Smart Security University

SSU

Your Trade. Mastered One Rung at a Time.
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SSU

Welcome to SSU

Smart Security University — your trade, taught the way it should be: the why behind every skill, climbed one rung at a time.

How you'll learn here

This isn't a pile of questions to memorize. It's a journey. You'll find out where you stand, climb a ladder of real competencies, and fill a tool bag as you go. Whether you've never stripped a wire or you've been in the trade twenty years, there's a rung with your name on it.

If you're brand new: start at the bottom rung — we'll teach you from scratch, safety first. If you've got experience: take the placement check or test straight out of a rung to prove what you already know and skip ahead.

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Find My Level

A quick honest check

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The Ladder

Climb rung by rung

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My Tool Bag

Earn your tools

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Quick Quiz

Jump in anytime

The standard you're held to

"Explain the why. Recommend what the customer needs. Build it right where no one is looking. Treat the person in front of you like family."

Find My Level

Answer honestly — there's no wrong answer, just a starting point. This points you at the right rung and the refreshers worth your time. Experienced? Use the test-out at the bottom to skip the talk and prove it.

Already experienced? Take the Cliff Notes route.

Skip the warm-up and challenge a rung's qualifying test directly. Pass it and that rung — and its tool — are yours, no questions asked.

The Ladder

Five rungs from your first day to dealer-and-master. Each rung names what you must own, the real-world licensing reality, and a qualifying climb test. Pass at 80% to take the rung — and earn its tool.

Career Progression Program

The rungs above build the knowledge. This is the formal time-and-credential program that runs alongside it — durations, modules, stopping points, certifications, and the tools you earn at each stage.

Helper→Technician L1→Technician L2→Lead Technician→Specialist / Engineer

Stage 1 · Entry-Level Technician

Duration: 4–6 weeks
Modules
  • Electrical Basics & Safety (Ohm’s Law, OSHA)
  • Low-Voltage Wiring (NEC Article 725)
  • Tools & Equipment (multimeter, crimping, termination)
  • Intro to Systems (alarm basics, access-control overview)
  • Networking Fundamentals (IP addressing, subnetting)
Stopping points
  • Pass internal wiring & safety test
  • Demonstrate cable-termination proficiency
Certifications
  • OSHA 10 or 30
  • ESA Certified Alarm Technician Level 1 (CAT 1)
Tools
  • Multimeter
  • Crimper
  • Punch-down tool
  • PPE

Stage 2 · Intermediate Technician

Duration: 6–8 weeks
Modules
  • Alarm panel programming
  • Access-control hardware (readers, locks, controllers)
  • Video surveillance (IP cameras, DVR/NVR)
  • Power calculations (load balancing)
  • Troubleshooting (common faults & fixes)
Stopping points
  • Complete a supervised full-system installation
  • Pass troubleshooting practical exam
Certifications
  • ESA Electronic Access Control (EAC)
  • ESA Certified Video Systems Specialist (CVSS)
Tools
  • Cable tester
  • Laptop
  • Drill
  • Labeling tools

Stage 3 · Advanced Technician / Lead

Duration: 8–12 weeks
Modules
  • Advanced networking (VLANs, PoE, QoS)
  • System integration (alarm + access + video)
  • Project-management basics
  • Compliance & permitting
  • Cybersecurity for physical security
Stopping points
  • Lead a multi-system installation project
  • Submit a design proposal for review
Certifications
  • NICET Level I or II (Fire Alarm)
  • ESA Certified Systems Integrator (CSI)
Tools
  • Advanced network tester
  • PoE injector
  • Design software

Stage 4 · Specialist / Engineer

Duration: 12–16 weeks
Modules
  • Enterprise-level design
  • Cloud-based solutions
  • Advanced cybersecurity
  • Building-automation integration
  • Leadership & training skills
Stopping points
  • Complete a large-scale design & deployment
  • Mentor junior technicians
Certifications
  • NICET Level III or IV (Fire Alarm)
  • Certified Security Project Manager (CSPM)
  • Cisco CCNA / CompTIA Security+
Tools
  • Enterprise design tools
  • Cloud management
  • Cybersecurity audit tools

My Tool Bag

Every rung you climb drops a tool in your bag. It's saved on this device — watch it fill as you go.

0%
of your tool bag earned

Tools unlock by passing a rung's climb test on The Ladder. Short on time? Even a single quick quiz a day moves the needle.

Quick Quiz

A fast warm-up — pick a track and a handful of questions, scored as you go, answer shown after each.

Pick a track

Practice

Work a track at your pace — the answer and the why appear the moment you choose. This is for learning.

Pick a track

Flashcards

Read it, answer out loud, tap to flip. Mark got-it or missed-it and keep drilling. Great for short sessions.

Pick a track

Study Guides

The essentials of each track in plain language — read before you drill.

AAA Low-Voltage Installation Standards

Field standard · created by Sam Wertanen

How we mount, drill, splice, and conceal — so every install across the footprint looks and performs the same. Expand each standard.

