Education

Give me some idea of the education of some of the installers out there. Are you guys self taught or did you go to school for to learn how to install?

Thanks.

Mobile Dynamics (school), asking questions when you don't understand something, from whomever can answer them (mechanic, installer, reading, etc.) and hands on experience.

http://www.mobiledynamics.com/main/enter.html

Dutch

The funny thing is, the MECP basic study guide does have mention of such installtion follies. Appearantly he didn't read it.

.....60 wires? nice work!

I've always been into building things and fixing things. I was familliar with tools pretty much my whole life.

My first job was an assistant mechanic at a local Harley shop (I knew the guy). These guys were all mechanics, painters, machinists, they let me use thier tools and taught me alot of things. I was only 14 though, so I didn't soak it all in like I should've.

I worked at a computer shop when I was 15, I knew this guy too. This was back when computers were the 'big thing'. That job certainly had potential, but I was quite the punk at 15. I mainly assembled machines and did just about anything else around the store.

When I started driving, I just got stuck with one sh*tbox after another and I loved to use and abuse these cars, so I was always fixing something. I owned an '84 Trans Am that I pretty much overhauled mechanically, lowered it, upgraded the entire suspension, installed a few different stereo combos. I raised hell in this car, but most girls were afraid to ride in it.

I took electronics shop at the local Vo-Tech, I learned to solder and make circuits from scratch, power supplies, alarm systems, etc. I quit after the 10th grade, they changed the shop around and I didn't like it. I wouldn't recomend for anyone to quit HS, no matter what the circumstances. I got a GED later.

I learned Electronics in the Navy, became an electronics technician. This school is pretty intense, most of this stuff has stayed with me.

I got a job as an installer after I was in the Navy, I was going to school at the time. I learned a lot from the other installers, but mainly technique, products, this and that, I already knew how to wire things, but they could sure do it a lot faster than I could! I hated the people I worked for, but not with. The other installers were cool, but the management was the enemy. I quit after 2 months and filed a 'non-payment of wages' form with the department of labor and industry. A week later I got a nice check. I later forwarded the info to other installers who had been ripped off. I hope this shop learned thier lesson, breaking labor laws is not cool.

My major was computer Networking, but I hate computers unless it's for my own entertainment. I'm currently an electronics technician for a company that deals in laser measurment. It's a secure job and it's interesting stuff. The coolest part is that they supply all of the tools and there are no cars in there, just boxes with electronic devices in need of repair or re-cal.

If I want to install, I do it for extra cash or just play with my car.

I think the keys to success for any installer are:

-Know what electricity is and how it behaves

-understand diagrams and instructions (this is how most of us self taught people do it)

-think of the big picture (a good installer/mechanic knows how the whole car works together)

-watch other installers, this is by far the best way to learn

-excellent dexterity, mechanically inclined.

-be well rounded

-don't listen to others who tell you how hard it is, everyone has a different learning curve.

I worked with a guy who was still learning sub wiring after a year, he was always in my business making sure I was doing it right. I asked him if he wanted the formulas for inducters in series and paralell, he was like "huh...!?" the funny part is, you really don't need to know these formulas if you know basic math, but it doesn't hurt to know what an inductor is.

- don't question good advice from good installers. I had one guy tell me to learn one system at a time, like audio, then alarms, then vidio, gps etc..

I didn't like the idea of that because I am a fast learner. He was right though because as common as these things are to me, no one has time to draw up a wiring diagram and analize it in a bay. You just have to grab and go, so knowing the 'color codes' like the back of your hand is the best way to go, and taking some time to learn it is a good idea. Still check with a meter though. In my business, colors change from one device to another, so it's no good to assume.

Thanks for the info guys,.

 I have heard of some pretty good schools around the country out there, what do you think?