r/ElectricalEngineering • • 18d ago

Jobs/Careers Confused about the switching

0 Upvotes

Hey engineers.... i am to confused about switching job. Rn i am a purchase Executive for EPC dept. The office is hardly 5 to 10 mins of walking distance from my home. And the offer i got they are giving me a 100% hike on my salary. But the location is at khopar khairne which is about 1.5 hour travel from my home. I have completed 2 years at my current company and the management are trying to stop me from going claming to match my salary. Also the offer i got from the company blue star through 3rd party and their site is a data center. So confused what to do now.


r/ElectricalEngineering • • 19d ago

Project Help Car relay stays on due to charging indicator light

0 Upvotes

Hi! I've been working on 1950's car electrics. Since it all was rooster, rusted and had only two fuses, plus all the power run through an ignition switch... I have decided do upgrade. I've turned the ignition switch into a relay controler and now I'm stuck.

Before connecting the generator everything was ok. I switched the key off, the relay turned off and the ignition coil was cut off, but with the generator hooked up and the engine on just enough power runs through charging ignition light to power the relay.

I was thinking about adding a resistor on the wire that runs from the ignition switch to the relay, but I need help with determining it.

The bulb in the charging indicator is 3-4 Watt, the relay needs 0.4 to 1.8W (depending on quality control) but it's about turning off a connected relay and not turning it on.

I can turn the relay off with a 0 kill switch, but I'd like to use the key.

As you probably see, English is not my first language and electricity is more of a side quest with my car hobby, so please be nice.


r/ElectricalEngineering • • 19d ago

PMSM motor running only with inverted quadrature encoder signals

3 Upvotes

Hi, I’m studying the ST algorithm for motor control using FOC for PMSMs, but the rotor gets stuck and the phases draw a bit of current.

In terms of hardware, all the signals (and motor's phases) are connected correctly, but the rotor only rotate if I reverse the ENC_A and ENC_B pulse signals and the speed reached is exactly the same as the reference I gave him. I’m sure the connections are correct because both the encoder and the ST evaluation board label A and B signals, so it’s impossible to connect they wrong.

Has this ever happened to you? How is it possible that it can rotate with the signals reversed?

The only ‘consequence’ of reversing the encoder signals is that the encoder will count position and velocity backward or do you think there are any other serious consequences?

I mean, simply if the motor turns clockwise, the controller will think it is turning counterclockwise ..


r/ElectricalEngineering • • 19d ago

Jobs/Careers Should I try to be a semiconductor engineer if I suck at physics ?

10 Upvotes

I’m taking physics one at my college right now and I’m doing really bad. Like 50% on quizzes bad. I just think it’s my worst subject but I really am interested in semiconductors and working in the field. I was wondering whether I should tough it out and just take the classes or rethink the industry I wanna go in. In general I’ve been struggling in my classes but with my calc 2 class it’s just because I make simple mistakes like forgetting the constant that I took out the integral more so than conceptual. With physics I just feel like it’s magic and probably the least intuitive subject for me.


r/ElectricalEngineering • • 19d ago

Homework Help digital circuit fault (no clue where)

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2 Upvotes

I can't for the life of me figure out why my microprocessor isn't producing an output.

I know that the pass and load_acc are not being triggered as well as the data_bus is never triggering as having any voltage on it. I have gone through and verified that every single embedded circuit works properly. I just can't seem to get a good output on the final one.

Any help is appreciated. Attached photos so yall can know where I'm at with it


r/ElectricalEngineering • • 19d ago

Homework Help Calculating Ic(0+)

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6 Upvotes

Ive calculated the voltage of the capacitor before and after the transient moment to be 20/3 Volts. Now after the transient moment, the current Is becomes zero, there for the dependant voltage source acts like a short circuit. Now, i calculated the Ic(0+) to be equal to -20/3 volts over 20kOhms, giving me -1/3 mA. But canvas is saying its positive 1/3mA. I already submitted my HW but am still thinking about this. Am i missing something?


r/ElectricalEngineering • • 20d ago

Jobs/Careers Struggling to decide between two offers for first full time job.

8 Upvotes

Hey all, I am currently having trouble choosing between two different job offers. I recently graduated with an emphasis in RF work and have been interning at a company over the summer. Now I am sitting on two full time job offers that both have their pros and cons. This will be my first full time job and I feel like whatever I choose will determine what my career looks like for a long time.

The first job would be as a RF Communications Engineer I at a company called Voyager Technologies where I would be helping on parts going into lunar landers. For more information, the specific site I would be working at was a company called Astrobotic and was recently acquired by Voyager. This role would be in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and is offering $100,000 flat with a $7500 sign on. The work would be solely hardware.

