50-413-751AC Electricity for Industrial Electricians
Course Information
Description
This course is designed to introduce the industrial electrical apprentice to the basic concepts of alternating current. Emphasis is placed on circuit analysis and the problem solving skills necessary for the maintenance of modern industrial electric systems.
Total Credits
2
Course Competencies
  1. Apply right angle trigonometry to circuit analysis
    Assessment Strategies
    by completing a written assessment
    Criteria
    apprentice draws a right angle and names the three sides
    apprentice writes three forms of the Pythagorean theorem
    apprentice draws vectors used to represent the resistive, inductive, and capacitive value
    apprentice determine the sine, cosine, and tangent for a variety of angles
    apprentice solves for unknown values in a triangle

  2. Examine characteristics of alternating current
    Assessment Strategies
    by completing a written assessment
    Criteria
    apprentice defines terms related to AC
    apprentice notes the significance and effect of the frequency
    apprentice describes why AC is the preferred method of power distribution
    apprentice identifies the characteristics of alternating current
    apprentice calculates effective, peak, and average values
    apprentice identifies the losses associated with alternating current
    apprentice relates the term "phase" to AC current
    apprentice calculates total resistance, total current, total power, the power factor, and the phase angle

  3. Use AC measuring instruments
    Assessment Strategies
    by completing a lab
    by completing a written assessment
    Criteria
    apprentice uses a clamp-on ammeter
    apprentice uses a multimeter
    apprentice makes adjustments on an Oscilloscope
    apprentice uses an Oscilloscope to make accurate measurements on a circuit
    apprentice determines and records the level of a given voltage
    apprentice determines a given frequency
    apprentice connects the scope in the "dual trace mode" and measures the phase angle of two given voltages

  4. Analyze the nature of inductance
    Assessment Strategies
    by completing a written assessment
    Criteria
    apprentice defines inductance and lists its effects on alternating current
    apprentice lists the physical factors that determine the amount of inductance
    apprentice identifies inductors based on their core materials
    apprentice calculates the total value of several inductors connected in both series and parallel
    apprentice tests inductors using available test equipment
    apprentice defines stray inductance and relates its significance to circuit operation
    apprentice defines inductive reactance and describes its effects on AC
    apprentice calculates the values of inductive reactance that results from given factors
    apprentice defines reactive power (VARs)
    apprentice draws an example of a sine wave depicting the relationship of an AC voltage and current across and inductor
    apprentice explains how this phase shift occurs, relating to the effect of EMF and CEMF

  5. Examine the effects of a capacitor on AC circuits
    Assessment Strategies
    by completing a written assessment
    Criteria
    apprentice defines the terms capacitor, capacitance, and capacitive reactance
    apprentice lists the physical factors that affect the capacitance of a capacitor
    apprentice explains how voltage ratings affect capacitor application
    apprentice calculates the total value of capacitance for series and parallel connected capacitors
    apprentice lists the common types of capacitors which are categorized by their dielectrics
    apprentice calculates the capacitive reactance of capacitors
    apprentice compares the results of a capacitor connected in series with a lamp on an AC and DC circuit
    apprentice calculates a capacitive time constant and the total time required to fully charge a capacitor
    apprentice draws an example of a wave form depicting the voltage and current phase relationship of a pure capacitive circuit

  6. Analyze resistive-inductive series circuits
    Assessment Strategies
    by completing a written assessment
    by building an R-L series circuit and recording information about the circuit in a lab report
    Criteria
    apprentice defines an R-L series circuit
    apprentice lists the characteristics of an R-L series circuit
    apprentice describes the relationship of resistance and inductive reactance
    apprentice defines impedance
    apprentice calculates the values of voltage, current, voltage drops, impedance, true power, apparent power, and power factor for an R-L circuit
    apprentice draws examples of impedance and power triangles for circuits using vectors
    apprentice builds examples of R-L series circuits given specifications
    apprentice records information on the circuit in a lab report
    lab report includes calculations of the expected circuit values for the circuit
    lab report includes measures of the actual values of the circuit
    lab report includes the identification of any differences
    lab report includes justifications for the differences

