ElectaCourse News

Electrical Installation Condition Report

noreply@blogger.com (ElectaCourse.com) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:12:00 +0000

As you may be aware, Amendment 1 of the IET Wiring Regulations introduces a new electrical installation condition report.

We've now updated our Electrical Test Certificates package to include the new form.

The electrical installation condition report can be downloaded or purchased on CD and is in editable pdf format, with many of the entries available to fill in from a drop-down list, so saving time and the potential for errors.

Ensure your forms are completed neatly and accurately, with clear, typed entries rather than sometimes illegible hand writing.

Visit our Electrical Test Certificates page for further information.

New 2394 and 2395 Electrical Qualifications

noreply@blogger.com (ElectaCourse.com) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:23:00 +0000

It seems that the existing Inspection, Testing and certification of Electrical Installations (2391) qualification is due to be discontinued in the new year.

The qualification will be replaced by two new qualifications:

2394 - Level 3 Award in the Initial Verification and Certification of Electrical Installations
2395 - Level 3 award in the Periodic Inspection, Testing and Certification of Electrical Installations

There will also be a new 2396 qualification:

2396 - Level 4 Design of Electrical Installations

Although this now means sitting two exams as opposed to one, we feel that this has to be a step in the right direction as the original 2391 exam has been found to be notoriously difficult, with the failure rate often higher than the pass rate!

We are still awaiting final clarification of the new 2394 and 2395 qualifications, however it appears that they will both have the same online, multiple-choice test on the e-volve interface, so although it appears there are two different exam numbers for the online exam (2394-301 and 2395-301), the actual exam will be the same.

There will also be a written test and an assignment to complete for each qualification.

The online exam appears focused on safety and understanding the specific requirements for safe isolation and inspecting and testing of electrical installations.

There are three mandatory units for both the 2394 and 2395 qualification, being:

301 - Principles, practises and legislation for the initial verification of electrical installations. (This is the online, multiple-choice exam)

302 - Principles, practices and legislation for the initial verification of electrical installations. (This is the written exam).

303 - Principles, practises and legislation for the initial verification of electrical installations. (This is the externally verified assignment)

It appears that the online, multiple-choice exam (Unit 301) will contain 40 questions to be answered in 1 hour.

The exam is broken down into 6 Outcomes, testing the understanding of:

The requirements for completing the safe isolation of electrical circuits and installations (7 Questions)
The requirements for inspecting, testing and recording the condition of electrical installations (2 Questions)
The requirements for the safe testing of electrical installations which have been placed in service (9 Questions)
The requirements for testing circuits which have been placed in service and may require isolation (7 Questions)
The requirements for testing energised installations (13 Questions)
Test results and their interpretation (2 Questions)

So, that's a summary of the new 2394 and 2395 qualifications as we know it at the moment, although this is subject to confirmation by City and Guilds.

Amendment 1 and the 2382 17th Edition Exam

noreply@blogger.com (ElectaCourse.com) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 16:05:00 +0000

We've been receiving many queries about the 17th Edition 2382 Exam and how it will be affected by Amendment 1 of the 17th Edition IET Wiring Regulations. (If you don't know anything about Amendment 1, you can read more in the posts below)

Due to the Amendment (and other reasons) there are changes being made to the 2382 qualification which may affect you.

Starting this month (September), a new program of study and corresponding qualification is being launched. The program of study will incorporate new additions and changes to the Wiring Regulations due to Amendment 1.

The new corresponding City & Guilds qualification is the 2382-12, which still asseses the knowledge of BS7671:2008, but also asseses knowledge of Amendment 1 changes and additions.

How may this affect you?

If you are considering obtaining your 17th Edition Wiring Regulations qualification, you can still take the original 2382-10 (full) exam, or 2382-20 (update from 16th Edition) up until the end of this year.

From January 2012, however, all candidates will need to take the 2382-12 qualification which incorporates Amendment 1 of the IET Wiring Regulations.

There will no longer be a 2382-20 'update' exam and all candidates will need to take the full 2382-12 exam.

It is still a little unclear how this affects candidates who already hold the 2382-10 or 2382-20, but it appears that the 2382-10 and -20 will still be fully valid qualifications. However, those wishing to keep their qualifications fully up to date may choose to take the 2382-12 exam at some point.

The exam will still be an open book, online, multiple choice exam, but will also include questions on Amendment 1.

So, to summarize, this is the present state of play if you are considering obtaining the 2382 Requirements for Electrical Installations Certificate:

2382-20 :

This is the 'update' exam from the 16th Edition to the 17th Edition. This is a shorter 1 hour, multiple choice, open book exam. You must have previous 16th Edition qualifications to be eligible to sit this exam.

These are:

• City & Guilds Level 3 Certificate in the Requirements for Electrical Installations BS 7671: June 2001 (2381) or
• City & Guilds Level 3 Certificate in Electrotechnical Technology Installation (Building and Structures) (2330-07) or
• City & Guilds Level 3 Certificate in Electrotechnical Technology Electrical Maintenance (2330-08) or
• City & Guilds Level 3 Certificate in Electrical Installations Part Two (2360) (from January 1st 2004 onwards only)

The 2382-20 exam will no longer be available after December 31st 2011

2382-10 :

This is the full 17th Edition Requirements for Electrical Installations qualification for which there are no pre-qualification requirements. This is the full, 2 hour, multiple choice, open book exam. Those wishing to obtain their 2382 qualification before the end of 2011 will likely be sitting this exam. This exam does not include any questions on Amendment 1 of BS7671. This exam will no longer be available after the end of 2011.

