Prepare for your Electrician License exam with these practice questions and answers. This guide covers National Electrical Code (NEC), circuit calculations, motor controls, transformers, and electrical theory.

Q: Why can a lead acid battery be an explosive hazard?

Answer: Hydrogen gas is produced during charge and discharge.

Q: When a megger is used to check electrical equipment before initial energizing, the electrician will ensure that the phase conductors are free from cuts or abrasions in the insulation by checking?

Answer: Phase to phase and phase to ground.

Q: Why should the test leads of a megger never be touched when in use?

Answer: The generator voltage is present on test leads and could result in electric shock.

Q: A drawing showing point A to point B hookup of conductors is called?

Answer: Wiring diagram.

Q: How much power is consumed in a circuit with a voltage input of 120V and an R-Value of 40 ohms?

Answer: 360 Watts

Q: What test equipment can be used to conform a suspected short circuit or ground fault in a 3-phase circuit

Answer: Megohmmeter

Q: Normally, the easiest place to reverse the leads to change the direction of the rotation of a 3-phase motor is at the?

Answer: Motor starter

Q: What type of conduit fitting is usually placed in the middle of a long run of rigid metal conduit to provide access for pulling wire?

Answer: C fitting

Q: The frequency of a circuit is 15 cycles per 1/4 second, what is the Hertz(HZ) rating of the circuit?

Answer: 60Hz

Q: Several #12 AWG conductors are pulled together, how should they be arranged on the fish rope?

Answer: Staggered

Q: What is the multiplier for calculating a 45 degree offset when conduit is being bent?

Answer: 1.414

Q: Four-inch square boxes are available with all of the following depths except?

Answer: 1 inch

Q: Which of the following is used to connect a 1/2 inch drain to the bottom of a 3/4 inch tee?

Answer: 3/4″ X 1/2″ RE

Q: What is a system of grounding electrodes interconnected by grounding conductors that are buried in the earth to provide lower resistance?

Answer: A ground grid

Q: Splicing is permissible on all of the following conduit bodies except?

Answer: Pulling elbows

Q: The first step in making an exothermic (cad weld) connection is to?

Answer: Prepare the cable mold and the welding material

Q: What type of switch will provide three-point control for a light?

Answer: Two 3-way switches and one 4-way switch

Q: A switch labeled CO/ALR can be used with what type of wire?

Answer: Aluminum, copper or copper-clad aluminum

Q: What is shown on a sectional drawing?

Answer: Cutaway view of a building

Q: The type of drawing that shows the general arrangement of service entrance equipment and panel boards, along with the related services and feeder conduit/conductors is a?

Answer: Panel board schedule

Q: The ratio of power in watts to the total volt-amps of an AC circuit is known as?

Answer: Power factor

Q: Why should the proper rope be selected for a cable pull?

Answer: To maximize safety

Q: What is the main purpose for a dynamometer?

Answer: To read pulling tension

Q: What size wire is standard for 120-volt motor control systems?

Answer: #14 AWG

Q: How is a transformer rated for power output?

Answer: Kilovolts-amperes (KVA)

Q: Which of the following conductors has the least resistance?

Answer: 1/0 AWG

Q: What is the amperage in a 24-volt circuit with 4 ohms of resistance?

Answer: 6 Amps

Q: What are the two most common types of overcurrent protective devices?

Answer: Circuit breakers and fuses

Q: Under normal conditions, how does voltage measured between line and neutral of a 3-phase, 4-wire “Y” system compare to voltage measured line to line?

Answer: Less

Q: The potential across the circuit is 480 volts and the current is 50 amps. What is the resistance of the circuit?

Answer: 9.6 ohms

Q: Which of the following carries power from a main panel board to various subpanels?

Answer: Feeders

Q: What is an acceptable protection technique for electrical equipment in hazardous locations?

Answer: Use dust ignition proof equipment

Q: The trip rating of a circuit breaker used as the main protective device in a panel board can not exceed?

Answer: The amperage capacity of the bus bars in the panel board

Q: A heat trace cable is installed on a line that will be insulated. When will the cable be megged?

Answer: Before and after insulation is put on the line

Q: What type of enclosure is approved for general purpose indoor use and not dust or drip proof?

Answer: NEMA 1

Q: When is a seal not required in a conduit entering a switch in a class 1, Division 1 location

Answer: When the chamber is hermetically sealed

Q: What would be found in a class 1 location

Answer: Five threads on conduit connections

Q: In a class 1, division 1 area, what type of electrical fittings are required?

Answer: Dustproof

Q: What does a solenoid do?

Answer: Actuates a pneumatic control valve

Q: Which of the following types of fuses is best for protecting a motor feeder?

Answer: Dual element time-delay

Q: All of the following are components of a conventional circuit breaker except?

Answer: A link capable of melting under overload

Q: All of the following are reasons a split phase may not start except?

Answer: Improper air gap

Q: What do thermal overloads protect in a starter?

Answer: Motors

Q: Which of the following statements about a tapped transformer is true?

