Monday, November 7, 2011

Journeyman electrician license?

 

Q. Journeyman electrician license?  Is the Texas statewide journeyman electrician exam an open-book test?

 

A.  Yes the Texas statewide journeyman electrician exam is an open book test. You are allowed to take your 2008 NEC Code book. You are allowed to have permanent tabs and highlighted areas but no writing or marks of any sort or loose leaf papers tucked in. For more info or any other questions you may have visit our website. electriciantesting.com
Good luck with your exam!
Mitch Tolbert
Electrician Testing
www.ElectricianTesting.com

Monday, October 31, 2011

Daily Practice Questions:

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Houston- Electrical Exam Prep

Pass the TDLR electrician exam the first time. Our powerful weekend seminar will teach you a system that will help you understand the way the PSI expects to see an answer. It’s like having your personal exam cheat sheet. We sell highlighted and tabbed 2011 NEC Codebooks for your convenience and other reference material to help you study for the exam that no one else has! Our seminars are on the weekends with an intimate setting to focus on you as an individual.

Our instruction for the exam is more of a 'system' than anything else. You WILL pass your exam. We will walk you through, step by step and help you understand not only the types of questions, but even the way that the PSI expects to see an answer.
If you want to feel confident on test questions, calculations, cheat sheets, or formulas: this is the place to go. So easy it's almost cheating. See you there!

Check out our quickie sneak preview on YouTube|| http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lk_60xVFnZI
Visit our website for class dates, location information and our reference materials for sale. www.ElectricianTesting.Com
Journeyman Electrician Prep Seminar $249
Master Electrician Prep Seminar $299
Sign up today, classes fill fast!

www.ElectricianTesting.com

Contact@ElectricianTesting.com

(888) 473-1826

Ask us about our Tabbed and Highlighted 2008 & 2011 National Electrical Code book, Study at Home Kits, Index Cheats, MI Stickers, Pass Tabs, Crash Course Books, and 4 hours One on One Tutoring session with our Master Electrician and Instructor Mitchell Tolbert.

Check out our Featured Products on YouTube|| http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPhzs_H35Yw&feature=related

These keywords may have brought you here: journeyman exam prep, master electrician exam prep, exam preparation, electrical exams, journeyman exam preparation, master electrician exam preparation, mike holt courses, prepare for journeyman exam, prepare for master electrician exam, electrical exam courses, Texas electrical license exam prep, TX elec lic exam prep, psi electrical exam, electrical license Texas exam, electrical test in Texas, Texas electrical lic exam, electrician, TDLR, psi, apprentice, journeyman, master, license electrical, skilled trade contractor, field engineer, ray holder, tom Henry, mike holt, exam prep seminar, CEU training industry, instructor inspector, international brotherhood of electrical workers vocational training loads calculations voltage ohm law resistance current amperage power watts.

What do you call an electrician with a hammer?

Q: What do you call an electrician with a hammer?
A: Thief

Had to share this one.  This is a type of joke that is funny because ‘it’s true’. 

Found the joke on http://forums.jlconline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37859

Have a great day!

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Texas Electricians: A note from TDLR

Note from TDLR:

"The National Electric Code (NEC) 2011 was recently adopted by TDLR. Many of you will be purchasing the new code book and we would like to remind you that loose leaf NEC code books such as spiral-bound or ring-bound books will NOT be allowed in the PSI test centers. Furthermore, candidates are not permitted to bring in any additional papers (loose or attached) with their approved reference. For more detailed information about taking examinations at PSI please download the Electrician Candidate Information Bulletin (CIB) on the TDLR web site."http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

You can also visit us at http://electriciantesting.com/Texas-License-Types.php for PSI and TDLR links.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Important Texas PSI articles of the 2008 NEC book Chapter 2 to know.




This is a sneak preview of one of our Texas PSI Exam Prep Seminar.

Important Texas PSI articles of the 2008 NEC book to know. Instruction led by Mitchell Tolbert at Electrician Testing. 1(888) 473-1826, www.ElectricianTesting.com.
Get to know chapter 2:
Here are the most important Articles:
*210...Branch Circuit Rules & Requirements.
*215...Feeders.
*220...Calculations.
*225...Outside Circuits and Feeders.
*230...Services.
*240...OCPD (Breakers/Fuses).
*250...Grounding.
This is a sneak peek of our Texas PSI Journeyman and Master Exam Prep Seminars. If you'd like to know more about our seminars contact us today. contact@electriciantesting.com
1(888) 473-1826
www.ElectricianTesting.com

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

We love great reviews!