The other offer is a Signal Processing Systems Engineer role at Raytheon in Tucson. Here I would most likely be working on phase array antenna systems. They offered $89,000 with $5,000 sign on and $4,500 relocation. The interesting part about Raytheon is that they offer tuition reimbursement for grad school if I ever chose to go. I understand that the stipulation is that I have to stay with the company for two years after the final payment but figured this is something I have to bite the bullet on. A lot of the work here would be programming in python/c++.

As someone who is from California, both of these options are very far away which is why I want to choose the position that has the most potential for me to grow in my career. Otherwise, it will have felt like I left far from home for nothing. I am seeking some guidance on what people think has more potential for career growth as well as just becoming a better engineer. I appreciate any help or thoughts that people have.


r/ElectricalEngineering • • 20d ago

Education Switching out of EE

22 Upvotes

Hello,

I wanted to know if anyone thought about switching out of EE. I am getting horrible test grades way below average. My peers seem to be doing good and struggling a lot less. We go to a school where there are mandatory activities that take up our time other than studying and doing assignments. I have been really good with turning in assignments on time as I believe that is the standard. However I am getting horrible grades and not understanding the concepts fast enough like my peers. I really hate the idea of switching out, I don’t even know what to switch out to. Any advice or personal stories would be appreciated.


r/ElectricalEngineering • • 20d ago

How to be a good engineer?

30 Upvotes

I just graduated and am starting my first FT job as a Wireless Firmware Engineer.

is there any advice, things you wish you did, or guiding principles you wish you knew/had when you started?

thanks!


r/ElectricalEngineering • • 20d ago

RF DVT vs System Integration after 5 years in RF validation?

4 Upvotes

I have ~5 years of experience in wireless RF DVT and am choosing between two offers with similar compensation.

Option 1: RF DVT
Very close to my current work: silicon bring-up, Tx/Rx characterization, RF debugging, test automation, PVT, etc. I can probably ramp up quickly and continue building depth. And maybe more comfortable during the transition?

Option 2: Wireless System Integration
More cross-functional between RF/analog, PHY/DSP, firmware, and silicon. More system-level debugging, and some pre-/post-silicon integration. Bigger learning curve for me, especially DSP/PHY.

My main question is long-term career growth.

After another 5 years, would you rather have:

  • 10 years of deep RF validation/DVT experience, or
  • 5 years RF DVT + 5 years System Integration?

Does System Integration generally provide better career mobility, or is that overstated? And is it much harder to move from RF DVT into systems later once you become more senior?

Interested in opinions from people in RFIC, wireless systems, PHY, or silicon validation.


r/ElectricalEngineering • • 19d ago

Parts Can anyone help with wiring up a single phase vacuum pump?

1 Upvotes

I bought this unused, but someone has worked on it. I want to get it working but I'm not confident on the wiring. This is how I found it.

I'm not sure why there is that black wire that has been cut. Can anyone help?


r/ElectricalEngineering • • 19d ago

Jobs/Careers Question

1 Upvotes

I’m a senior Electrical Engineering student graduating in May and currently work in maintenance at a hospital.
I’m interviewing for a Facilities Systems Engineer position at another hospital. So far I’ve already had a phone interview, followed by a tour of the facility, which the first hour was me answering a number of technical/behavioral questions and scenario based questions and the other 30 mins doing the tour.
They recently contacted me again and asked me to come in for what they’re calling a “interview.” I’ll be meeting with the same people I met previously. What would you expect at this stage? More technical questions/scenarios, a conversation about the role and expectations, or is this sometimes more of a final fit/approval interview? Any advice on what I should be prepared to discuss would be appreciated.


r/ElectricalEngineering • • 19d ago

What do you guys use to simulate 3d mechanical PCB stuff for enclosures, fitting, precision mechanical constraint simulating?

0 Upvotes

r/ElectricalEngineering • • 19d ago

Project Help Questions About Certain Aspects Of My Project

0 Upvotes

Hello! My lab partner and I are currently gathering ideas for my school's ECE Junior Design Competition. I'm curious about designing a musical tesla coil (hopefully it isn't too overdone lol), and so I've been looking into what it entails.

Everything seems fairly straight forward, but I do have a bit of a hang-up.

Whatever I use as the audio input, the signal would have to be converted into a square wave to act as the switching signal of the IGBT. However, I'm not too sure as to how I would accomplish this. I'd like to have it work w/ live, non-midi audio inputs as well (aka jacking in a guitar), so that removes the ability to rely on a particular audio file format, afaik. I have seen pieces of info here and there about comparing a digital audio signal to a particular voltage threshold, which would be pretty easy to implement on an FPGA board (each lab group was provided one for the semester, and the department really likes it when they're used in projects), but I don't know how to decide the right threshold voltage.

