Robot Wars: Off-road Edition.
Where's WILL?
- Thread starter ghostwriter66
- Start date
Sgt Raven
Solar Addict
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- Feb 17, 2020
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How far you've come from living in a Van......
For a few months I was living out of a backpack. 7 months in a minivan. Never going back to living on the streets again, it is not good for health. 9.5 years of living outside, and I am over it. I am so happy to be indoors.
Next property will have a massive solar shed and a ground mount array. Then I can test 100-1000kwh through large inverters to see how efficient they are. I want to test the 12kW+ size range, and charge my tesla with it.
Next property will have a massive solar shed and a ground mount array. Then I can test 100-1000kwh through large inverters to see how efficient they are. I want to test the 12kW+ size range, and charge my tesla with it.
I'm looking forward to the larger installs. Don't forget about those of us that are still "living" in/with our RV's.
Indeed, and the unfiltered glee was a treat to watch. As a jaded old fart, it warmed my sub-cockles to see it in these strange times.
Delmar
Solar Addict
I attributed that to the "lemonaid" he was drinking.
Will is a non drinker.
If I remember correctly he has never drank alcohol.
Sgt Raven
Solar Addict
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2020
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I remember, I first starting watching your videos when you had the Toyota camper in the Bay Area. Helped, I think it was your sister, set up cheap solar on her old crappy RV. Then you sold the Toyota and flew off to China. Came back and got the minivan in SoCal. I've been along for the ride via YT for a while.
Those were some crazy times haha
An architect, artist and an engineer were discussing if it is better to spend time with a wife or a mistress.
The architect said he enjoyed time with his wife, building a solid foundation for an enduring relationship.
The artist said he enjoyed time with his mistress, because of the passion and mystery he found there.
The engineer said "I like both."
"Both?" The other two asked?
The engineer replied "If you have both a wife and a mistress, they each assume you are with the other and you can go to the lab and get something done."
Back to the lab young Will.
Exactly where do you keep your warm sub-cockles?
I keep mine on the dresser. Its summer in Phoenix, they are warm enough already.
Will, honest suggestion. You are young, bright and obviously in love with technology. Have you considered getting an engineering degree? It will open doors for you.
I was in my early 30's when I went back to school and got my EE. You are definitely not to old to get it if you want it.
I was in my early 30's when I went back to school and got my EE. You are definitely not to old to get it if you want it.
Will doesn't want the pay cut.
How old are you Will? It is not about the money. It is about what the right education can equip you to do.
You will be amazed how easy it is going back as an adult. Old enough to not be afraid to do the work. No day job to have to work around. No wife and kids. I had all 3 of those when I got my BSEE.
www.unlv.edu
When I went to school, I was surrounded by kids whining about how homework got in the way of partying. And complaining about the instructors "I don't know what he wants from me!" Try reading the class syllabus. Life doesn't give you a syllabus, you have to figure it out for yourself. College is like life with training wheels and hot chicks.
I worked a full time job and took classes at night and on the weekends. I had a mortgage to pay and a 2 year old at home. I have never regretted doing it.
Here is what my job is like. I get assigned products to design. I create the hardware and software architecture. Create the PCB electrical designs (schematics). Make sure my PCB layout person implements my designs the way I want them to be. Then write the firmware to make them do what they are supposed to do.
People come to me and ask me to explain what is happening and figure out how to correct whatever is going wrong. Nobody tells me what to do in my daily job.
I have the best job in the world.
Bachelor of Science in Engineering; Electrical Engineering
Electrical engineering is the application of scientific and mathematical principles to the design, manufacture, and control of structures, machines, processes, and systems. In the past, the work of electrical engineers has had a direct and vital impact on people’s lives. Electrical engineers...
When I went to school, I was surrounded by kids whining about how homework got in the way of partying. And complaining about the instructors "I don't know what he wants from me!" Try reading the class syllabus. Life doesn't give you a syllabus, you have to figure it out for yourself. College is like life with training wheels and hot chicks.
I worked a full time job and took classes at night and on the weekends. I had a mortgage to pay and a 2 year old at home. I have never regretted doing it.
Here is what my job is like. I get assigned products to design. I create the hardware and software architecture. Create the PCB electrical designs (schematics). Make sure my PCB layout person implements my designs the way I want them to be. Then write the firmware to make them do what they are supposed to do.
People come to me and ask me to explain what is happening and figure out how to correct whatever is going wrong. Nobody tells me what to do in my daily job.
I have the best job in the world.
I work at a university. I considered going back for a PhD, but the lack of practical experience in the faculty would make for a very unpleasant journey. I read a book a few years ago by a very popular author within my discipline. I already had 25 years of experience (and a college degree) and felt competent in what I was doing. But people kept asking my opinion on things the author had written. So I finally bought the book and read it. Half the time I was thinking, "Oh, that's a nice theory, but have you actually tried to put that into action in the real world where someone has to maintain that monstrosity?"
