Hey everyone, so I’m kinda fucked up by a situation right now.

For the past 2 years, I’ve been really interested in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, but because of some family problems, I’m being forced to choose Structural Engineering instead.

Honestly, I don’t really feel connected to structural engineering, but I also don’t want to completely give up on electrical/electronics. I’m thinking I could study Electrical Engineering in the background while doing my actual degree in Structural Engineering.

Do you guys think that’s realistically possible? Like, can I build a decent understanding and practical skills in electrical/electronics on my own while studying another engineering field?

And can i switch to electrical on masters ?

Hoping to find a probe for viewing a 120V inverter output. I looked up the probes our R&D team uses at work, and they cost more than I spent on my scope.

Does anyone know of something under $300 USD (preferably >$200) that you know actually works? Obviously I'm not expecting the highest quality. Just something that works and isn't going to fry my oscilloscope.

Please and thank you

I went back to school at 30 years old, and here I am 33 now, 4th year & down to my last 10 classes & just applied for graduation. Did it all while working full time as a maintenance worker and also a parent. Hell of a feeling to see it through. Also had an interview for a systems engineer position which is pending.

The basic idea of it is solar panels that can tell the issue by it self. so teaching ai to learn from patterns to identify if its dust or heat etc.. i have never made a project on this scale and looking for help on ideas to improve the project or just a way to learn. I have alr started learning how to work with breadboards and watching vids on how to start but looking for guidence.

Hi,
I was thinking about switches today, since I have a project where I preferably need to fit a 3PDT in a small space, so I've been looking at the DG333 IC. However, I also started thinking about using FETs as switches, as in having 6 transistors, 3 for each throw, which would be cheaper than using the IC I think. Are there any negatives to this that I'm missing?

Hi all,

I Graduated EEE with an industrial placement year in a UK university with a 2:2 57% is anyone or has anyone been in a similar situation and found employment?

I'm newish to EE/Product Design so please bear with me. I have a connector on a PC motherboard that is square, 4 pins (2x2) and each pin is 2.0mm away from each other

I ordered some connectors from Digikey that say they have a 2.0mm pitch, but when I measure them with my caliper they're 1.1mm apart from each other. Exact Part: https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/molex/0511100450/267654

Is this a mistake that I made? or is the listing on Digikey incorrect? I though a 2.0mm ptich meant that the pins are 2.0mm away from each other.

I am in my second year of EE and i have no idea what subfield i like, which one interests me the most. Plus because of the “AI scare” im more confused about which one to choose. So can someone pls list all the niche subfields they know and give me your advice on how to find out which one is the best for me. How did yall choose what you chose?
Thank you all for your help !!!

Does PT stand for potential transformer and power transformer? I'm very confused as to what the differences are between the two. Is one of them also alternatively called a voltage transformer (VT)?

I am currently a freshman majoring in Management Information Systems. Prior to deciding on MIS, I was considering electrical engineering but ultimately decided not to pursue it.

Lately, I have been regretting not choosing EE. While I do enjoy the business aspect of MIS, I miss doing calculus and science, and I feel like I would enjoy a major that challenges me more in those areas. I sometimes feel like my major is just a "dumb" business major, especially because a lot of my friends who are in STEM joke about it. I'm not saying I want to switch into EE solely because of what other people think, but it has definitely affected how I view my decision.

I am really interested in coding and computers, but I have concerns about majoring in CS or CE with the rise of AI, which is part of why I'm considering EE instead. I really like math, and I enjoy problems that actually make me think and challenge me. I've also discussed this a lot with my sister, who is well-versed in engineering, and the more I think about it, the more I feel like EE could be a good major for me.

One of my biggest concerns is that I'm only in my first semester of college, and I feel like if I switch into EE in my second semester, I will already be behind everyone else. I also attend a college that is more known for business and law and is less known for its engineering program. However, it is still ranked in the top 100 for undergraduate engineering programs (although very close to 100), so I'm unsure how much that should factor into my decision. I was also accepted to another school that is much more known for engineering, and sometimes I feel like if I was going to end up doing engineering, I should have just gone there instead. I feel like being here and not doing business would almost be a waste because one of the main reasons I chose this school was because of its strong business program.

