Course Description

This course will familiarize you with electrical circuits, forms of circuit protection, and motor control centers, or MCCs.

Discussion to include how to read circuit symbols and ladder diagrams and demonstrate basic circuit troubleshooting techniques.

Duration

1 Hour

Target Audience

Leadership

Supervisors

Operations

Electrical Maintenance

Instrumentation & Controls

Operation & Maintenance Personnel

Prerequisites

Participants should have:

• Course material is in English; therefore, a reasonable ability to read and understand English is required.

Class Size

Remote access.

Learning Objectives

This course will provide basic knowledge on the following:

• Define circuits and explain how they operate
• Explain FE’s role in relation to circuits
• Explain current, voltage and resistance in relation to circuits
• Define different types of switches and contacts
• Demonstrate ability to identify key circuit symbols on a ladder diagram and how they operate together
• Explain the difference between overload and overcurrent
• Explain how different types of circuit protection work
• Explain the circuit troubleshooting process and best practices
• Explain what a Motor Control Center is and how to turn motors on and off
• Given a circuit with errors, troubleshoot the circuit and make corrections
• Describe the safety practices regarding circuits

Course Content

Lesson 1 - circuit basics

1. Definition of a circuit
2. Current, voltage, and resistance
3. Series circuits and parallel circuits
4. Types of switches
5. Types of contacts
6. Contactors and auxiliary contacts
7. How a contactor works

Lesson 2 – ladder diagrams

1. The purpose of ladder diagrams
2. Key circuit symbols
3. Potential variances in ladder diagrams

Course Content Continued

Lesson 3 – circuit protection

1. Overload
2. Overcurrent
3. Control Power Transformer
4. Fuses
5. Circuit Breakers
6. Types of Circuit Breaker Trips
7. Overload Relays

Lesson 4 – Troubleshooting MCC

1. Motor Control Center in a power plant
2. When is troubleshooting in an MCC necessary?
3. Troubleshooting MCCs: Preliminary steps
4. Troubleshooting MCCs: Half-splitting
5. Troubleshooting scenario
6. Troubleshooting scenario solutions
7. Safety when troubleshooting

Lesson 5 - assessment

1. Assessment