Oregon Supervisors Exam

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Does anyone know a good prep school for the Oregon Supervisors Exam? I have passed the Master Electrician's Exam in a couple other states, but it has been a few years since then, and I am very rusty. I am more concerned with the calculations portion than the general questions but I need refreshing on all of it. Any assistance is really appreciated...

The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know!

John
 

Cow

Senior Member
Location
Eastern Oregon
Occupation
Electrician
I took one of John Powell's courses a couple years ago, he is the one that wrote all the different exams for the Oregon Supervisors tests.

He mentioned he was getting out of it for a while to go back into inspecting, you could try giving him a call to see if he plans on doing any classes in the future. You will not find a better exam prep course than taking it from the guy who wrote the test, I can tell you that!

His business is called John Powell Electrical Training and Consulting if you want to look up the phone number.
 

stevenje

Senior Member
Location
Yachats Oregon
I took one of John Powell's courses a couple years ago, he is the one that wrote all the different exams for the Oregon Supervisors tests.

He mentioned he was getting out of it for a while to go back into inspecting, you could try giving him a call to see if he plans on doing any classes in the future. You will not find a better exam prep course than taking it from the guy who wrote the test, I can tell you that!

His business is called John Powell Electrical Training and Consulting if you want to look up the phone number.

Exam Specifics:
Open-book examination, two sections. Section one contains 52 questions, section two contains 12 questions. (four hour time limit.)

The catch is you must pass each section with a 75% score or better.

On the 12 question section they give you a multi-faceted load calculation for a building(s) that includes from high voltage transformers all the way down to branch circuit receptacle loads and everything in between. If you
miscalculated something along the way it effects something else. One wrong answer leads to another. On the test that I took, 8 of the 12 questions where based on this massive load calculation. This one eats up the clock.

It is by far the toughest test I have ever taken. Get a hold of John Powell and take his course. You will be glad you did.
 
John Powell Contact

John Powell Contact

Exam Specifics:
Open-book examination, two sections. Section one contains 52 questions, section two contains 12 questions. (four hour time limit.)

The catch is you must pass each section with a 75% score or better.

On the 12 question section they give you a multi-faceted load calculation for a building(s) that includes from high voltage transformers all the way down to branch circuit receptacle loads and everything in between. If you
miscalculated something along the way it effects something else. One wrong answer leads to another. On the test that I took, 8 of the 12 questions where based on this massive load calculation. This one eats up the clock.

It is by far the toughest test I have ever taken. Get a hold of John Powell and take his course. You will be glad you did.

Thank you for the help. If you don't mind I have a couple questions, hopefully you can help. Do you know if I need to pass both sections of the test in the same sitting? For instance if I pass the 12 question calculation section but miss the general knowledge section do I need to retake the calculation portion. I read somewhere it is a 4 hour exam that only leaves about 4 minutes per question. For calculation questions that is not enough time at all. I think when I took the Washington exam I had 4 hours for 10 calculation questions.

Second, do you have any contact information for John Powell? Every internet number I found is a dead end.
 

stevenje

Senior Member
Location
Yachats Oregon
Thank you for the help. If you don't mind I have a couple questions, hopefully you can help. Do you know if I need to pass both sections of the test in the same sitting? For instance if I pass the 12 question calculation section but miss the general knowledge section do I need to retake the calculation portion. I read somewhere it is a 4 hour exam that only leaves about 4 minutes per question. For calculation questions that is not enough time at all. I think when I took the Washington exam I had 4 hours for 10 calculation questions.

Second, do you have any contact information for John Powell? Every internet number I found is a dead end.

Yes you have to pass both sections in one sitting or you retake the entire test again. My contact information is the same as what is found on the internet. It sounds like he no longer offers his course.

Good luck with your test.
 

OregonSE

Member
Location
Oregon
Oregon GSE

Oregon GSE

I took one of John Powell's courses a couple years ago, he is the one that wrote all the different exams for the Oregon Supervisors tests.

He mentioned he was getting out of it for a while to go back into inspecting, you could try giving him a call to see if he plans on doing any classes in the future. You will not find a better exam prep course than taking it from the guy who wrote the test, I can tell you that!

His business is called John Powell Electrical Training and Consulting if you want to look up the phone number.
I also took John Powells course which was how I think I got through it and passed a few years ago. I had heard that John is back with the State of Oregon instructing Inspectors and was no longer training for GSE or continuing Ed. Anyone know if this is fact?
 

Cow

Senior Member
Location
Eastern Oregon
Occupation
Electrician
When I took his class a year or two ago, he said it was one of his last classes before he went back to work for the state.
 

Sierrasparky

Senior Member
Location
USA
Occupation
Electrician ,contractor
Like others have stated it is a difficult test.
Oregons intentions is to limit those who can pass to a high degree.
 
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