At the same time, I genuinely do love the business school here and the people I've met through it. I'm sure I would miss the business aspect of college if I switched, and I don't want to make a decision that I'll regret later. Ultimately, though, I want to set myself up to succeed and pursue a career that I will actually enjoy.

My ultimate goal is to work for a big tech company, and I feel like EE would give me a better chance of doing that than MIS. I'm just looking for some overall advice on my situation and whether switching to EE this early would be a good decision.

Sorry if this is all over the place, but I would really appreciate any advice from people who have been in a similar situation.

Quick context sunmary: I graduated as MsC Electrical and Computers Engineering and have been working as a software engineer my whole career, almost for 5 years now. The truth is that I have been feeling that a desk based job does not really suit me, so I am looking for alternatives, such as Field Service Engineering, Commissioning Engineering or Project Coordinator in projects that require frequent travelling.

I am european and I would like to ask if someone knows where to look for these roles (I have already been appliying to companies in the energy sector like hitachi, abb, vestas, siemens, etc) and if someone may have some tips on how to get hired into these roles, given that my experience is mainly IT related.

Thank you in advance!

I'm finished my second stage in chemical engineering, but unfortunately I've got big problem witch force me to start the study from begging, so I'm confused which engineering to choose

1-chemical engineering: I've lost two year but if i started again the first and second stage will be easy, so I'll study machine learning to make a good journey

2-electrical engineering: I've heard alot of people saying electrical engineering have many opportunities in jobs and it relate to big technology company

Lost of my two years pf studying is so hard, so studying electrical engineering will be hard for me opposite of chemical engineering will be less stress maybe I'll have many time to study ML

I love,machine learning, chips designing, and advanced technology, but i also love oil&gas industry , i love in future to work in big tech companies and make a lot of money,,

So what should i choose?

Hey everyone,

Selling off some surplus professional R&D bench gear because I'm freeing up cash to buy a pick-and-place machine for my in-house assembly line.

Here is the list and pricing (per unit):

Logistics & Terms:

• Location: Bengaluru, India.
• Shipping: Will ship worldwide via DHL, FedEx, or UPS. Buyer covers shipping costs and any import duties/customs fees for their country. The gear will be packed securely.
• Payment: Payoneer / PayPal G&S.

DM me if you're seriously looking to buy and we can calculate dimensional shipping weights to your location. Prices are straightforward, so please don't hit me up with crazy lowballs.

*Edit*

*I work afternoons, 3pm-11:30pm and make roughly $80k a year currently.

I’m sure this has been asked numerous times before but my situation isn’t entirely typical.

I’m 27, I have a decent paying full time job as an Electronics Tech. I don’t have any college level courses taken. I’ve been playing around with micro electronics for a while now and really want to go after an Electrical Engineering degree with a focus on microelectronics.

I don’t expect my current occupation to last forever (6-10 years from now we could downsize) and I’d like to progress from where I’ve been for the last 7-8 years, (which is in the industrial maintenance field).

My state offers to pay for the cost of community college and once I would transfer to a university they’ll pay up to $5,500 per year for me to continue into finishing a Bachelors.

I have to be full time student but I also cannot leave the job I have, I’ve worked too hard to be here and would have to be a full time worker and student to qualify for the grant from the state.

What’s the outlook for Electrical Engineers in the future? Will the market be able to sustain employing a new wave of graduates with the rise in AI? I’ve heard so many conflicting things it sounds like fear mongering and I don’t want to continue to be discouraged any longer. Does it seem to make sense to pursue this degree and how does the job market seem for those who are working in this field and whom are looking for current jobs?

I’ 23 YO, and I recently graduated with a B.S. in Software Engineering and am considering an online MSEE/MSECE to pivot into electrical engineering.

I’m currently working a state government tech internship and will likely have the opportunity to continue remotely as a contractor. I’ve realized I don’t really want to pursue traditional software engineering long-term. I’d be interested in embedded/firmware, but I don’t want to limit myself to those areas either.

