Electrical Troubleshooting is a two-week course with formal lectures and student labs. The focus of the course is on the efficient maintenance and repair of electric motor starters, commercial lighting equipment, industrial controls, and sound-powered telephones. IEC & NEMA electrical symbols, one-line drawings, wiring diagrams, schematics, and ladder-logic drawings are used throughout the course. Safe-work procedures, PPE, proper test equipment use, and circuit protection concepts are integrated throughout the course labs and lectures. Motor starting techniques are discussed in detail and range from across-the-line starters to thyristor-based soft-starters. Incandescent, flourescent, and gas-discharged lighting equipment and circuits are studied, as are electromechanical and solid-state industrial control devices. Troubleshooting principles and three-phase power systems are included. Practical lab exercises include wire tracing and construction of field schematics, component identification, component testing, motor and transformer phasing, and troubleshooting of fluorexcent & HID industrial lighting. Significant course time is allocated to hands-on practice using seven different motor-starter/controller configurations. Students will also layout, wire, and troubleshoot a six-station sound-powered telephone system.

Course Capacity: 12 students

Prerequisites: Knowledge of basic electricity

Special Requirements: None

USCG Approval:

Any applicant who has successfully completed the 2-week Electrical Troubleshooting course will satisfy the training and assessment requirements of the Seafarers' Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Code, Section A-III/2, Table A-III/2, Function: Electrical, electronic and control engineering at the management level, for the competency of Operating electrical and electronic control equipment, testing and maintenance of electrical equipment, including fault diagnosis, provided they have also successfully completed our 4-week Electricity, 4-week Analog Electronics, and 4-week Instrumentation courses.

An unlimited horsepower licensed engineer successfully completing the four-week Electricity, two-week Electrical Troubleshooting, four-week Analog Electronics, and four-week Instrumentation courses and presenting each of the four certificates of training at a Regional Exam Center, will satisfy the training and assessment requirements of the STCW Code, Section A-III/2, Table A-III/2, Function: electrical, electronic and control engineering at the management level, and may be examined to upgrade their unlimited Second Assistant Engineer license and Officer in Charge of an Engineering Watch certificate to First Assistant Engineer and Second Engineer Officer certificate for steam and/or motor vessels by testing on the examination modules 541XX, Engineering Management Part I, 542XX, Engineering Management Part II, 543XX, Engineering Management Part III (Motor), and/or 544XX, Engineering Management Part III (Steam).

Electricity is a four-week core-level course with lectures and student labs. This course covers the subject of basic electricity with an emphasis on industrial and maritime applications. The course begins with the fundamentals of matter, energy, force, work, electric charge, current, and magnetism. Basic circuit concepts are then studied, followed by concepts of circuit protection, motor theory, electromechanical motor starters, and associated industrial controls. Basic fluorescent lighting circuits also receive attention. The proper selection, application, and use of test equipment are stressed throughout the course. US and European electrical symbols, identification and testing of electrical components, proper interpretation of single-line and schematic drawings, and circuit tracing skills are treated thoroughly as are single-phase and three-phase power system fundamentals. Basic soldering techniques, basic use of the oscilloscope, and battery maintenance are also introduced. Labs are hardware-based exercises and reinforce important course concepts.

Course Capacity: 12 students

Prerequisites: A high school level knowledge of algebra, trigonometry, physics, and chemistry

Special Requirements: None

USCG Approval:

Any applicant who has successfully completed our 4-week Electricity course will satisfy the training and assessment requirements of the Seafarers' Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Code, Section A-III/2, Table A-III/2, Function: Electrical, electronic and control engineering at the management level, for the competency Operating electrical and electronic control equipment, testing and maintenance of electrical equipment, including fault diagnosis, provided they have also successfully completed our 2-week Electrical Troubleshooting, 4-week Analog Electronics, and 4-week Instrumentation courses.

An unlimited horsepower licensed engineer successfully completing the four-week Electricity, two-week Electrical Troubleshooting, four-week Analog Electronics, and four-week Instrumentation courses and presenting each of the four certificates of training at a Regional Exam Center, will satisfy the training and assessment requirements of the STCW Code, Section A-III/2, Table A-III/2, Function: electrical, electronic and control engineering at the management level, and may be examined to upgrade their unlimited Second Assistant Engineer license and Officer in Charge of an Engineering Watch certificate to First Assistant Engineer and Second Engineer Officer certificate for steam and/or motor vessels by testing on the examination modules 541XX, Engineering Management Part I, 542XX, Engineering Management Part II, 543XX, Engineering Management Part III (Motor), and/or 544XX, Engineering Management Part III (Steam).