Who doesn’t love a great review?  Well we love them and we want to boast about the latest one from Luis Olivares.  Copied and pasted directly from his e-mail he wrote:

Hello Mitchell,
My name is Luis Olivares, you had spoken with my wife a few times via email regarding my Journeyman's examination. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for the study materials you sent for me. It was extremely helpful, and I believe it helped me pass my exam. I only wish I had known about your company sooner, I would have taken your classes I wanted a class like what you offer but had a difficult time finding one. It wasn't until I was looking to purchase a code book that my wife found your company. Please know that I will pass your information on to my co-workers who are trying to get their license, as well as the company I work for. I will also plan on using your services when I prepare to take my Masters exam.
Again, thank you for your help,
Luis Olivares

Thanks Luis for making our day Open-mouthed smile

Friday, April 29, 2011

2011 NEC TOP CODE CHANGES

 

GFCI devices must be installed in a readily accessible location (This impacts ceiling garage door opener devices).

The tables in 310.15 & 16 have been rearranged. Now you have your Ambient Temperature Adjustments separated into their very own table.

Transformers now require disconnects on the primary side. Now transformers fall under very similar rules that we see for other equipment.

Tamper-resistant receptacles are now required in guest rooms and in child care facilities. This increases the TR rules in most areas now.

Neutral conductors will be required at switch points, though there are a couple of exceptions, including where conduit is the wiring method.

No Grandfathering: where replacing a receptacle that would have to be AFCI, tamper-resistant, or weather-resistant, according to the 2011 code, those types of receptacles must be used in the replacement. 

Ampacity and Conduit Fill Calculation Considerations (Dangers of Annex “C”)

Wire Ampacity and Conduit Fill Calculation

This week I want to take a minute to review our wire ampacity and conduit fill (wire fill) calculation.

There seems to be a lot of common confusion out there when it comes to wire fill. Annex "C" in the back of the 2008 NEC © is a good tool, but it can be very dangerous to use it without considering the impact of de-rating factors found in Chapter 3.

We normally use a 20 amp circuit breaker to protect #12 AWG cu wire. Annex C tables show that we can safely place a total of 16 of this size (Type THHN, THWN, or THWN-2) in a 3/4" EMT conduit. this is only for the protection of the wire from a physical stand point.

Annex C is only concerned with the protection of the wire during installation. It does NOT take the ampacity of the wire into consideration!

When de-rating wire, we begin with table 310.16 (page 147, 2008 NEC ©) and de-rate for our ambient temperature AS WELL AS the number of current carrying conductors. The de-rating table T310.15(b)(2)(a) on page 145 shows us:

"Adjustment Factors for more than Three Current carrying conductors in a Raceway or Cable"

Number of Current Carrying Conductors

% of 310.16 Values

4-6 Conductors

80%

7-9 Conductors

70%

10-20 Conductors

50%

21-30 Conductors

45%

31-40 Conductors

40%

41+ Conductors

35%

You can quickly see that in our earlier example, if we put 16, #12 THHN conductors in that 3/4" conduit, we would have to drop the circuit breaker to a 15 ampere size!

Now seriously, how many electricians in the field really do that? You understand now how dangerous the casual use of Annex "C" can be.

For all practical purposes, only 9 current carrying conductors could be placed in that conduit without having to drop the OCPD (circuit breaker) size: [T310.16 value for #12 THHW=25 Amps. 25 Amps X 70% (the de-rating for 7-9 conductors) would equal 17.5 Amps, and due to 240.3(B) we are allowed to round up to a 20A breaker.] The Cut Off point is the 10-20 conductor line that HALVES our breaker/fuse sizing.

Neutrals CAN count as Current Carrying Conductors:

The grounded conductor (neutral) can also cause confusion sometimes. It counts as a "current carrying conductor" in some cases, but not in others. If it is shared between two different phases in a multi-wire circuit, it usually does not count as a current carrier , as it only carries the unbalanced load in the circuit. [For example, a "full boat with circuits #3, #5, #7 in a 30 panel, would not usually have their neutral counted.]

Where non-linear loads are supplied however the neutrals DO count. If you have electronic fluorescent ballasts or heavy computer loads (etc...) on a shared branch circuit neutral, it will have harmonic distortions that will disrupt the cancellation of loads between phases and can actually cause larger loads on a neutral that are found on any single ungrounded phase conductor in the circuit.

If the (neutral) grounded conductor is NOT shared between phases, i.e. a single 120V single phase branch circuit, such as a general purpose receptacle outlet circuit conductor, it counts as a current carrying conductor. In this installation it carries the full load of the circuit back to the distribution point.

Two other common issues with Annex C are considerations for different sized EGC/GEC conductors, and differences between Annex C values and manual fill calculations using Chapter 9, tables 4 and 5.

