Troubleshooting and Meter Skills
Troubleshooting and Meter Skills
Learn how to use a multimeter safely and effectively to quickly find any circuit fault. This class is great for newer techs to learn the basics and for experienced techs to learn advanced skills.
Student learn using a portable training board that has 80 circuit segments where the instructor can introduce opens, shorts, reverse polarity, and ground faults - including ground faults through water. Most importantly, students learn a repeatable process to find issues fast.
Training is focused on 12 and 24V systems so it's great for anyone who does fire, security, building automation, smart lighting, sound, PA, industrial automation, AV, nurse call, school clocks, gate and overhead door controls, stage lighting and theatrical controls, solar PV, car wash controls, fuel dispensing systems, telecom, data center infrastructure - techs in any low voltage controls industry.
Each course is tailored to the audience. Automation and controls technicians learn how to troubleshoot 24 VDC and 24 VAC circuits, how to verify phase when connecting transformer secondaries in parallel, and how to measure 4-20 mA sensor current.
Security technicians learn how to troubleshoot both parallel and series circuits, e.g., access control, intrusion zones, and sirens. Fire alarm technicians learn how to troubleshoot circuits with and without EOL resistors, Class A & B wiring, and get the most in-depth practice troubleshooting ground faults.
Hands-on practice finding faults with our training boards is a critical part of this class.
> Read about the history leading to the development of the FS-24-TBS Troubleshooting Station
Relay Training Board
In the Full Course, students learn how to read one-line electrical diagrams and how to work with relays, using the FS-5-BFT Relay Training Board. You'll have to come to class to learn the secret hidden behind the labels at each switch.
24 VAC
Automation and controls students get hands on experience connecting 24 VAC transformers in parallel using the FS-24-XSC where they can safely witness firsthand transformers doubling the voltage when connected out of phase.
Interactive Circuit Simulator and Custom Video Game
To further enhance the learning experience, we use an interactive circuit simulator and a custom video-game.
Audience
This class is perfect for any low voltage controls technician whose role requires using a multimeter.
1-Day and 2-Day Versions
In the Field Sim Troubleshooting and Meter Skills course, students start by learning electrical foundations and basic meter skills. By the end of Day 1 (Foundations), students should be able to quickly find solid faults, like opens, shorts, reverse polarity (DC). Fire alarm and security techs will be experts at finding ground faults. Automation and controls students will be able to easily determine whether transformers are in or out of phase.
Students who return for Day 2 (Full Course) will learn how to use an ohmmeter and continuity mode and when each is advised. They will learn advanced troubleshooting strategies and how to find more difficult faults, like intermittent faults, weak shorts (including ground faults through water), and multiple simultaneous faults. Students will learn tactics to determine the order of devices on a circuit where the path is unknown (useful for service techs and for install techs taking over from someone else). Fire alarm technicians will learn how to diagnose and repair T-Taps. Students will learn how to measure current draw using an ammeter, for determining whether a circuit is overloaded - and for automation and controls students, for determining output of a 4-20 mA sensor. Students will also get to use the FS-5-BFT Relay Training Board to learn how to read basic one-line DC electrical diagrams to determine relay operation.
Troubleshooting and Meter Skills
Foundations
(1-Day)
In this 1-day class, students learn and practice a repeatable process to find simple faults like solid opens, shorts, reverse polarity, and ground faults, using a digital multimeter. Students get to engage with interactive simulations and practice hands-on with the FS-24-TBS Troubleshooting Station and the FS-24-XSC Transformer Secondaries Connection board (where applicable). More details...
Course length: 1 day
(0.8 CEU)
Price: $500
Troubleshooting and Meter Skills
Full Course
(2 Days)
This 2-day class includes all the material from the 1-day Foundations class. When they return for the second day, students learn to address more difficult problems, like intermittent faults and ground faults through water. Students learn how to measure current, including for 4-20 mA sensors (where applicable). Students also learn to read one-line electrical drawings and understand relays via hands-on interaction with the FS-5-BFT Relay Training board. More details...
Course length: 2 days
(1.6 CEU)
Price: $1000
Schedule
If you'd like for us to bring this class to a town near you, fill out the form below to let us know.
We require a minimum of 6 students for dedicated classes. If you don't have that many students, you can still attend a public version of our training. Check out the schedule below to see if we have anything planned nearby. If not, submit the form above and we'll let you know when we're coming to your area.
Online On-Demand Training
You might also be interested in our online courses, which make extensive use of 4K video, much of which was filmed in the field. Browse our list of online courses to learn more.