Course Description

INTRODUCTION TO DIESEL ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS

1

0

10

Understand terms and definitions

Explain composition of atoms

Understand electrical charges in atoms

Understand terms relating to electron flow and their definitions

Understand direction that current flows in relation to its electromotive force

Understand two theories on current flow

Understand description of current

Understand two factors that determine the amount of current flowing through a conductor

Explain two types of current and their voltage sources

Explain description of voltage

Understand two sources of voltage in vehicle electrical systems

Understand description of resistance

Understand five factors that influence resistance as current moves through a circuit

Understand two results of resistance as current moves through a conductor

Explain Ohm’s law

Understand formulas for calculating current, voltage, and resistance in a conductor

Understand description of power

Understand two ways electrical devices can be rated

Explain two common electrical devices that are rated in watts

Understand three links of magnets and their definitions

Understand facts about magnets

Understand terms relating to magnetism and electromagnets and their definitions

Understand four properties of electromagnets that make them useful in a vehicle’s electrical system

Explain three vehicle electrical components that use electromagnetism

Calculate current using Ohm’s law

Calculate voltage using Ohm’s law

Calculate resistance using Ohm’s law

Predict changes in voltage, current and resistance in a circuit

UNDERSTANDING CIRCUITS AND CIRCUIT DEVICES

1

0

10

Understand terms and definitions

Explain six circuit elements on an illustration of a basic vehicle electrical circuit

Describe four types of commonly used circuits

Understand two power sources for vehicle electrical circuits

Understand why and where electrical circuits are grounded

Explain wiring diagram symbols that indicate a battery and a ground

Describe common control devices, their illustrations, wiring diagram symbols, current factor controlled, and the type of control each has on voltage or resistance in a circuit

Explain common protection devices, their illustrations and wiring diagram symbols

Understand size categories of blade fuses

Understand how fuses, fusible links, and circuit breakers protect the circuits on which they are installed

Explain common loads, their illustrations, wiring diagram symbols, and the form of energy into which each converts currents

Explain how a device that is electronic is different from a device that is electric

Explain P-type semiconductors and N-type semiconductors

Describe advantages and disadvantages of using electronic devices as circuits

Identify common electronic circuit devices, their illustrations, wiring diagram symbols, and functions in a circuit

Identify common conductors, their illustrations and wiring diagram symbols

Identify four types of material that are commonly used as insulators in vehicle electrical systems

Explain purpose of a wire shield

Describe three purposes of wiring hardware

Describe common circuit features and their wiring

Understand types of wiring diagrams

Explain what the color bands found on resistors represent, and use the color bands on a resistor to determine its resistance value

Determine correct replacement fuses

Use wire color and circuit identification codes to locate circuit information

Use wiring diagrams to locate information about circuits

Use knowledge of electric/electronic theory and circuit devices to predict changes in current voltage, and resistance in a series circuit

Inspect, test, and replace spike suppression diodes/resistors

DEVELOPING BASIC DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR SKILLS

1

0

20

Understand terms and definitions

Understand types of common circuits and their electrical characteristics

Understand common problems with electrical circuits (types, symptoms, causes)

Identify types of electrical diagnostic instruments (names and illustrations, usage, calibrated vs. tested requirements)

Explain steps in electrical troubleshooting

Explain steps in soldering

Describe guidelines for soldering

Identify types of circuits and circuit devices on a circuit

Perform calculations using units of electrical measurement

Prepare to measure current, voltage, resistance, and frequency with a multimeter

Calculate resistance in sample circuits

Calculate current in sample circuits

Calculate voltage drop in sample circuits

Calculate voltage in sample circuits

Calibrate and make functionality tests on electrical diagnostic instruments

Check electrical/electronic circuits with jumper cables

Check electrical circuits with a test light

Check voltage in electrical/electronic circuits with a multimeter

Check voltage drops in electrical/electronic circuits with a multimeter

Check current flow I electrical/electronic circuits and components with a multimeter

Check continuity and resistance in electrical/electronic circuits and components with a multimeter

Find shorts, grounds, opens, and high resistance problems in electrical/electronic circuits

Tin a soldering iron or gun

Inspect, test, repair, and replace switches, connectors, terminals, and wires of electrical/electronic circuits

Inspect, test, and replace fusible links, circuit breakers, and fuses

UNDERSTANDING VEHICLE COMPUTER CONTROLS

1

0

20

Understand terms and definitions

Describe functions of the basic components of a computer system

Identify common computers (microprocessors) in a vehicle

Explain types of sensors

Explain types of actuators

Understand analog and digital signals

Describe serial data transfer and parallel data transfer

Describe flow of data through a simplified computer system

Identify ways to retrieve diagnostic information from vehicle computers

Describe SAE fault code identifiers

Demonstrate how a potentiometer functions as a sensor

Interpret SAE fault code identifiers

Use a DVOM to measure reference voltage output from the electronic control module

Access vehicle fault codes using the vehicle’s computerized diagnostic system; determine needed repairs