Advice on the 17th Edition Electrical test please anyone..

[Big Tone]

I took the part ‘P’ a few weeks ago which is easy enough to get through, despite getting questions wrong, but I have the big book to deal with in a couple of weeks and this exam is a lot more serious so I’m told.

They said there’s no way even an experienced electrician would ever know exactly where everything is, least of all memorise it, so it’s basically an exercise in knowing where to look for things.

I was told that it averages out at about two minutes per question, which sounds a lot but I can just imagine how that will feel more like twenty seconds as I frantically fumble my way through page after page like a blithering idiot.

For this same reason I was also told that getting the book beforehand isn’t actually going to be very helpful, but I’m not sure that is so? I wouldn’t call myself a natural scholar and would usually train my brain with much repetitive reading so at least I don’t feel like I’m trudging through War and Peace for the first time.

Any advice or information is most welcome. I’m really quite nervous about failing it and at, (another), £850 for this course I don’t think my employer would be very impressed with me either.

Tone

 

[EngStudent]

£850 for the 17th course? Your employer's been robbed.

Anyway, it is all about knowing where to look for stuff. Use your common sense, and the index.

Not getting the book beforehand must be the single most stupid piece of advice I've heard in a long time. Get it, familiarise yourself with it, you'll start to get a rough idea of where everything is. It'll help you to remember what sections contain what information.

Having said that, there should be a few questions that you can answer without referring to the BRB.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

They said there’s no way even an experienced electrician would ever know where everything is, least of all memorise it, so it’s basically an exercise in knowing where to look for things.

Yup. But if you are genuinely competent, and actually deserve to pass, then you should already know a lot of the answers.

I was also told that it averages out at about two minutes per question, which sounds a lot but I can just imagine how that will feel more like twenty seconds as I frantically fumble my way through page after page like a blithering idiot.

Have you not been running through past papers to give you confidence?

Or been given strategies for dealing with multiple-choice computerised exams?

For this same reason I was told that getting the book beforehand isn’t actually going to be very helpful,

What isn't very helpful is that advice.

Have you actually done any studying for the test? Can't see how you can have done without an actual copy of the book.

Get one, now, and get some past papers.

I’m really quite nervous about failing it

Nerves won't help.

You need to do some practicing - once you see how easy it is you'll be a lot more confident.

and at, another, £850 for the week’s course I don’t think my employer would be very impressed with me either.

£850 for a 2382 course?

No wonder dingbat is never here if that's the going rate - spending all his dosh must take some time.



[EDIT]

Doh!

[/EDIT]

 

[Big Tone]

£850 for the 17th course? Your employer's been robbed.

Dare I say it’s the NHS? It was approx £1,700 in total; £850 for the part ‘P’ and the same for this one coming up. I saw the receipt/order.

Anyway, it is all about knowing where to look for stuff. Use your common sense, and the index.

I'm good with the common sense but without ever having laid my eyes on the book I can only guess what I’m in for at the moment.

Not getting the book beforehand must be the single most stupid piece of advice I've heard in a long time. Get it, familiarise yourself with it, you'll start to get a rough idea of where everything is. It'll help you to remember what sections contain what information.

Thank you mate! I thought as much.

Having said that, there should be a few questions that you can answer without referring to the BRB.

Like my name and DOB?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I would recommend getting the exam success book.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Exam-Succes...8864/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1307446506&sr=1-2
This will help you understand the format of the exam and also gives sample questions, which you can sit down and go through in exam type conditions against the clock, If you wanted and have quiet place to hide.
You will have 60 questions in 2 hours this is an online exam with a choice of four possible answers, be careful to check the wording of the question.
The exam is weighted as so:
Section 1, Part 1; scope, object and fundamental princibles for safety, this will give you 8% of your overall marks from 4 questions.
Section 2, Part 2; definitions, 4%, 2 questions.
Section 3, Part 3; assessment of general characteristics,16%, 8 questions
Section 4, Part 4; protection for safety, 20%, 13 questions.
Section 5, Part 5; selection and erection,25%, 15 questions.
Section 6, Part 6; special installations 10%, 7 questions
Section 7, Part 7; Inspection and testing, 12%, 8 questions
section 8, Use of appendices, 5%, 3 questions.
The question will be in order of the sections, so your first question will be based on section 1, part 1. but be aware some section will be crossed referenced to others and a bit of fingering through will be needed.
And of course you need the book, so go buy it pronto. Get used what it looks like and how to find your way through it, remember the more information that is in your head, the more time you have to flick through the book for the tougher questions.

