Allowed topics
This site is about Electrical Engineering (opamps, microcontrollers, etc) and Electric Power Engineering (utility-scale power generation, transmission, etc). These names may be somewhat different around the world, but the concepts are the same.
On-topic
Most questions that arise in the course of performing such engineering (with a few exceptions, see below) are on topic. This includes, for example:
- The design of circuits.
- The diagnosing of circuits.
- Physical construction of circuits or electrical products, within limits. This is generally on topic when there is some engineering aspect, or engineering tradeoffs that need to be made to accommodate manufacturing processes. If an electrical engineer needs to be aware of it, or needs to specify it to manufacturing, then it is on topic. How to wire a light socket in your house, for example, is off topic.
- Tools and techniques used in the course of the above.
Tools can be both hardware (soldering iron, oscilloscope) and software (schematic capture, simulation).
- The theory of circuits.
- Components used in a circuit.
- The physics behind how circuits and circuit components work, and the physics of related phenomena.
- Signal processing.
- Control theory.
- Power generation and transmission.
- Microcontrollers, FPGAs.
- Firmware and software.
This must be relevant to specific hardware, or about issues due to hardware limitations.
- Component identification, within strict guidelines. See the Component ID Questions help topic for more information.
This isn't meant to be an exhaustive list, but hopefully you get the idea. Stay within the spirit of the above, and you'll generally be fine. We have no interest in engaging with rules-lawyers.
Sometimes there are legitimate gray areas. These are discussed in meta to find the consensus of the users.
Off-topic
The question and answer format of this site means it's not suited for certain topics or types of questions. Other topics are not allowed to keep the site focused on its purpose and reduce what most users would consider noise:
- Shopping questions.
What parts are available and where they are available changes too fast, and there is no single right answer. Answers are often opinion-based and devolve to popularity contests. As a result, we don't allow such questions.
We recognize that sourcing parts is an important part of engineering, but regardless, we're just not going to get into that here.
- High-level use of electrical devices.
If your question treats a device like a black box and isn't about its theory of operation or its design tradeoffs, then it's likely off topic.
There are some exceptions with the techniques of using tools specific to electronics, but don't go too far with this. We are not the help desk for your oscilloscope, but asking about how to use a scope to see a particular waveform might be OK.
- Consumer "electronics".
This is really a special case of the previous item, but it happens often enough to point out explicitly. This is not the place to ask how to set the clock in your microwave oven.
- No interest in understanding or learning, "Just gimme da anser!"
There has to be some element of engineering, theory, underlying physics, etc, in every question. This is why most Arduino questions are off topic.
- URGENT!!!
Not our problem.
- What's the answer to this homework?
Again, this site is about learning. Just giving you the answer to a homework question defeats that, and is not allowed.
It is possible to ask about a homework question, explain what your thought process is, and where exactly you are stuck. If done right, we can try to guide you to discover the solution yourself. This is tricky. Be careful.
Always be honest about it being a homework problem. Most people you are asking have taken the same course you're taking and have done the homework. We know what homework looks like. Trying to disguise it is a great way to eliminate any good will that might have come your way.