2382-12 :

This is the new Requirements for Electrical Installations qualification and is the only 2382 qualification that will be available from January 2012. This qualification is a full 2 hour, multiple choice, open book exam. There is no 'update' for this exam. Regardless of your previous experience/qualifications, you will need to sit this full exam from January 2012. Some exam centres are already offering this option only. This qualification is based on the understanding of the latest BS7671:2008 IET Wiring Regulations including Amendment 1, which is now published under a green cover.

Our brand new 17th Edition Exam Simulator has been fully updated with more questions and answers to incorporate Amendment 1 and has also been re-written from the ground up to be even more realistic for candidates sitting the 2382 exam on the new 'e-volve exam system'.

Our 2382 17th Edition Wiring Regulations Course is presently being updated for Amendment 1 and will be released in the next few weeks.

New Part P Exam Simulator

noreply@blogger.com (ElectaCourse.com) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 10:28:00 +0000

We've had many requests to produce a Part P exam simulator that will be useful for courses such as the Domestic Installer Scheme.

Well, our course writers have been hard at work and we'll shortly be releasing our first Part P Domestic Installer Exam Simulator.

Packed with over 1,600 relevant questions and answers and programmed and designed to provide the most beneficial practice for anyone studying for the Domestic Installer Scheme or for electricians wishing to brush up on and test their knowledge on a wide range of electrical qualifications.

As with all ElectaCourse Exam Simulators, our Part P simulator has been specifically programmed to provide the most beneficial and realistic exam practice available.

Unlike other exam practice aids out there, ElectaCourse do NOT use 'off the shelf' quiz writing software that do nothing more than a basic multiple choice test. All our exam simulators are custom programmed to provide the best form of practice for e-volve or GOLA interfaces.

Who writes the questions?

Our questions are not trawled off the internet or written 'from memory' by electricians, but compiled with the input of experienced course writers and tutors who have specific knowledge of the specific exam topic that our exam simulators are written for.

Regularly updated, our exam simulators are available on CD or via digital download from our website at ElectaCourse.com

For those who need to ask what is Part P, then you may wish to click the link.

17th Edition Amendments

noreply@blogger.com (ElectaCourse.com) — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 07:54:00 +0000

Amendment 1 of the 17th Edition BS7671 IEE Wiring Regulations is shortly to be released.

This first 17th Edition Amendment is available to pre-order from the IET website and is likely to be made available in July 2011. A video overview of the amendment is available below, but we've attempted to briefly summarise the main changes to the 17th Edition below.

The new IEE regulations publication incorporating Amendment 1 will be published under a green cover.

Overview of Amendments: Section 710 - Medical locations

This is a new section of the regulations concerning patient safety when exposed to electrical equipment which is becoming more and more common in modern hospitals, private clinics, healthcare centres, doctor's surgeries and dental practices. The new Medical Locations amendment splits electrical installations into three groups 0, 1 and 2 and includes regulations on secure supplies for life support and protection against electric shock. Medical IT systems and specific requirements for supplementary bonding and selection and erection of electrical equipment within medical locations are covered in this amendment.

Section 444 - Measures against electromagnetic influences.

Another new section concerning electromagnetic disturbances which provides regulations and recommendations to avoid or reduce the effects of 'EMI' electromagnetic interference.

This section includes recommendations concerning cable routing and voltage induction from sources of electromagnetic disturbances such as switchgear, power distribution busbars, fluorescent lighting, electric motors, electric welders, transformers etc.

Recommendations on the separation of power and signal cables and the routing of conductors to avoid inductive loops

Damage can be caused to sensitive IT equipment and electrical circuits from EMI and this section also covers these concerns.

Section 534 - Devices for protection against overvoltage (surge protection devices)

This new section concerns dealing with potential damage that can be caused to sensitive equipment by overvoltages and surge currents. Surge protection devices (SPD's) are covered in this amendment and installation recommendations and regulations concerning SPDs are provided.

Any switching operation, fault initiation or interupption is followed by a transient phenomenon in which an overvoltage can occur. Surges can also occur due to natural causes such as lightning strikes and the risk of disruption, degradation, sparking or flashover can be reduced or eliminated by the installation of SPDs which can divert the surge current.

This new 17th Edition Amendment 534 contains detailed requirements for the selection, erection and coordination of SPDs in building installations.

Section 534 will not tell you when you need SPDs, but it will provide guidance and recommendations on how to install them.

Section 729 - Operating or maintenance gangways

The 17th Edition Amendment 710 is a totally new section and applies to basic protection and other aspects in restricted access areas such as switchrooms and control gear assemblies with a need for operating or maintenance gangways for authorised persons.

The amendment contains requirements for restricted areas where:

basic protection is provided by barriers or enclosures
the protective measure of obstacles is applied

and

gives examples of positioning doors in long, closed restricted access areas

So, it can be summarised that this new section 729 is mainly concerned with preventing accidents and injury by ensuring adequate lighting, access and working space is provided when working on electrical equipment.

Appendix 6 - Changes to certification and reporting

A new electrical installation condition report has been introduced to replace the present periodic inspection report.

The existing 4 codes within the observations section of the present report have been replaced with 3 new codes as follows:

Code 1 - danger present
Code 2 - potentially dangerous
Code 3 - improvement recommended

The new form has been redesigned and includes a series of new inspection schedules.

Other Changes

There are many other changes incorporated into the 17th Edtion amandment 1 including changes to the appendices, exceptions for minor works, changes to section 7 concerning (for the most part) PME supplies and changes to the numbering for UK only regulations.