Answer: It has several terminal taps on the primary to allow for voltage adjustment

Q: In a 3-phase, 4 wire, 120/240 volt delta-connected service, what is the high leg’s voltage to ground?

Answer: 120 volts

Q: What term describes the components located between the service drop and the main disconnect?

Answer: Service entrance

Q: While reels of cable are being stored, what is the purpose of sealing cable ends?

Answer: To keep moisture from creeping in

Q: Which of the following inscriptions on a circuit breaker indicate that the circuit breaker is designed for use on both copper and aluminum wire?

Answer: CU/AL

Q: How is a voltmeter connected in a circuit?

Answer: Series or parallel

Q: While following normal lockout/ragout procedures, who is authorized to remove the lock and tag?

Answer: Only the employee who initiated the lockout/tagout

Q: What is the purpose of a lockout/tagout

Answer: Prevents operation

Q: Where the GFCI be installed when using an extension cord

Answer: At the receptacle

Q: Until determined otherwise, all electrical equipment and conductors should be considered?

Answer: Energized

Q: Which of the following statements describes a parallel circuit?

Answer: All of the loads are connected in a separate path

Q: What is indicated by a one-line diagram with simplified symbols?

Answer: Interconnections and component parts of an electrical circuit

Q: What type of conduit body has a threaded straight hub on each end?

Answer: C fitting

Q: A type LB conduit body has the cover on?

Answer: The back

Q: What is type USE cable primarily used for

Answer: Direct burial in the earth

Q: What type of wire is standard for low-voltage milliamp signal systems?

Answer: Single pair shielded

Q: What is a CT and what is it used for?

Answer: Current transformer and used to measure amps

Q: The relationship of the transformer primary winding to the secondary winding is expressed in?

Answer: Turns ratio

Q: In a sine wave, the number of times per second an Identical pattern repeats itself is known as the?

Answer: Frequency of a wave form

Q: A Myers hub is used to?

Answer: Provide a rain-tight seal where a run of enters a junction box

Q: Which of these sets of receptacle terminal color codes and wire color codes is correct?

Answer: Green terminal-ground wire; silver terminal-white conductor; brass terminal-black conductor

Q: Which of the following switch combinations are correct for controlling a light from three different positions?

Answer: Two 3-way switches and one 4-way switch

Q: What article of the NEC covers grounding?

Answer: Article 250

Q: Where is nonmetallic conduit (PVC) used

Answer: Both below and above ground

Q: What is produced in a conduit run by making two equal bends in opposite directions

Answer: Offset

Q: According to NEC section 406.3(A), which of the following branch circuits must have grounded receptacles?

Answer: 15A and 20A branch circuits must be of the grounding type

Q: What is the voltage ratio for dual-voltage motors

Answer: 2 to 1

Q: What is the area of a rectangular piece of material 4 feet by 10 feet

Answer: 40 square feet

Q: What is a fish tape used for

Answer: Pulling wire or rope through conduit

Q: Cable trays are usually supported by all of the following means except?

Answer: #9 wire

Q: What is installed at an expansion joint to provide a continuous ground between two sections of cable tray?

Answer: Bonding jumpers

Q: What is used to make a slight change in elevation in a cable tray system

Answer: Swivel plates

Q: When locations for junction and pull boxes are selected, all of the following should be considered except?

Answer: Type of conductor to be installed

Q: PVC conduit, fittings, and connectors range in size from 1/2″ to?

Answer: 6 inches

Q: Which of the following components is part of a dual element fuse?

Answer: Time delay

Q: Service entrance conductors May be spliced only when?

Answer: Taps are being made to each of the service disconnects

Q: What does the thermal overload protect in a starter or MCC

Answer: Motors

Q: A cable rated for 5 KV can safely carry what maximum voltage?

Answer: 5,000 volts

Q: How should heat-shrink insulators be installed?

Answer: The insulator should be slipped over the connector and heat should be applied for a few seconds

Q: Which of the following is one way to control voltage at a substation

Answer: Potential transformer

Q: A motor control center is a group or combination of?

Answer: Starters in a single enclosure

Q: What does HOA usually mean in a motor control circuit

Answer: Hand-off Automatic

Q: Where the overload heaters normally located in a motor circuit?

Answer: In the motor starter between the T leads and the contactors

Q: Where should a stress cone be used?

Answer: High voltage termination

Q: When making a high-voltage splice all of the following are part of the splicing procedure except?

Answer: Hi-pot testing

Q: Which of the following statements about resistance heat tracing is true?

Answer: They are self-regulating

Q: All of the following are basic elements of a motor circuit except?

Answer: A motor control center

Q: What happens when the seal-in (holding) contact on a motor starter is opened?

Answer: The motor will stop

Q: What does the typical control transformer do in a motor starter?

Answer: Provides power to the control circuit

Q: What should be done to change the rotation of a 3-phase motor?

Answer: Swap any two T-leads

Q: All of the following guidelines shall be met in order to use the 10′ Tap Rule except?

Answer: The amperage if the tap conductors shall not be less than the load served

Q: Blue prints require the installation of a 277-volt 15-amp switch and a 120-volt, 15-amp switch in the same box. Which of the following is required?

