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EDWartens UK

Free course · Power systems

Data Centre Electrical and Critical Power

The electrical side of data centres, where the hiring is: the power path from grid to rack, tiers and redundancy, UPS and generators, the calculations, load flow, short-circuit and arc flash studies, PUE, monitoring, and what AI GPU racks change.

See the modules

Free to learn. Verifiable certificate £19 when you pass the final exam (optional, VAT included).

Level
Intermediate
Modules
9
Video
9 hours
Price
Free

Outcome

What you will be able to do

Trace the power path from utility to rack and explain each piece of equipment; compare N, N+1 and 2N redundancy and the Uptime Institute tiers; size UPS and cable current from rack loads; explain the load flow, short-circuit, coordination and arc flash studies a data centre needs; calculate PUE and find where power is lost; describe electrical monitoring and DCIM; and explain what high-density AI racks change in the electrical design.

  • Trace data centre power from the utility to the rack
  • Compare N, N+1 and 2N redundancy and the Uptime Institute tiers
  • Calculate rack current, kVA and kW for single and three-phase feeds
  • Size UPS and generators for a 2N design
  • Explain load flow, short-circuit, coordination and arc flash studies
  • Calculate PUE and reduce electrical losses
  • Find hidden single points of failure and read arc flash labels safely
  • Explain what AI GPU racks change in electrical design

Software

None required. ETAP is shown in the lessons; a spreadsheet is enough for the calculations.

Hardware

None.

Syllabus

9 modules

Each module has video lessons, notes and a short quiz. The final exam closes the course.

  1. 1How a data centre works, from grid to rack2 lessonsLab
  2. 2Tiers, standards and redundancy3 lessonsLab
  3. 3Power fundamentals and calculations3 lessonsLab
  4. 4UPS, generators and the power train4 lessonsLab
  5. 5The data centre electrical power system in depth1 lesson
  6. 6Power studies, arc flash and the digital twin4 lessons
  7. 7Efficiency and PUE2 lessonsLab
  8. 8Monitoring, BMS and the AI data centre3 lessons
  9. 9Final Assessment1 lesson

How it works

How this course works

  1. Watch the video lessonsOne module at a time, at your own pace.
  2. Take the module quizA short quiz at the end of each module shows what stuck.
  3. Keep your notesWrite in My notes beside each module and ask the trainer if you are stuck.
  4. Practise in the labOptionalTry a task from the module in the EDWartens Lab, in your browser.
  5. Sit the final examPass it once you have been through the modules.
  6. Certificate, if you want oneOptionalPaid, and only after you pass. Anyone can check it online.

EDWartens Lab

Practise this in the EDWartens Lab

Lose a power feed, find a hot spot and read cooling and power loads against limits in the Lab's data-centre simulator.

Works alongside Data Centre Electrical and Critical Power. The Lab is data-centre power and cooling practice in your browser: no install, no hardware, free to use. Sign in as a learner and it opens with your account.

Open the free lab See the Lab
Data-centre power and cooling: Run an AI data hall.

Levels to try with this course

Optional. Skip it whenever you like: it never blocks your progress or your certificate.

Why practise in a lab

Technical work is judged on what you can do: wiring, commissioning, finding a fault. Doing a task yourself teaches more than watching it a second time, and a lab lets you try it safely before you meet real equipment. It does not replace working on real hardware.

  • Practise safely, so a mistake costs nothing.
  • The lab checks your work like a site test, so you know when it is right.
  • Free, in your browser, with nothing to install.

Certificate

An optional certificate when you pass

Learning is free. Pass the final exam and you can have a certificate for £19, including VAT, with a number employers can check online. It records that you completed a free online course; it is not a regulated qualification or a CPD certificate.

  • Your name, the course, its study time and your final exam score
  • A unique certificate number and a QR code to its verification page
  • Issued by Wartens Ltd; add it to your LinkedIn profile in one click
  • Pay now or after you pass: it is issued the moment you pass the final

How the certificate works

Sample certificate for Data Centre Electrical and Critical Power

Credits

Who made the lessons

The video lessons belong to their creators. EDWartens wrote the study plan, notes, quizzes and the final exam.

  • MEP Academy

    short lessons on how data centres work, power flow, redundancy, electrical systems, UPS and AI data centres

  • ETAP Software

    the digital twin, DC arc flash, critical power and eSCADA lessons for data centres

  • GogoTraining

    the Fundamentals of Data Center Power lessons on power, calculations and circuit breakers

  • TEQNYAT

    the data centre design and operations course episodes on standards and certifications

  • Bryce Anderson

    the lesson BMS Data Centre Design

  • Engineering and Donuts

    the lesson Part 2: Power Distribution for Data Centers and UPS

  • EngineersIreland

    the lesson The Electrical Power System

  • IEEE Young Professionals

    the lesson Energy Efficient Data Center Power Design

  • MEP Engineers

    the lesson PUE in Data Center

  • MSP TV

    the lesson The Secret Formula for Data Centre Electrical Power Distribution

  • RagingWire Data Centers

    the lesson RagingWire Dallas TX1 Data Center Virtual Tour

Questions

About this course

Who is this course for?
Electrical engineers, MEP engineers and electrical technicians who want to work on data centres, and automation engineers moving into critical facilities. Basic electrical theory is assumed.
Why data centres?
AI has driven a wave of data centre construction, and operators report that skilled electrical, MEP and commissioning staff are hard to recruit. The electrical side is where much of the design and commissioning work is.
How long does the course take?
About 8.7 hours of video lessons across eight teaching modules, plus the notes, practice questions, the final assessment and an optional project of around 10 hours. At a few hours a week it fits into three to four weeks.
What is the project?
You write the electrical design basis for a 1.2 MW colocation data hall in Melbourne, Australia: a load list, a 2N single-line description, UPS, transformer and generator sizing, and an integrated systems test plan. A worked sample pack shows each document.
Do I need ETAP?
No. The ETAP lessons show how power studies are done, and every calculation in the course can be done by hand or in a spreadsheet.
Does this lead to an Uptime Institute or CDCP certification?
No. It is an EDWartens course built on free public lessons, credited on each module, and EDWartens is not affiliated with the Uptime Institute or any certification body. It covers concepts those programmes use, but it is not one of them.
Is the course really free?
Yes. Every module, the notes, the project and the final assessment. The only paid item is the certificate, if you want it.
What certificate do I get?
An EDWartens Certificate of Completion, issued when you pass the final assessment, with a number anyone can verify on our site.

The Professional Module is five live days of Siemens PLC, HMI and SCADA with an instructor, then a resume session and a CPD certificate.

See the Professional Module