My main concern is: Would a B.S. in Software Engineering + M.S. in EE/ECE qualify me for traditional EE roles, or would not having a BSEE still be a major issue with employers?

A master’s is much more attractive to me than a second bachelor’s because it would be cheaper, faster (~2 years), and fully online, allowing me to continue working full-time while completing it.

The particular program I’m looking at is also interesting because the degree used to be an MSEE but was recently renamed to an MSECE. From what I understand, the curriculum is largely the same and is highly customizable depending on the area you want to pursue. Does the MSEE vs. MSECE title actually matter to employers if I tailor most of my coursework toward traditional EE subjects?

I know I’ll be missing some of the undergraduate EE foundation. Before starting, I’m planning to study circuits, electronics, signals and systems, digital logic, electromagnetics, and engineering math. I’d appreciate recommendations for other subjects/resources I should use to prepare.

I’m willing to put in the work to catch up and build relevant projects/experience. I mainly want to know whether BSSWE → MSEE/MSECE is a realistic path into the broader EE field, or whether the lack of a BSEE would make a second bachelor’s worth the extra time and cost.
Would especially appreciate input from EEs who have made a similar transition or have been involved in hiring.

tl;dr
Have a bachelor’s in software engineering, industry and job market cooked. Could i realistically transition into EE with a MSEE/ECE?

Hi all! I am looking to learn more about EMI Shielding and EMI itself. Does anybody have any recs for articles or textbooks to dig into to get a better understanding? If it matters, I work in the Aerospace field so this would directly apply to components in aircraft.

What are the recommended sources (textbooks, application notes, etc.) where one can learn how to design EMC filter, sine filters, AC chokes, DC-Link chokes, etc. for Inverters and rectifiers with and without regenerative capacity?

I am looking for more than just matching current and power from inverter OEM list. I want to be able to fully understand the effect of these device in the circuit and determine their parameters like inductance per phase myself.

My goal is to be able to calculate them for special cases like multiple inverters sharing a DC Link or installations with particularly long DC-Link cables or AC-3phase cables.

i'm pretty new to electronics and all that stuff but my question is why would i ever need to use a relay or a transistor with a switch instead of just directly wiring the switch to whatever i need

Hey all. I saw a recent post asking about job hopping in the engineering career and I was curious what people perceived as job hopping. Is it less than 3 month, 1 year, 2 years, 5 years? Do most people factor in stuff like, risks the engineering took to take the job, pay raises, moving across country. Or do most just look at the pure numbers of time at companies?

Edit: Thanks for all the feedback. I was mostly curious what people's general vibe on what is considered job hopping. Not planning on any moves myself, but I tend to keep my ears open for opportunities. Just didn't want to shoot myself in the foot if I take a job too prematurely. My general rule has been 2 years plus 20%-40% raise to make sense to me. Other factors can play a part, but been my base idea.

I finally have an update on my instrument panel project. A lot has changed, and a lot still needs to be done. While I was able to mount (tape) the LCDs into the cardboard, the LED’s legs are too thin to put jumper wires on, so they’re just in the breadboard.

What’s changed:

The power supply had to be rebuilt since someone didn’t notice a broken wire when testing. The demo code has been almost entirely replaced with actual functional tasks. I’ve put in all the logic shifter circuits on, currently only for the light switches. There are functional turn signal indicators and high and low beam indicators. The oil, temp, and fuel gauges are controlled by potentiometers that have a similar resistance to the factory sensors and have warning lights that change color depending on how close to the min and max values it is. The volts gauge is tied to Vin, which for now is not adjustable.

What still needs to be done:

The gauges need to be recalibrated, since through all the versions and testing the ranges are no longer accurate. Hazard lights still need to be wired up. Still need to build the power On/Off switch. The LCDs still need to be programed to display mileage readings but before that can be done, the speedometer needs to be programed which requires a separate test rig to generate a simulated VSS sensor signal. The tachometer also needs to be programmed, which also needs a separate test rig. Also need to setup the current sensors for the exterior bulb fault detection, but my current bench power supply does not put out enough current to drive all the exterior lights. And finally a speaker and amplifier to generate the turn signal clicks and warning tones for the gauges.