Mounting — Screws & Anchors by surface
Brick & Stucco (masonry):
  • Anchors are required. Drill with a masonry bit on the drill’s hammer setting; bit = the anchor body size. Unsure? Start small and work up.
  • Outdoor-rated screws only — zinc-plated, galvanized, or stainless.
  • Some homes use textured foam trim that mimics stucco — knock on it; you’ll feel/hear the difference.
  • Provided: 9/64 conical (3/16″ bit, #6–8), Duopower (1/4″ bit, #6–10), #8 & #10 1″ stainless screws.
Wood / Composite Siding:
  • Outdoor-rated screws only. Pre-drill every hole with a bit one size smaller than the screw.
Drywall:
  • Use a stud finder; aim for the center of the stud (a stud is 1½″ wide).
  • Drill a pilot hole — it eases the screw and tells you what’s behind the wall.
  • Screws longer than 1½″ are not permitted. When you can’t hit a stud, use an anchor.
Never: drywall screws in place of an anchor; drywall screws outdoors (they’re brittle and rust fast). Drywall screws are interior-only and only when driven into a stud.
Always know what’s on the other side of the wall
  • Doorbell: is there a light switch directly behind it inside?
  • Outdoor camera: is the main or sub electrical panel directly below where you’re about to drill through?
  • Security panel: is there a sink/toilet on the other side — or above on the 2nd floor? Watch for vent and drain (sewer) pipes.
Stud math: studs are 2×4 (actually 1½″×3½″) at 16″ on center; residential drywall is ½″ thick. A ½–¾″ screw only catches drywall, not the stud; a 2″+ screw can reach wire or pipe. Pipes/wires usually run through the center of the wide side of the stud (~1¾″ in). Use 1″–1½″ screws only.

Pro tip: mark your drill bit with tape to the anchor/screw length to avoid over-penetration.
Camera install — single-gang box, step by step
  • Attach cover plate to the gang box, mark center. Step-bit a 5/16–3/8″ hole (run reverse/forward to clear metal burrs). Add a 1/4″ hole on the back for mounting.
  • Cut the camera wire 8–10″ from the camera/transformer. Thread it through the cover; center the camera; mount with (3) #8 ½″ self-tapping screws. Don’t block the two cover-plate screws.
  • Cap unused gang-box holes. Run conduit + wire through; leave 8–10″ through plus an 8″ service loop. Mount the box with approved anchors / outdoor-rated screws.
  • Strip both ends, match conductor colors to the camera, splice with outdoor-rated LV connectors (no exposed conductor), wrap with electrical tape.
  • Install the foam gasket; hand-tighten the cover (a drill/impact strips the small screws).
  • Use only the transformer supplied with the camera; leave 8–10″ from the transformer side.
ConductorColor
Power (live / hot)Red, or white with a grey stripe
NeutralBlack, or solid white
Wire concealment standard
  • Goal #1 is to hide the wire as cleanly as possible — and always use a level.
  • Try to fish it in the wall first: glow rods, fish tape, or a ball-chain/magnet (“wet noodle”).
  • Blocked by fire blocks or thick insulation? Use the provided wire-hider kits.
  • Before using a hider: show the member an example, explain why it’s necessary, and note that it’s paintable.
  • Technique: relief-cut the back to cover the drywall hole; 45° cuts for clean turns (two pieces make a seamless 90°); run along the baseboard up to the outlet.

Voltage Lab

The relationships you reason every circuit from, drawn out, with a live solver that fills the missing value and shows the work. (The full field-calculator suite and the path-of-energy physics drawings are coming to this section next.)

Ohm's Law V = I × R

VIR
Cover V → I × R
Cover I → V ÷ R
Cover R → V ÷ I

Power Wheel

PowerV×I
PowerI²×R
PowerV²áR
VoltPáI
AmpPáV
OhmV²áP

Voltage Drop field method

Vdrop = 2 × K × I × LCM
K 12.9 Cu / 21.2 Al · L one-way ft · CM circular mils · 3-phase ×1.732

Equation Buster

Type what you know, leave the missing value blank, Solve.

Show the work

Voltage Drop — Universal Solver Vd = (2·K·I·D) ÷ CM

Pick what to solve for, enter what you know, leave the rest. Copper K=12.9, Aluminum K=21.2. Distance is one-way (source → device); the formula doubles it for the return path.

Wire Reference — Copper

GaugeCircular MilsΩ / 1000 ftCommon low-voltage use
22 AWG64016.14Alarm contacts, sensors
20 AWG1,02010.15Alarm wiring, thermostats
18 AWG1,6206.39Doorbells, fire SLC, low-V power
16 AWG2,5804.02NAC circuits, speaker wire
14 AWG4,1102.5215A branch, lighting
12 AWG6,5301.5920A branch, outlets
10 AWG10,3800.99930A circuits, AC
8 AWG16,5100.62840-50A circuits
6 AWG26,2400.39555-65A, sub-panels

Circular mils (CM) drive the voltage-drop math; the Ω/1000 ft column is the resistance-method cross-check (Vd = I × Rwire).

