CRASH COURSE INSTRUMENTATION
Welcome to Crash Course Instrumentation!
I’m Ryan, an Instrumentation & Controls Instructor at Bellingham Technical College. Before teaching, I spent nearly 20 years as an I&E tech at two oil refineries, was a licensed electrician in Washington, and earned ISA certification as a Control Systems Technician.
This channel is all about making the amazing world of instrumentation clear, engaging, and accessible. I use real-world experience and hands-on knowledge to walk through key concepts, supported by the excellent open-source ModEL PDFs created by Tony R. Kuphaldt.
Whether you're a student, a tradesperson, or just curious about how complex systems work—this channel is for you.
Each video brings textbook content to life, helping you better understand the field and its applications.
Special thanks to Tony R. Kuphaldt and the open-source community for making these resources free and available to all. Explore more at: ibiblio.org/kuphaldt/socratic/model/
Let’s dive in!
CRASH COURSE INSTRUMENTATION
What's wrong with this installation?
1 week ago | [YT] | 0
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CRASH COURSE INSTRUMENTATION
Stop using Google Translate for safety-critical instructions. 🛑
Most translation apps think "Ground" means "Soil" (Dirt). In our trade, "Ground" means "Earthing", "Puesta a Tierra", or "Aterramento".
The difference matters.
I just released 3 Free Bilingual Jobsite Cheat Sheets for Instrument Techs and Electricians.
They cover the Top 25 Phrases you need for LOTO, Signal Checks, and Stop Work authority.
Download the PDF for your crew (Free):
🇪🇸 English ↔ Spanish: cci.lemonsqueezy.com/checkout/buy/ab1e07a8-a3a5-4d…
🇧🇷 English ↔ Portuguese: cci.lemonsqueezy.com/checkout/buy/61e5171b-e15f-45…
🇮🇳 English ↔ Hindi: cci.lemonsqueezy.com/checkout/buy/ac69aa1a-9558-44…
Print it. Fold it. Keep it in your pocket.
Stay safe out there.
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 0
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CRASH COURSE INSTRUMENTATION
Technicians really only have three moods. Which one are you today? 👷♂️📉
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 0
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CRASH COURSE INSTRUMENTATION
If this is your internal monologue every Monday morning, could we talk?
I see so many people stuck in careers where they are "straight-up not having a good time" because they don't see the value in what they do. They sit in Zoom meetings, move data around, and worry about AI taking their spot.
Here is the antidote: Learn to fix things that are real.
When you troubleshoot a control loop or calibrate a valve, you get immediate, tangible feedback. You fixed it. The plant runs. You go home. No ambiguity.
Poll: What’s the biggest reason you are (or want to be) in I&E?
Leave your answers in the comments!
🔘 Job Security (AI can't calibrate). 🔘 The Money (Six figures is nice). 🔘 The Puzzle (I like fixing things). 🔘 I just hate meetings.
** 👇 If you are ready to pivot, start with the Core Protocol:** cci.lemonsqueezy.com/buy/d9bfae7e-d347-4255-9e2f-9…
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 0
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CRASH COURSE INSTRUMENTATION
The Full Field Guide is Here (Sections 0–3 + Worksheets) 📘
You asked for the complete manual, and it's finally ready.
I’ve released the Industrial Troubleshooting Field Guide (Core Protocol). This isn't just a list of tips—it's the standard operating procedure for solving 90% of the loops you'll face in the field.
What’s in the bundle:
Section 0 (Safety & Tools): The "Safety Gates" that keep you out of trouble, plus the Printable Troubleshooting Log.
Section 1 (The Workflow): The 10-step roadmap and the "Fix vs. Repair" framework.
Section 2 (Electrical Reality): How to find hidden resistance and corrosion using the Voltage Budget Worksheet (included).
Section 3 (Input Logic): The "Input Injection Test" to prove if a card is lying without lifting field wires.
It’s available now for $15.
Get the Core Protocol here: cci.lemonsqueezy.com/buy/d9bfae7e-d347-4255-9e2f-9…
Stop guessing. Start troubleshooting like a scientist.
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 2
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CRASH COURSE INSTRUMENTATION
Free Field Guide Drop: The Troubleshooting Quickstart 📉
A lot of you have asked for a printable version of the workflows I teach in the videos. I finally put it on paper.
This isn't a textbook definition list. It’s a field-ready guide designed to stop you from "shotgunning parts" when the radio goes off and the unit is down.
