You will be introduced to the latest electrical diagnostic equipment during class. This class is designed to take you from a basic electrical technician to understanding the conceptsvto an advanced level by working on real cars, including scopes, meters, wiring repair, and more. There will be 6 hours of required pre-study, and then 16 hours of in-person learning at ACDC’s training center. ACDC has been the pioneer in xEV training for over 25 years, and without a thorough understanding of electricity and electronics, the mastery of electric vehicles would be out of reach. There’s no class like this anywhere. It’s unique and amazing!

Equipment you will be exposed to at ACDC includes eight sets of PICO scopes, Bosch electrical meters, various leads and connectors.  There are four work stations with four ACDC technicians so each work group is less than four people. Be ready for digesting lots of new processes, but we will not be feeding you from a fire hose.

You will receive an ACDC notebook with worksheets and a 200-page electrical training manual included in the cost of the class. We also provide lunch, coffee, and snacks.

• There will be study material done online prior to the class. You will be tested while studying online and must pass the test before the class starts.  If something comes up and you can’t complete the test before the class, you will be re-enrolled into the next class.  The online study is expected to take about 6 hours.

• You will need a currently certified safety glove kit (class 0, rated to 1,000V) to participate in class.  If you already have one, please bring it with you.  Gloves will be available to borrow during class, but you will need to get your own set eventually.  These kits are available to purchase through ACDC.

• Most technicians own a DVOM and related equipment.  Please gather up your electrical tools and equipment you’ve purchased over the years, fill up your trunk, and bring them to class.  As an added bonus we’ll help you decide what to keep and what is obsolete.  

• Please arrive to class early so that we can start promptly.

Lesson 1: 

• Basic Electricity
• A new model for understanding Ohm’s Law
• Use of your meter

Lesson 2:

• Reading Wiring Diagrams
• Understanding the symbols
• Using online information systems

Lesson 3:

• Learning a logical electrical diagnostic procedure, or “Where do I start?”  This is a hands-on portion.

Lesson 4:

• Understanding series and parallel circuits so that you can trace the electrical circuits and restore their functions.  We have testing boards to get you started.

Lesson 5:

• Troubleshooting common electrical failures. This will be case studies and will introduce you to two paid websites that we use here.

Lesson 6: 

• Applying what you have learned in order to analyze faults with an oscilloscope. This is hands-on work.

Lesson 7:

• At this point in the class, you will be working on motor vehicles using the above equipment

Lesson 8:

• Understanding and analyzing CAN and LIN using scopes. At this point we have built an eight station learning wall.  What this means is that we can send signals down a series of wires while you analyze the trace on PICO scopes. If you have your own oscilloscope, after learning with PICO, you’ll have time to use your scope as well.

Lesson 9:

• Understanding the construction and function of various electrical components, including most sensors used on ICE and electric cars.

Lesson 10:

• Learn the proper way to repair wiring. We will also cover battery, alternator, and 12-volt starter motor testing. We will review jump-starting automobiles.

Lesson 11:

• Computer systems require an understanding of the output loads. We will cover motors, ignition systems, fuel systems, and more on the computer side of the component.

Lesson 12:

• You will learn how to find shorts-to-ground. Why a fuse blows. Voltage drop testing.  Ghost voltage. When a meter will lie to you.

Lesson 13:

• As your class comes to a close, we will review the entire class one more time as a group to be sure you have absorbed the transfer of knowledge.