The value of Annex C is a "stuff it full" value. Therefore you would have to keep in mind your additional ground wire, which is usually a smaller size than that of the phase conductors. The only way to use Annex C in this case is to always consider your EGC or GEC as a full size conductor count. A manual calculation is more accurate than Annex C and it has been this author's observation that Annex C values sometimes vary quite a bit from a manually calculated fill based on Chapter 9 tables.

All of that considered, going back to our 3/4" raceway, we could put 3 "full boats" in this raceway (3 neutrals not counted, 9 phase conductors, and 1 equipment ground) for a total of 13 conductors. This results in 3 less than our "fill amount" according to our Annex C tables. Thus, our advice is to always carefully consider your ampacity de-rating factors as required by 310.15.

(Author's Note: As evidenced by the above, an electrician would have to refer to several different tables in order to correctly and safely calculate the correct fill and ampacity values for watch and every pipe run. we are excited to provide and industry first for all our members. Electrician Testing has painstakingly prepared a custom table; available only through us, that considers ALL required factors. Everything is brought together in one quick and easy to follow chart. Contact us today to get yours, and look for our upcoming publication that will include this chart along with many, many more custom time saving tables!)

Mitchell Tolbert

Master Electrician

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Mistakes Made in the 2011 NEC Code Book

 

Here is a list of the Errata Sheet (errors) made in the first printing. If you purchased your 2011 NEC Code book within the first 4 months of release, you probably have a first edition.

This is a list of errata to the first printing of the 2011 NEC®. A first printing is indicated by the numeral 1

as the last digit in the line of number appearing at the bottom of the first page.

1. Page 70-36 110.14(C)(1): Revise 310.15(B)(6) to 310.15(B)(7)

2. Page 70-78

3. Page 70-86

Figure 230.1: Revise ‘‘Source’’ to ‘‘Serving Utility’’ and 230.49 to 230.32

230.90 Exception No. 5: Revise 310.15(B)(6) to 310.15(B)(7)

4. Page 70-102 Table 250.3: Revise 300.50(B) to 300.50(C)

5. Page 70-116 250.68(C)(2)(b): Revise to read : ‘‘By bonding the structural metal frame to one or

more of the grounding electrodes, as specified in 250.52(A)(5) or (A)(7) that comply

with 250.53(A)(2).’’

6. Page 70-129 250.180: Revise 250.190 to 250.191

7. Page 70-139 300.5(C) Exception No. 2: Revise 330.10(11) to 330.10(A)(11)

8. Page 70-148 310.10(E) Exception No. 2 (d): Revise Table 310.13(D) to Table 310.104(D)

9. Page 70-148 310.10(F): Remove deletion bullet and add second paragraph to read : ‘‘Cables rated

above 2000 volts shall be shielded.’’

10. Page 70-154 Table 310.15(B)(16): Add double asterisk to 18 AWG and 16 AWG copper

11. Page 70-178 314.16(C)(1): Revise 314.16(C)(2) to 314.16(C)(3)

12. Page 70-240 392.18(E): Revise 392.10(D) to 392.18(D)

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Three Bulbs in One: GE’s Hybrid Halogen-CFL with an Incandescent Shape

 

Instantly bright halogen capsule sits inside an energy-saving and long-lasting compact fluorescent swirl that’s contained in an incandescent-shaped glass bulb.

“It looks like an incandescent in size and shape but it’s really three bulbs in one,” observes Kristin Gibbs, general manager of consumer marketing, GE Lighting.

“The instant brightness factor makes our new hybrid halogen-CFL more versatile than other CFLs.

It’s an optimal choice for use in hallways, stairways, kitchens, bathrooms and anywhere immediate brightness is essential. Simply flip that light switch and it’s at your service—immediately.”

These new GE CFLs offer eight times the life of incandescent bulbs (8,000 hours vs. 1,000 hours). The new products — 15- and 20-watt GE Energy Smart® Soft White (2700 Kelvin) and Reveal® (2500 Kelvin) CFLs with exceptionally low levels of mercury that can replace standard 60- and 75-watt incandescent bulbs or other CFLs that don’t offer a satisfactory quality of light or instant brightness.

http://www.genewscenter.com/Press-Releases/Three-Bulbs-in-One-GE-s-Hybrid-Halogen-CFL-with-Incandescent-Shape-Arrives-in-April-2f9c.aspx

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Handy Calculators

I was doing some research and found some great calculators online that you can use for the field.

Concrete Materials Calculators
http://www.concrete.com/calculators/concrete-materials-calculators

and


Cubic Inches to Cubic Yards converter

Cubic Inches to Cubic Yards
provided by www.metric-conversions.org


ENJOY!

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Journeyman and Master Electrician PSI Exam Prep Seminar - Classified Ad

Journeyman and Master Electrician PSI Exam Prep Seminar - Classified Ad

Electrical Questions I’ve Been Asked

How do I become a Master/Journeyman Electrician?

