Electrical Apprentice Training Program Gets a Solar Upgrade

At Megger, we’re passionate about manufacturing test equipment to help you keep the power on—whether you’ve been an electrical engineer for decades or you are just starting your career as an electrical apprentice.

For the electrical apprentices and tradesmen and women who are just getting their feet wet in the industry, our tried and trusted tools are the perfect place to start. Megger’s easy-to-use meters, like the new DCM1500S clampmeter, are safe, user-friendly, and great for learning on-the-job. Measuring up to 2,000Vdc and 1,500 Vac, it’s the ideal multifunctional tool for the installation, maintenance, monitoring, and testing of photovoltaic systems.

Recently, we partnered with the Cedar Rapids Electrical Apprenticeship Training & Education Trust to put the DCM1500S to the test. In this 5-year program, they train approximately 165 electrical construction industry apprentices—each working approximately 2,000 on-the-job training hours and 190 classroom hours each year of the program.

Part of the curriculum is dedicated to solar PV systems, but last summer, their solar array was destroyed by a windstorm. Recently, a few instructors set out to rebuild the solar array—using the Megger DCM1500S along the way to take voltage and amperage readings on the load side of the arrays microinverters. The project consisted of installing ten, 310-watt modules, mounted on top of a pole rack in the training center parking lot. In just a few short days, the new installation was erected—now the perfect solar, hands-on training tool for the hundreds of students and apprentices.

After installation, the team connected the DCM1500S directly to the solar module to verify the voltage output and used the temperature feature to compare the ambient outdoor air temperature to the surface temperature of the model.

“The meter is user friendly, and the variety of test lead options is impressive!” explains Mike Carson, Training Director, “This is the first meter we’ve used that was designed specifically for solar installations, and the ability to connect directly to the individual solar modules is great.”

The instructors are excited to use the DCM1500S in upcoming solar PV courses—an incredible learning tool for students. Plus, the meter was designed specifically with solar applications in mind, but it can really be used for any electrical troubleshooting application.

Click here to learn more about the DCM1500S.