Do i really need to study voltage drop for test?

[vanskills]

Hello

My test date is in a few days and i have the calcs down to a science except voltage drop...i never even bothered looking at because it seemed annoying..lol

Do i really need to take the time to study this...do you think it will even be on the test?

BTW i live here in Colorado and i know the test is hard but i dont want to waste my energy studing something that will be one question..

Thanks..

 

[LEO2854]

Hello

My test date is in a few days and i have the calcs down to a science except voltage drop...i never even bothered looking at because it seemed annoying..lol

Do i really need to take the time to study this...do you think it will even be on the test?

BTW i live here in Colorado and i know the test is hard but i dont want to waste my energy studing something that will be one question..

Thanks..

You should spend some time on it ,there might one quistion there may be more than one or there may none at all

Good luck on the test, And Welcome to the forum:grin:

 

[vanskills]

Ya been here awile just never really posted, im a reader

I just have so much stuff crammed in my head i didnt want to overload my brain with some calcs that i dont really need.

Sounds like its probably not worth doing...i can afford to miss one question!...hehe

 

[raider1]

Ya been here awile just never really posted, im a reader

I just have so much stuff crammed in my head i didnt want to overload my brain with some calcs that i dont really need.

Sounds like its probably not worth doing...i can afford to miss one question!...hehe

The Utah Journeymans test has quite a few questions on voltage drop. I have had a few student that have failed the test due to not studying the voltage drop formulas.

Chris

 

[chris kennedy]

I just have so much stuff crammed in my head i didnt want to overload my brain with some calcs that i dont really need.

IMO they are some of the easiest calcs we do and ones we use often in the field. Just plug in the numbers and go.

 

[jumper]

I agree with with both Chris's. Also remember that voltage drop is a required consideration in at least two different articles that I know of.

 

[wireguy8169]

Hello

My test date is in a few days and i have the calcs down to a science except voltage drop...i never even bothered looking at because it seemed annoying..lol

Do i really need to take the time to study this...do you think it will even be on the test?

BTW i live here in Colorado and i know the test is hard but i dont want to waste my energy studing something that will be one question..

Thanks..

Its better to have it down, hopefully you will kill the test but if for some reason your close on a passing score that could be the one question that brings you over the top. I have found with test taking that just cause your prepared does not mean the questions will make sense or you will not get brain lock, so IMHO yes study it. There was not one on my test but never know

 

[luckylerado]

VD is so easy, and once you get it you'll have it forever. Haha. Mike has an excellent page on VD with formulas and examples. It is worth knowing.

 

[nick panaro]

ive found that VD calcs are the most common used in our trade. Think about it... if you have a 40 amp load 175 ft from its source, how are you going to know what size conductor to use? learn the formula. its the easiest formula you'll use in our trade

 

[vanskills]

Well passed the test by a large margin, the calcs were the easiest part, the look ups are by far more annoying than calcs (to me anyway)

There was only one voltage drop question and it was an easy one, just asked the maximum drop allowed for a branch circuit.

 

[chris kennedy]

Well congrats! Now you can relax and learn VD.:grin:

 

[vanskills]

Honestly i just read the plans and build.

I dont get paid to do calculations.


If they want to pay me 50 bucks an hour ill bust out the calculator and check the engineers math..lol

 

[ohmhead]

Hello

My test date is in a few days and i have the calcs down to a science except voltage drop...i never even bothered looking at because it seemed annoying..lol

Do i really need to take the time to study this...do you think it will even be on the test?

BTW i live here in Colorado and i know the test is hard but i dont want to waste my energy studing something that will be one question..

Thanks..

Yes its very important not just for the test but we use it on every job as the engineers who design it kinda forget sometimes its nice to know how when your a electrician .

 

[kwired]

I don't agree that voltage drop calculations are the easiest or most often used in the trade.

It would seem to me that Ohm's law and Kirchoff's laws are a base to many things and are the most important and most used. Many calculations are derived from some of the simplest calculations and if you forget the more complex formulas you can many times find what you are looking for with multiple simple formulas.

 

[George Stolz]

Yes its very important not just for the test but we use it on every job as the engineers who design it kinda forget sometimes its nice to know how when your a electrician .

Agreed. I've always considered it a prerequisite for good design. There have been numerous times in the field where I have needed to ascertain voltage drop.

There are many times when there are no prints, or when the prints are intentionally vague and specs require the installer to account for voltage drop on their own. While there are almost no requirements in the NEC to observe it, a representative from the NFPA will not be making a special trip to your job to defend a shoddy installation. It's up to the license running the job.

 

[BILLY101]

The engineering drawings that I have seen over the years increasingly lack detail due decreasing competence of engineering, increasing ignorance of owners and pressure to design on the cheep.
This puts pressure on contractors and electricians even more to complete the engineering as we do the installation.
So, to stay relevant you need to be an engineer without the framed paper.
Good studies my friend.

BILLY

 

[chris kennedy]

The engineering drawings that I have seen over the years increasingly lack detail due decreasing competence of engineering, increasing ignorance of owners and pressure to design on the cheep.
This puts pressure on contractors and electricians even more to complete the engineering as we do the installation.
So, to stay relevant you need to be an engineer without the framed paper.
Good studies my friend.

BILLY

Nice post Billy, spot on IMO.

 

[chris kennedy]

Honestly i just read the plans and build.

I dont get paid to do calculations.


If they want to pay me 50 bucks an hour ill bust out the calculator and check the engineers math..lol

Learn the term, 'RFI'.