  7. Analyze resistance-capacitive series circuits
    Assessment Strategies
    by completing the assessment for the competency
    by building an R-C series circuit and recording information about the circuit in a lab report
    Criteria
    apprentice defines an R-C series circuit
    apprentice lists the characteristics of an R-C series circuit
    apprentice describes the relationship of resistance and capacitive reactance
    apprentice defines impedance
    apprentice calculates the values of impedance of a series R-C circuit from given values of resistance and reactance
    apprentice calculates the values of voltage, current, voltage drops, impedance, true power, apparent power, and power factor for R-C circuits
    apprentice draws examples of impedance and power triangles for circuits using vectors
    apprentice builds examples of R-C series circuits given specifications
    apprentice records information on the circuit in a lab report
    lab report includes calculations of the expected circuit values for the circuit
    lab report includes measures of the actual values of the circuit
    lab report includes the identification of any differences
    lab report includes justifications for the differences

  8. Analyze parallel reactive circuits
    Assessment Strategies
    by completing the assessment for the competency
    by building R-L and R-C parallel circuits and recording information about the circuits in a lab report
    Criteria
    apprentice describes the phase relationship of voltage and current within parallel R-L and R-C circuits
    apprentice calculates the values of voltage, current, impedance, power, and power factor for R-L and R-C circuits
    apprentice computes the phase angles of given circuits and relates their values to the efficiencies of the circuits
    apprentice draws examples of right triangles that represent the electrical relationships of given circuits using vectors
    apprentice describes the effect that changing the frequency of a parallel reactive circuit will have on the values of a given reactive circuit
    apprentice builds examples of R-L and R-C parallel circuits given specifications
    apprentice records information on the circuit in a lab report
    lab report includes calculations of the expected circuit values for the circuit
    lab report includes measures of the actual values of the circuit
    lab report includes the identification of any differences
    lab report includes justifications for the differences

  9. Perform complex circuit analysis
    Assessment Strategies
    by completing the assessment for the competency
    by building R-L-C series and parallel circuits and recording information about the circuits in a lab report
    Criteria
    apprentice describes the fundamental relationship of a series R-L-C circuit
    apprentice calculates values of voltage, current, impedance, power, and power factor of an AC series R-L-C circuit
    apprentice draws examples of triangular relationships of series R-L-C circuits using vectors and identifies the values indicated
    apprentice defines series resonance and describe how circuit conditions change when the circuit is operated at a point above and below resonance
    apprentice describes the fundamental relationships of a parallel R-L-C circuit
    apprentice calculates values of voltage, current, impedance, power, and power factor of given AC parallel R-L-C circuits
    apprentice draws examples of triangular relationships of given parallel R-L-C circuits and identifies the values indicated
    apprentice defines parallel resonance and describes how circuit conditions change when the circuit is operated at a point above and below resonance
    apprentice builds examples of R-L-C series and parallel circuits
    apprentice records information on the circuits in a lab report
    lab report includes calculations of the expected circuit values for the circuits
    lab report includes measures of the actual values of the circuits
    lab report includes the identification of any differences
    lab report includes justifications for the differences

  10. Determine the proper three-phase system for a given application
    Assessment Strategies
    by completing the assessment for the competency
    Criteria
    apprentice describes the advantages of a three phase power systems
    apprentice describes the phase relationship of three phase power systems
    apprentice draws an example of a three phase wye connected generator or transformer
    apprentice describes the significance of the value 1.73 to a three phase calculations
    apprentice calculates the phase-to-phase and phase-to-line voltage values of a given wye system
    apprentice calculates the phase-to-phase and phase-to-line current values of a given wye system
    apprentice draws an example of a three phase delta connected generator or transformer
    apprentice calculates the phase-to-phase and phase-to-line voltage values of a delta system
    apprentice calculates the phase-to-phase and phase-to-line current values of a delta system
    apprentice performs load calculation, voltage and current values, for a given three phase system where the source is connected in wye and the load is connected in wye
    apprentice performs load calculation, voltage and current values, for a given three phase system where the source is connected in wye and the load is connected in delta
    apprentice performs load calculation, voltage and current values, for a given three phase system where the source is connected in delta and the load is connected in wye
    apprentice performs load calculation, voltage and current values, for a given three phase system where the source is connected in delta and the load is connected in delta
    apprentice calculates the size (in CKVAR), necessary to correct the power factor of a three phase circuit