Electrical and Electronic Systems
How a vehicle's 12-volt electrical and electronic systems work and how they are tested and repaired, followed through an apprentice's winter at Ridgeline Auto Service in Calgary: electrical theory and Ohm's law, multimeters and amp clamps, circuits and voltage drop testing, wiring and connector repair, wiring diagrams, batteries and battery testing, starting and charging systems including smart charging, lighting and body electrical systems, modules, sensors and actuators, CAN, LIN and gateway networks, and a capstone diagnosis of a parasitic draw and a network fault.
AUTO-220 12 lessons · 3 h 55 min ▶ Video lessons coming soon
Offered by HSM University · Automotive Service
This is the Canadian version of this course. See the American version.
What you'll learn
- Explain voltage, current, resistance and power, apply Ohm's law and the power law to automotive circuits, and work safely on the 12-volt system
- Use a digital multimeter, amp clamp and test light correctly to measure voltage, resistance and current, and interpret the readings
- Analyze series and parallel circuits, identify opens, high resistance and shorts, and locate them with voltage drop testing
- Select wire sizes and circuit protection for a load and length, and repair wiring, terminals and connectors with approved methods
- Read manufacturers' wiring diagrams, including symbols, colour codes, power and ground distribution, connector views and component locations, and turn them into a test plan
- Explain lead-acid battery construction and types, interpret battery ratings, test state of charge and health, and charge, jump-start, replace and register batteries safely
- Explain how starters, solenoids and their control circuits work, and diagnose starting faults with cranking and voltage drop tests
- Explain alternator operation, rectification, regulation and smart charging, and test charging system output, ripple and circuits
- Diagnose lighting, relay, motor and heated element circuits, including LED, pulse-width modulated and module-controlled loads
- Explain how modules use reference voltages, pull-up resistors, sensors and drivers, and test sensor and actuator circuits safely
- Explain CAN, LIN, CAN FD and automotive Ethernet networks and gateways, and diagnose network faults with the scan tool, meter and scope
- Diagnose a parasitic draw and an intermittent network fault from interview to verified repair and a complete repair order report
Course content
12 lessons · 3 h 55 min total · final exam
- 1 Automotive electrical theory 19 min · quiz
- 2 Digital multimeters and electrical measurement 20 min · quiz
- 3 Circuits, voltage drop and circuit faults 19 min · quiz
- 4 Wiring, connectors and wiring repair 19 min · quiz
- 5 Reading wiring diagrams 20 min · quiz
- 6 Batteries and battery testing 20 min · quiz
- 7 Starting systems 20 min · quiz
- 8 Charging systems and smart charging 19 min · quiz
- 9 Lighting and body electrical systems 19 min · quiz
- 10 Electronic modules, sensors and actuators 20 min · quiz
- 11 Vehicle networks: CAN, LIN and gateways 20 min · quiz
- 12 Capstone: tracking down a parasitic draw and a network fault 20 min · quiz
- E Final exam 20 questions
Requirements
Recommended background. You can start any course at any time.
Description
How a vehicle's 12-volt electrical and electronic systems work and how they are tested and repaired, followed through an apprentice's winter at Ridgeline Auto Service in Calgary: electrical theory and Ohm's law, multimeters and amp clamps, circuits and voltage drop testing, wiring and connector repair, wiring diagrams, batteries and battery testing, starting and charging systems including smart charging, lighting and body electrical systems, modules, sensors and actuators, CAN, LIN and gateway networks, and a capstone diagnosis of a parasitic draw and a network fault.