Troubleshooting Electrical Circuits
ECPI University
Michael Toftee
TROUBLESHOOTING ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS
As long as I can remember I have always been interested in problem solving; math problems, mechanical problems, and electrical problem. If I had come across a problem I did not understand, I would take the time to learn it and figure it out. When I joined the Navy I began working on engines, and circuits. I found out what troubleshooting was and how to properly do it. Although I was an Engineman and my primary job was fixing and operating the diesels, our shipped lack experience in the Electrical department. I would sneak off with the electricians to help out, and to add to my knowledge.
After I left the Navy I began a job as a Control Room Operator. The plant I worked at was under construction. When the control room was built we began training on the Distributed Control System (DCS). I was working with Siemens DCS Engineers, and Electrical Engineers. I was taught how to properly troubleshoot using logic; this is what ultimately led to me going to school. As new systems were installed in the plant we began testing systems; the entire loop checks, the controllers, the inputs and outputs. The plant was completed and commissioned, all the engineers left and it was now up to us to operate and maintain the plant.
A few months went by no real problems with the plant; we had shut down a few times for minor ordeals. We shut down one Thursday for a planned outage to adjust the inlet guide vane (IGV) and the variable guide vanes (VGV). It was a simple 1 hour process on each Gas Turbine (GT). A few hours’ later tags were cleared and all systems had been aligned for start. The plant was not to be dispatched until Monday. When I returned to work for my shift Monday the first thing I check is the plant status. I noticed GT 12 was not ready for start, and began to look for the reason why. I found the...