Electro-Mechanical Deductive Reasoning for Heavy Equipment Technicians

“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.”

“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...

"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 was very happy with the course. I learned a lot. My troubleshooting skills have improved more than what I was expecting. The teacher was awesome and very knowledgeable.”

“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...

“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...

“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 was a really good course and instructor(Ed Rideout). I found great improvement in troubleshooting procedures and documentation. It also reduced number of steps to find faults by 50% to 75% (more efficient). I recognized different ways to troubleshoot (both open circuits and short circuits). I...

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

“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.”

“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.”

“Course was very good, definitely gave me another way to troubleshoot problems and make sure I document everything. Had very good examples and hands on was awesome, better than looking at a Power Point all day.”

"I gained the ability to take my troubleshooting to the next level by doing it faster and safer. I believe I have the ability to troubleshoot any problem by applying the steps that I learned in this course."

"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...

Excellent course, Joe Kiceniuk did a great job presenting the material. This was a very good refresher for those of us who have experience troubleshooting electrical/electronics and excellent foundation for those us who did not.

"This is an excellent course. I learned a lot of valuable information, especially regarding the application of thinking and learning patterns. Draw out your problem area and focus on the underlying issue."

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

“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.”

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

"Course was beneficial in that it shows if you take a complex problem and break it down, document the information you have and come up with a plan, it makes troubleshooting the problem easier."

“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.”

“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...

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

"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."

“I think that most of the materials presented were a great exercise in practicing trouble shooting skills.”

“The instructor let us know the focus of the course and really showed us the method which we were to follow. Easy to talk to and made you think through the problems.”

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

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.

"This course is an excellent tool for anyone who will be doing troubleshooting on equipment or a plant."

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.

“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.”

“Interesting course, I enjoyed it.”

"Very good. Good amount of hands on mixed with a good amount of theory. The workload was perfect, any more would have been rushed or not understood by the end of the day. My brain was tired. Any less would not have forced me to push myself. The hands on laptops were perfect."

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

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

“The instructor has lots of experience and demonstrated the information very well. I will make use of the information presented. Great course.”

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.

Course was beneficial in that it shows if you take a complex problem and break it down, document the information you have and come up with a plan it makes troubleshooting the problem easier. Instructor, Joe Kiceniuk was knowledgeable and conveyed the intent of the course.

"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."

“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...

“This was a very good course. It helps you to get in a proper mind set when you come up on a problem to troubleshoot. It teaches you that documentation is key to shorten your troubleshooting time. The instructor was on point and had a lot of knowledge to pass on.”

“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...

"This course was excellent overall. The equipment and tools provided were excellent. The instructor Ed Rideout, was clear and made you feel comfortable with the material."

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.

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

“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.”

Although I have an established understanding of electrical systems in our field of work established from my experience, I enjoyed working through electrical bugs. Learning to troubleshoot electrical problems has sharpened my mind, and I am ready to apply myself.

“Very fun course with a wide variety of equipment. Good practice for troubleshooting, unfamiliar equipment also good practice for using your logic for solving unknown electrical problems. The instructor was very helpful and made the course very interesting.” Roch Lavergne, Norbord

"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.

"Excellent course. The content and the instructor exceeded my expectations, I have new tools in my toolbox. Most importantly, a new way of thinking. How to come to an issue? How to gather "helpful" info? How to zero in on the problem? The hands on was an invaluable learning tool."

“Introduction was good, well-paced and concise. This course had the perfect proportion of lecture vs hands on. It had a good variety of troubleshooting diagnostic boards/software, an excellent course for apprentices.”

"I enjoyed the troubleshooting and especially the methodology"

“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.”

"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."

“This course was a great eye opener on how planning before troubleshooting, will save you a lot of pain and time. As anew worker to the industrial workplace it is a great way to boost my troubleshooting skills. The instructor was great and made sure we all got the points before we moved on and gave...

“ Excellent, an invaluable troubleshooting tool.”

“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...

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

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.

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

"This course was fun and challenging at the same time. Instruction was clear, done in a comfortable environment."

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

“I personally enjoyed this course. It helps me a lot when troubleshooting any electrical system. How to break down a circuit and where to pinpoint a problem, it was challenging at times, but that's the valuable part of the course. It really makes you think. The instructor was very informative and knowledgeable...

“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.”

"Joe Kicenuik left lots of time to review all the classroom material. He was very helpful in answering any questions and was effective in explaining what troubleshooting techniques work best for each particular problem. This course will improve your way of approaching future problems in your job field."

“The course was challenging and effective in teaching the intended skills. As long as one keeps in mind its intent which is to focus on a troubleshooting system rather than the particular equipment, I think anyone would find it an excellent learning experience.”

“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...

“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.”

“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.

“Great course and instructor was great. Will use to help analyze and troubleshoot issues in antenna systems that I work on.”

“The first day I thought I should get a little more instructions, but I got into it and I started to see the objective, what the objective was to get me thinking and figuring out methods to improve my troubleshooting. In the beginning I was frustrated but as my troubleshooting improved, frustration...

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 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."

“I thoroughly enjoyed this course. It had lots of hands on exercises, which is the best way to learn. Ed Rideout was very knowledgeable and obviously had a ton of practical experience. Great instructor!”

“Instructor was very knowledgeable and the course was great. The course was very hands on which made it easier to learn.”

“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...

“This course helps to improve troubleshooting skills by starting with the basics. Shows the importance of documentation for helping you and your coworkers. By planning your testing, you will be more efficient. Course was thorough and well instructed. The instructor made sure everyone was at the same...

“ If you want everyone playing on the same team to work correctly and in an efficient manner, do this training”

"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."

“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...

"I have gained the confidence in analyzing and learning how to find a problem, by not getting my mind stuck in one spot. Just that alone has already made me better at my trade. The amount I have learned during this course would have satisfied me by the end of the second day. So, having a full five days...

“This course made me look at the big picture, then find my way to the problem faster by not doing unnecessary testing and checks. Having to write a bubble around the problem area made it easy to reason and test my way through to find the problem quicker and easier.”

“ Excellent content with plenty of hands-on troubleshooting and demo-circuits to use/test the techniques.”

“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.”

"Great instruction, I learnt a lot of troubleshooting skills. It was a very informative course!!"

“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.”

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...

"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 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...

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

“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 course was well thought out, had good equipment, good pace, and relevant training material. The instructor was friendly and relatable, good instruction, good at presenting ideas in different ways to help with understanding.”

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

“I think the course was very well presented and helped emphasize the use of a meter and how to interpret the readings you get.”

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...

“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.”

"Although I experience many similar troubleshooting scenarios at work, this course helped develop the proper way. Planning, diagrams, a proper course of action that could help me be more effective in the field."

“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!”

“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.”