Making the switch from ME to EE 3

[puttyME]

Hey everyone, (not sure if this post belongs here)

I currently work for a major water/wastewater/environmental consulting firm. I'm doing mostly building mechanical design- HVAC/plumbing/fire protection for facilities. Its more of an industrial type application and the money is good. Although, its not perfect.

I feel like I'd be happier doing electrical design (probably power distribution) but I do plan on staying in consulting. Electrical design just seems more interesting to me and more challenging. (Any EE consultants care to comment?)

I graduated few years ago and have been working in mechanical consulting since that time. I guess Im just feeling somewhat dissatisfied with my career choice. Some aspects of it I really enjoy... like calculating boiler exhaust plume heights, or modeling hot water piping systems, or evaluating system acoustics... but there's more to be desired. I am now considering going back to school for a second bachelors in EE. Is it worth the extra time and money for another degree? Or is this just a "grass-is-greener" moment that i should ignore?


I graduated a few years ago, Im 28, I have no mortgage, no GF, no kids, no debt. I have a little money saved up that i could put towards school. My current employer would not be too happy and more than likely Id have to find new work. And I live in northern CA and no CSU schools are admitting for a 2nd bachelors at the moment.

Thanks for the responses

 

[GregLocock]

" Z-transforms, Fourier Transforms, FFT, convolution, impulse functions"

That's odd.

In the UK 30 years ago FT was first year maths taken by all engineers. I can't remember when we did Laplace, might have been 2nd year, in which case it was common to all mechies and electrical, or 3rd year in which case it might have been more specialised.

Of course, our occasional struggles with laplace and transistors were nothing compared with the sparkies trying to do steam engines.

Cheers

Greg Locock


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[lacajun]

Disliked Thermo...

Schools are not equal and I am certainly no education snob. I am just glad to have gotten through it with a lot of hard work. Anyone with an engineering degree has no shame at all.

Pamela K. Quillin, P.E.
Quillin Engineering, LLC

 

[KENAT]

Greg, 15 years or so ago FT & Laplace were both second year. However, 1st year math basically consisted of getting everyone that had taken single (or even worse single modular) maths up to the level of those of us that took double maths plus a little more detail in a couple of areas.

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[MacGyverS2000]

Took Thermo... I was "lucky" enough to have taken it during the last semester it was required before the EE college decided it wasn't a necessity. The professor wrote his own books for the course, and in the Forward of the first one he specified the average student will take the course 2.7 times before passing. I passed the first time through, counted my lucky stars, and ran like hell.

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[TheTick]

Don't blame them. I've learned there isn't much point in trying to explain conservation of energy and conservation of momentum to a EE.

 

[FeX32]

The new thing in Thermo is Exergy. (not a typo)
Took 3 courses in Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer. Lots of fun


Fe (IronX32)

 

[TheTick]

Exergy is not new. Just another term for available energy. Just a fancy word for not counting the gas in the gas tank that is below the fuel hose mouth.

 

[ScottyUK]

A few more Year 2 subjects to join Laplace, Fourier Transforms, FFT etc: Dirac Functions; Maxwell's Equations; transmission line theory; symmetrical components... and oh yes, I really do miss thermo!


----------------------------------

If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[AgeXVII]

Regular Dynamics kicked my butt (a few times) I am actually glad I was not required to take Thermodynamics or Fluid dynamics for that matter. Might bite me later in life depending where my career path leads but for now I am pretty safe!

 

[lacajun]

FeX32, the mechanicals I went through school with didn't like controls, didn't understand the math, didn't understand the prof, etc. But, I didn't "get" some of their stuff either so we balanced each other out.

TheTick (Mechanical)
31 May 12 9:48
I've learned there isn't much point in trying to explain conservation of energy and conservation of momentum to a EE.

Where could we go with this? Hmmmm...

Pamela K. Quillin, P.E.
Quillin Engineering, LLC

 

[ports394]

I gotta say, I think you're crazy. I'm a MechE, and electricity is voodoo magic to me!

If you're returning to school, for the Masters route.

 

[rmw]

If there is a Heaven, it will be Thermo classes for eternity.

rmw

 

[ScottyUK]

Note: in rmw's world 'Heaven' is a place of fire and brimstone, run by a guy woman with horns and a forked tail...

 

[AgeXVII]

ScottyUK - I almost feel like you must have known some of my professors

 

[lacajun]

Good one, ScottyUK.

Pamela K. Quillin, P.E.
Quillin Engineering, LLC