This one-week core-level course with lectures and demonstrations is designed to assist students with reviving previously learned knowledge in basic electrical and mathematical skills.  This course covers the subject of basic electricity with an emphasis on industrial and maritime applications.  It is designed as a precursor to more advanced courses for students that have had some formal electrical training.  The course begins with the fundamentals of matter, energy, force, work, electric charge, current, and magnetism.  Basic circuit concepts are then studied, followed by passive electrical component fundamentals.  A brief review of US and European electrical symbols, identification and testing of electrical components/multimeter use, proper interpretation of single-line and schematic drawings.  Single-phase and three-phase power system fundamentals will also be reviewed.

This course is a good predecessor to CMES upper level electrical courses: Electrical Troubleshooting, High Voltage Safety, Instrumentation, Marine Electrical Propulsion, and Programmable Logic Controllers.

This course should not be considered a replacement for our four-week Electricity course.  Those students requiring basic electricity skills will need to take the Electricity course.

Course Capacity: 12 students

Prerequisites: Previously learned knowledge of electrical skills

Special Requirements: None

High Voltage Safety is a one-week course with formal lectures and group exercises. The course covers the knowledge and skills needed to safely work with energized high-voltage high-energy electric power systems. Principles and procedures for the safe operation & maintenance of marine low voltage (<1 kV), and marine high voltage (1-15 kV) equipment are covered. Insulated hand tools, "hot-sticks", proper grounding procedures, personal protective equipment (PPE), and thorough job-planning procedures are stressed throughout the course. Properties of electric charge, energy, electric potential, dielectric stress, electrostatic and inductive coupling, and material behavior in electric and magnetic fields are covered. The effects of electricity on humans, various personnel protection concepts, and basic first aid practices are all addressed. Differential protection schemes, insulation materials, Faraday shielding, equi-potential grounding, live-line tools, and isolation techniques are covered from both technical and practical perspectives. Various OSHA, IEEE, European, NFPA-70E, Electric Utility, and shipping company safety procedures are reviewed. Group exercises include the development of safe-work protocols, use of lockout/tagout (LOTO), maintenance task rehearsal, and equipment preparation. Actual measurements and maintenance tasks are then conducted on a live 12.47 kV three-phase power system by the same groups. Calculations of fault current, arc-flash hazards, and proper PPE selection are explained. Other technical topics covered include insulation testing (IR/PI/DAR/DD), four-wire Kelvin low-resistance testing, corona detection by ultrasonic and RF emissions, and signature analysis using an infrared imager.

Course Capacity: 12 students

Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of electricity and experience working around marine and/or industrial power systems

Special Requirements: Cotton long sleeve shirt, long pants, and safety shoes are needed for field exercises. This course is typically taken in conjunction with the Marine Electric Propulsion course.

USCG Approval: Any licensed engineer successfully completing the 30-hour High Voltage Safety course and presenting our certificate of training at a Regional Exam Center, will satisfy the:

1) training and assessment requirements of the Seafarers' Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Code, Section A-III/1, Tables A-III/1, Function: Maintenance and repair at the operational level, for the competency of Maintain marine engineering systems, including control systems; safety and emergency procedures; OR,

2) training and assessment requirements of the Seafarers' Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Code, Section A-III/2, Table A-III/2, Function: Maintenance and repair at the management level, for the competency Ensure safe working practices.

This four-week course consists of lectures, demonstrations, and student labs.  The course covers electronic devices, analog and digital circuits, with emphasis on the application of shipboard instrumentation, power systems, and control circuits.  The course begins with a very brief review of the foundation principles of electricity, magnetism, passive components, and circuit analysis.  The course continues with the proper use of test equipment (oscilliscope, function generator, power supplies, DMM) and circuit breadboarding techniques.  Basic soldering skills needed for the repair of electronic printed circuit boards are introduced and practiced.  Semiconductor devices are then covered, along with circuits containing these components.  Selected circuits, devices, and principles covered in lecture are reinforced with lab exercises.  Understanding circuit operation, proper test procedures, and logical troubleshooting techniques are stressed throughout the course.  Solid-state devices are covered in detail with an emphasis given to power rectifiers, BJTs, MOSFETs, IGBTs, SCRs, and TRIACs.  Operational-amplifiers and several special integrated circuits are discussed during the course.  The principles of binary logic and the application of those principles using discrete and integrated electronic circuits are explored.  Logic circuits utilizing diodes, transistors, as well as TTL/CMOS integrated circuit families are discussed in detail as are concepts of "sourcing" and "sinking".  Basic combinational and sequential logic circuits are discussed.  Number systems, binary operations, digital transmission basics, ASCII, Gray Code and memory are also covered.  Course modules include Intrinsically Safe Instrumentation Circuits, Corrosion Fundamentals, Active and Passive Cathodic Protection Circuits, Variable Speed Drives, Digital Data Communications, Introduction to Programmable Logic Controllers.

Course Capacity: 12 students

Prerequisites: Industrial Electronics is an advanced course and students are expected to have a fundamental understanding of Electrical Principles prior to enrolling.