Amendment 1 for the 17th Edition IEE Wiring Regulations is due for planned release June 2011 and will come into effect on January 1st 2012.

For further information, please watch the video below:

Overview of the IEE Wiring Regulations amendment

Geoff Cronshaw

IET seminar on The IEE Wiring Regulations (BS 7671:2008): Looking ahead to the first amendment
From IET London: Savoy Place, UK

2010-06-21 00:00:00.0 Power Channel

>> go to webcast >> recommend to friend

CIMA Courses Coming soon

noreply@blogger.com (ElectaCourse.com) — Sat, 14 May 2011 14:56:00 +0000

ElectaCourse are please to announce that the full range of CIMA Courses will shortly be available from our website.

We'll be offering both the CIMA Certificate in Business Accounting and also the CIMA Professional Chartered Management Accounting Qualification

Available soon at introductory discount prices, there's never been a better time to syudy for your CIMA qualification.

Cable Size Calculation Software

noreply@blogger.com (ElectaCourse.com) — Thu, 12 May 2011 15:27:00 +0000

ElectaCourse have teamed up with a leading supplier of cable size calculation software to offer our customers excellent value in a very capable software package.

The software is available in 4 versions:

Domestic
Commercial Lite
Commercial Pro
Industrial Pro

There's a version available, whatever your cable sizing and voltage drop needs.

The software is available now and we're offering a 10% discount to our customers when using the following code at checkout: CCS10

Permitted Reference Material for 2382 Exam

noreply@blogger.com (ElectaCourse.com) — Wed, 04 May 2011 08:06:00 +0000

We often get asked what reference material candidates are allowed to take into the 2382-10 and 2382-20 exam with them.

The 2382 exam (both full 2382-10 and update 2382-20) are 'open book' exams.

This means that you are allowed to take a copy of the IEE Wiring Regulations BS7671:2008 in to the exam with you and use it to refer to when answering the multiple choice questions.

It is important to note that the copy of the IEE Wiring Regulations that you take into the exam with you must be 'clean'. In other words, your copy must NOT contain any of the following:

• Sample exam questions, answers or diagrams

• Any writing in the regulations or accompanying written notes

• Notes, diagrams or any content that may in anyway advantage the candidate in answering
questions within the exam.

However, your copy CAN contain the following which may be of help:

• Bookmarks (eg blank post-it notes or corners of pages folded)

• Highlighting of text

• The Corrigendum, issued by the IEE as a supplement to the wiring regulations in July 2008.

It's worth checking your copy of the IEE Regs to make sure it complies with the above. If not, contact your exam centre who will more than likely have a 'clean' copy to lend you for the exam.

You can also take a non programmable calculator into the exam with you which you may find helpful answering some of the calculation based questions.

You can find a lot more information on the 2382 exam in this City & Guilds publication.
http://www.cityandguilds.com/documents/ind_construction_electrical/2382-10-l3-hb-v1.2.pdf

Electricians Forum App for Android

noreply@blogger.com (ElectaCourse.com) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 10:54:00 +0000

If you are involved in the Electrical Trade then you've probably heard of the Electricians Forum at ElectricalForum.co.uk and may even be a member.

Either way, there's a fantastic new App for the Android platform that allows you to read and post in all the forums at ElectricalForum.

The App is free and can be downloaded now from the Android Marketplace - simply search for 'Electricians Forum' and look for the Green Button logo.

East to install and use, it's a great way to keep in touch with the Electricians Forum whilst on the go!

New e-Assessment Exam Platform

noreply@blogger.com (ElectaCourse.com) — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 10:45:00 +0000

A new exam platform called e-volve is being introduced by City and Guilds throughout 2011.

e-volve is set to replace the well know GOLA interface and looks to offer all the features and benefits of the GOLA system, plus a whole lot more.

The new system is mainly web based and will offer a leading range of assessment types including summative, diagnostic and informative. The e-volve interface is reasonable simple to use and offers greater flexibility for learners and administrators.

GOLA has been a fantastic exam system that has served to modernise the way assessments are carried out through the use of technology and the e-volve system looks set to continue and advance in a similar vein.

ElectaCourse have provided learners with exciting revision aids and home study courses for many years and as the e-volve system is rolled out we will endeavour to provide our customers with valuable learning tools to help them obtain recognised qualifications in a wide variety of subjects.

Cable Size Calculations Made Easy!

noreply@blogger.com (ElectaCourse.com) — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:07:00 +0000

ElectaCourse have teamed up with a leading software provider to offer our customers what we believe is the best Cable Size Calculator on the market.

Available in four versions, the calculation software is a doddle to use and provides results for even the most demanding of installations within seconds.

Simply entering a few known parameters will enable the software to quickly calculate the correct cable sizes (and much more!) for your electrical installation.

Perhaps the most important feature of the cable size calculator is illustrated by one simple word - COMPLIANCE.

It's never been more important to ensure that each and every job you carry out fully complies to the current regulations. Are you sure your work complies?

The cable sizing software works to and is updated with the very latest regulations and ensures every calculation you make and hence every decision you make concerning your electrical installation, is fully compliant with the latest regulations.

The software can save you literally hours or even days of painstaking work and carry our calculations in seconds that would take the average electrical engineer, hours on end.

Available as an instant download from ElectaCourse, you can be impressing your colleagues with your accurate and super fast calculations immediately after purchase. A CD version is also dispatched to you in the post.

Now there's no excuse not to get your cable calculations right first time, every time.

and the Winner is....

noreply@blogger.com (ElectaCourse.com) — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 13:03:00 +0000

Congratulations to John Rogers of Brighton who is the lucky winner of an Advanced Electricians Course.

