Basic electrical training kit?

TwoBlocked

TwoBlocked

Senior Member
Location
Bradford County, PA
Occupation
Industrial Electrician
Oooofda! Am realizing more and more how green the "Techs" are in this new shop of ours. Can anyone recommend a basic electrical training kit? Something battery operated with lights and switches that show how series and parallel circuits work and give practical experience with ohm's law? They all have meters, but... The most experienced of them borrowed mine to do some calibration the other week because his "had a dead battery" (Uh, you can't find time to replace it???) It came back with a blown mA fuse, which he hadn't mentioned, probably because he didn't know, and is likely the problem with his meter...
 
LarryFine

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
I suggest shopping for "electrical experiment kit" online. You want electrical with switches and lights and maybe a motor, not electronic with transistors and capacitors.

When I was little, my parents bought me a kit that I loved. I had to assemble the light sockets and multi-pole switches, and wind and assemble the motors and buzzers.
 
TwoBlocked

TwoBlocked

Senior Member
Location
Bradford County, PA
Occupation
Industrial Electrician
LarryFine said:
I suggest shopping for "electrical experiment kit" online. You want electrical with switches and lights and maybe a motor, not electronic with transistors and capacitors.
Click to expand...
I know there's a ton of stuff like that on line. Am hoping some of the Fine Folk here have recommendations from what they have actually seen used.
 
LarryFine

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
I don't have anything in mind, but I recommend kits that use wires, and not snap-together parts.

You could even get different miniature knife switches and lamp sockets, and make your own kits.
 
TwoBlocked

TwoBlocked

Senior Member
Location
Bradford County, PA
Occupation
Industrial Electrician
Fred B said:
Try This:
www.mikeholt.com

Mike Holt Enterprises - Classroom Training Products.

We specialize in creating electrical training products that work. Reach out today to see how we can help your program with our dynamic books, instructor resources, and online training system.
www.mikeholt.com
Click to expand...
Mike's books are top notch. Too bad just a text is unsuitable in this situation. The guys need stuff that explain and demonstrate basic circuits.
 
TwoBlocked

TwoBlocked

Senior Member
Location
Bradford County, PA
Occupation
Industrial Electrician
ptonsparky said:
Where is the bad neutral video?
Make that and let them play with their meters.
Click to expand...
The "Techs" stick to DC circuits. Usually their work consists of getting on the computer and verifying operation of discrete and analog field devices. But when it comes to using a meter and actually troubleshooting or installing wiring, then there's trouble. I don't want to blame the victims here. They are being thrown in the deep end without the necessary training or resources. I am trying to improve that situation.

Yesterday I had a helper that's been here a year. He had gone to the company's school out West for a week like 9 months ago. We were installing some float switches and had time (a rarity) to demonstrate and practice wiring N.O. vs N.C. and series vs parallel circuits with a little breadboard and an LED. He said he learned more during that 90 minutes than he had that entire week out west, where everything was too advanced for him to understand much of anything.
 
H

HEYDOG

Senior Member
The following is a link that gives you real simulated circuits to troubleshoot and repair. Has all the circuit diagrams LOTO, using meters to read voltage, amperage, resistance. Finding faulty components, open circuits. I am not sure how much the cost is now, but worth the money. I taught high school students Motor Control Circuits, Basics of Control Circuits, Troubleshooting Control Circuits. I used the following links software to get the students familiar with control circuits and using meters, reading schematics, finding faulty components, etc. without the dangers of working on live circuits. May not be what your looking for but it’s worth checking out!

www.tpctraining.com

Your Source for Electrical Troubleshooting Simulation Training

Welcome to TPC, the industry leader in electrical troubleshooting simulation training. Learn more about what we offer and how we can benefit your company.
www.tpctraining.com www.tpctraining.com
 
TwoBlocked

TwoBlocked

Senior Member
Location
Bradford County, PA
Occupation
Industrial Electrician
HEYDOG said:
The following is a link that gives you real simulated circuits to troubleshoot and repair. Has all the circuit diagrams LOTO, using meters to read voltage, amperage, resistance. Finding faulty components, open circuits. I am not sure how much the cost is now, but worth the money. I taught high school students Motor Control Circuits, Basics of Control Circuits, Troubleshooting Control Circuits. I used the following links software to get the students familiar with control circuits and using meters, reading schematics, finding faulty components, etc. without the dangers of working on live circuits. May not be what your looking for but it’s worth checking out!

www.tpctraining.com

Your Source for Electrical Troubleshooting Simulation Training

Welcome to TPC, the industry leader in electrical troubleshooting simulation training. Learn more about what we offer and how we can benefit your company.
www.tpctraining.com www.tpctraining.com
Click to expand...
Thanks! I'll take a look.
 
G

Geber

Member
Location
Vermont
Occupation
PE, retired electronics engineer
I noticed Fluke has a multimeter course that includes CD-ROM and components. I didn't explore far enough to see if it is still available or what the cost is. Knowing what to do with a multimeter is half the battle.
 
PaulMmn

PaulMmn

Senior Member
Location
Union, KY, USA
Occupation
EIT - Engineer in Training, Lafayette College
A selection of knife switches-- SPDT and DPDT, light bulb sockets (and bulbs), and a battery and holder, will provide a chance to wire 3-way and 4-way circuits - some of the most 'challenging' circuits! :) If the parts are not anchored down, you can play with the topology- switch at the light, light in the middle, etc.
 
LarryFine

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
When I was in technical school (second half of the day instead of high school) we had practice boards, maybe 10" x 15", with two octagon boxes and four 4" sq boxes in a 2x3 pattern, with nipples between them all. We were given switches, lamp-holders, and wire, and told to wire it all so certain switch(es) control certain light(s).
 
junkhound

junkhound

Senior Member
Location
Renton, WA
Occupation
EE, power electronics specialty
grew up with Eico, heathkit, knight, etc kits, most included the theory plus the kit of parts for everything from toys to o'scopes.

was going to suggest that, but OMG !, looked on ebay for old kits, prices astronomical!!

No idea if modern versions exist.

Far out idea: Go to any auto towing auction site, buy an older wrecked car for $200 to $300. Fix the electrical with aid of appropriate auto service manual. An old land rover is good, full online manuals. Ya have lights, switches, relays, alternator, starter, small motors, various sensors, even cpu to play with.
Strip and resell parts when done and even make a profit.
 
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