Defibrillator and ECG Service — Level 2: Fault-Finding
From the failed self-test or wrong energy to the failed module: charge circuit, capacitor, relays, pads, pacing, ECG and printer
Part of the program: Defibrillator and ECG Service Engineer — program (8 h) →
Level 1 taught you to test a defibrillator with an analyser, keep its battery and pads in date and find the common ECG faults. Level 2 starts when the device fails anyway. This course teaches the engineer to read self-test and event logs for the first cause, to separate power, charge, storage, delivery and monitoring with the cheapest test that tells them apart, to follow the fault to the battery, the charger, the capacitor, the switching stage, the cable, the pacer, the ECG front end or the printer, and to return the device to service with the measurements and records that prove it. Stored energy is treated as the first hazard in every lesson.
The self-test said OK. The defibrillator still did not shock.
- Defibrillators that 'failed once on the ward' are returned to service because the self-test passes, although the self-test never checked the cable, the paddles, the buttons or the battery under a real load.
- HV modules and main boards are ordered because the error mentioned charging, while a tired battery, a wrong battery type or a broken pads cable caused the fault, and the new part changes nothing.
- Engineers open the high-voltage section without the manufacturer's procedure or discharge tool, and devices go back to clinical use after a repair without energy, sync, pacing and electrical safety checks.
After the course you can
Curriculum
Collect self-test results, readiness state and event logs, place a defibrillator fault in power, charge, storage, delivery or monitoring with the cheapest test that separates them, and know what you may and may not change at your level, starting from stored-energy safety.free
22 min02Charge and storage: HV charger, capacitor ageing, charge time, bleed and internal discharge
Diagnose slow charge, failed charge, energy loss after charge and failed internal discharge from the outside, separate the battery and power path from the HV charger and capacitor, and know why capacitor work is only done by the manufacturer's procedure with the discharge verified.23 min03The delivery path: switching stage, impedance measurement, biphasic waveform, paddles, pads and cables
Locate a 'charged but no shock', aborted shock or wrong-energy fault to the switching stage, the impedance measurement, the waveform control, the therapy cable, the paddles or the pads, using the analyser, known-good accessories and the error groups, without opening the HV section.23 min04AED analysis and synchronised cardioversion: rhythm analysis, sync delay, simulator tests, software and safety notices
Verify AED rhythm analysis and synchronised cardioversion with a simulator, find sync and analysis faults that are really settings, ECG source or contact problems, and manage software versions and field safety notices so that the device runs the algorithm the manufacturer intends.22 min05External pacing: rate and current checks, demand mode, pads, capture and pacer faults
Test a transcutaneous pacer into a load at several rate and current settings, check pads-off detection and demand inhibition, separate pacer, cable and pad faults from capture problems that belong to the clinicians, and work safely around pacing current.21 min06Batteries and power: chemistry, battery management, date codes, chargers and why the battery fails first
Diagnose battery, charger and power-management faults on defibrillators, AEDs and ECG machines, test a battery under the load it will meet in use, read battery data and date codes, refuse wrong or unsafe packs, and handle damaged lithium batteries safely.23 min07ECG machines at Level 2: front end, lead faults, filters, thermal printer, interpretation software and data transfer
Locate an electrocardiograph fault to the electrodes, the patient cable, the input stage, the configuration, the printer mechanism, the interpretation software or the data path, with a simulator, swaps and the machine's own tests, and know which fixes are settings, which are parts and which belong to the manufacturer.23 min08Complex cases and return to service: full performance check, energy accuracy, IEC 62353, records, recalls and fitness for use
Work through faults with more than one cause or with a cause outside the device, then return a defibrillator or ECG machine to service with the manufacturer's full performance check, energy accuracy, electrical safety by IEC 62353, a complete record and a clear statement of who decides on clinical use.24 min—Exam
25 · 40 min · 75 %
The certificate
Pass the exam and get a certificate of course completion with your name, hours and score. Every certificate has a unique number and a public verification page, so an employer or a customer can check it in one click. It confirms completion of the course; it is not an educational document (diploma) and not a manufacturer authorisation.
Who it is for
Who it is for
- Engineers who have completed Defibrillator and ECG Service — Level 1 or have equivalent experience
- Field engineers in independent service companies
- Hospital biomedical / clinical engineering teams that diagnose and repair defibrillators, AEDs and ECG machines in-house
Who teaches
Written by a service engineer working with medical equipment since 2014, including 6.5 years at GE Healthcare and service supervision at Mindray, together with the engineers of Service Engineer.
FAQ
Is this manufacturer training?
No. It is independent, vendor-neutral training. It does not replace the manufacturer's service procedures, does not grant authorisation or access to service software, passwords or licences, and every repair must still be followed by the checks and calibrations the manufacturer and national rules require.
Do I need Level 1 first?
Defibrillator and ECG Service — Level 1 is the prerequisite: device types, stored-energy safety, analyser testing, batteries and pads, basic ECG checks and PM are assumed here and not repeated. The Electrical Safety course and the Electronics and Power Supplies course are recommended background.
Will I open the high-voltage section?
The course explains what is inside it, how its faults show from the outside and which tests separate it from the battery, the cable and the board. Opening it, discharging the capacitor and replacing HV parts are only for trained, authorised personnel with the manufacturer's procedure and tools. The course never asks you to bypass interlocks, self-tests or protection.
Does it teach board-level repair?
It teaches fault-finding to the replaceable module and accessory. Field cases sometimes end in a component repair on older devices; that is workshop work, it must not touch the HV section without the manufacturer's procedure, and it is covered in the Repair Fundamentals course on electronics.
What does the certificate say?
Your name, the course, the hours, the date and your exam score, with a unique number and a public verification page.
Can my company buy seats for a team?
Yes: five seats and a progress overview for the manager.
Languages?
English and Russian.