Inside the PDF:
The "Triangulation Move": A simple mental model to isolate faults between the DCS, the Transmitter, and the Process.
4-20mA Triage: A "Control Room to Field" map of exactly where to measure.
Fast Loop Math: Know instantly if 12mA is 50% (Linear) or 25% (Flow/Square Root).
Price: Pay What You Want (Enter $0 to grab it for free, or drop a few bucks if you want to support the channel).
Link: cci.lemonsqueezy.com/buy/98581429-c2b1-4515-85b0-1…
Stay safe out there!
4 weeks ago | [YT] | 0
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CRASH COURSE INSTRUMENTATION
Scenario: You have a cooling water valve on a critical exothermic reactor. The instrument air line to the valve snaps. For safety, should this valve fail OPEN or CLOSED?
1 month ago | [YT] | 1
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CRASH COURSE INSTRUMENTATION
Question: Pop Quiz: Current is entering the POSITIVE (+) terminal of a component. Is that component acting as a Source or a Load?
See why at 1:15 in the new video! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wiaqt...
1 month ago | [YT] | 0
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CRASH COURSE INSTRUMENTATION
🎉 Welcome, new subscribers! Here’s what’s queued up next on Crash Course Instrumentation—and what’s still to come.
🔧 Instrumentation Fundamentals (Ep 21–32 | now → December 8, 2025)
🔹 Smart protection with switches: pressure, level, flow, and temperature—plus how to tame alarm chatter and think fail-safe from the start.
🔹 Valve control you can trust: normally open vs normally closed solenoid valves, three-way and four-way setups—clean logic, clean plumbing.
🔹 Motor control basics: motor starters, reversing and interlock strategies, and emergency E-Stops that meet real-world expectations.
⚡ Electrical Fundamentals (Ep 69–77 | now → December 15, 2025)
🔹 Series–parallel confidence: fast ways to solve combination circuits and VIRP tables that keep you out of the weeds.
🔹 SPICE without pain: simulate to check your math before you power up.
🔹 Voltage dividers & mixed sources: design that actually holds tolerance under load.
🔹 Build like a pro: terminal blocks done right and safety grounds that protect people and gear.
🏛️ Saturday History Special (this week)
🔹 A Short History of Sensors: from Wheatstone bridges and thermocouples to strain gauges, RTDs, Hall-effect, and modern MEMS—with quick field tie-ins you’ll actually use.
🧪 What we’re building next
🔹 We start producing the sensor deep-dives today (pressure, temperature, level, flow, position). These will begin rolling out right after the current schedule finishes.
🙏 Huge thanks to Tony Kuphaldt and the open-source community—this channel stands on your shoulders.
🔔 Your turn: Which sensor should premiere first—pressure, temperature, level, flow, or position?
#instrumentation #electricalfundamentals #plc #motorcontrol #solenoidvalve #sensors #openeducation #crashcourseinstrumentation
2 months ago | [YT] | 2
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CRASH COURSE INSTRUMENTATION
🎉 huge thank you to all our new subscribers!
📈 You’re fueling this wild two-fold experiment in learning and making
🧰 What we’re building: Crash Course Instrumentation is creating clear, practical reference videos to accompany the open-source ModELs and textbooks we use at Bellingham Technical College.
📚 Our sources: Tony Kuphaldt’s lessons in industrial instrumentation, the ModEL models, and lessons in electric circuits — all free and open.
🙏 gratitude: enormous thanks to Tony Kuphaldt and the open-source community for sharing world-class materials that make this project possible.
🤖 How the AI piece works: scripts, visuals, and packaging are AI-assisted and then refined with your feedback.
🧪 Why that matters: we’re documenting how AI evolves over time — episode by episode — to see where it helps, where it stumbles, and how we can use it to make better teaching tools.
🔁 the goal: a living library of short, accurate videos that get a little sharper every week as the AI — and our process — improve.
🧭 How you can take part: tell us what you want to learn next, point out spots that need clarity, and share real-world examples from your shop or plant.
📩 Need a nudge to the right chapter or model? Drop a comment and we’ll guide you.
🔗 Want the texts we built on?
• www.ibiblio.org/kuphaldt/socratic/sinst/
• ibiblio.org/kuphaldt/socratic/model/index.html
• www.ibiblio.org/kuphaldt/electricCircuits/index.ht…
🚀 Thanks again for subscribing, sharing, and learning with us — let’s keep building smarter tools, better habits, and safer systems together.
2 months ago | [YT] | 1
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