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EDWartens UK

Free course · Electrical drawings

Reading UK Electrical Drawings

Free course on reading UK electrical drawings: BS EN 60617 symbols, IEC 81346 tags, schematics, schedules and panel layouts. Certificate optional and paid.

See the modules

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

Level
Beginner
Modules
8
Video
Self-paced
Price
Free

Outcome

What you will be able to do

Identify the type of drawing you need, read BS EN 60617 symbols, decode IEC 81346 reference designations, trace a start-stop control circuit using standard terminal numbers, use terminal and cable schedules to follow a signal, read a panel layout and mark up drawings correctly.

  • Choose between a schematic, wiring, layout and single-line drawing
  • Recognise common BS EN 60617 symbols
  • Decode IEC 81346 tags such as -K1, -F1 and =A1
  • Trace a start-stop control circuit using A1/A2, 13/14 and 95/96
  • Follow a signal using terminal and cable schedules
  • Read a panel GA and mounting plate layout
  • Mark up drawings and report differences correctly

Software

None required. Free viewers or the EDWartens Lab simulators help.

Hardware

None required.

Syllabus

8 modules

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

  1. 1The Drawing Set: Schematic, Wiring, Layout and Single Line3 lessonsLab
  2. 2Electrical Symbols: BS EN 606173 lessons
  3. 3Reference Designations: IEC 813463 lessonsLab
  4. 4Reading Control Circuits2 lessonsLab
  5. 5Terminal Schedules, Cable Schedules and Wiring Diagrams3 lessonsLab
  6. 6Panel Drawings and EPLAN-Style Documentation3 lessons
  7. 7Using Drawings to Find Faults and Keep Them Up to Date2 lessonsLab
  8. 8Final 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

Rebuild a drawn circuit in the Lab's wiring simulator and check it against the schematic.

Works alongside Reading UK Electrical Drawings. 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 Reading UK Electrical Drawings

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

Are UK drawings different from US drawings?
Yes. UK and European drawings normally follow IEC symbols (BS EN 60617), while US drawings use NFPA/NEMA style ladder symbols. Wire colours and terminal numbering conventions also differ, so check which standard a drawing uses.
Do I need CAD software?
No. The course teaches reading. EPLAN-style software is explained so you know how drawings are produced, but you do not need to buy it.
What is IEC 81346?
IEC 81346 is the international standard for reference designations, a structured way of labelling objects by function, product and location so they can be identified consistently across drawings and software.
Is this enough to design a panel?
No. It teaches reading and use of drawings. Panel design must follow BS EN 61439 and, for machines, BS EN 60204-1, with proper verification.
Who made the video lessons?
Independent engineers and trainers on their own YouTube channels, credited on the page. UK-specific drawing videos are limited, so some examples are international and the notes explain the UK conventions. EDWartens did not make the videos.

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