Passing your 2377-200 PAT Testing Exam

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

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?

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 ?

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

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

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

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.