DIY basics explained?

As a newbie to DIY flashlights I have TONS of unanswered questions. I am a mechanic by trade and pretty good at figuring things out but DC voltage/amperage is my weak point. I can take apart and put things back together with no problems but have no technical expertise in electronics whatsoever. So I have searched my arse off in this forum but I am having a hard time with all the acronyms and tech terms used throughout this forum. Is there a thread or threads where most of the basics are explained? I have looked in the wiki but its limited. I want to learn about bin codes, voltages, batteries do's and don't ect so I can piece together my own light and not have to worry about damaging my new and expensive parts. There are so many good threads I probably have missed one somewhere. Any and all help is greatly appreciated.:thumbsup:

I highly recommend reading the reference threads in the Welcome Mat, as well as the pertinent threads in the various stickies:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/137823
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/133440

Particularly:
LED binning
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/156772

Electronics basics
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/53985&highlight=CPF+University

Battery compatibility
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/110881

I'm an EE student and the way I first learned about current and voltage sounds a bit lame but I'll explain it:

Voltage is the energy level of a source relative to a known point (often ground), current is the amount of charge that flows. Imagine a bunch of dump trucks driving down the road; voltage is the amount of load each truck carries, current is the number of trucks driving down the road. Therefore, if you have less voltage (smaller load in trucks) you need more trucks to deliver the same amount of energy (meaning more current).

Wiggle said:

I'm an EE student and the way I first learned about current and voltage sounds a bit lame but I'll explain it:

Voltage is the energy level of a source relative to a known point (often ground), current is the amount of charge that flows. Imagine a bunch of dump trucks driving down the road; voltage is the amount of load each truck carries, current is the number of trucks driving down the road. Therefore, if you have less voltage (smaller load in trucks) you need more trucks to deliver the same amount of energy (meaning more current).

Click to expand...

Or using the classic water analogy, voltage is the water pressure, current (amps) is the flow rate.

Yep that works too. I also like the dump trucks because imagining them lose some of their load on bumpy (resistive) roads is a very easy mental image:thumbsup: Of course, this all falls apart when talking about AC but that's a different ball game.

WoW, thanks for the fast responses!

Marduke said:

Battery compatibility
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/110881

Click to expand...

Wiki linky no worky!

The Dane said:

Wiki linky no worky!

Click to expand...

Did you read the rest of the thread?
http://web.archive.org/web/20070802.../The_Rechargeable_Battery_Compatibility_Chart

Try here also
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/201375

Marduke said:

Try here also
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/201375

Click to expand...

Thats an awesome thread, thanks for the linklovecpf

Marduke said:

Or using the classic water analogy, voltage is the water pressure, current (amps) is the flow rate.

Click to expand...

I have heard it as voltage being the speed of the water (similar to water pressure), while current is the width of the hose/river/whatever. If the water is going slowly (low voltage), then the river has to be wider to move the same amount of current (basically the same thing).