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Electrical system courses for non electrical engineers 2

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ssn61

Mechanical
Mar 30, 2010
72
I am a mechanical engineer and live in Dallas, Texas area. I am looking for a electrical system training course that is offered for non electrical engineers, mainly focuses on design of electrical distribution systems in industrial and commercial buildings, including service to all types of loads, such as motors driving chillers, pumps, and fans associated with all types of HVAC systems.
Currently University of Wisconsin in Madison offers great courses but it's too costly for me to travel and stay there for few days.
This is the link that explains the course for your reference.

 
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Part of me thinks that a crash course in electrical distribution system design doesn't exist. I think your best bet would be one or both of the following books:

Electrical Design of Commercial and Industrial Buildings

Electrical Design Guide for Commercial Buildings

The one by Clark is rather dated - especially with respect to lighting and low-voltage systems, but still an excellent book. I can't speak for the other one.
 
Crash courses seldom work. Once you have left scool, you need to develop your knowledge slowly. Mixing work with home-study and lectures/presentations. I have been working within the sparky area since 1961 and I still develop my skills and my knowledge. A crash course can give you enough insight to make you dangerous. But seldom (never, I would say) enough routine and working knowledge to make you a professional.

Just accept/respect that there are different walks of the trade. I never do anything structural, chemical or mechanical. And I have never contemplated a crash-course in any of those disciplines either.

Gunnar Englund
--------------------------------------
Half full - Half empty? I don't mind. It's what in it that counts.
 
To be honest I am not expecting to be a professional electrical engineer/designer overnight. I see chemical, electrical, architectural, and other types of engineers who are very familiar with HVAC engineering and design. There are numerous number of crash courses and books in HVAC, from understanding of psychometric chart to piping, pumps and chillers. I will be happy to learn and understand enough to work on electrical portion of small projects, or as a project manager have a good grasp of it.
 
Siemens offers(ed) a set of free on-line courses that covered a lot of basic information. It is not in-depth but it is somewhat comprehensive in covering the basic concepts across a wide swath of the industrial electrical world, at least here in North America. I highly recommend it to people who are not going to be EEs, but want to know what is being talked about.

I could no longer find it in their system (no surprise) but an ex-employer of mine still has them duplicated on their site:


"Will work for (the memory of) salami"
 
I have some customers who took the Power System class from Jim Phillips,


Both of them had mechanical and HVAC backgrounds and felt the class was excellent, not sure how often he puts them on any more, but I know one of the customers took the class in the Houston area.

Another option may be AVO Training in Dallas, not sure if they have exactly what you are looking for but they may be able to help and are close to you,


Hope that helps, Mike L.
 
Texas A&M should have some courses around the time of there power system conferences.
 
AVO as mentioned and Shermco, also in Dallas, offers excellent classes. AVO can be a little sales-ish promoting Megger brand equipment though.
 
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