This article was originally written to be part of our book Electronics for the Electrician – Prompt – 2000.
So, it is normal that the first thing the electrician should consider when starting with these studies in electronics is if the knowledge he has about electricity is the same knowledge necessary to learn electronics. The answer is yes.
The small differences that exist are in the way electricity is used in a domestic, industrial, or automobile installation and the way it is used in an electronic circuit. In essence the electricity is the same.
This means that the basic principles of electricity one needs to know when working on electronic devices and circuits are also the same. The electricians who want to upgrade their knowledge starting with a new science don't have to begin at zero and forget everything studied prior or learned during years of work experience. But, to be successful when learning electronics, it is a good idea to change some points of view about the way the principles are studied, especially when applied to electronics.
Other than electricians who are more practical than theoretical, two other kinds of electricians had to be considered. First, I considered those with a solid base of the theory and apply it in their profession, and secondly, those with a theoretical knowledge that perhaps has been dulled by time. For the first and third groups, many articles on the fundamentais of electricity is included in this section.
A section on approaches of the electricity principles applied to electronics is also included for that second group with the solid concept base.
Perhaps you may not need this review of basic concepts, but a review is not a bad idea. After all, nobody is free from small slips in memory.
Through a different approach that involves redirecting the ideas, laws, principles, and concepts of electronics, the reader who is familiar with applications in electric installations can form a new image of electricity. This is very important when trying to understand how devices and circuits of a newer science work.
Finally, please realize a complete course of all basic principles needed to know about electronics needs much more space than is available here.
Of course, my efforts were directed to include all the essential information a reader needs to have to understand how the main electronic circuits and devices work. If the reader wants to go a step further, much more detailed explanations can be found in many articles in this site.