John entered our December competition by following us on Twitter and Facebook and his course is on it's way via Special Delivery.

We've still got some great special offers for December and all orders for CDs received up until 10am December will be sent via Royal Mail Special Delivery.

This is usually a next day guaranteed service, but unfortunately due to the extreme weather conditions at the moment, Royal Mail are not guaranteeing the next day service, although most appear to be arriving next day.

Don't forget, you can purchase downloads from ElectaCourse 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and have access to your purchase usually instantly, as the service is fully automated.

ElectaCourse would like to wish all our customers a Merry Christmas and Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Accountant Gains 17th Edition Electrical Qualification!

noreply@blogger.com (ElectaCourse.com) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 12:59:00 +0000

We've just received a wonderful testimonial from a customer which we believe illustrates the convenience and effectiveness of studying at home to great effect.

Adrian is an accountant who became a customer of ours and purchased a copy of our 17th Edition Wiring Regulations course and exam simulator.

With no previous experience, Adrian received no other training and chose the home study route, preferring to study at his own convenience and pace. You can imagine his delight when he passed with the highest mark that the exam centre had ever seen having answered 59 of the 60 questions correctly.

Here's the testimonial that Adrian emailed to us (along with a copy of his results printout) on 7th December:

"I am an Accountant with absolutely no electrical background or experience. I studied using only a copy of BS 7671 the Electacourses 2382 course notes and examination practice software.
I achieved 98.3% (59 out of 60) and was told that this was the best result the test centre had ever seen. If you can handle independent study then Electacourse is all you need to prepare you for the 2382 exam."
Adrian Irving

To achieve a result as close to 100% as you can get is testimonial to the fact that studying at home and at your own pace for your electrical qualifications can be a very convenient and effective way to achieve worthwhile and recognised qualifications.

Whilst Adrian still has to obtain thorough practical training and experience, to already be conversant and familiar with locating and interpreting the IEE Wiring Regulations and having the certificate to prove it, is an excellent foundation to build on.

ElectaCourse would like to offer our congratulations to Adrian on his amazing achievement.

Why not enter our competition to Win the same Electrician's Course that helped Adrian gain his 17th Edition qualification. The winner will receive it before Christmas.

Christmas Offers Now Online...

noreply@blogger.com (ElectaCourse.com) — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 10:25:00 +0000

We've got some great offers on at ElectaCourse.com for the month of December.

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Win a Electrical Course worth £163

Win an Advanced Electricians Course or a Course of your Choice! It's very quick and easy to enter and the winner will receive their prize in time for Christmas.

Enter Here

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Save £10 on Your Electrical Exam

Purchase any electrical course or exam simulator from ElectaCourse during December and we'll give you a voucher for £10 off your exam booking.

More Details Here

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Could YOU Become an Accident Investigator?

Our introductory Accident Investigator Course is an affordable insight to a potentially exciting new career. Accident Investigators come from all walks of life and you may even have many of the skills required without even realising it.

More Details Here

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Spruce up Your CV

There's no doubting that times are going to get tougher over the coming years. It pays to be prepared. We've got a fantastic offer on our 'CV Writing Skills' and 'Job Interview Skills' CDs. Buy BOTH for the combined price of Just £12.99.

Save Here

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Save £20 off Electricians Courses

Our Complete Electricians courses offer a convenient and affordable route to recognised electrical qualifications. During December you can save £10 off the Starter Course, £15 off Intermediate and £20 off our Advanced Electricians Course.
Save up to £20

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We'll have a few more offers available before Christmas so please keep a regular check on our offers page

Sitting Electrical Exams as an external candidate

noreply@blogger.com (ElectaCourse.com) — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 10:52:00 +0000

ElectaCourse are pleased to offer our customers the convenience of an online electrical exam booking service.

We have teamed up with a leading London exam centre to offer our customers the opportunity to sit their 2382-10, 2382-20 (update), 2391 written, 2391 practical and 2377 PAT Testing exams.

Booking is simply a matter of entering a few basic details into our booking form, selecting your preferred date to sit your electrical exam and your booking date will be confirmed shortly afterwards.

Sitting Exams as an External Candidate

noreply@blogger.com (ElectaCourse.com) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:08:00 +0000

The question we get asked most frequently at ElectaCourse.com is "where can I sit my exams?".

It's a difficult question to answer because, although most exam centres can quite easily accept external candidates, most do not wish to do so as they would much prefer the candidate to purchase their course before booking them in for the exam.

This is a rather old fashioned attitude and there is a bit of 'cutting off your nose to spite your face' involved as the exam centre makes a profit on all exam bookings anyway, whether they sold a course to the candidate or not.

Thankfully, more and more exam centres are realising that they can no longer ignore candidates who have studied at home, or already have the knowledge to pass a particular exam, and more and more centres are starting to accept external candidates to sit exams at their centres.

ElectaCourse have been keen to tackle this problem for quite some time and have considered opening their own approved examination centre. However, we have decided to team up with quality and open minded centres that welcome external candidates and have introduced an exam booking service on our website.

Candidates who are able to travel to London to sit their exams can now book directly through the exam booking service at our website.

We have Monday morning exam dates arranged specifically for ElectaCourse customers and the exam can be booked quickly and easily online. Full confirmation is sent to the candidate after booking.

At present we can arrange exam sittings for the 17th Edition 2382 exam and we hope to shortly be adding more exam options and dates.