Q.  I'm looking at getting an apprenticeship with this local company. After I'm done with my apprenticeship, what do I have to do to become a Master or Journeyman Electrician? How long would it take? Do I need to go to college? If so, what do I need to major in?
A.  Hey there, depending on your state you may have to enroll in approved courses or take certain exams. But for you to get a general idea, I am posting links to previously asked questions that will hopefully have the answer you are looking for.
Best of luck and please contact me if you have specific questions!
-Mitch Tolbert

Light switches operate plugs. How can I make outlets hot and use the switch to operate a ceiling light?

Q.  My house was built in the 40's and there are no ceiling lights in any room. All the wall plugs are run by the light switches. I would like to rewire the switches so that the outlets are always 'hot' and the switch can then be used to operate a ceiling light, once it's installed. I would like to do this without an electrician.
A.  The good news is that half of your problem is a very easy fix. The bad news is that you are in for some considerable work to accomplish the other half.
Making your outlets constantly hot is the easy part. You simply need to open your light switch outlet boxes. You will find two wires attached to each switch (assuming none of them are 3-way switches). If you have a few other wires stuck in the back of the box that are joined together (taped or wire nutted etc...) you are in business. Those other wires are the so called 'neutrals' and you will need them in order for your new lighting to work. Once you've completed this part of the discovery, you can then plan out the installation. If there are no neutrals inside the lighting boxes, then you will have to provide one at the lighting outlet. You will also need to get wires down to your light switch, from the lighting outlet. The number and task of these wires will depend on whether you find neutrals in your existing installation or if you have to run new circuits to your new lighting outlets.
Try to do some discovery, and then email us directly. I will draw you a schematic of the wiring that you'll need to do, as it's really too complicated to try and type out. I'll scan and email it to you if you'd like. Good luck with this and let us know if we can be of further assistance!
-Mitch Tolbert

How can I tell my girlfriend's parents about electrical code violations without offending them?

Q.  I'm 16, and I'm starting to see a girl who's in a few of my classes at school. I went to her house for dinner with her family yesterday. It was the first time I've been inside her house. I noticed a bunch of electrical code violations, especially in the basement. There are no GFI's in the kitchen nor the bathrooms. There were a few extension cords being used as permanent wiring, when an outlet should be installed instead. I saw a lot of jury-rigged wiring in the basement with a lot of unnecessary junction boxes. The circuit breaker panel is in a room cluttered with a lot of junk and hard to get to.
I didn't want to say anything because I didn't want to offend anyone. But, as an electrician, those things really bother me when I see them in people's houses. Electrical is the very first thing I notice when I visit someone at their home. Is there a way I could bring this up without offending anyone or risking any chances of starting a relationship with the girl?

A. Kuddos to you, young man. It is great to see someone young, sharp, and passionate about our trade. It is also admirable that you feel compelled to address and attempt to remedy severe code violations.
Actually though, it sounds to me like you could turn this into a positive advantage for yourself. Talk to the dad and explain your love of electrical work. Volunteer to "put on your tools" for a weekend's worth of DIY upgrades. An offer to spend a Saturday, helping the father around the house, should be the LAST thing that 'offends' them!
Regardless of the outcome, if you're truly so committed and concerned with these glaring safety issues, you owe it to yourself AND them to say or do something. It should not be a consideration for you to be concerned with how they'll feel about you after it's finished. At the very least you'll have attempted to keep their most valuable things - their lives and their home - SAFE!
-Mitch Tolbert

electrician clip art small

Ask us about our Tabbed and Highlighted 2008 & 2011 National Electrical Code book, Study at Home Kits, Index Cheats, MI Stickers, Pass Tabs, Crash Course Books, and 4 hours One on One Tutoring session with our Master Electrician and Instructor Mitchell Tolbert.

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Saturday, January 8, 2011

2 Day Seminar Coming to Austin

Join other electricians to learn how you can increase your exam score, pass the exam with time to spare and familiarize yourself with the latest version of the NEC book.

Electrician Testing will walk you though, step by step and help you understand not only the types of questions, but even the way that PSI expects to see an answers.


The Seminar will show you:
General Electrical Theory and Math Review
Wiring Methods, Materials, Installations
Branch Circuits
Motors and Generators
AC and Refrigeration Loads
Transformers
Services and Feeders
Grounding and Bonding
Special Occupancies
Test taking tips and information
Visit our website for more
http://electriciantesting.com/Seminars.php

Location: Hampton Inn, Austin TX
When: January 29 and January 30, 2011
Time: 8 am to 5 pm

Register online at:

http://electriciantesting.com/Seminars.php 
or call 1-888-473-1826 ext 1

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