Week 10 final week past reflection of quarter.

                        Reflection Of 10 Weeks Of Electrical.
When we started this quarter I had very limited knowledge of electrical. I've tried to soldering wire before but, I didn't know about flux so I could never actually get wires to stick together with simple soldering wire without flux. I've bought and plugged in relays but, never actually understood how they function. I didn't know anything about AC except that Refrigerant is condensed and evaporated into a vapor and where to look for the the condenser. Before Electrical I had a lot of experience working with batteries but, I've never tested individual cells how to use a battery load tester to test the CCA and voltage at a certain amperage draw for 15 seconds. I didn't know 12.6 was a indicator that a battery was fully charge or below 12.6 for example 12.3 would indicate it was less than 100% closer to about 75% with a possible dead cell or sulfated plates. I get the just of alternators before I came here but, I definitely didn't have to the confidence to or knowledge to explain how they work. I knew they created AC voltage but, that's it. I learned from this class how to disassemble different types and voltage alternators to understand how they functioned creating voltage with magnetism, rectifying AC voltage to DC current through diodes and how to identify the components inside. I've taken Wiring schematic classes While in the U.S. Army but, I didn't retain any of that knowledge because it was just a basic knowledge and fundamentals that was rushed over a 3 month course. So I can honestly tell you I couldn't really do much with a schematic until I took this class which has taught me how to identify everything and draw schematics. I've replaced dozens of medium and large size starters while in the army but, of course That's all I did. I didn't know how to run no load tests or check them except to double check the wire connections by cross referencing with another vehicle. I have grown to know 10 times what I used to know before this quarter in electrical from a simple 10 weeks on simple showing up listening and doing the work.
                         My favorite portion of the course:

Week 2/3 I felt very happy and accomplished after this week of electrical. We covered Air conditioning and refrigerant. I  scored terrible for our first quiz for this subject and I definitely showed a lack of knowledge and ability to retain this portion of the class. I definitely could've done more to prepare myself and understand this portion of the class but, I wasn't putting in the work or studying. It wasn't until Our first surprise quiz that I realized that I had to step it up or I was going to be struggling. This picture shows a portable AC system with all of the components so I used this to learn how to identify the components and where the refrigerant flowed.
     
My advice to anyone taking this course is take some time and read a little bit about the chapter you were lectured on the day after so you can retain some of the knowledge for quizzes and tests and also for yourself.