So, if you're looking for somewhere to sit your 2382 17th edition exam, you now have the option of booking online through the ElectaCourse exam booking service

Passing your 2377-200 PAT Testing Exam

noreply@blogger.com (ElectaCourse.com) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:39:00 +0000

ABOUT THE 2377-200 EXAM

The City and Guilds 2377-200 Code of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment is a popular electrical qualification with both practicing electricians who may wish to diversify and also those who are new to the industry and may wish to obtain the qualification with the aim of a career change or self employment.

This qualification is generally known as the PAT qualification.

As there are no pre-entry requirements, the 2377 qualification is attractive to those new to the industry and also practising electricians who wish to update their knowledge.

The qualification is required to demonstrate that you have a good working knowledge of the IEE Code of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment which in turn helps in the achievement of high standards of electrical safety in compliance with the duties imposed by the Electricity at Work Regulations.

There are two examinations based on the IEE Code of Practice.The 2377-100 Management of Electrical Equipment Maintenance and the 2377-200 Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment, more commonly known as PAT Testing.

This post only concerns the 2377-200 exam.

There are certain additional steps you can take to improve your chances of success in obtaining the 2377-200 qualification.

First off, you will certainly need your own copy of the IEE Code of Practice (see page 8) to help with your revision. Keep the book ‘clean’, that is do not write any notes on the book or mark any pages, at least until you have passed your 2377. The reason for this is that the 2377 exam is an ‘open book’ exam, meaning you will need to take a ‘clean’ copy of the wiring regulations into the exam room with you. Many examination centres will lend you a clean copy to take into the exam, but many won’t and if your copy has notes written inside, the exam centre could request you purchase a new copy off them in order to sit the exam.

So, you’ve got your own copy of the IEE Code of Practice and...now comes the fun part - you’ve got to read it!

Whilst it’s not the most engrossing book you’ll ever read, you’ll certainly need to know your way around it to get through the 2377 exam. In fairness, the 3rd Edition of the Code of Practice (COP) is a massive improvement on the previous editions and is now very well laid out and well illustrated.

There’s no need to memorise any of the COP and I’d suggest you don’t even try, however skip reading through the publication several times will certainly help you get a feel for the layout and where specific information can be found.

Take some time to familiarise yourself with the contents at the beginning pages of the book and use it to reference particular information within the publication as you’ll be doing a lot of this during your exam.

Your 2377 exam will be taken on the City and Guilds online GOLA exam system. This is a simple system, but it can take a little getting used to. You are given around 10 minutes before your exam to go through an online tutorial to get you used to the GOLA interface, however any practice you can get beforehand on a 2377 Exam Simulator will be of major benefit to you during the actual exam.

Our 2377-200 Exam Simulator is included with our 2377 PAT Training Course and should be used only after studying the course material.

Do NOT try to memorise any of the questions and answers as they can change frequently in the actual exam. It is far better to locate the answers in the COP, even if you know the answer on the simulator, as this will provide the best form of practice for the actual 2377 exam.

When sitting the 2377-200 exam you will encounter 30 questions in 1 hour. This basically means you have 2 minutes in which to answer each question. Bearing in mind that you will more than likely not know the answer and will have to refer to the Code of Practice to find it, 2 minutes does not seem such a great length of time to find the correct answer.

2377-200 Test Specification

Outcome	Assessment Criteria	Weighting %	No of Items
2.1	Equipment construction	20	6
2.2	Inspection	20	6
2.3	Combined inspection and testing	20	6
2.4	Use of instruments and recording data	20	6
2.5	Equipment	20	6
	TOTAL	100	30

It is important therefore, not to spend too much time on a question of who’s answer you are unsure of. If you cannot find the answer, use the ‘Flag’ button to mark it as a question you need to come back to and move on to the next question. Remember if you don’t answer a question you’re guaranteed to not get any marks for it, but taking an educated guess gives you at the least, a 1 in 4 chance of getting a mark, so never leave a question unanswered if possible.

The order of the questions usually follows the order of the Code of Practice, so a good tip is that usually questions that you encounter early on in the exam will be relating to information appearing early on in the Code of Practice publication. As you progress through the questions, you will be progressing through the publication.

After reading the question, use the Contents section or Index of the COP to locate the relevant section that relates to the question.

Certain questions will relate to diagrams or ‘exhibits’ that will appear with the question. Look closely at the exhibit as information that can supply the answer to the question can usually be found within the exhibit.

Keep a check on how the time is going (a warning will flash on the screen when you’ve got 5 minutes remaining) and remember that it’s important to answer every question if possible. If you reach the end screen before your time has run out, click the ‘Review’ button to go back to any unanswered questions or questions that you have flagged. There will also be a ‘Continue’ button but do not click this unless you are completely happy that you have finished and answered all the questions, as clicking ‘Continue’ will end the test.

Be careful of the ‘Quit’ button in the real exam and on the 2377 Exam Simulator . If you choose ‘Quit’ you will be given the option of ending the test. Don’t think you can do this, even if you have answered all the questions as selecting ‘Yes’ will end the test and you will may lose your results. You cannot go back after clicking ‘Quit’ and then confirming by clicking ‘Yes’.

So, to summarise, the more familiar you are with the layout and index of the Code of Practice and the more practice you get on the 2377 GOLA Exam Simulator, then the more likely you are to achieve the necessary 80% pass mark and gain your 2377 qualification.

THE IEE CODE OF PRACTICE

You will need a copy of the Code of Practice which can be obtained by visiting http://www.electacourse.com/code-of-practice.html

You may also need a scientific calculator and general items of stationary such as A4

paper, pens, pencils and a ruler.

