Electro-Mechanical Deductive Reasoning for Heavy Equipment Technicians

"Terry Yonkheym was very patient with our lack of technical "expertise". This was a good course to show us methods to practice in future activities to analyze and plan a method to put into practice."

I think the course was useful because it taught me how to plan my troubleshooting. It was a lot of hands on tasks which was good. It gave me a lot of testing experience and the ability to experiment, going about problems in a different way. The instructor, Terry Yonkheym was knowledgeable and kept the...

“Very good training, very much like back to the trade school. Best training I have been on in a long time. It really helped with logical process for troubleshooting. Example, more analysis less testing.”

“This is an excellent course for giving troubleshooting procedure. Shows how to breakdown and analyze a problem so with minimal tests you are able to find the problem. The instructor, Terry Yonkheym was very knowledgeable and has extensive knowledge in the troubleshooting and electrical systems. Recommended...

"Excellent course and knowledgeable instructor. Relaxed learning pace with no limits on fault findings. The test equipment and labs were easily understood and were easy to operate. Documentation provided was clear and accurate. It changed my process for fault findings."

“He was amazing from the beginning till the end for his in-depth knowledge of the course materials. He speaks in a tone that could be understood. If you call his attention on any topic, he spent time with you and made sure you got it. I loved the course.”

“I would recommend this course to my co-workers. I learnt how to document everything and how to approach and solve problems in a different way.”

“I would recommend this course to all electrical workers. This course helps you go through the process on what and how to troubleshoot electrical systems. I believe that this would help people troubleshoot electrical problems faster.”

"The best off-site training I have been to..."

"The course did a great job in teaching me how to approach troubleshooting a piece of equipment that I'm not familiar with. It taught techniques and provided lots of practical and hands-on practice using those techniques. The classroom exercises were all very different from each other and all were similar...

“I thought this course was a great approach to improving troubleshooting skills. Ed Rideout did a great job instructing, was very knowledgeable and easy to understand. I could see my skills improving as the week went on. The test sets used for the course were great, as well as the software. All in...

The course was effective at teaching the importance of proper documentation of problems and how to narrow down a problem area.

“Using logic and better testing (meter) techniques, I am now a much more effective and efficient trouble-shooter.”

“Course overall is very good. A lot of good, on topic information. Very beneficial to anyone having to troubleshoot systems. The instructor was excellent. Very versed at delivering the information at an in depth but widely understood method. His knowledge with the process of troubleshooting is very...

“The instructor did a great job, very informative, very helpful, lots of knowledge. This is one of the best courses I have ever been involved in; I learnt a lot from this experience.

The course was a good refresher. It had good analysis sharpening skills. Also, the switchboards, laptops, and programs helped break down circuits.

“The instructor was very knowledgeable in troubleshooting and course content very interesting and worthwhile course.”

“Had a good time learning about troubleshooting. The instructor was good and answered all of my questions. He showed us how and where to begin troubleshooting so we didn’t have to go through the whole circuit. I would tell anyone to take this course as it was very helpful.”

This course is an excellent learning tool for troubleshooting. The way it was taught was excellent for getting though the information. For personal gain this was a very good experience. The hands on showed me a ton of new useful information. Ed Rideout was a great teacher, clear and thorough.

It was a good course for learning how to troubleshoot systems with a process and direction in mind, by using that process, it becomes clearer what the cause of the problematic symptom is, and in turn to know what should be repaired/replaced. Lots of hands-on experience, troubleshooting was a great way...

"Very good tips on how to break down a problem into manageable steps. And on eliminating problem areas to break down problems. Good teaching."

"This course will pay for itself the first time a critical motor is down. If it saves one hour of downtime that is $100,000.00"

I found the instructor to be very clear with the information in the course and very helpful with understanding the process of deductive reasoning. This course was very good at helping you work through the problem by writing down or documenting your steps

"This was by far the most practical electrical course I have taken so far. The instructor was excellent and very knowledgeable in his field. I wish I had taken this course 20 years ago."