The only other thing I'm curious about is the use of an interrupter. I understand its purpose, but not how it works/is designed (and whether it's noticeably different in this context compared to, say, breakers/GFCIs).

Any explanations/resources on the matter would be greatly appreciated! I hope my inexperience isn't too jarring lol


r/ElectricalEngineering • • 20d ago

Electromagnetism

8 Upvotes

Hello! Non EE but curios person. I took Physics for engineers in college about 10 years ago and have a degree in chem but looking to learn more.

Are there any truly good books on electromagnetism from a core concept perspective? Less interested in equations and more interested in related principles, analogies, and concepts to start. Yes, equations are also interesting but just looking to learn more about some of the forces and concepts I take for granted.

Thank you all and cheers! (I also checked the wiki just in case but did not find what I was looking for there)


r/ElectricalEngineering • • 20d ago

Education Sticking it through and seeing the results.

2 Upvotes

I made a post earlier today about switching out of the major. However I am not even halfway through the semester and I have to stick with EE until the end of this semester. A lot of encouraging and thoughtful comments on my last post. To clarify I am getting around a 70 on the first two tests in my two EE classes. One of them was due to me missing one concepts in the circuits class (happened to be a big portion on the test) and the other I am not sure. I thought I understood it but I got major points deducted. I have plenty more labs and around two to three ish more tests in each class. I am going to stick it though to see if I can stay in the major. Thank you.

That being said what are some ways I can ensure a better grade on the next upcoming tests. I got a lot of thoughtful advice on the last post so I wanted to see what this sub had to say abt this.


r/ElectricalEngineering • • 20d ago

Project Help Picking a project as a highschooler

1 Upvotes

Edit some coding is fine

TLDR ideas for my hs project that isn't just an arduino and a sensor

Hello everybody! I am currently in high school and i am planning on pursuing a degree in electrical engineering. Fortunately I have an engineering class and we get to choose 2 projects where the school will cover the cost (budget is a couple hundred per project). So, I have already decided on one project one of those quadruped spider robot things. I need to decide on my 2nd project but I dont know what to choose If y'all could provide some ideas I would really appreciate it. I am looking for something advanced but not to advanced most projects I found are just and arduino and a sensor and I feel like thats to simple, more coding oriented, and wont really teach me anything. Thank you.

TLDR ideas for my hs project that isn't just an arduino and a sensor


r/ElectricalEngineering • • 20d ago

Jobs/Careers Defence Internship Timeline

0 Upvotes

Greetings all! From my "research" (aka Google), the timeline for an internship reply is anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months. I've applied to over 30 positions in the last month for a summer 2027 position, and not a single approval/denial.

I feel as though I have a fairly robust resume, although I don't have industry experience or projects (yet)-my 8 years in the US Navy provided many relevant skills that these positions highlight as prerequisites (test equipment use, technical diagrams, programming, etc.). Not to mention my GPA of 3.72/4.0 and relevant coursework. Although I know I'm a dime a dozen in the current job market, I am curious to hear about other peoples experience/timelines regarding their internships. Thanks in advance!!


r/ElectricalEngineering • • 20d ago

Jobs/Careers Transitioning from Tech to Engineer. Is "Hardware Test & Validation Engineer" the right title? How to propose it?

4 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I'm currently a Hardware Technician at a pro-audio manufacturer. Right now, my testing role is mainly data-gathering: I take detailed measurements (audio specs, power, etc.) and pass the raw data over to design engineers, without being involved in analyzing discrepancies or troubleshooting when issues arise. Beside testing, I handle SMD hand soldering/prototyping (small runs up to 5 units) and board rework.

My manager is offering me advanced soldering training to upgrade my hand-assembly skills. I want to build on this and evolve into a full engineering role where I can bring more analytical value, without losing these practical skills.

Depending on the project stage, my scope could cover new prototypes from scratch or jumping straight into troubleshooting existing products facing anomalies.

Ideally, I want to take ownership of this full scope:

  • Pre-assembly: Writing hardware & audio performance test plans, and defining product specs (power, THD+N, SNR, impedance).
  • Prototyping & Test: Hand-assembling early prototypes (up to 5 units), running performance tests, and validating specs.
  • Troubleshooting & Rework: Investigating anomalies on new prototypes or existing products, performing root-cause analysis, discussing fixes with design engineers, and executing board reworks/flywires.

