Study guide: Electrical Technician
Read these alongside the lessons. The reading list is free, official material from the agencies and code bodies that set the rules. The key terms and practice questions come from each lesson.
Reading list
- NFPA free access (NEC / NFPA 70, NFPA 70E, NFPA 54 and more) Free read-only access to NFPA codes after registering.
- OSHA: Electrical safety
- OSHA: Control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout)
- OSHA: Personal protective equipment
- Electrical Safety Foundation (ESFI) Shock, arc flash and home electrical safety.
- ICC free code access (IBC, IRC, IPC, IMC, IECC) Read the model codes free online. Check which edition your state or city adopted.
- Apprenticeship.gov: find a registered apprenticeship
- CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor): careers, training and license finder
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Electricians What the work is, pay, training and job outlook.
Codes are adopted by each state and city, sometimes with changes. Check the edition and rules for where you work on the course page ("Rules where you work").
The Electrical Trade
Careers, licensing, apprenticeship, codes and how electricians work.
3 lessons. Key terms, practice questions and written questions open with a plan. See plans.
Safety for Electricians
Shock and arc flash, NFPA 70E boundaries, lockout/tagout, an electrically safe work condition, and PPE.
3 lessons. Key terms, practice questions and written questions open with a plan. See plans.
Electrical Test Equipment
Multimeters, clamp meters, testers, measurement categories and using them safely.
2 lessons. Key terms, practice questions and written questions open with a plan. See plans.
Electrical Theory and Circuits
Ohm's law, power, series and parallel circuits, AC power systems, and voltage drop.
4 lessons. Key terms, practice questions and written questions open with a plan. See plans.
Drawings and the National Electrical Code
Reading electrical plans and specifications, and finding answers in the NEC quickly.
2 lessons. Key terms, practice questions and written questions open with a plan. See plans.
Boxes, Raceways and Conduit
Box types and box fill, raceway types, support and fill, and conduit bending.
3 lessons. Key terms, practice questions and written questions open with a plan. See plans.
Conductors and Cables
Wire sizes, ampacity and its corrections, insulation, color codes and cable types.
2 lessons. Key terms, practice questions and written questions open with a plan. See plans.
Dwelling Wiring
Services and panels, required circuits and outlets, GFCI and AFCI protection, and installing devices.
4 lessons. Key terms, practice questions and written questions open with a plan. See plans.
Grounding, Bonding and Overcurrent Protection
Grounding electrodes, bonding, equipment grounding conductors, breakers and fuses, and motor and HVAC circuits.
3 lessons. Key terms, practice questions and written questions open with a plan. See plans.
Troubleshooting and Service Calls
A step-by-step method for finding electrical problems, common faults, and handling service calls.
2 lessons. Key terms, practice questions and written questions open with a plan. See plans.