Career summary

Details for Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay


Description

Inspect, test, repair, or maintain electrical equipment in generating stations, substations, and in-service relays.

Tasks

  • Construct, test, maintain, and repair substation relay and control systems.
  • Inspect and test equipment and circuits to identify malfunctions or defects, using wiring diagrams and testing devices such as ohmmeters, voltmeters, or ammeters.
  • Consult manuals, schematics, wiring diagrams, and engineering personnel to troubleshoot and solve equipment problems and to determine optimum equipment functioning.
  • Notify facility personnel of equipment shutdowns.
  • Open and close switches to isolate defective relays, performing adjustments or repairs.
  • Prepare and maintain records detailing tests, repairs, and maintenance.
  • Analyze test data to diagnose malfunctions, to determine performance characteristics of systems, or to evaluate effects of system modifications.
  • Test insulators and bushings of equipment by inducing voltage across insulation, testing current, and calculating insulation loss.
  • Repair, replace, and clean equipment and components such as circuit breakers, brushes, and commutators.
  • Disconnect voltage regulators, bolts, and screws, and connect replacement regulators to high-voltage lines.
  • Schedule and supervise the construction and testing of special devices and the implementation of unique monitoring or control systems.
  • Run signal quality and connectivity tests for individual cables, and record results.
  • Schedule and supervise splicing or termination of cables in color-code order.
  • Test oil in circuit breakers and transformers for dielectric strength, refilling oil periodically.
  • Maintain inventories of spare parts for all equipment, requisitioning parts as necessary.
  • Set forms and pour concrete footings for installation of heavy equipment.

Interests

  • Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
  • Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Education, training, experience

  • Education - Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
  • Training - Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
  • Experience - Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Knowledge

  • Telecommunications -Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
  • Customer and Personal Service -Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • English Language -Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Building and Construction -Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
  • Design -Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
  • Public Safety and Security -Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
  • Computers and Electronics -Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Physics -Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
  • Engineering and Technology -Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
  • Mathematics -Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Mechanical -Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Skills

  • Equipment Maintenance - Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
  • Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
  • Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.

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