I just failed the calc section of my Washington administration test for the third time today. I've been studying the calculation prep book Mike Holt has been good enough to provide for us for several months. When I went into todays test I was calm and collected and confident in my abilities. My multi fam calcs are solid and I was sure of my motor skills and undaunted by the two commercial tenant question. My calculations went smooth, I triple checked all of my answers to be sure, and every time I hit the equal button the final time my numbers matched an exam answer; at least close enough that it would be accounted for by a decimal here and there.
I knew I had passed with a hundred percent and had hardly raised a drop of sweat. I only got three out of the seven.
I just don't get it. I can do these things in the prep book to a T, I've asked other administrators to proof my techniques, I read and re-read the pertinent sections on motors and welders and understand lighting in commercial buildings and I just don't get it. How can I be failing this test still.
Obviously to answer that you'd have to stand over my shoulder and watch me, but more to the point, is this really necessary?
After approving our unique circumstances two years ago L&I is now citing our administrator, a weekend Weyerhaeuser employee, for violating the standard of availability (he doesn't work for the mill during the week and is on call and available to us 24/7) and is threatening to shut our small 4 man shop down. We wire houses, do some millwrighting, do house calls and do some very little commercial work in our small town. We are an essential service to our small community and the state wants to shut us down for doing exactly what they gave us permission to do, employ a knowledgeable administrator who works for Weyerhaeuser on the weekends.
So I'm working to become the new administrator. I understand the test must be difficult to keep out the riff raff but I'm no dummy, we don't take on what we can't handle and if there's any doubt at all we upgrade the wire, it's not that expensive. If I can come within a hundred watts of the answer on this test then what does it matter if I use the next larger conductor in the real world?
I'm not saying the test should be a no brainer but does it need to be this difficult? And I'm not the only one complaining here. Allot of you have had difficulties as well, and besides when the going gets tuff out there, there are always outsiders and electrical engineers to consult. And one final thing, if someone gives us a two tennent commercial building I damn well won't calc it out in fifteen minutes and stake my company on it, and that how much time we have on the test.
So is this test, or the state for that matter, fair in asking this of us? Am I out of line for complaining this much? Or is there a legitimate concern here? Not to mention I have to drive two hours each way to test and shell out fifty bucks each time.
Casey
I knew I had passed with a hundred percent and had hardly raised a drop of sweat. I only got three out of the seven.
I just don't get it. I can do these things in the prep book to a T, I've asked other administrators to proof my techniques, I read and re-read the pertinent sections on motors and welders and understand lighting in commercial buildings and I just don't get it. How can I be failing this test still.
Obviously to answer that you'd have to stand over my shoulder and watch me, but more to the point, is this really necessary?
After approving our unique circumstances two years ago L&I is now citing our administrator, a weekend Weyerhaeuser employee, for violating the standard of availability (he doesn't work for the mill during the week and is on call and available to us 24/7) and is threatening to shut our small 4 man shop down. We wire houses, do some millwrighting, do house calls and do some very little commercial work in our small town. We are an essential service to our small community and the state wants to shut us down for doing exactly what they gave us permission to do, employ a knowledgeable administrator who works for Weyerhaeuser on the weekends.
So I'm working to become the new administrator. I understand the test must be difficult to keep out the riff raff but I'm no dummy, we don't take on what we can't handle and if there's any doubt at all we upgrade the wire, it's not that expensive. If I can come within a hundred watts of the answer on this test then what does it matter if I use the next larger conductor in the real world?
I'm not saying the test should be a no brainer but does it need to be this difficult? And I'm not the only one complaining here. Allot of you have had difficulties as well, and besides when the going gets tuff out there, there are always outsiders and electrical engineers to consult. And one final thing, if someone gives us a two tennent commercial building I damn well won't calc it out in fifteen minutes and stake my company on it, and that how much time we have on the test.
So is this test, or the state for that matter, fair in asking this of us? Am I out of line for complaining this much? Or is there a legitimate concern here? Not to mention I have to drive two hours each way to test and shell out fifty bucks each time.
Casey
