Have you been laboring in the electrical industry as an apprentice, helper or unlicensed electrician is so you can make a lot more money as a licensed electrician. Passing the electrician's exam could be your way to advancement from a apprenticeship to master electrician.
Just about all states now require that electricians pass a demanding electrical exam based on the NEC. These exams are designed to tell the electrical knowledge of the candiate. The exams are based on the National Electrical Code and the questions in the exam often include many obscure code references that require genuine Code knowledge, not just common sense. These are hard tests to pass, but there are secrets to studying that can help you.Before taking your electrical exam you need to check with your state board for the requirements, recommended study material. Many of these can be found online at [http://www.contractor-license.org]. Once you've set your exam date you'll probably want to prepare for the test. There are probably plenty of schools in your state that will be happy to take your money and spoon-feed you electrical knowledge to help you pass the exam. But you may be able to save your money, study on your own and pass the exam with flying colors. Most electricians who fail the exam, know the material, but don't know how to study properly.Essential Study Guides
The two essential books for passing the electrician's exam are the National Electrical Code, and the Electricians Exam Study Course. Find out from your exam board which year of the National Electrical Code you'll need to study for the exam. Carefully study the layout of the NEC, especially Articles 100 and 110. These two articles have the basic information that will make the rest of the NEC easier to understand. After these articles go on to:
Wiring Design and Protection -- Wire sizing, use and identification of grounded conductors, branch circuits, feeders, calculations, services, over-current protection, grounding and surge protection.
Wiring Methods and Materials -- Chapter 3 of the NEC has the rules on wiring methods and materials. The materials used on a particular system depend on the type of building.
Equipment and General use -- Chapter 4 covers installation of flexible cords and cables, number of conductors, switches, panel boards, electric motors, HVAC, and battery storage systems.
Special Occupancies -- Chapter 5 cover the areas where sparks generated by electrical equipment may cause an explosion.
Special Equipment -- Electric signs and installation of elevators, dumbwaiters, escalators, welding equipment sound recording equipment and X-ray equipment.
Special Conditions -- public lighting and illuminated exit signs, etc.Electricians Exam Study Course works in tandem with the National Electrical Code 2008. It provides you with the type of questions asked in the actual electrician's exam. It gives you a feel for the exam, and gives you confidence to score better on the actual state exam. The book is made up of multiple-choice questions, just like most state tests. Each chapter covers a single subject following the style of the actual exams. This helps you discover your strengths and weaknesses. When you take the final exam in the back of the book, you'll quickly discover your strengths and weaknesses. Then you can concentrate your efforts on improving your score by studying the National Electrical Code and practicing the questions in the Electricians Exam Study Course until you understand how the Code requirements affect the answers to the questions on the sample exam.There is even a timed exam you can take on your computer.By spending a few nights a week studying for the exam you'll quickly find yourself growing more familiar with the statutes of the National Electrical Code. Getting a license should be a goal that you set for yourself; it's a key to your future -- a satisfying, steady, well-paying career in the electrical industry. As you study the NEC and the other references, highlight important points with a marker. You may want to buy tabs that mark the important sections of the NEC so that you can find them quickly during the open book exam. Speed is important; as you may be able to spend only have two to four minutes for each test question, so you'll want to stay focused.