Washington Electrical Admin Exam

Q

quantum`

Member
Location
Seattle, WA
Occupation
Builder
I am gearing up for the exam but can't afford Mike's program (unemployed), so am prepping by reading the 2020 Code cover-to-cover. I've also printed the WAC and RCW for study.

I'm quite technical and have wired my own houses complete for years, but the thing I'm worried about and what many seem to fail the first go-around on the exams, is calculations.

I am not excellent with math and essentially do not understand algebra. Wondering the best way to prepare for the calculations portion?

Second question: For those in WA, is it true the exam is only given in Olympia? This would mean I have to drive down the day before and stay in a flea-bag motel.
 
The exam is administered by PSI, with exam locations throughout the USA. Look at the Washington state LNI (Labor and Industries) website for more information.
 
quantum` said:
. . . so am prepping by reading the 2020 Code cover-to-cover. I've also printed the WAC and RCW for study.

I am not excellent with math and essentially do not understand algebra. Wondering the best way to prepare for the calculations portion?
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Washington state is planning to adopt the 2026 NEC edition early next year. So I expect the current WA Administrator exam is based on the 2023 edition. I can't tell you how that will affect the exam questions.

You don't need to use algebra; arithmetic skills (i.e., addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) are all you will use. But you will need to know what to add to what, and in which circumstances you can reduce that result by applying a demand factor. The back of the NEC has some examples. This forum also has examples.
 
Indeed I have checked PSI, and Tacoma claims to give the exams, but no avail slots in October. Only other option within 100 miles is Olympia.

I've checked and the exam is def 2020, although L&I is inspecting now to 2023, lol.

Ok I'll eventually get to the back of the NEC. (908 pages) and will study your resources, thanks. I sure hope there are pages and pages of charts in that 908 pages...
 
Understand there are PSI locations all over WA. I took my PMP exam 1 mile away from home. But for this exam the only location within 100 miles in October is in Olympia. I have now booked Wednesday-next.

(Moderator edit: I have removed politically-related content. I wish you a successful test result.)
 
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Keep in mind if you don’t pass it’s three months before you ca ln retake exam. Can you find a used copy of Mike Holts Master electrician exam prep? It’s what you will need. Study the currents newsletter question of the month. WA is testing on the 23 code, that information is in the currents
 
WHAT political content?

And no I spoke directly with L&I's certification dept and she said they are testing on 2020. That she'd recently heard from a couple of test takers who'd studied 2023 and failed.

I've found vol 1 of his exam prep, but it is 800-something pages, and he goes into alot of theory which I already know. And his article numbering does not correspond with Code. (2020-2020) It seems my time is better spent reading the 908 page Code cover-to-cover, and WAC and RCW which I'll print out.
 
I ended up taking a CEU class for prepping for the administrators test. Then I spent several hours every night doing and redoing the sample questions from the CEU class. The Washington test is TOUGH. Didn't pass on the first time around and went back to redoing the test questions again and again and passed on the second go around.
 
Eh, clearly I need practice test questions. Though I don't know where I'll find time. Thanks.

I've seen conflicting info on Admin, whether it's 70% to pass or 60%?
 
So many things in Code seem internally conflicting. For example raceways are allowed to serve as the grounding conductor, but 250.186(A)(1) says, "The grounded conductor shall not be smaller than the required grounding electrode conductor specified in Table 250.102 ( C ) ( 1 ) but shall not be required to be larger than the largest ungrounded service - entrance conductor (s) ."

So now I have to run ground wires in the raceway?

250.186(A)(3) says, "The grounded conductor of a 3 - phase , 3- wire delta service shall have an ampacity not less than that of the ungrounded conductors.

Whereas it earlier says a 3 - phase , 3- wire delta service doesn't need a ground.

Many contradictions like this.
 
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quantum` said:
Eh, clearly I need practice test questions. Though I don't know where I'll find time. Thanks.