I built my "Street Cred" by coming onto forums like this and learning, then learning some more until I was the one answering questions. I've been hired for two jobs because people knew me from the forum. Numerous consulting gigs were easy for the sales people when they dropped my name. (I'm completely unknown outside my discipline)
So now what's happening today in higher education? Enrollment is down. We're still crunching to numbers to figure out where most of the losses are coming from. A good number of non-returning students are upperclassmen that went off and got internships before Covid-19 hit. The word we're hearing is that the employers made a full time employment offer even with the understanding that the student had not completed their degree. A lot of students aren't returning because a virtual classroom isn't how they want to learn. Others are asking why should they pay the same amount of tuition for virtual learning.
Prove your competence and the world is open to you.
I built my "Street Cred" by coming onto forums like this and learning, then learning some more until I was the one answering questions. I've been hired for two jobs because people knew me from the forum. Numerous consulting gigs were easy for the sales people when they dropped my name. (I'm completely unknown outside my discipline)
So now what's happening today in higher education? Enrollment is down. We're still crunching to numbers to figure out where most of the losses are coming from. A good number of non-returning students are upperclassmen that went off and got internships before Covid-19 hit. The word we're hearing is that the employers made a full time employment offer even with the understanding that the student had not completed their degree. A lot of students aren't returning because a virtual classroom isn't how they want to learn. Others are asking why should they pay the same amount of tuition for virtual learning.
Prove your competence and the world is open to you.
Those students who take job offers and don't finish their degrees will end up with golden handcuffs. They can make good money in those jobs, but their promotion potential is limited and it is harder to change jobs without the degree. Especially if you want to change employer.
That was where I was in my 20's. One of the reasons why I went back and got my degree.
I would not recommend a graduate engineering degree unless you got a marginal BS or have an area of study you really feel drawn towards.
A BSEE OR BSME from an ABET accredited school is plenty to get a well paid, fun job. Wait till you have some experience and the desire and let your employer put you through grad school.
A BSEE OR BSME from an ABET accredited school is plenty to get a well paid, fun job. Wait till you have some experience and the desire and let your employer put you through grad school.
Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2020
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- 21,865
At your age? I was well past that when I went back to school. When I got my undergraduate degree, a Bachelor's from that particular university was a great meal ticket. Later, though, competition with higher degrees (even if not worth the paper it was printed on) and openings with requirement for an advanced degree started to matter.
After the Great Layoffs of 2008/2009, when I couldn't find a job I went back for a Master's in EE. In every course, I understood the value of what was being taught. One semester I took four courses, all held Tuesday/Thursday. I studied all day the other 5 days. In my next job (aerospace), I applied what I learned in every one of those courses. I corrected the experts in multiple fields who worked for the prime contractor. That was an uphill battle, of course, but I ultimately showed the Emperor had no clothes, and they had to modify and re-verify a major system.
As HRTKD said, most of the professors are lacking, especially in practical experience. But the theory and analysis behind semiconductors, electromagnetics, signal processing, statistics are useful to understand engineering. I recommend an on-campus degree if you can take a program.
But other than that, check out MIT Open Courseware. They have lectures, homework, tests available on-line for free. You can buy textbooks for $1 to $50 on Amazon because they are "out of date." Ideally, get a teacher's edition, better for self-study.
MIT OpenCourseWare | Free Online Course Materials
MIT OpenCourseWare is a web based publication of virtually all MIT course content. OCW is open and available to the world and is a permanent MIT activity
ocw.mit.edu
MIT OpenCourseWare - Wikipedia
You can also take some individual courses on campus from some universities.
I considered taking Quantum Physics at Berkeley, applying the units to a different school who's program I was enrolled in. The undergraduate quantum physics was quite impacted, but graduate had plenty of openings for outsiders. I didn't, though, because I needed to master the undergraduate by self-study before taking such courses.
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curiouscarbon
Science Penguin
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2020
- Messages
- 3,024
Will, thank you for taking time off. Youtube algorithm pushes people pretty hard. Creativity is not a well that can be pumped indefinitely ? don’t go below 2.2v!! ?
Gotta limit that house battery DoD and put your feet up now and then
️
This month, I’m sorting out a fortune cell build at home for a multiplus setup, and grateful for this forum to go and talk to other people who are studying renewable energy. Love this place.
Gotta limit that house battery DoD and put your feet up now and then
️This month, I’m sorting out a fortune cell build at home for a multiplus setup, and grateful for this forum to go and talk to other people who are studying renewable energy. Love this place.
For people that want to take a few university classes here and there and want to save money, be sure you declare as "non-degree seeking" on the application. A degree seeking program has higher fees. A co-worker found that out the hard way and all he was taking was a woodworking course.
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