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Anyone take a homeowner electrical test so they can do their own work on their house? Normally I wouldn't care and just do it (like I've done), but I'll be doing some interior work that I should get permitted as it will later affect exterior work which will definitely need permits. When that interior work gets inspected, the electrical work will be obvious.
The county site says it's a 10 question multiple choice based on the NEC and you have to score >=70%, and only get 2 chances. The test is based on the kind of work you'll be doing.
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Our community's test was 20 questions, open book, untimed.
I missed one, but I disagree with their answer. I didn't say anything because I knew the guy that graded it would also be the guy that would pass or fail my inspection.
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(02-18-2022, 06:59 PM)srv52761 Wrote: Our community's test was 20 questions, open book, untimed.
Thanks.
Interesting. Ours doesn't say it's open book (I'll be asking), and we get 2 hours. The adjacent county's is open book, though.
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Locally(there are more than 30 total 'local' codes, depending on city, county, and state), most have a Homeowner's permit. A homeowner pulls the permit. Makes no difference who does the work as long as it meets code requirements and passes inspection.
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None of this in my area
"During times of universal deceit, Telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act"
-- George Orwell
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02-19-2022, 12:03 PM
(This post was last modified: 02-20-2022, 02:07 PM by srv52761.)
Probably you were wanting more specifics.
It has been a couple of years, fall of 2019. We were still under the 2014 NEC.
They supplied a copy of the NEC, but I had a digital copy on my iPad and they allowed me to use that. That made it easy to do a search. They asked me to disable the WiFi first.
The NFPA now has the 2020 free online, but it was neither copyable, nor searchable last I looked. The inspector said the test was also trying to evaluate one's ability to use the book.
Homeowners are limited to branch circuits, the main distribution panel had to be installed by a licensed electrician. Sub panels are classified as branch circuits.
Questions were generic.
Which circuits needed gfci, afci
What color are the phase conductors? Neutral? Ground??
Where to terminate neutrals and ground in panels?
Conductor fill in boxes?
Grounding of metal boxes?
Ampacity limit of 12 ga., 14ga in general circuits?
How close to box must cable be secured?
How many circuits are needed in a two stall garage?
How far must lights be from a shelf in a closet for:
incandescent?
Fluorescent?
LED?
Surface mount and recessed?
How close can insulation be to a non IC recessed can?
How much cable must you leave extended during rough-in?
(Can't remember if it was nm-b or thwn, it's different.)
Can't remember anything else.
edit: I remembered another - How much of the cable sheath must be left in interior of box?
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02-19-2022, 07:41 PM
(This post was last modified: 02-19-2022, 07:42 PM by JosephP.)
(02-19-2022, 11:40 AM)Dave Mc Wrote: None of this in my area
Me neither...we don't need no stinking permits. And shockingly, houses aren't burning down every week and hardly any kids die from electrocution (have never seen a story in the news in the 24 years I've lived in town...and it is a slow news town, so it would make headlines).
But at least they allow that option for a person to do their own work!
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(02-19-2022, 12:03 PM)srv52761 Wrote: Probably you were wanting more specifics.
I'm glad they asked practical questions like the ones you listed. I can see how those would be common areas for mistakes. Thanks for sharing.
Someone in our Nextdoor community said he was allowed to use a copy of the NEC--our county is using NEC 2017.
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(02-20-2022, 09:11 AM)atgcpaul Wrote: I'm glad they asked practical questions like the ones you listed. I can see how those would be common areas for mistakes. Thanks for sharing.
Someone in our Nextdoor community said he was allowed to use a copy of the NEC--our county is using NEC 2017.
Sent you a pm.
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02-20-2022, 10:21 PM
(This post was last modified: 02-20-2022, 10:25 PM by MauleSkinner.)
I had to take it for work on my house in Wichita…I don’t remember how many questions, but they allowed either two or four hours.. The first time I had spent some time browsing the NEC, so it didn’t take as long. The second time (it expires after two years) was kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing to get something finished up before we sold the house. I used just about the full time. The person that graded it said that morning somebody had gotten almost no questions right because the answers “werent in the book”.
I didn’t think it was a very practical exam since when I pulled the permits, the county inspector talked to me about what I was doing and how, and what he wanted to see. But I also have a friend who’s a master electrician to give me guidance.