“The course was very helpful in developing a better technique to approach troubleshooting faults, thinking more about the test you are going to perform. I would recommend this course.”

“I fully enjoyed the course and I would highly rate this course for the rest of my coworkers. The equipment was excellent and there was a lot of troubleshooting areas which were great.”

I found that the course was good and it made me think about narrowing down the problem and planning it out before starting my troubleshooting. I liked the fact it was a small class ad it was easier to get help if you needed it.

“The instructor was very knowledgeable, able to convey the message to the students so they understood. Hands on problem were similar to real-world problems, good layered track approach didn't intimidate students. Gave students confidence to take a good approach to troubleshooting.”

"I believe this course will help decrease downtime if we document, analyze and have a plan before we start arc testing."

“I learnt more than I thought I would have learnt. I’ve learned that having more information and being organized is the key to the problem solving. Having a place to start is better than staring at the wall. The instructor was informative and explained things so I could understand them. Definitely...

The course was interesting and the instructors were knowledgeable, approachable, and kept things interesting. Fault loading on the boards and the use of the computer programs helped build proficiency in the techniques.

"This course was very informative and interesting. Good information which is reinforced by the hands on practice provided."

"The course was well presented and the instructor Ed Rideout gave good explanations and answers to the questions asked. He taught us how to look at problems in a different way and showed us other troubleshooting methods."

“The course was useful in the sense that it teaches the importance of finding your starting point and staying calm while troubleshooting. The course would be best suited for apprentices, journeymen with little or no troubleshooting experience. There are lessons to be taken from it and about the mental...

“The course was very effectively laid out and the use of the training aids made the course much easier to stay engaged. The instructor was very knowledgeable and was able to steer you in the proper direction without making you feel stupid. Excellent course overall.”

“As a maintenance electrician, I think the course was great and should be made mandatory for all journeymen. I will continue to use a consistent systematic approach when troubleshooting. Our instructor was very knowledgeable on the material presented, very patient, and made the course fun and entertaining.”

"The hands on work was well organized and the computer word was a nice change from the norm, both of which made you think. This is a must have course for technologists."

“The instructor, Terry Yonkheym sure knows his stuff which helps a lot. I think in time I will surely benefit from this course (once I make what I learnt common practice). Class size was perfect and overall experience was good.”

"The course was effective at teaching the importance of proper documentation of problems and how to narrow down a problem area."

“The course was an extremely valuable tool to any electrician. Experienced troubleshooters can refine existing skills and less-experienced will gain knowledge that isn't the overly obvious unless taught.”

“The course demonstrated the importance of taking notes, which became apparent to prevent yourself from going in circles and checking equipment previously checked. Splitting the circuits into sections is something I will take away from the course and use extensively in the future. I view this as a...

“ I enjoyed it. It was very mixed. You were not overdoing just one aspect but always covering something new. I like the troubleshooting tools…thinking, observing, analysis, then test!”

“The instructor explained the material very well; he was very knowledgeable of the equipment, material and software. He was able to break down problems to a level anyone could understand. I noticed improvement day to day in my troubleshooting abilities.”

"The instructor, Terry Yonkheym was very knowledgeable and came across well wth his presentation. He was very good at explaining the problems encountered and what to look for. Also, explained this course was about "how" to troubleshoot with the 5 step system. This technique should help to figure out...

“Very good course. I would recommend to my coworkers if they felt they needed to improve their troubleshooting skills, or develop proper skills. This course will take them to where they would want to be. This course had given me valuable skills and knowledge to make my job as a maintenance electrician...

"This course gets your mind working so you can look at a problem in a different frame of mind."

"This is a great course. I learnt lots about how to organize and prepare for troubleshooting. Well worth attending."

“This course and the instructor were both exceptional and I highly recommend this course to anyone in the electrical trade.”

“This course was a great learning tool and it's hard at times but it was great, good job.”

“This course was very informative and makes you think outside the box. It was challenging troubleshooting. The instructor was knowledgeable and showed you safe troubleshooting techniques. It was a positive atmosphere, effective meter placement, reduced troubleshooting times, visual troubleshooting...

