EPZ Grounding 

Jason Schraufnagel – Written In Red Training 

This is a hands-on experiential course in voltage, current, resistance using series, parallel, and combination circuits. A look at the historical aspects of grounding helps refresh workers to electrical concepts and their application to personal protective grounding. 

By utilizing a variety of presentation materials, content delivery appeals to a wider audience of diverse learning styles. This is not an attempt to bluster the learner with electrical engineering principles or bore them to death with a slide deck. PowerPoint training retention is very low; this evidence-based, interactive approach is much more effective. This course is useful for substation, transmission, and distribution workers. 

Visit www.writteninredtraining.com/training-courses/epz-grounding to get a summary of the course. 

Topics Include:

• Bonding and grounding
• Sources of energization
• Human body resistance to current flow
• Resistance of grounding cables
• Effects of current flow through the human body
• Voltage gradients
• Step, touch and transfer potential
• Establishing an equipotential zone
• Installation of cluster bars
• Five to Stay Alive
• Sacred Circuit
• Inductions
• Worksite grounding vs. working between grounds
• Proper installation, care, and maintenance of ground cables
• Grounding vehicles and equipment in the work area
• Transferred potential rise and substations
• Protective grounding circuits and induction issues
• Use of multiple grounding cables per phase
• Purpose of a three phase short and ground
• Federal OSHA grounding requirements
• Culture and communication

Hands-On Metering: Beginning to Intermediate 

Larry Chapman – Chapman Metering 

A “Introduction to Intermediate” version of prior seminars at this conference. Metering basics will be covered followed by basic troubleshooting skills. This class will “assist field personnel in finding metering errors that are adversely affecting billing accuracy and/or personal safety of the technicians involved in maintaining this equipment.” This class has several work stations to test different configurations of meter installations. 

Participants are asked to bring hand tools, safety glasses, secondary gloves and an ammeter. These materials are needed for hands on work stations. 

Topics Include: 

• Metering of 3-phase services using self-contained and transformer rated meters
• Proper selection of voltage and current transformers
• Transformer burden and sizing of metering conductors
• Single phase transformer rated meters
• Proper grounding
• Meter safety
• AMR metering-changes in metering practices

Hands On Work Stations: 

• Single Phase Metering and 3-phase Metering stations. Participants will properly wire the stations.
• Station trouble shooting. Stations will have errors that need repair and testing.

Jason Schraufnagel, Written In Red Training  
Born and raised in rural Wisconsin, Jason joined the IBEW as an Operator/URD Installer while serving in the United States Marine Reserves. He steadily climbed the ranks, progressing from Groundman to Apprentice, Journeyman Lineman, Lineman in Charge, and ultimately to Foreman. Over the past 25 years, he has contributed to the electrical industry in construction, municipalities, cooperatives, and investor-owned sectors. In addition to his hands-on experience, Jason has actively participated in the union, serving as an assistant vice union steward in labor and contract negotiations meetings. His involvement extends to committee work, where he has played a role in hiring apprentices, ensuring safety, problem-solving, and organizing the setup of work trucks and tools. Jason has also shared his knowledge as an instructor at linemen schools and attended numerous advanced line training courses nationwide. This diverse exposure has equipped him with a comprehensive understanding of the trade and valuable insights into what makes good utilities and good linemen. In December 2023, Jason founded JS Lineman Consulting, LLC, a company dedicated to assisting utility companies in retaining and training high-quality linemen.

Larry Chapman, Chapman Metering Company
Larry Chapman is a highly respected, highly qualified instructor having worked in the metering field his entire career. Chapman Metering Company was started in 1960 by Larry’s father. Larry started his career in metering by joining his father in the family business and by 1979, Larry had assumed responsibility of running the company expanding their operations into Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Missouri. In the early 1990’s, the first automated meter reading system showed up in the Midwest bringing a new opportunity to grow the company. A partnership with Nishnabotna Rural Electric Cooperative in Harlan Iowa was created to meet the demand of deploying and retrofitting the new automated equipment and the company relocated to Avoca Iowa, where it is still located today.
Although retired, Larry continues to share is immense knowledge in all things related to metering by continually conducting training classes.