Learn practical electronics from a skilled mentor!

“The text is written as if Dr. Bergeron, who is a highly experienced electronics practitioner, is speaking directly to the reader with a point-by-point commentary about each teardown, complete with clear explanations of the operation and function of every component. By the time the product is completely disassembled, the reader understands the design tricks, component selection, and packaging choices that enabled the product to reach the market.” —From the Foreword by Forrest M. Mims III

Amp up your knowledge of electronics by deconstructing common devices and analyzing the revealed components and circuitry. Teardowns: Learn How Electronics Work by Taking Them Apart contains 14 projects that expose the inner workings of household appliances, workbench measuring instruments, and musical equipment. Discover how resistors, capacitors, sensors, transducers, and transistors function in real circuitry. You’ll even get details on custom modifications to electric guitar pickups, an effects pedal, and a tube amp. Essential instructions for safely launching your own teardowns are also included in this hands-on guide.

• Learn about sensors and ICs from smoke detectors and motion-activated lights
• Work with the LCD and strain gauge transducers in a digital scale
• Discover how surge protectors, power conditioners, and UPS units function
• Study thermal design techniques in compact fluorescent bulbs
• Analyze the control systems in ultrasonic humidifiers and digital thermometers
• Understand how op amps and power ICs work in a hi-fi stereo amplifier
• Figure out how ultrasonic transducers work in a laser-guided measuring device
• Explore electric guitar pickups, effects pedals, and tube amplifiers

Table of contents

Part I: Around the Home;
Chapter 1. Dual Sensor Smoke Alarm;
Chapter 2. Motion Activated LED Light;
Chapter 3. Digital Bathroom Scale;
Chapter 4. Surge Protective Devices;
Chapter 5. Electronic Pedometer;
Chapter 6. Compact Fluorescent(CF) Lamp;
Chapter 7. Ultrasonic Humidifier;
Chapter 8. Digital Hygro-Thermometer;
Chapter 9. Stereo Power Amplifier;
Part II: For Tinkerers;
Chapter 10. Analog Volt-Ohm-Meter;
Chapter 11. Laser-Guided Sonic Distance Measurer; Part III: For Musicians;
Chapter 12. Electric Guitar;
Chapter 13. Effects Pedal;
Chapter 14. Vacuum Tube Guitar Amplifier;
Part IV: Appendices;
Appendix A. Component Markings;
Appendix B. Resources

Biographical note

Bryan Bergeron is editor of Nuts & Volts Magazine and Servo Magazine, the author of several hundred articles, two dozen books, and several patents. He teaches in the HST Division of Harvard Medical School and MIT. Bryan’s company, Archetype Technologies, Inc., develops intelligent systems for the military.