Physical, Mathematical, Computer and Life Sciences Information Technology and Computer Sciences

DC Power Supply Construction Techniques Training

SAQA US 259169 | NQF 5 | Credits 5 | Duration 2 Days
From $610 per delegate

Description

This course equips learners with the practical skills and theoretical knowledge required to construct DC power supplies. Participants will learn to design, assemble, and test power supply circuits using standard components, ensuring they meet industry specifications. The course emphasizes safety, troubleshooting, and adherence to South African standards.

Learning Outcomes

  • Interpret circuit diagrams and specifications for DC power supplies.
  • Select appropriate components such as transformers, rectifiers, and regulators.
  • Assemble DC power supply circuits on prototyping boards or PCBs.
  • Test and measure output voltage, current, and ripple using multimeters and oscilloscopes.
  • Troubleshoot common faults in DC power supply circuits.
  • Apply safety procedures when working with electrical circuits.

Target Audience

This course is ideal for electronics technicians, engineers, and hobbyists who need to build or maintain DC power supplies. It is also suitable for students pursuing qualifications in electrical or electronic engineering.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment

Course Outline

Day 1: Fundamentals of DC Power Supply Design

Objectives:
• Explain the basic principles of DC power supply operation
• Identify key components: transformers, rectifiers, filters, regulators
• Describe the function of each block in a linear power supply
• Read and interpret simple circuit diagrams for DC power supplies
• Discuss safety precautions when working with power supply circuits

Topics:
• Overview of DC power supply types: linear vs. switching
• Block diagram: transformer, rectifier, filter, regulator
• Transformer selection: voltage, current, and isolation
• Rectifier circuits: half-wave, full-wave, bridge
• Filtering: capacitor input, LC filters, ripple reduction
• Voltage regulation: Zener diodes, linear regulators (78xx, LM317)
• Heat dissipation and thermal management basics
• Safety: fusing, earthing, isolation, and component handling

Day 2: Construction, Testing, and Practical Integration

Objectives:
• Assemble a linear DC power supply on a breadboard or PCB
• Test and measure output voltage, ripple, and load regulation
• Troubleshoot common faults: no output, excessive ripple, overheating
• Implement overcurrent protection (fuse, current limiting)
• Evaluate performance against specifications

Topics:
• Component selection: capacitors, diodes, regulators, heatsinks
• PCB layout considerations: ground loops, thermal management
• Soldering techniques for power components
• Testing with multimeter and oscilloscope: voltage, ripple, regulation
• Load testing and efficiency measurement
• Fault-finding: open circuits, short circuits, component failure
• Adding protection: fuses, reverse polarity, overvoltage
• Final assembly and enclosure considerations

Practicals

8 hours of practicals To be conducted online or on-campus or in-house
Overview

Learners will construct a linear DC power supply from a schematic, test its performance, and troubleshoot faults. Practicals reinforce theoretical concepts and develop hands-on skills in component handling, soldering, and measurement.

Practical Activities
  • Component Identification and Circuit Assembly — Learners identify and verify components (transformer, bridge rectifier, filter capacitors, voltage regulator, heatsink) and assemble the circuit on a breadboard or perfboard. (3h)
  • Testing and Measurement — Learners power up the assembled supply and use a multimeter and oscilloscope to measure output voltage, ripple, and load regulation under various load conditions. (3h)
  • Fault-Finding and Protection Implementation — Learners introduce common faults (e.g., open capacitor, reversed diode) and troubleshoot using systematic techniques. They then add a fuse and reverse polarity protection diode. (2h)

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course via daily exercises, scored practical assignments, and a final summative test at the end.

Practical Assignments — 30%

Practical assignments are observed and scored against a rubric during the practical sessions. Each delegate's practical mark is averaged into a single 100% score and contributes 30% to the final total.

Daily Exercises — 20%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 20% to the final total.

Final Test — 50%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 50% to the overall mark.

Final Total
Component Out of Weight
Practical Assignments (rubric-scored) 100% 30%
Daily Average (multiple choice) 100% 20%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) 100% 50%
Final Total 100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

Certificate of Completion

Awarded to delegates who achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher on the Final Total (Practicals 30% + Daily Average 20% + Final Test 50%).

How it works
  • Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
  • Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
  • You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
  • If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.

Upcoming Training Sessions
Online training — attend live sessions from anywhere via our virtual classroom.
No online sessions scheduled yet.
Let us know you're interested and we'll arrange a session that suits you.
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On-Campus training — face-to-face sessions at our training venues across Africa and beyond.
No on-campus sessions scheduled yet.
Let us know you're interested and we'll arrange a session that suits you.
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In-House training — we bring the trainer to your organisation, tailored to your team.
No in-house sessions scheduled yet.
Let us know you're interested and we'll arrange a session that suits you.
Contact Us
Training Discounts
Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% off per 5 delegates, up to 40% for 100+

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