Electricity Basics

In practical terms, not textbook definitions. Know what each one means when you're standing in front of a panel with a meter in your hand.

Calculate current draw in a 4-20 mA circuit, understand why a fuse is rated the way it is, and figure out if a breaker is correctly sized.

Know which one powers what in a typical control panel, and why the PLC needs a power supply between the wall and the backplane.

Interpret FLA, service factor, horsepower, and voltage ratings. Know if the breaker feeding that motor is properly sized or if it isn't.

LOTO, arc flash, live work not because OSHA says so, but because this stuff kills people. Learn the procedures before you touch anything.

Why motors need it, how it's distributed in a panel, and what unbalanced phases actually look like in the real world.

The difference between ground and neutral, why panel grounding matters for both safety and signal quality, and what a missing ground actually does.

Follow a schematic from top to bottom, trace a circuit path, and understand what each symbol means without having to look it up.