Skip to content
EDWartens UK

Free course · PLC programming

PLC and Electrical Troubleshooting for Maintenance Teams

Find the fault fast on a machine you did not build: a method that goes from symptom to cause, safe isolation before you touch, drawings and I/O lists, meter work on 24 V DC control and motor circuits, sensors and 4-20 mA loops, online diagnostics in TIA Portal, Allen-Bradley and CODESYS, VFD and network faults, and fault reports that stop repeats.

See the modules

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

Level
Beginner
Modules
13
Video
14 hours
Price
Free

Outcome

What you will be able to do

Find faults with a repeatable method that goes from the symptom to the failed part and on to the root cause; isolate and prove dead before touching, and justify every live test; read drawings, cross-references and I/O lists in the field; test 24 V DC control circuits, contactors, overloads, sensors and outputs with a multimeter and clamp meter; diagnose 4-20 mA loop and scaling faults; go online in TIA Portal, Allen-Bradley, CCW and CODESYS to read diagnostics, cross-reference tags and use forces only with authorisation; interpret motor test results and VFD fault codes; find PROFINET, EtherNet/IP and Modbus TCP faults; and write fault reports and preventive tasks that stop the fault coming back.

  • Find faults with a repeatable method that goes from the symptom to the failed part and its root cause
  • Isolate and prove dead before touching, and justify every live test you make
  • Read drawings, cross-references and I/O lists on the shop floor
  • Test 24 V DC control circuits, contactors, overloads, sensors and outputs with a multimeter and clamp meter
  • Diagnose NPN, PNP and 4-20 mA sensor faults and scaling errors
  • Go online in TIA Portal, CCW and CODESYS to read diagnostics and cross-reference tags, using forces only with authorisation
  • Interpret motor winding tests, VFD fault codes and PROFINET, EtherNet/IP and Modbus TCP faults
  • Write fault reports and preventive tasks that stop the same fault coming back

Software

Siemens TIA Portal with S7-PLCSIM (21-day trial), Connected Components Workbench Standard Edition with its Micro800 Simulator (free) and the CODESYS Development System (free), plus a spreadsheet for the fault log. Studio 5000 is not free, so its screens are shown in the videos and the same skills are practised in CCW and CODESYS.

Hardware

None required: the PLC exercises run in simulation. A multimeter, and a clamp meter if you have one, let you practise the meter work on a 24 V DC supply and a sensor.

Syllabus

13 modules

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

  1. 1The fault-finding method: from symptom to cause3 lessonsLab
  2. 2Before you touch: safe isolation and meter technique5 lessonsLab
  3. 3Reading drawings and I/O lists in the field2 lessons
  4. 4Control circuits: contactors, overloads and interlocks5 lessonsLab
  5. 5Digital inputs: sensors, NPN, PNP and the input LED7 lessonsLab
  6. 6Digital outputs: when the PLC says ON but nothing moves3 lessons
  7. 7Analog signals: 4-20 mA loop faults and scaling2 lessonsLab
  8. 8Going online in Siemens TIA Portal without breaking anything3 lessons
  9. 9Going online in Allen-Bradley, CCW and CODESYS3 lessons
  10. 10Motors and VFDs: winding tests and drive fault codes3 lessonsLab
  11. 11Network faults: PROFINET, EtherNet/IP and Modbus TCP4 lessons
  12. 12Fault reports, root cause and stopping repeat faults3 lessons
  13. 13Final 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

Isolate, lock off and prove dead (live, dead, live) with a voltage tester on the Lab's control panel.

Works alongside PLC and Electrical Troubleshooting for Maintenance Teams. The Lab is control panel build 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
Control panel build: Wire a real control panel.

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 PLC and Electrical Troubleshooting for Maintenance Teams

Credits

Who made the lessons

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

Questions

About this course

Who is this PLC troubleshooting course for?
It is for maintenance electricians, technicians and junior maintenance engineers who have to get machines running again, and for automation engineers who support production. You should know what a contactor, a sensor and a PLC are.
Is the course free to learn?
Yes. Every module, the notes, the worked problems, the project and the final assessment are free. The certificate is optional.
Do I need a real PLC or machine?
No. The PLC exercises run in simulation in TIA Portal with PLCSIM, Connected Components Workbench and CODESYS. A multimeter and a 24 V DC supply let you practise the meter work at home if you have them.
Which PLC brands does it cover?
Siemens S7-1200 and S7-1500 in TIA Portal, Allen-Bradley in Connected Components Workbench and Studio 5000 screens, and CODESYS-based controllers. The fault-finding method works on any brand.
Is it safe to force inputs and outputs while troubleshooting?
Only with authorisation and with the machine made safe. Forcing can start motion or hide a real fault, so the course teaches watch tables and cross-references first, and forces only under a permit and a site procedure.
What does the course teach about motors and VFDs?
Winding resistance, insulation resistance and polarisation index tests on motors, clamp-meter current checks, and how to read and act on the common VFD faults: overvoltage, overcurrent, ground fault and overload.
How long does the course take?
About 14 hours of video, notes and practice at your own pace. The optional fault-log and root cause project takes about 8 hours more.
What certificate do I get?
An EDWartens certificate of completion, issued when you finish the modules and pass the 15-question final at 60 percent, with a number anyone can verify. It is not a Siemens, Rockwell or CODESYS certification.

Maintenance engineer path (UK)

Take it with

See the whole path

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