Special Requirements: None

Instrumentation is a 3-week (90 hour) course with lectures and student labs. The course focuses on the sensors and actuators used in maritime and industrial control systems. The theory, construction, installation, testing, operation, calibration, and troubleshooting of a wide variety of sensors and actuators are studied. Information transmission using 3-15 psi pneumatics and 4-20 mA current loops are covered in-depth. Techniques for the measurement of pressure, temperature (RTD, thermocouple, thermistor, and infrared detectors), level, flow, mass, viscosity, and volume are also studied. Final-control-elements including pneumatic and electric valves, linear and rotary actuators, pneumatic positioners, and adjustable speed drives are also covered. Theory and application of PID control; feedback, feedforward, cascade, and ratio control strategies; and formal contoller tuning methods are studied and applied through labs and demonstrations. Lab exercises reinforce important concepts presented during the lectures.

Course Capacity: 12 students

Prerequisites: Basic electrical and math skills

Special Requirements: None

USCG Approval: Any licensed engineer successfully completing the 3-week Instrumentation course and presenting our certificate of training, within one year of completion of training, will satisfy the training and assessment requirements of the STCW Code, Section A-III/2, Table A-III/2, Function: Electrical, electronic and control engineering at the management level, for competency of Operating electrical and electronic control equipment, testing and maintenance of electrical equipment, including fault diagnosis, provided they have also successfully completed our 4-week Electricity, 2-week Electrical Troubleshooting, and 4-week Analog Electronics courses.

Marine Electric Propulsion is a one-week survey course with formal lectures and demonstrations. This survey course provides an introduction to the principles and technologies used in the design and operation of marine electri propulsion drives based on the synchro-converter topology. The course begins with a thorough review of the production and control of three-phase electric power. Power flow is then followed through cables, switchboards, phase-shifting transformers, SCR-based controlled-rectifiers, to the DC-link. Standard six-pulse inverters supplied from the DC-link are then studied, as are synchronous propulsion motors and their excitation systems. For each portion of the system studied, appropriate elements of electric power systems, power electronics, instrumentation, and operational maintenance requirements are discussed. Practical demonstrations are offered to reinforce important fundamental concepts. Additional topics include buck and boost converters, phasor notation, system protection and coordination, transformer vector groups, harmonics, harmonic filters, CTs and VTs, SCR testing, heat-sinks, thermal management, soft-starters, phase control, P-Q-S analysis, and general power system topics.

Course Capacity: 12 students

Prerequisites: Experience with shipboard power plant operation and knowledge of basic electricity and electronics

Special Requirements: This course is typically taken in conjunction with the High Voltage Safety course.

USCG Approval: Any applicant successfully completing the 30-hour Marine Electric Propulsion course and presenting our certificate of training will be considered to have successfully demonstrated the competencies Operate main and auxiliary machinery and associated control systems of Table A-III/1 of the STCW Code; AND Start up and shut down main propulsion and auxiliary machinery, including associated systems; Operate, monitor and evaluate engine performance and capacity; Maintain safety of engine equipment, systems and services of Table A-III/2 of the STCW Code.

These two one-week courses are typically taken in conjunction with each other.

Marine Electric Propulsion is a one-week survey course with formal lectures and demonstrations. This survey course provides an introduction to the principles and technologies used in the design and operation of marine electri propulsion drives based on the synchro-converter topology. The course begins with a thorough review of the production and control of three-phase electric power. Power flow is then followed through cables, switchboards, phase-shifting transformers, SCR-based controlled-rectifiers, to the DC-link. Standard six-pulse inverters supplied from the DC-link are then studied, as are synchronous propulsion motors and their excitation systems. For each portion of the system studied, appropriate elements of electric power systems, power electronics, instrumentation, and operational maintenance requirements are discussed. Practical demonstrations are offered to reinforce important fundamental concepts. Additional topics include buck and boost converters, phasor notation, system protection and coordination, transformer vector groups, harmonics, harmonic filters, CTs and VTs, SCR testing, heat-sinks, thermal management, soft-starters, phase control, P-Q-S analysis, and general power system topics.