FINDING AN EXAM CENTRE

When you feel confident to do so, you can book in to a City & Guilds approved examination centre to take your 2377 exam online, on the GOLA interface.

Many exam centres will only allow you to take the exam at their centre if you have also paid for their course. This is a little unfair to say the least as it is of no inconvenience to the centre whatsoever and they still make a quick profit on your exam fee.

To find an exam centre near to you, visit the City & Guilds website at www.cityandguilds.com.

Enter your course number (2377) in the ‘Qualification Finder’ box and you will find links to related pages on their website.

When on the 2377 qualification page, on the left of this page you will see a box which says ‘Find a Centre’

Enter your postcode for a list of centres nearest to you.

You may have to ring a few centres to find one that will accept you as an external candidate and you will find the private centres more accepting than large colleges.

It is very easy for the centre to book you in for the exam as an external candidate so let them know that you feel you have sufficient knowledge to pass the online exam without attending their course.

Passing your 2391 Exam

noreply@blogger.com (ElectaCourse.com) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:41:00 +0000

Passing your Level 3 Certificate in Inspection, Testing and Certification of Electrical Installations (2391-10) Exam

About the 2391 Inspection and Testing Qualification

The 2391-10 has no formal candidate entry requirements, however, it is really intended for experienced people who may already be working in the electrical industry. The 2391 is not aimed at non-qualified electricians or those who do not have relevant experience in inspection and testing.

Candidates without the relevant experiance and/or qualifications should consider the 2392-10 qualification first, which is the Level 2 Certificate in Fundamental Inspection, Testing and Initial Verification. They should also try to obtain industry experience if possible.

Candidates wishing to take the 2391-10 qualification would be strongly advised to obtain the 2382 Certificate in the Requirements for Electrical Installations first, which demonstrates a knowledge and understanding of the 17th Edition IEE Wiring Regulations (BS7671).

The 2391 qualification is intended to enable the candidate to develop the necessary understanding and technical knowledge relating to the inspection, testing and certification of electrical installations.

About the 2391 Exam

To obtain the 2391 qualification, candidates are required to complete one written and one practical assessment. We'll deal here with Unit 301 which is the written examination. The written (or theory) part of the 2391 exam comprises of two sections, Section A and Section B and a total time limit of 2.5 hours applies.

Section A consists of 20 short questions which are worth a total of 60 marks (3 marks each). Each question may be divided up into three parts (a,b and c), with each part being worth 1 mark. Some questions may be divided into 2 parts. In this case, one part of the question will be worth 1 mark and the other part 2 marks.
As can be seen from the chart, Section A is made up of questions from three key subject areas:

* Preparation for inspection and testing (3 questions)

* The inspection process (2 questions)

* Testing (15 questions)

In Section A you will generally encounter questions relating to Health and Safety and both statutory and non statutory documents relevant to inspection and testing. You will also likely encounter questions relating to performing certain tests and specifically, how to carry out the test and the correct order that the test should be carried out.

You will need to know what expected readings are and how to verify results (adjusting BS7671 max values by rule of thumb before comparison to measured values, etc). You will also need knowledge of the individual test instruments (answering “a multi function tester” will get you no points).

You will need to know what documentation needs to be completed by the tester for different types of work. Some of these questions will be relatively easy but some will be worded in such a way that may make them difficult and obscure.

It would appear that whoever sets the questions opens Guidance Notes 3 at a random page and sets a question on a sentence that first jumps out at him. It is therefore imperative that you read GN3 as much as you can. No one passes 2391 without revising.

It is vastly important that you use the correct terminology as people lose a lot of marks by using terms such as:

Electricity at Work Act
Health and Safety at Work Regulations
Minor Works Certificate
Periodic Certificate

All of the above would get you no points as they are not the correct terminology.

The biggest mistake people seem to make is to spend too much time in Part A. The best advice may be to read these questions and if you know the answer fine but DO NOT dwell on the ones you’re not sure about, miss them out and come back to them later.

Section B consists of 6 structured, long-answer questions.

A lot of marks can be gained or lost on this section. As can be seen from the chart, each of these 6 questions is worth 10% of the overall marks so if you run out of time and miss one out it could be very costly!

You will be generally be given a scenario which will give details of an electrical installation including the type of supply and earthing arrangements. There will usually be around 15 lines for you to read and there may also be charts or tables giving information on the circuits used.

You will be asked about the tests/inspections required and how you would carry them out. There may be calculations where you need to find Pfc, Zs, Insulation Resistance values with circuits tested in parallel etc. All the information needed for the calculations will be given.

You may also be asked to make fully labelled drawings of earth loop impedance paths for different supply systems. It is important to make sure that you have fully understood the question and wise to go back and read the scenario again.

The chief examiners report suggests that students are giving answers which are relevant to 2391 but not answering the question which has been set. This may result in no points being awarded for that answer. You do not get extra points for waffling or providing general information, be to the point and make sure your answer is correct to the question.

Many students find the last 6 questions are easier than the previous 20 short ones. The problem is being able to transfer the knowledge from your head onto the paper. Never assume that the examiner will “know what I mean” as you will only gain marks if you can clearly demonstrate, by your answers, that you are competent in the theory of the 2391.

Important 2391 Tips:

* Take into account the number of marks available for each question (A question which carries 1 mark will require a much simpler answer than one carrying 15 marks)

* Answer the question This may seem obvious, but many students fail due to misunderstanding what is being asked and what is required. Read the question carefully and provide the correct response.

