Sponsored Content
It took nothing more than online courses and a shopping trip.
Posted on Sep 7, 2024 9:00 AM EDT
Stack Commer
We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more ›
I’ve always wanted to be an engineer, but I wasn’t cut out for that level of college coursework. Still, I fantasized about building my own electric cars like Elon Musk or designing new power systems like Thomas Edison.
Would you believe that I, nothing more than a computer geek, learned how to construct an electric generator that charges my phone from this e-learning bundle? There’s a lot more you can do with it, like stay sharp in your actual engineering career, but I just wanted to have fun, especially since it’s only $49.99 (reg. $1,596).
Now, I’m a self-taught engineer
While I probably could’ve followed random TikTok and YouTube tutorials, these courses started with the whys of what I was doing. Unlike other e-learning bundles I’ve purchased, these courses were numbered, so the order to take them in was super clear.
I studied the basics of electromagnetic theory to understand how generators work, learned the basics of electric transformers to manage the voltage in my project, explored DC machines to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy, and modeled my design in MATLAB Simulink.
This software helped me build virtual examples of my generator before I tried building it in real life. You know, so I didn’t accidentally shock myself, burn my house down, or just completely fail.
Once I had a working model, I sought YouTube videos and Reddit pages to make a shopping list for my electric generator. I got things like a battery, diodes, permanent magnets, and a soldering iron and had everything put together in a couple of hours.
The electric generator can charge my phone, but it’s more of a display piece for my desk to resemble something I taught myself. My next project is a DIY wind generator—and it’s going to be a lot more practical. You just wait.
Build your own electrical engineering projects with this $49.99 e-learning bundle (reg. $1,596).
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Source : Popular Science