 

[Big Tone]

I think I've been a little stitched up.

When I did the part ‘P’ I found out others were there on a three week course and what I had been put on was only the last week which is the theory. The only practical I had was a test at the end on how to strip and fit the gland on Steel Armoured Wire. So basically I will have the certificate shortly but no experience.

They haven’t bought me the book, which I think is about £80, but after this I’m going to push them to get me one ASAP!

Have you actually done any studying for the test? Can't see how you can have done without an actual copy of the book.

Get one, now, and get some past papers.

No I haven’t; no-one has furnished me with anything. Sounds like I’m in at the deep end - again. (Typical NHS).

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

i can find you some sample questions, but without the book, it will not help you very much.
When I took mine I was on a 4 day course and it cost me £310 with the exam book thrown in.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

book £56 at amazon
BMA-Books £45 plus delivery, don't know how long it will take to get to you, amazon deliver quite quickly.

 

[Big Tone]

book £56 at amazon

Yes, I just noticed it from your useful link ta.

I owe you a beer, or is it a hot toddy.

I just know I'm going to fail this exam; I can feel myself starting to panic.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You will have 60 questions in 2 hours this is an online exam with a choice of four possible answers, be careful to check the wording of the question.

A bit of confidence building for you.

2 of the possible 4 answers will nearly always be obvious rubbish. Not quite in the same league as the wrong answers for TV quizzes which aren't allowed to be raffles, e.g.

Who won the Grand National 3 times?

A) Muffin The Mule
B) Red Rum
C) My Little Pony

but still reasonably obvious.

So most of the questions will have 2 genuine possibles, so you can expect to get 50% right even if all you do is just guess.

And the exam pass mark is 60%.....



60Q in 2h is indeed 2 minutes each.

If you know the answers to ⅓ straight away then that becomes 3 minutes for each one you don't know. And so on.


There'll be a timer on the screen - if you get bogged down in any question, just move on. As long as you get the answers correct you can pass if you only actually answer 36 questions. (Not a good strategy though).

You can always go back and revisit ones you skipped or weren't sure of.

It can be useful to zoom through them quickly right to the end, knocking off the ones you do know without looking, as this will take the edge off your nerves - if you think about it it's like the way they ask really easy questions at the start of WWTBAM - calms you down.


You could get yourself a simulator. There is (used to be) a freebie on the C&G website, or you can buy a commercial one for £30-ish. Google for reviews.

Even if you can't claim it back on expenses it might be worth it to you.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Exam pass mark 60% that is building confidence up BAS!
Unless it's changed in the last 3 years the pass mark is not disclosed.
and is thought to be much higher than 60% nearer 80-90%.
But don't panic, you can skip questions and go back to them, some are often related.
Get the simple stuff in your head and learn how to navigate through the book.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=2382+exam+pass+mark

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Seem to be lots of differing info as far as pass mark % is concerned, I understood it at the time of my exam it was 87% if things have changed since then it is not for the good.
Tone
Try this simulator, it's free and will give you a taster.
http://www.electricalexams.co.uk/demo.html

 

[Big Tone]

Exam pass mark 60% that is building confidence up BAS!
Unless it's changed in the last 3 years the pass mark is not disclosed.
and is thought to be much higher than 60% nearer 80-90%. .

My girlfriend doesn’t score me as high as 80% when we make love, and that’s something I’m good at!

I felt stupid at the time of the Part P because the others seemed to know their way around, having had two weeks before me. The On Site Guide and another very useful document we were using we were not allowed to keep which wasn’t exactly helpful either. The classes I went to were in groups of eight; five were army guys for some reason...

I come from an electronics/mechanical background rather than electrical although, like many people, I have done many wiring jobs on an unprofessional level. (Should I have admitted to that?). Ah too late.

So I can design and build a regulated power supply with over-volts and crowbar protection based on a LM723 and rebuild my motorbike engine from scratch but I’m a bit iffy on electrics.

Right then, I’ve just got to wire up my new shower; now where did I put the 2.5mm twin and earth...

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Sounds like you have been thrown in at the deep end. You need to knuckle down pal and learn as much as you can about the book, as I have stated get the simple stuff in the head. Then learn to navigate the book. You have enough time just don't panic, you can see by my first post were the big % are and where there could be cheap marks picked up.
At the end of the day is big bl00dy reference book.
Remember stuff like, inspection and testing should be carried out by a competant person and RCD related info.
Parts 2,3 and 8 should be gimmies.