* Note the wording of the questions and structure your answer accordingly. The question may contain words such as: STATE, LIST, EXPLAIN WITH THE AID OF A DIAGRAM, EXPLAIN BRIEFLY, SHOW ALL CALCULATIONS etc.
You should bear this in mind when answering. For example, EXPLAIN BRIEFLY would require a brief explanation, usually no more than one or two sentences, STATE may be a short statement and may even be only a few words or less. Others such as SHOW ALL CALCULATIONS are self explanatory, but a correct answer without showing the calculations would only gain a small percentage of the actual marks available for that question.

* Use the correct terminology Apply the terms used in BS7671 such as'circuit ptotective conductors', 'main protective bonding' etc. Using general terms such as 'earthwires' or 'cross bonding' will not gain you any marks.

* Read Guidance Note 3 thoroughly - it will help you.

* Read the scenarion in Section B thoroughly and highlight the key pieces of information it contains.

* Read each question CAREFULLY - do not rush.

* Allow approximately 1 hour for Section A (20 questions) and the remaining hour and half for Section B (6 questions)

* Take a scientific calculator, pens and pencils into the 2391 exam with you. A highlighter may also be useful.

* Attempt to answer every question

Good Luck !

Electrician Courses - where do you start?

noreply@blogger.com (ElectaCourse.com) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 07:59:00 +0000

Electrician Courses - where do you start?

A question we get asked over and over again is 'how do I become an electrician' ?

Many people are confused about electrician courses, what's available and which course they should take to become a qualified electrician in the quickest possible time.

As a time served apprentice myself, I'm only too aware that you cannot cut corners when training for a profession is involved, but I've also come to accept that 'things ain't what they used to be'!

It seems that nowadays, the thought of 4 - 5 years training will cause most people to run a mile and judging by the regular emails we get on the subject, most people want to become an electrician in a matter of weeks, rather than years.

But is this such a bad thing? When I look back to my own apprenticeship, yes the first year was spent full time at college, but the following three years were spent with 1 day a week and one evening (2 hours) at college. When you break it down, taking lunch breaks etc. into account, that's only around 8 hours a week of training!

The rest of the week was spent 'on the job', but with regards to theory, why shouldn't that 8 hours a week be condensed into 1 day? I know that when you are studying weekly, the first part of your lesson is spent re-capping the work you done a week ago in the previous lesson, which is a bit of a waste of valuable time.

There are now many 'intensive' electrician courses available and many of today's practising electricians have chosen this route. However, experience counts for a lot and looking at some of the questions posted on electricians forum, by qualified electricians, it does become noticable that many are lacking in experience.

Experience comes with time, so it makes sense that a good 4 year apprenticeship served with an experienced electrican would result in a good apprentice who already has a wealth of experience under his belt before he/she even qualifies.

But, as mentioned previously, times have changed and with fewer and fewer companies willing to invest in training that takes several years, future electricians have to look elsewhere to gain their qualifications.

It would make a very good start for anyone considering electrician courses, to gain the 2382 17th Edition Wiring Regulations qualification. Demonstrating that you have this qualification would give any future electrician a head start and it's not that hard to obtain.

With a little home study and exam practice, this qualification can quite easily be obtained in less than a week. An excellent and very valuable electricians qualification with the minimum of inconvenience.

The 2392 Fundamental Inspection and Testing qualification is another very useful qualification, which is an excellent stepping stone towards the more advanced 2391. Again, the theory part of this exam can be gained relatively easily, but there is also a practical element which would require some practical guidance from an experienced electrician or tutor.

So, without spending years at college, it is possible to become an electrician with some of the may electrician courses available today. Experience comes with time, so as long as a newly qualified electrician does not bite off more than he can chew, in other words, sticking to simpler jobs until his experience and confidence grows, then the training received, whether it be from home study or intensive courses, will see him/her through.

All electrical qualifications help to demonstrate competence and another qualification that is quite easy to obtain is the 2377 Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment. This qualification can also help electricians earn valuable extra income from Portable Appliance Testing (PAT). We'll cover this qualification in a future article.

17th Edition Training ... explained ?

noreply@blogger.com (ElectaCourse.com) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 16:09:00 +0000

I'm sure that by now anyone involved in the electrical trade will already be aware that the 17th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations which was issued on 1st January 2008, fully came into effect from 1st July 2008.

So, since June 30th 2008, any electrical installation work should comply with the 17th edition wiring regulations and anyone involved in the installation and construction, design and / or inspection and testing of electrical work would need a sound working knowledge of the 17th edition. Due to this, there are now a variety of qualifications and training options which can provide the necessary skills and knowledge to those entering the industry and also experienced persons who simply need to update their existing qualifications.

Under Regulation 16 of the 1989 Electricity At Work Regulations, an electrical practitioner MUST be competent to complete the works they are undertaking and be able to demonstrate a sound technical knowledge. This means that a person should be able to fully demonstate why and how they can safely complete a particular electrical task.

It is vital that any practitioner working with installing or maintaining low voltage electrical work should be fully conversant with the 17th Edition Wiring Regulations requirements i.e. anyone involved in design, installation, inspection and testing within the electrical industry as a whole.

Background To The New 17th Edition Wiring Regulations

The new 17th Edition (BS 7671) has been introduced in order for electrical practitioners in the UK to standardise their practice and become aligned to the International or IEC and European or CENELEC guidance documents. All electrical installations made after July 1st 2008 will have to be certified and installed to comply with these new 17th Edition Regulations.

The changes to BS7671 in the 17th Edition are mainly to ensure standardisation in regulation numbers and document wording and have added requirements mainly to ensure increased protection for practitioners and persons and property against injury and damage caused by external factors such as voltage disturbances and electromagnetic influences.