“ Documentation is the key to successful troubleshooting. Excellent job! I will be recommending to my supervisor that the other techs take this training”

“The instructor was very knowledgeable and well prepared. He used real time examples to illustrate points. He kept the flow going not allowing us to get side tracked from our goals. Each day started with a review and reinforced course objectives. A great course, highly recommend it.”

“Good hands on training in a controlled setting. Trains you on an approach to troubleshooting. Proves that the importance of documenting your finding, shows how to divide and conquer the problem. Lots of different troubleshooting problems to work on so there is something for everyone.”

“This course is the best I've ever done. Lots of hands-on which is the best and fastest way to learn. This course is making me feel more comfortable in troubleshooting; the instructor was a great teacher and a nice person.”

“The instructor Ed Rideout, presented the course content in a clear efficient manner. New troubleshooting techniques were well presented and received. By the end of the course I had noticed overall improvement in circuit troubleshooting ability.”

“This course was valuable in terms of learning documentation and a methodical approach to troubleshooting. It was practical and engaging and provided valuable tips and practice in implementing the method. I would have liked a little more coaching on how to divide the circuits and theory. However, after...

“This was a well paired course with plenty of time and exercises to complete, very knowledgeable instruction for planning.”

“I found this instructor to be very knowledgeable and engaging. He presented the course material in an organized manner, making it easy to follow. The concepts presented will be of great benefit to troubleshooting. I would recommend this course and instructor.”

I enjoyed this class a lot. I liked the use of the different boards and how hands-on the class was.

“This course was very beneficial, learning and brushing up on old skills. The testing boards/equipment is all set up very well. I would certainly suggest this to any and all colleagues. Two thumbs up.”

“This is an excellent course to build confidence in troubleshooting, building a solid base from which to troubleshoot. The instructor, Terry Yonkheym, sets a good pace, is knowledgeable and is easy to understand.”

I enjoyed the course. It refreshed things that I have not had to troubleshoot in a long time. I will recommend this course to everyone in my shop. Thanks for the knowledge Joe Kiceniuk.

“I thought he did a great job presenting the materials and how to properly and efficiently troubleshoot electrical systems. I think that I can use the information I got to help me diagnose problems I may come across at work. I learnt that a system should be analyzed and a plan made before proceeding...

“This was a very good course that I will recommend to other electricians that I work with. The instructor was very personable and knowledgeable. This course helped me to analyze and understand circuits that I will come across without seeing them beforehand.”

The course was very informative and taught us a good way on how to troubleshoot. The teacher, Terry Yonkheym was good at getting his points across and always had time for each person.

"Thought the course was very informative. It taught extra ways of thinking to use for problems. The instructor, Ed Rideout was very experienced and showed poise when asked to go over/show different ways of explaining a problem to the class."

“ Very effective and efficient way of how to solve a problem…from start to finish”

“This course teaches you about mental state and how it affects your attitude when trying to troubleshoot. It plays an important role in analytical thinking that not many people would realize on their own. I would recommend this course/instructor to not only electricians, but millwrights, mechanics...

“The information was good. There was lots of hands on, which was excellent. The instructor kept things moving at a good pace. He was knowledgeable about aspects of the course material. The equipment used worked well with the troubleshooting objective. Definitely learnt something.”

“ Good course content and lots of hands on to solidify the theory. This course will pay for itself in two weeks”

The props/test equipment makes it easier to understand and learn. Computer apps were an interesting challenge. Even with years of experience, it is helpful to see troubleshooting from another structured perspective.

"The contents of this course will be an invaluable asset to me and I would recommend that other technicians also take this course."

"Course teaches and dictates the importance of keeping focused on issue and document info. Plan a strategic execution of analyzing data, record info, isolate problem areas and control amount of excess testing with meter to minimize false readings.

“I found the course and the instructor challenged me in ways that revealed my weaknesses and provided the skills and system to overcome them. Well worth it!”

“This was a great course; I had no experience on troubleshooting prior to the start of this course. Now I feel comfortable. I'm glad it was available for me and it will greatly help me in the future.”