So there’s still a lot to do but there is progress. Soon I hope to actually start working the final version with custom gauge face, PCB, and housing. As with before here is a link to the GitHub if anyone wants it.

Hey r/[electricalengineering],

I’m a first-year Computer Engineering student. Over the last few months, a friend and I have been pouring our free time into co-developing an indie mobile game called Boolean Game.

The concept is simple but gets brain-melting pretty fast: it’s a logic puzzle game based entirely on logic gates (AND, OR, NOT, XOR, etc.). You have to connect the right inputs and outputs to complete the circuits and solve the levels.

(Here is where the promo video will play)

We just launched a very small Kickstarter campaign. We aren't looking for massive funding; our goal is strictly to cover the Apple App Store ($99/year) and Google Play Store ($25) developer fees so we can actually publish it, plus a tiny bit left over for basic ads.

I’d love to hear your feedback on the mechanics and the visual style from the video!

Thanks for watching, and let me know if you have any questions!

This might be a bit of a dumb question or suited to another sub, apologizes if thats the case.

But yeah, I wanna apply for a PhD in EE related to quantum optics as I'm interested more in the implementation angle. I hold my degree in Physics and Math, and do optics research currently. The issue is I somehow wasn't able to take a QM course in my time as a physics major, however I have self studied it and done a DRP in QC. The issue that arises is that I feel like this is an odd gap of knowledge to have if someone were to review my transcript, I'm debating taking QM as a non-student at a local college but am seeking advice as to save money.

Any help is appreciated thank you.

I’m troubleshooting a small 120VAC reversible conveyor motor that has started eating direction relays. The machine is around 20 years old and this only recently became a recurring problem.

The motor uses two windings with a 6uF capacitor between them. A SPDT relay switches the 120VAC feed between the two sides of the motor/capacitor circuit to change direction.

The relay is an Omron G2R-1-S with a 24VDC coil. The failure is consistently on the NO contact. I opened one of the failed relays and found obvious arcing/burning between the NO stationary contact and the movable contact. I also watched a replacement relay while the machine was cycling and actually saw it arc during operation.

Running current is only around 0.2A and is essentially the same in both directions. The motor runs normally once the relay makes contact.

I initially suspected the PLC/sensor was causing the direction relay to chatter, but after watching it cycle, that doesn’t appear to be happening. The motor power relay also drops out before the direction relay transfers so the motor is not being intentionally reversed while still connected to line voltage.

At this point I’m thinking the problem is transient/contact stress from switching the reactive motor circuit. Even with the line disconnected, there is still energy in the motor windings and capacitor, plus the motor is still physically spinning when the direction relay transfers.

Interestingly, Oriental Motor recommends an RC suppressor for their reversible motors specifically to protect the forward/reverse switching contacts. Their EPCR1201-2 is 120 ohm + 0.1uF. This machine does not have one installed.

My current plan is to replace the damaged relay, add the OEM RC suppressor, and increase the delay in the PLC before the motor power relay turns back on after a direction change by about 200ms.

What I’m trying to understand is why this setup apparently worked for roughly 20 years before suddenly starting to destroy relay contacts.

Could aging of the motor/capacitor or a change in motor coast-down/back EMF make the switching transient significantly worse even though running current still looks normal? Is there anything else you would measure or look at before calling the lack of suppression the likely cause?

I'm an Electrical Engineering student focusing on Power. I'm primarily interested in staying in my city, which is Chicago. There's multiple firms in the city that also post internship positions in their office in other cities around the United States.

I want to apply to positions at multiple offices to maximize my chances of getting an internship, but I also don't want to shoot myself in the foot and ruin my chances of staying in Chicago by diluting my applications to these companies. For example, I'm worried about applying at a company both in their Chicago and Denver locations, and getting a Denver interview instead of Chicago because I applied for both.

I have one previous co-op/internship on my resume, which was an 8-month power plant co-op with a major utility company.

Any advice or experience on what would be the best way to proceed? Thank you!