[Circuit Analysis] Hard Time to Decide

[dijkarte]

What textbook do experts here recommend for a first course in DC/AC circuit analysis?
I've checked what many universities use in EE, and reviewed some of these texts. However I see they almost have the same outline of topics but they differ slightly in how they approach each topic. Some stuff in some books which I find essential to understand the basics are present in some books and not others, while others provide more on different topics. So what I'm saying here is no book is perfect or let's say complete. For an introductory text I would expect it to be near perfect, at least for the related stuff. When I read online reviews of these books I hesitate to decide on something. And it's not something I can buy several different books about the same level but with different approaches, or conventions, not to mention their high price. I don't want a cookbook on how to analyze electric circuits; rigor and details are essential. Any recommendation please?

 

[CDTOE]

I'm an undergraduate student and I would recommend Alexander's and Sadiku's Fundamentals of Electric Circuits. We have covered most of the subjects in this book, and I can confidently say that I've not encountered a topic that I couldn't understand just by reading the explanations and practicing the so many examples, exercises and end-of-chapter problems. Anyone with good calculus and basic trigonometry skills can get into this book easily even if he's not interested in electrical engineering.

I'm sure that if you did a simple research in this forum, you would find many topics in which experts recommended books on this subject.

 

[dijkarte]

I've rented this for reviewing...I've found another one: Analysis and Design of Linear Circuits.

 

[jim hardy]

peruse secondhand book stores for textbooks written prior to about 1960. They are inexpensive and basic.

 

[psparky]

Here's the shortened four page version that gets right to the point.
I wrote this up a little while back...easy to follow and learn compared to any textbook in my opinion.

 

[dijkarte]

Coolz. And I found another book which is kind of what I'm looking for (not a cookbook), rigorous and detailed, and no stupid SPICE screenshots distorting the content. It's
Linear and Nonlinear Circuits by Leon O. Chua. Unfortunately it's out of print, and the price for used ones is pretty high. I wonder if there're similar titles that are new...

Thanks.

 

[psparky]

Also, if you are truly new, it will take you a long time just to master the DC circuit analysis. AC is essentially the same, it just introduces vectors that are no longer sitting at zero degrees.

In other words...learn to walk before you learn to run.

 

[dijkarte]

Well I have a strong background in math which helps. Besides I'm already familiar with at least basic DC circuit analysis since high-school, so yeah I know how to jog very well. :D

What I'm trying to say I don't want something an undergrad student enjoys, or a college suggests as a textbook. Sorry but they are bad texts.

 

[psparky]

Mastering Thevenin and Norton equivilents are great ways to master circuits. If you can take any circuit and get their Thev/norton equivilent...you have the basics down in my opinion.

 

[dijkarte]

This is what I'm currently studying. Trying to find their equivalence in nonlinear circuits.

 

[psparky]

You are doing non linear thevenin equivalents and you are asking for first year DC/AC analysis textbooks?

Fascinating.

 

[dijkarte]

The fascinating thing is if they don't learn this stuff in their first year courses. :)
Enough social/art studies and electives?

 

[CDTOE]

There's no Thevenin equivalent circuit for a network that contains non-linear elements. It's only applicable in circuits that contain voltage/current sources and resistors.

 

[dijkarte]

OMG! I thought there's something like a controlled voltage source with a diode. :D
Thanks for saving my time.

 

[psparky]

Ok...dijkarte...wonder boy junior...

What don't you know in the world of electronics...Mr. I want a first year textbook.

Have you done op amps yet? How about op amps in regards to frequency response?

Transistors? Digital?

Let's get a feeling where you are at.

 

[dijkarte]

I'm almost done with DC basics, will be studying AC soon. At the same time I'm exploring analog/OpAmp applications in general.

When I asked for a basic text, I wanted something that explains the basics with details and rigor which helps understand things better and in different ways. The problem with new texts they are too SPICY for me. :D

 

[psparky]

I will teach you op amps in a couple sentences. As soon as you accept what I wrote...you will ace any op amp exam in college.

V+ = V-
No current enters either of these terminals. (this applies for ideal amps...like the ones on your homework and exams)

When trying to solve for Vout...simply use node analysis. Current in equals current out. Write node equations at each node and you can solve almost any op amp problem regardless of how many nasty resistors are flaring out all over the place.

For real...easy as that.

 

[dijkarte]

Very interesting fact. Does this apply to amp's when connected to capacitors or inductors? AC too?

 

[psparky]

Very interesting fact. Does this apply to amp's when connected to capacitors or inductors? AC too?

According to Kirchoff, current in equals current out...so yes, applies for caps, inductors and AC.

However, you will likely approach these problems differently as you will likely be looking for frequency response. Op amps can be filters. That being said, nodal analysis will still work, the math will just be much tougher because of the JWL and 1/JWC. YOu will also use bode plots to plot the frequency response.

If you take a op amp that does have caps and inductors or whatever, and a DC signal is used...the caps will open and the inductors will short as you know.

When dealing with frequency response, the op amps in school will typically take the -RF/RA approach...or the (1+RF/RA) approach. But you can always fall back on node analysis...what you are ussually looking for in these ideal op amps is the transfer function...or gain. Gain =Vout/Vin.

Btw...if you take a simple op amp that uses the above formula...simply do a nodal analysis on one of these simple ones and you will derive the two formulas above. Do it, it is worth the exercise.

 

[jasonRF]

Coolz. And I found another book which is kind of what I'm looking for (not a cookbook), rigorous and detailed, and no stupid SPICE screenshots distorting the content. It's
Linear and Nonlinear Circuits by Leon O. Chua. Unfortunately it's out of print, and the price for used ones is pretty high. I wonder if there're similar titles that are new...

Thanks.

I am vaguely familiar with the book (was an optional book for a class I took many years ago - I bought it but sold it back). Yes, it is rigorous, but you should probably already know basic circuits before you attempt it. Plus, $100+ for an out of print used book on circuits seems steep for most people. If I recall correctly it skips a lot of elementary stuff, but includes discussions of phase plane analysis of nonlinear circuits and all sorts of stuff I have never learned (I am not a circuits person ...).

An even older (not newer) book that might fit the bill a little better is "Basic Circuit Theory" by Desoer and Kuh. Used copies at amazon go for something like $15-$20. I think it is quite good, is more rigorous than the standard intro book, but starts a little more at the beginning of the subject. My copy is at work, but if I recall correctly it was written for Junior level classes at Berkeley, so would probably be good to at least have a good elementary level book to look at first.

good luck,

jason