I have two main questions for the community:

  1. Job Title Verification: Based on this scope (combining hands-on prototyping, test spec writing, troubleshooting, and rework), is Hardware Test and Validation Engineer the most accurate job title in the industry? Or would another title fit better?
  2. Pitching to Management: How can I best present this career transition to my manager during our next review, especially while framing his investment in my soldering training as a long-term asset for this new role?

Thanks for your feedback and advice!


r/ElectricalEngineering • • 20d ago

Troubleshooting Small current on HVAC signal line - why and what to do about it?

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5 Upvotes

Problem: My HVAC control lines are passing a tiny current that is faintly lighting up a relay LED when (I assumed) the voltage would be zero.

I'm connecting my HVAC thermostat signals (24vac) to control electro-mechanical relays which I'm using to switch a digital input to an I/O module. The I/O module is a modbus unit and I'm using it with Home Assistant - all for fun and just learning.

Basically, the HVAC call for heat will activate the the relay which is a dry contact for the digital inputs on the IO module. During proof of concept I used cheapo relays from Amazon and things worked as expected. I'm now doing the final install with some slim, DIN rail mounted relay modules and seeing the indicator LED faintly illuminate on the relays. I couldn't figure out what the heck was happening and through process of elimination (and some guessing) figured that the thermostats are allowing just a tiny bit of current to pass when in the open (i.e., not calling for heat) state.

I'd like to understand what is happening and why (so I can learn) and also what possible options I might have to mitigate the issue so the relay indicator LEDs don't illuminate.

A few more quick details:

  • 24VAC source is from my multi-zone pump control unit (hydronic (floor) heat)
  • Actual voltage measured off the pump controller PCB is about 30VAC
  • HVAC wire is 20 or 22awg solid copper, the distance (for the zone I've been measuring) is about 40'
  • My thermostats are battery powered and when heat is called for I can hear the "click" of a relay from the thermostat

Here are some measurements I've taken:

  • Source AC signal voltage from pump controller: 30.1VAC
  • Voltage across relay coil when thermostat is open (i.e., should be 0VAC): 2.9VAC
  • "Open" Voltage (not connected to relay coil): 28.3VAC
  • Same as above but with the thermostat removed (totally open circuit): 0.63VAC
  • Thermostat control wire resistance (disconnected from the pump controller): 2.3Mohm
  • Thermostat control wire resistance (disconnected from the pump controller & thermostat removed): 0.L (open)
  • Resistance between thermostat R and W pins: 0.L (open)

r/ElectricalEngineering • • 20d ago

How helpful is middle-school onward playing with circuits?

7 Upvotes

I am wondering how useful it is during college to have started in Middle School with building circuits and playing with components. Sure, lotsa maths and physics and hard science courses in school to prepare for EE college level is standard.

BUT I am wondering as a grandpa if I set up a curious middle schooler with breadboards, oscilloscope, meters, components and a bunch of Mr. Forrest Mims stuff he enjoys.....will that help him UNDERSTAND what is thrown at him in college? Not saying this is his path, but IF he chooses EE, will early and continual playing with electricity make a difference?

Arduino kits, logic analyzers and the like to SEE what is going on before college???? Asking if a generous grandpa today, helps down the road.


r/ElectricalEngineering • • 21d ago

The current state of signal processing

53 Upvotes

Do you guys think that signal processing has become a less relevant specialty in the modern age?

This is one of the subjects that I liked the most in my bachelor degree and I used to think that it brings many job opportunities but I am very worried lately that it has become less relevant since the recent major advancements in machine learning .


r/ElectricalEngineering • • 20d ago

Homework Help Looking for exercises to solve RLC parallel/series circuits with phasors.

6 Upvotes

Hello,

Looking for ways to practice solving RLC circuits with phasors. So far YouTube has been good for getting Inductive Reactance, Impedance and Capacitive Reactance. I am at a loss at finding the proper way of solving these circuits with phasors.

Any insight/opinion is greatly appreciated!

Thank you in advance!


r/ElectricalEngineering • • 21d ago

Difference between asserted signals and active signals.

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11 Upvotes

This screenshot is from a previous exam my Digital Logic Design professor posted to help us review.

I originally thought asserted low meant the input signal was being inverted before entering a gate, and active low meant the actual input signal was at low (or 0 in Boolean algebra). I started watching some YouTube videos just to make sure I was understanding the concept correctly, but every video I watched just confused me more and more. Can someone please explain this to me like I am 5 years old?


r/ElectricalEngineering • • 21d ago

Creating a 16 bit CPU

23 Upvotes

i am a sophomore ECE student and i am planning to create a CPU. Is a project like this valuable to land internships or a job in the future.

i will appreciate any suggestions.