I've seen conflicting info on Admin, whether it's 70% to pass or 60%?
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My recommendation is 100 questions a week 10-20 hours
Get the psi exam candidates material. It will tell you what code testing is as well as the currents
 
I passed with 70.4 %, ten questions on calculations, were very hard. This was before Mike Holts great exam prep material. It did help to read NEC cover to cover
 
quantum` said:
So many things in Code seem internally conflicting. For example raceways are allowed to serve as the grounding conductor, but 250.186(A)(1) says, "The grounded conductor shall not be smaller than the required grounding electrode conductor specified in Table 250.102 ( C ) ( 1 ) but shall not be required to be larger than the largest ungrounded service - entrance conductor (s) ."
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grounding conductor != grounded conductor, but yeah the code can be confusing.
 
Just got my spiral-bound Code book, and I will need a magnifying glass for this. Good thing I can blow it up on the laptop. Contrast isn't very good to my 71yo eyes.

Judging from the FastTabs, there are large portions I can skip. I've just about covered half the close-together tabs. Really can use some skipping, for time on questions.

I got kind of turned off on Mike's materials as in his sales interview he emphasizes electrical basics, which I've been all about for 50 years. Also about the middle of the interview he starts getting defensive and almost freaks out, at least to my PacNW sensibilities... that's when I stopped the video.

This forum is top-rate though.
 
Any tips on test taking?

I'm thinking for example, for each question decide which category it is, and look that up in the table of contents or index to quickly find it in the Code.
 
quantum` said:
Any tips on test taking?

I'm thinking for example, for each question decide which category it is, and look that up in the table of contents or index to quickly find it in the Code.
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The non calculation part of the test is just standard multiple choice questions and just typical and easy if you know your way around the code book. It's the calculation part which many people find difficult. For example a typical question is They will give you a list of loads in a building and ask you to compute the service load, so you just got to be familiar with the article 220 process for this. I would try to find a publication that has worked out examples. There are few in the back of the NEC but not that many.
 
quantum` said:
So many things in Code seem internally conflicting. For example raceways are allowed to serve as the grounding conductor, but 250.186(A)(1) says, "The grounded conductor shall not be smaller than the required grounding electrode conductor specified in Table 250.102 ( C ) ( 1 ) but shall not be required to be larger than the largest ungrounded service - entrance conductor (s) ."

So now I have to run ground wires in the raceway?

250.186(A)(3) says, "The grounded conductor of a 3 - phase , 3- wire delta service shall have an ampacity not less than that of the ungrounded conductors.

Whereas it earlier says a 3 - phase , 3- wire delta service doesn't need a ground.

Many contradictions like this.
Click to expand...
You need to be careful with your definitions and terminology. Note those sections are talking about what we commonly call the "neutral conductor", NOT the EGC. 250.186(A)(3) is saying that if you have a corner grounded delta system, then the grounded conductor must have the same ampacity of the 2 ungrounded conductors.

Another tip: always be cognizant of where you are in the code book and if a section you are looking at applies to what is being asked. In case you were not aware, those sections are for over 1000V.
 
Excellent tips @electrofelon, thank you. Yes I've noticed the 1,000v sections and must be careful to not answer by those when not asked.

I'm learning the general structure ('music') of the Code, but starting to get nervous as my exam is Wednesday and I'm only on Article 424. But what I know to this point, I know. Soon it'll be time to change gears and go over the WAC and RCW. Then bear down on calcs. I must spend half of Tuesday driving to Olympia.

With my spiral Code book I got FastTabs, and noticed that they skip a number of Articles, so I am taking that as permission to skip those. Read 100 pages yesterday. I also got an accordian-folded calculations quick-reference, which I'll bet is helpful once I study and understand it.

The printing in the Code book is small and light, so I'll take my Coil super-magnifying specs (which I use for working on tiny SMD electronics). Lost my reading glasses a while back. (I'm 71yo)
 
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