This is a tutorial in development that will hopefully cover the following topics:
- understanding basic electricity and power laws
- V=IR and it's implications
- P=VI and it's implications
- SI and other units
- DC versus AC
- understanding basic electric power sources for pcomp projects
- Basic AC-DC power supply: transformer>rectifier>capacitors
- typical DC voltages in pcomp circuits
- linear DC regulators
- explaining use of capacitors to smooth supply
- understanding how much electricity your project uses
- using a multimeter
- estimating user behavior
- using the two above to determine the power needs of your project and how much energy it will use over how long you plan to have it run
- understanding the best sources and methods to power your project
- understanding the pros and cons of different approaches
- power supplies and voltage regulators
- linear regulators and heat dissipation
- switching regulators
- Batteries
- types
- ways to estimate battery life
- rechargeable battery life-cycles
- Renewable Energy sources (solar, wind, mechanical...)
- links to jeff's class
- basic circuits, esp. how to use with batteries and BEAM style circuits
- Understanding ways to reduce the amount of energy your project needs
- efficient voltage regulation
- sleeping microchips and radios
- getting rid of unnecessary components
- changing/harnessing user behavior
