A Free Resource for Oregon Supervisor Electrical Exam
Top Ten Tips to Pass the Oregon Electrical Exam
In my many years of working with good electricians who are struggling to pass their exams, I have found rarely is it that they lack motivation. Yet these 10 things have come up repeatedly. Perhaps they will help you. For more help, Join my online prep course, that includes recorded video with step by step calculations, worksheets, and live 2 hours zoom study sessions. HEREhttps://adaptabilityforlife.thinkific.com/courses/-oregon-supervisor-electrician-exam-prep-what-you-must-know-to-pass
Deb Marinos, General Supervising Electrician
TOP TEN TIPS TO PASS YOUR EXAM!
1. Fire the wrong calculator. Sometimes due to the size of buttons the fingers folks were pressing two numbers. Other times we noted the number changed if you squeezed the calculator, or pressed down on the table. A few times, the numbers were cutoff, so folks missed the real number. My recommendation, you can buy a relatively cheap calculator that has a large screen that allows you to see all the numbers you have entered easily. Please remember, you are not allowed to use a programmable calculator in the exam. Nor your phone!
2. On Part 2 calculation questions, you will need to be wise about picking your answers. We are used to finding the exact multiple-choice answers. However, that may not be possible. For example: If your calculated answer is 802 Amps, and your choices are A. 600A, B. 800A, C. 1200A D. 1600A. Choosing B 800A is wrong. The answer must be at least 802A! Therefore, the correct answer is C. 1200A.
3. This test currently uses, Scantron sheets – bubble dots. It is very important to take the last 10 minutes making sure each answer is dark, filled in all the way, and NO stray marks outside of the circle are left anywhere on the row. Any stray marks make the answer automatically wrong - as if there are two answers!
4. Use 120V, 208V, 240V, 480V regardless what might be listed, such as 115/230 volts. This is based on Article 220.5 and Annex D examples. Also use 1.73 for the square root of 3.
5. Use Annex D Examples, especially #3 Store to help you remember the continuous duty, sign & modifiers.
6. It is Absolutely essential to mark each and every Oregon code change in your code book. Use a different color highlighter, or mark it with OR, so you remember to look in the Table 1-E, which of course, you print out and take with you.
7. Make sure you take your Keyword Index, or Ferm’s to save time and look up specific items. And use your Ugly’s, to avoid common errors from choosing the metric value off a table. Plus you save a ton of time. Besides a few code questions can not be found anywhere else. Familiarize yourself with each. Learn what is where. And you can use post it flags or tabs to make it faster to get where you need to.
8. In order to not run out of time, consider this strategy. Only try for 80% on the Code Part. Don’t take excessive time looking up that last two questions.
In the calculation part, Do the stand alone questions first.
Always look at the questions/ answers before setting up the calculation Eliminate obvisoulyu wrong answers. Draw a diagram, and number the component corresponding to question. This will save much time!
9. Look for the uneven loads, such as single-phase motor, transformer, or building on a three-phase feeder. Learn how to properly size the feeder in these cases. (This is covered in the online course, and included with live 2HR virtual zoom video tutoring .
10. And breathe! Who cares if you stretch or flap your arms, to allow more oxygen to get to your brain, no oxygen, dull brain! If you have test anxiety, consider learning strategies to help you succeed.
Good luck…and reach out if you want help to pass! deb@adaptabilityforlife.com
Are you an out of state Licensed Master Electrician? Maybe hold several licenses? And you would like to have insurance to pass the first time on the Oregon Supervisor Exam? Contact me for a short course just for you. deb@adaptabilityforlife.com