“Enforced the importance of good documentation, know what to expect from meter readings before the readings, understanding the problem, get all the available info, if stuck on a problem, take a short break.”

“I think that after taking this course, I will become a faster and better trouble-shooter. The instructor was very well informed and came across so that I could understand it easily.”

“My troubleshooting skills are better after finding a method to break apart electrical problems. This course shows you efficient ways to analyze information and plan tests.”

“I found the method of troubleshooting presented to be very helpful in solving the problems during the course. After 2 days the time to solve each problem was reduced significantly. I will try to apply this method with similar problems on the job. I found the day 5 troubleshooting board to be most...

“Very knowledgeable instructor with a good attitude explains the hazard material thoroughly. The course teaches you an analytical approach for problem solving that can be applied basically to everything in life, recommended to everyone.”

The course and instructor were really good, very well-formatted to keep on topic and moving forward. It was all-around excellent, really opened my eyes to ways of troubleshooting problems I had never thought of asking before, and moving forward, can use in all sorts of different troubleshooting.

“This course was very beneficial in helping you to think about how to breakdown problems to reduce troubleshooting time. The idea of documenting everything so that others can pick up where you left off will help with cross shift issues.”

"This course will pay for itself by the time I repair my first piece of equipment. Ed Rideout is an excellent instructor with a lot of actual hands on experience. Top guy, top course. Material was clear and relevant."

“The instructor was extremely helpful, knowledgeable, friendly and understanding of the student’s different levels of experience. The course was probably one of the best I've done to date. I feel more confident when approaching equipment to repair with either experience or little experience working...

“The instructor and course was very good. The instructor was well-prepared and very knowledgeable. I would tell all my co-workers how excellent this course was taught.”

“Everything was great; this course will help me very much to troubleshoot better.”

“This course gave me a better understanding of how to analyze problems and minimize time in troubleshooting.”

“I thought the course was very well done. I liked the hands-on approach. The instructor was very knowledgeable. I would recommend to coworkers. We work on generator systems, kitchen equipment, industrial, overhead crane VFD’s, HVAC Systems on the base, overhead doors, fire pump diesel and electric.”

“Wish I had been given the opportunity to take this training years back. Learning in the classroom, rather than learning in the field, costs the company less down time. This easily pays for the training. Thanks for letting me attend. I will be promoting this to have our 9 control techs take the training.”

“The course will help me a lot in troubleshooting. It made me learn to troubleshoot quicker and able to split the problem in half the time. The instructor was really good at what he teaches and that made the course better. Thanks.”

"This course was good and definitely changed my thought process. The hands on/practical portion I found to be the most effective. The computer programs were also very effective."

“This course helps to show how to focus on the problem and how to narrow down where in your circuit the fault is. The instructor was helpful in showing how to prove you have located the fault through testing. This will be helpful in my work on board HMC ships and submarines.”

“Was a good course. Enjoyed the challenges of troubleshooting with a different method. Would highly recommend.”

“The instructor is very patient and knowledgeable, offered assistance and gave time to help me understand the task at hand.”

“The instructor was very knowledgeable about the course material. The content of the course was very interesting and valuable for my personal benefit as well as the company. I had very little exposure to prints and troubleshooting before the course and I feel now way ahead in this troubleshooting than...

"I liked this course as there were good fault/circuit boards to work on. I liked the heater simulator as it related to a lot of what I would do on a regular troubleshooting day. (A lot of propane furnaces, which are similar) Also, the timing circuit was great, a lot of knowledge came out of that one...

“This was an excellent course with a great layout of the material. It starts with a learning process of systematically breaking down the circuits to narrow down the focus area. By doing this, you have a smaller focus area and less testing, making you more efficient. Also learning the importance of...

“I found that I should be able to find faults much, much faster now. Thank you tremendously.”

Although I experience many similar troubleshooting scenarios at work, this course helps develop the proper way. Planning, diagrams and a proper course of action that could help me be more effective in the field. I found the last few days interesting as well as being related to electronic systems, some...