Answer: The proper separation plate must be installed

Q: The primary of a transformer is 480 volts and the secondary is 240/120

Answer: On the secondary

Q: Given: The distance between a starter and a 3-phase motor is 73 feet. The starter must have a 5 foot tail and the motor a 3 foot tail. How much multi-conductor wire is required for a pull from the starter to the motor?

Answer: 81 feet

Q: An improperly made wire splice or connection could result in all of the following except?

Answer: Improper current flow of the conductor

Q: What is the most common service voltage used in a temporary power panel?

Answer: 120/240 volt, 1-phase, 3-wire

Q: A section of cable tray that makes two vertical 90-degree turns is known as?

Answer: A vertical tee

Q: What does capacitance permit the capacitor to do?

Answer: Store an electrical charge

Q: The minimum acceptable DC megohm resistance of a 4, 160 volt motor is approximately?

Answer: 4.2 megohms

Q: What is the source voltage in a circuit that consumes 1,200 watts at a current of 5A?

Answer: 240 volts

Q: How many amperes will flow in a circuit containing only resistance if the resistance is 10 ohms and the voltage is 120 volts?

Answer: 12 amps

Q: All of the following are correct formulas for ohms law except?

Answer: E= PxI

Q: The purpose of the OSHA lockout/tagout procedure is to ensure that?

Answer: Equipment and individuals are isolated from all potential hazardous energy

Q: Which of the following type of clothing should not be worn while performing electrical work?

Answer: Polyester

Q: Which of the following conditions must indoor switchgear be protected against?

Answer: Moisture

Q: What is required at the Xo terminal of a transformer?

Answer: Must be bonded and grounded

Q: Which of the following is used to connect the grounded conductor to a grounding electrode?

Answer: Grounding electrode conductor

Q: All of the following are purposes of grounding and bonding except?

Answer: To help stabilize voltage between the underground conductors

Q: Which of the following is considered a standard fuse size?

Answer: 3

Q: What unit is true power measured in?

Answer: Watts

Q: Which of the following transformers are connected in series?

Answer: Current transformer

Q: If the turn ratio of a transformer is 4000:5, and the primary voltage is 2000 volts, what is the voltage on the secondary

Answer: 2.5

Q: To make a 10″ offset on a 15° angle, how far apart must the center of your bends be?

Answer: 38.6″

Q: All of the following are acceptable for use in guardrails in a guardrail system except?

Answer: Rooe

Q: What is a grounded conductor?

Answer: Neutral

Q: What all can a multimeter test for?

Answer: Voltage, current, resistance

Q: What is the peak value of a 120V circuit?

Answer: 170V

Q: What is used to bypass and discharge electrical surges?

Answer: Surge protector

Q: What is the minimum distance that must be maintained in between ground rods?

Answer: 6 feet

Q: In a 3-wire push button start/stop circuit, which set of contacts are normally closed

Answer: Stop

Q: Which type of conduit is most suitable for a corrosive environment?

Answer: Aluminum

Q: What must the neutral of a subpanel be?

Answer: Ungrounded

Q: Which of the following is the minimum required length of a ground rod?

Answer: 8 feet

Q: What does E stand for in ohms law?

Answer: Voltage

Q: In a motor starter, the seal-in auxiliary is considered to be connected in what way with the start button?

Answer: Parallel

Q: How much larger must a pull or junction box be used when making a U-Pull?

Answer: 6 times bigger than the raceway

Q: What size must a junction box be with two 4″ conduits, one 2″ conduit and two 1″ conduits entering it for a straight pull?

Answer: 32″

Q: How much larger must a pull or junction box be when making an angle pull?

Answer: 6 times the largest raceway

Q: When combustible vapors are present, which hazardous location is it considered?

Answer: Class 1, division 1

Q: When inspecting rubber insulated gloves daily the two things to check are the voltage rating and?

Answer: Pin holes

Q: Which type of heat trace cable can not be cut to length in the field?

Answer: Mineral insulated

Q: When bending a 90° stub up using 15° segment bends, how many bends must be made?

Answer: 6

Q: When facing the busbar of a panel, in respect to A and B phase, where is C phase located?

Answer: To the right

Q: How is heat trace cable positioned when installed for anti freeze protection?

Answer: Circular

Q: How many overload units are required for a 3-phase motor?

Answer: 3

Q: What type of conduit support can be used to prevent making an offset into a conduit fitting/box?

Answer: Stand off support

Q: For 4/0 and larger wire, what is used to determine the minimum cable tray width?

Answer: Diameter

Q: For wire smaller than 4/0, what is used to determine the minimum cable tray width?

Answer: Cross sectional area

Q: Plastic and porcelain are examples of?

Answer: Insulators

Q: What is the color code for #22-#16 AWG wire crimp connectors?

Answer: Red

Q: What is the material between the capacitor plates in which the electric field appears?

Answer: Dielectric

Q: Which of the following is used to alter the speed of a 3-phase squirrel cage induction motor?

Answer: Frequency

Q: One circular mil is how many inches

Answer: 0.001″