As mentioned above, in order to comply with 17th Edition, persons must be able to demonstrate a sound technical knowledge and the ability to transfer this knowledge to their practical work.

There are many routes to obtain compliance with 17th Edition Wiring Regulations depending on level of experience and qualifications already gained.

In broad terms, in order to certify and to 'sign off' electrical installations after July 1st 2008, a person will need to be compliant with 17th Edition BS 7671 and have the appropriate qualifications for the work completed. The person certifying the installation is responsible for ensuring that it meets the appropriate safety standards and has been installed correctly.

Basic Electrical Training

College Of Further Education-City and Guilds Recognised Qualification (Level lll)

2330- Certificate in Electrotechnology (full or part time) This consists of one compulsory and two career path related modules. This gives a broad introduction to the electrical industry and this qualification can be used towards acheiving an NVQ LEVEL 3 qualification.

Further Electrical Training

Many people who have been working in the electrical industry hold a JIB valid ECS Gold card which means that they have demonsrated to JIB that they meet the standards required by the industry in which they are working. These people on the Part P Competent regisiter (meaning they are eauthorised to certify installtions) will be required to show they meet the requirements for 17th Edition Wiring Regulations by 2010. Those holding a Gold card and applying for Part P competency after July 2008 will need to obtain a 17th Edition qualification. This is normally done through self study and exam only.

If no Gold card is held, but a person has an appropriate 16th Edition qualification obtained relatively recently such as-

2381-Electrical Installations

2330 (07) Installation, Building and Structures

2330 (08) Electrical Maintainance

2360 - Electrical Installation Part 2

Then a one day update to include the 2382-20 or appropriate level lll module or if preferred, the more substantial three day City and Guilds 2382-10 or EAL level 3 diploma equivalent update.

If you do not hold an ECS Gold card and have not sat a recognised 16th Edition Qualification then you are required to sit the three day 2382-10 City and Guilds or relevant EAL level lll diploma update.

The 2382-10 City and Guilds qualification is acheived by sitting a two hour, 60 question assessment performed by online GOLA test system. EAL is sat using paper or online system.

The 2382-20 City and Guilds takes the format of a one hour GOLA exam where each entrant is required to answer 30 questions via the online system and paper or online with EAL.

Any COMPETENT person meeting the rquirements seeking to obtain a 17th Edition Qualification without enrolling on the one day course are advised to obtain a copy of the 17th Edition Wiring Regulations BS 7671-2008 well before enrolling for training and sitting the T60 assessment. This is done at ELA CENTRE and is in the format of 30 multiple choice paper based questions. Only one re-sit of this assessment is allowed and if the candididate is unsuccessful after two attempts then they will be required to attend the appropriate course for their particular needs.

Any person who has sat the relevant 16th Edition 2391-01 Inspection and Testing qualification is not currently required to undertake any additional training or qualification in line with the 17th Edition. The new 17th Edition 2392-10 and relevant EAL level lll diploma does however contain the relevant updates to the 17th Edition Regulations.

Useful Links:

Electricians Books
The IET

17th Edition 2382 Exam Update

noreply@blogger.com (ElectaCourse.com) — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 17:08:00 +0000

We are presently updating our 17th Edition 2382 Home Study Course.

Now that the 17th Edition Wiring Regulations and on-site guide have been published and the course requirements have been finalised, we are updating our 2382 course to the latest standards.

As always, the updated course will be available as a free upgrade to customers who have already purchased our 17th Edition 2382 home study course.

Please ensure that you are subscribed to our newsletter to receive updates.

17th Edition Exam Questions

noreply@blogger.com (ElectaCourse.com) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 11:53:00 +0000

17th Edition Exam Questions are one of the most common requests we get asked for at ElectaCourse.

For a few years now, the 17th edition exam (2382) has been offered as an online GOLA exam, rather than a written test. There are many 17th edition exam question papers circulating, however most actually relate to the 16th edition and are well out of date.

Our 2382 exam simulator has a pool of over 240 17th edition exam questions built in and simulates the actual City & Guilds 2382 17th Edition exam very accurately. A far more effective learning aid than outdated past 17th Edition Exam Questions.

Now in use by several major colleges and examination centres, our 17th Edition Exam simulator is a fantastic and cost effective learning aid.

New 2392 Course

noreply@blogger.com (ElectaCourse.com) — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 18:13:00 +0000

Our brand new City & Guilds 2392 Home Study Course is now available.

Based on our 2391 course and comprehensive enough to help you progress through the 2392 qualification and also gain the 2391 qualification, our new 2392 course comes complete with our 2392 Exam Simulator.

The course and exam simulator togrther provide one of the best home study learning methods available for the City and Guilds 2392 qualification.

New 2391 Course updated to 17th Edition

noreply@blogger.com (ElectaCourse.com) — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 18:07:00 +0000

Our popular 2391 home study course has now been re-written and updated to the 17th edition wiring regulations.

Now comprising of 6 comprehensive, but easy to follow presentations, our 2391 home study course is better than ever and an essential aid to help you gain this difficult electrical qualification.

Our newly updated course is available as a free upgrade to anyone who has purchased our previous 2391 course since March 1st 2008.

Simply contact us with your:

Name
email address
Date of Purchase
Transaction or Receipt Number

and we'll send your free upgrade via email.

Membership of UKPRN

noreply@blogger.com (ElectaCourse.com) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:48:00 +0000

ElectaCourse Limited are proud to announce that we are now members of the UK Register of Learning Providers and our Membership number is UKPRN: 10023689