since the LED strips I bough has a USB and I want to keep it this way. Please guide me, where to start and how to start and I can post all the parts that I bought for this project or check the datasheet to answer question. Should I try to make the schematic and post it here, or should I see more videos and read more? Please assist me.

Probably the section you should post to is,
Projects Corner - Help Wanted
So you want a PIR as a sensor and some LED strips as outputs all controlled by an Arduino?
I see such complete projects are available on the internet.
The USB on the LED strips is probably just how you power them by themselves?
You say you are new to electronics so the question you need to ask yourself is: Do I want to learn electronics or do I just want to solder up electronic projects without any real understanding of how they work?

Posted by: @fhaddad

Please guide me, where to start and how to start and I can post all the parts that I bought for this project or check the datasheet to answer question. Should I try to make the schematic and post it here

The best way forward for you getting help with your project is to post your project in a new thread under Projects Corner - Help Wanted.

Start a thread entitled something like "Need Help with LED Strip project".

Post as much information as  you have about the project, including parts  you have and a possible schematic or block diagram.   Explain what you would like the project to do.

There will be three aspects to your project.

1. Electronic wiring - Schematic.
2. Physical assembly - either prototyping on a breadboard, or the final pcb board and case.
3. Programming the microcontroller to control the project.

You should definitely do #1 first.  If you can draw up a schematic that would be good.  If you can't then just draw up some type of block diagram the best you can and others can help you turn that into a schematic.

You'll need some way to connect your components up for testing.   Usually breadboards are used for this.

And then finally, you can then work on writing the code that will control the electric circuit.

Post what you can in a new thread dedicated to your project in Projects Corner - Help Wanted and you'll get tons of help and suggestions.

@robo-pi

Thank you so much, this is much helpful. I will do exactly what you advised and start there 

appreciate it 

@casey

Thanks but I already asked the question to myself and I know the answer and that’s why I read articles and watched videos and took courses on Udemy and other platforms and that’s why I am here at the first place so appreciate some helpful answers rather than telling my what should I ask myself and telling me that the project is available on the internet. I never seen anyone explaining the need and the types of boost converters, buck converters and buck-boost converters like Bill, I also never seen a better video to explain the Arduino types and uses and also didn’t come across a video better than Bill’s video explains the BJT and MOSFET and why do you want them and when. So I was expecting this forum to be the best to ask such questions hence my subscription and question on this web forum/site. thanks