User JYelton

79 votes

7 answers

263k views

What is "forward" and "reverse" voltage when working with diodes?

led diodes

asked Mar 2, 2011 at 23:05

40 votes

3 answers

69k views

What's a schematic (compared to other diagrams)?

schematics wiring

asked Apr 2, 2014 at 22:09

39 votes

2 answers

6k views

Should I discard my inventory of old electrolytic capacitors?

capacitor electrolytic-capacitor

asked Jan 29, 2013 at 18:15

37 votes

5 answers

109k views

What's the difference between a potentiometer and a rheostat?

potentiometer

asked Mar 4, 2011 at 19:16

36 votes

5 answers

38k views

What makes a pull-up/down resistor strong or weak?

resistors pulldown

asked Jul 19, 2013 at 2:03

34 votes

5 answers

76k views

What pad hole (drill) size is appropriate for a given through-hole lead diameter?

pcb-design through-hole

asked Oct 14, 2013 at 4:15

33 votes

3 answers

20k views

How to decide between a TVS or Zener diode for overvoltage protection?

diodes zener transient-suppression

asked Dec 4, 2012 at 22:05

32 votes

1 answer

1k views

Darlingtons, MOSFETS, and bipolar junctions

transistors component-selection

asked Jan 25, 2013 at 18:39

32 votes

2 answers

19k views

Why route air gaps for voltage isolation on PCBs?

pcb-design

asked Jun 27, 2013 at 8:28

27 votes

4 answers

33k views

Considerations in a bench/lab power supply?

power-supply equipment

asked Dec 23, 2012 at 8:59

24 votes

8 answers

30k views

Why are some AC outlets and plugs polarized?

ac safety

asked Jun 9, 2011 at 22:35

23 votes

6 answers

23k views

Benchtop power supplies: linear vs switching? [closed]

power-supply

asked Dec 16, 2012 at 10:04

23 votes

1 answer

32k views

What is the difference between "reverse stand off voltage" and "breakdown voltage" on a TVS?

diodes tvs

asked Jan 13, 2013 at 3:36

21 votes

5 answers

32k views

What can reduce overshoot and ringing on a simple square wave pulse generator?

impedance-matching ringing

asked Aug 22, 2013 at 6:34

21 votes

6 answers

77k views

How does a fuse blow at its current rating, regardless of voltage?

fuses

asked Dec 15, 2012 at 7:36

18 votes

2 answers

17k views

Do "solid polymer" capacitors really have a longer lifespan than electrolytic?

capacitor

asked Jul 15, 2011 at 15:58

18 votes

4 answers

2k views

Is there any benefit to using a voltage booster (such as Batteriser) on "dead" batteries?

batteries voltage-regulator switching-regulator undervoltage joule-thief

asked Aug 18, 2015 at 17:35

18 votes

8 answers

5k views

Is a sine wave (or any signal) that has no zero crossing still considered AC?

ac

asked Jun 21, 2021 at 19:42

17 votes

4 answers

57k views

How do I measure differential signals (like RS-485 or DMX) on an oscilloscope?

measurement oscilloscope differential

asked Jul 20, 2013 at 10:12

17 votes

3 answers

53k views

Why is mains power sometimes 110V and other times 120V?

voltage mains

asked Feb 11, 2013 at 23:31

16 votes

2 answers

2k views

Why would the VCC/GND pins of an ATtiny26 not be aligned?

avr routing pinout

asked Jun 16, 2013 at 6:44

15 votes

3 answers

20k views

What is the "ammo" packaging method when ordering through hole parts?

component-selection

asked Jun 20, 2013 at 17:02

15 votes

2 answers

23k views

What values of resistor and capacitor to use for AVR reset pin isolation?

avr isolation reset

asked Sep 17, 2012 at 3:27

15 votes

3 answers

567 views

Why specify a maximum pulse width for reset pin?

reset timing

asked Apr 29 at 16:09

13 votes

3 answers

15k views

How to determine type of through-hole resistor?

resistors identification

asked Dec 23, 2012 at 7:38

13 votes

3 answers

3k views

Must IO pins each have their own pull-up/down resistor?

resistors pullup pulldown

asked Dec 5, 2012 at 7:58

13 votes

3 answers

9k views

What is the importance of memory depth when selecting a digital storage oscilloscope?

oscilloscope

asked Jul 19, 2013 at 2:24

11 votes

4 answers

1k views

Why does my waveform start ahead of the trigger?

spi oscilloscope trigger

asked Jul 13, 2013 at 8:41

11 votes

3 answers

4k views

What is oscilloscope trigger "sensitivity"?

oscilloscope trigger

asked Jul 15, 2013 at 6:06

11 votes

2 answers

8k views

What is the recommended way to protect a circuit from non-transient overvoltage?

safety circuit-protection

asked Jan 12, 2013 at 20:34

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98 Questions

What is "forward" and "reverse" voltage when working with diodes?

What's a schematic (compared to other diagrams)?

Should I discard my inventory of old electrolytic capacitors?

What's the difference between a potentiometer and a rheostat?

What makes a pull-up/down resistor strong or weak?

What pad hole (drill) size is appropriate for a given through-hole lead diameter?

How to decide between a TVS or Zener diode for overvoltage protection?

Darlingtons, MOSFETS, and bipolar junctions

Why route air gaps for voltage isolation on PCBs?

Considerations in a bench/lab power supply?

Why are some AC outlets and plugs polarized?

Benchtop power supplies: linear vs switching? [closed]

What is the difference between "reverse stand off voltage" and "breakdown voltage" on a TVS?

What can reduce overshoot and ringing on a simple square wave pulse generator?

How does a fuse blow at its current rating, regardless of voltage?

Do "solid polymer" capacitors really have a longer lifespan than electrolytic?

Is there any benefit to using a voltage booster (such as Batteriser) on "dead" batteries?

Is a sine wave (or any signal) that has no zero crossing still considered AC?

How do I measure differential signals (like RS-485 or DMX) on an oscilloscope?

Why is mains power sometimes 110V and other times 120V?

Why would the VCC/GND pins of an ATtiny26 not be aligned?

What is the "ammo" packaging method when ordering through hole parts?

What values of resistor and capacitor to use for AVR reset pin isolation?

Why specify a maximum pulse width for reset pin?

How to determine type of through-hole resistor?

Must IO pins each have their own pull-up/down resistor?

What is the importance of memory depth when selecting a digital storage oscilloscope?

Why does my waveform start ahead of the trigger?

What is oscilloscope trigger "sensitivity"?

What is the recommended way to protect a circuit from non-transient overvoltage?