NEC Voltage-Drop Limits recommended max

CircuitMax drop@120V@24V@12V
Branch3%3.6 V0.72 V0.36 V
Feeder3%3.6 V0.72 V0.36 V
Total (feeder + branch)5%6.0 V1.2 V0.6 V

Fire-alarm NAC circuits run a separate 10% ceiling — but always defer to the panel manufacturer’s installation manual and the live code edition.

Quick Mental-Math Trick field estimate

Copper, 120V circuit, 3% max (3.6V allowed). Multiply amps × one-way feet — stay under the limit for your gauge and you’re good:

GaugeAmps × Feet must stay under
14 AWG2,880
12 AWG4,580
10 AWG7,290

These come from solving the formula for D×I at 3%. Great for a gut-check; verify any critical run with the full solver above.

Worked Examples real runs, the field method end to end

1 · Fire-alarm NAC circuit — 24V, 250 ft, 3 A on 14 AWG
Values: K=12.9, I=3 A, D=250 ft, 14 AWG → CM=4,110, source 24V.

Vd = (2 × 12.9 × 3 × 250) ÷ 4,110 = 19,350 ÷ 4,110 = 4.71 V
% = 4.71 ÷ 24 × 100 = 19.6% → FAIL (NAC ceiling 10%). Device sees only 19.29 V — horns/strobes may not fire.

Fix: 10 AWG drops it to ~2.9 V / 12%, or split into shorter NAC zones. Always check the panel’s install manual for its own max.
2 · Security panel → keypad — 12V, 150 ft, 0.3 A on 22 AWG
Values: K=12.9, I=0.3 A, D=150 ft, 22 AWG → CM=640, source 12V.

Vd = (2 × 12.9 × 0.3 × 150) ÷ 640 = 1,161 ÷ 640 = 1.81 V → 15.1%. Keypad sees 10.19 V — unreliable.

Fix: jump to 18 AWG (CM 1,620): 0.72 V = 6%, keypad gets 11.28 V.
3 · 120V branch to outlets — 15 A, 75 ft on 14 AWG
Values: K=12.9, I=15 A, D=75 ft, 14 AWG → CM=4,110, source 120V.

Vd = (2 × 12.9 × 15 × 75) ÷ 4,110 = 29,025 ÷ 4,110 = 7.06 V → 5.9% (over 3% branch limit).

Fix: 12 AWG → 4.45 V = 3.7%; for a full 15 A at 75 ft, design to 10 AWG. (Most circuits don’t run full load continuously — but size up to code.)
4 · Camera power run — 12V, 0.5 A, 200 ft on 18 AWG
Values: K=12.9, I=0.5 A, D=200 ft, 18 AWG → CM=1,620, source 12V.

Vd = (2 × 12.9 × 0.5 × 200) ÷ 1,620 = 2,580 ÷ 1,620 = 1.59 V → 13.3%. Camera sees 10.41 V — likely under its minimum.

Fix: 14 AWG → 0.63 V = 5.2% (11.37 V). Better still on long camera runs: PoE at 48V tolerates distance far better.

Tests & Certification

Timed, scored, pass/fail. Saved to your Progress and emailed to the office. Retake anytime — each draw is different.

Pick a test

Your Progress

Every quiz and test, kept on this device, with best and latest scores by track.

Licensing — by State

Low-voltage licensing is a patchwork: who issues it, what it covers, the time-in-position before you can advance, and whether a background check or documented electrical experience is required all change at the state line. This is where SSU tracks that — and where the dealer and technician license tracks live.

Live now — practice these

Two state packs are built from authoritative sources and ready to drill as exams.

Being built — your eight states

Nevada, Utah, California, Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho are on the bench. Each pack is built from that state's public law and rules — or your own material — with the source cited on every question, then reviewed before it goes live. We never copy a prep book; we build it the SSU way so it's yours to own and defend.

Dealer & Technician license tracks

The path to your own dealer and technician licenses gets its own track here — the rules, the time requirements, and practice questions written from public law and your instructor's guidance reworked in your voice. We build it as we go, state by state.

Empathy & Integrity

Every other track teaches a skill. This one teaches the reason. The trade puts you in people's homes at vulnerable moments — how you carry yourself there is the product, more than any panel on the wall.

Empathy is seeing the job through the customer's eyes — the fourth explanation given as patiently as the first. Integrity is doing the install right where no inspector will ever look, because the standard is yours, not theirs.

The SSU standard

"I will explain the why. I will recommend what the customer needs, not what pads the ticket. I will build it right where no one is looking. And I will treat the person in front of me the way I'd want my own family treated."

Request Access

Send your details to your SSU administrator. You'll get a personal access code once approved.

SSU Admin — User Roster

Add, revoke, and manage who can log in.
Static-site reality: edits here are a draft saved on this device. To let a new user log in on their device, click Export, paste the roster into your SSU_Academy-9.html (replace the let USERS = […] block), and redeploy to Vercel. That redeploy is the approval.