High Voltage Safety is a one-week course with formal lectures and group exercises. The course covers the knowledge and skills needed to safely work with energized high-voltage high-energy electric power systems. Principles and procedures for the safe operation & maintenance of marine low voltage (<1 kV), and marine high voltage (1-15 kV) equipment are covered. Insulated hand tools, "hot-sticks", proper grounding procedures, personal protective equipment (PPE), and thorough job-planning procedures are stressed throughout the course. Properties of electric charge, energy, electric potential, dielectric stress, electrostatic and inductive coupling, and material behavior in electric and magnetic fields are covered. The effects of electricity on humans, various personnel protection concepts, and basic first aid practices are all addressed. Differential protection schemes, insulation materials, Faraday shielding, equi-potential grounding, live-line tools, and isolation techniques are covered from both technical and practical perspectives. Various OSHA, IEEE, European, NFPA-70E, Electric Utility, and shipping company safety procedures are reviewed. Group exercises include the development of safe-work protocols, use of lockout/tagout (LOTO), maintenance task rehearsal, and equipment preparation. Actual measurements and maintenance tasks are then conducted on a live 12.47 kV three-phase power system by the same groups. Calculations of fault current, arc-flash hazards, and proper PPE selection are explained. Other technical topics covered include insulation testing (IR/PI/DAR/DD), four-wire Kelvin low-resistance testing, corona detection by ultrasonic and RF emissions, and signature analysis using an infrared imager.

Course Capacity: 12 students

Prerequisites: Experience with shipboard power plant operation and knowledge of basic electricity and electronics

Special Requirements: Cotton long sleeve shirt, long pants, and safety shoes are needed for field exercises in the High Voltage Safety portion of the course.

USCG Approval:
Marine Electric Propulsion:
Any applicant successfully completing the 30-hour Marine Electric Propulsion course and presenting our certificate of training will be considered to have successfully demonstrated the competencies Operate main and auxiliary machinery and associated control systems of Table A-III/1 of the STCW Code; AND Start up and shut down main propulsion and auxiliary machinery, including associated systems; Operate, monitor and evaluate engine performance and capacity; Maintain safety of engine equipment, systems and services of Table A-III/2 of the STCW Code.

High Voltage Safety:
Any licensed engineer successfully completing the 30-hour High Voltage Safety course and presenting our certificate of training at a Regional Exam Center, will satisfy the:
1) training and assessment requirements of the Seafarers' Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Code, Section A-III/1, Tables A-III/1, Function: Maintenance and repair at the operational level, for the competency of Maintain marine engineering systems, including control systems; safety and emergency procedures; OR,
2) training and assessment requirements of the Seafarers' Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Code, Section A-III/2, Table A-III/2, Function: Maintenance and repair at the management level, for the competency Ensure safe working practices.

This four-week course consolidates the training offered in three other CMES courses: 4-week Electricity, 2-week Electrical Troubleshooting, and 1-week Electricity Refresher. The Marine Electrical Systems course is designed to bridge gaps between textbook electrical theory and the practical skills and knowledge required to deal with shipboard electrical systems, and will eventually be expanded to cover competencies of the STCW Electro-Technical Officer.

Topics to be covered include: motor starting and control, circuit testing and troubleshooting, galvanic corrosion and cathodic protection, test instruments, industrial lighting, field-level soldering, sound powered phones, navigation lighting, PA systems, automatic telephone systems, EMI/RFI, electrical wiring practice, power system protection, safety practices (shock, arc-flash, and arc-blast), ground fault detection, harmonics, battery technologies, and an introduction to power electronics.

Course Capacity: 12 students

Prerequisites: Coverage of topics in the Marine Electrical Systems course assume students have a formal marine engineering background and previous courses in physics, chemistry, electricity, and mathematics.

Special Requirements: None

Programmable Logic Controllers is a two-week upper-level course with lectures and student labs. The course covers the theory and use of programmable logic controllers (PLCs) with an emphasis on their application to marine and industrial controls. Topics include historic development, electromechanical and digital-logic technologies, number systems, Boolean algebra, ladder logic design, programming concepts, analog and discrete I/O specifications, internal logic functions, specialized hardware, digital and analog control applications, and industrial networking basics. The Allen-Bradley SLC-500 & MIcrologix families are the primary PLCs utilized. Labs and exercises are designed to be progressively more challenging. Exercises range from the design of simple interlocks and alarm point adjustments to control schemes requiring event timing, output sequencing, program flow control, analog I/O manipulation, and the setting of PID parameters. Practical troubleshooting includes the use of I/O forcing, I/O data tables, field-device testing, and appropriate use of internal PLC diagnostics. Proper documentation procedures are stressed for all projects. Time is available outside normal class hours for additional practice and for completing the required assignments.

Course Capacity: 12 students

Prerequisites: A general proficiency with application programs running under MS-Windows on a laptop computer. A working knowledge of digital electronics, and prior experience with industrial instrumentation and controls is helpful.

Special Requirements: None

USCG Approval: Any applicant who has successfully completed the two-week Programmable Logic Controllers course will satisfy the training and assessment requirements of the STCW Code, Section A-III/2, Table A-III/2, Function: Electrical, electronic and control engineering at the management level, for the competency Operating electrical and electronic control equipment, testing and maintenance of electrical equipment, including fault diagnosis, provided they have also successfully completed our four-week Electricity, two-week Electrical Troubleshooting, four-week Analog Electronics, and four-week Instrumentation courses.