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The purpose is to provide assurance that the person that does the work or inspects the work really does know what they are doing in addition of just saying "I know how to build a house." The point is to protect the occupants, including future buyers, from electrical hazards. If the electrical installation is not approved I doubt if any company would insure the place.
Check out a copy of the National Electrical Code in a library or a book store. The test is based on that information. A certificate of occupancy (apparently) requires that the wiring be done and/or approved by a licensed electrician. Becoming a licensed electrician requires more than just taking the test. Proving you are actually qualified will cost you far more than hiring an electrician so I suggest you just arrange with an electrician the details of who will do what and how much his signature will cost.
GregW - Check out a copy of the National Electrical Code in a library or a book store. The test is based on that information
Yes, I posted that information September 18th after I talked to the State office. It's actually only the first 4 chapters of the NEC.
A certificate of occupancy (apparently) requires that the wiring be done and/or approved by a licensed electrician
A CO is issued after a final inspection by the AHJ, who may or may not be a licensed electrician. The work may be done by a licensed electrician or the owner builder.
Becoming a licensed electrician requires more than just taking the test
True enough, but I'm not interested in becoming an electrician, just getting the permit required to build my own home.
Proving you are actually qualified will cost you far more than hiring an electrician
The cost the test is $25, I don't think I'm likely to hire a sparky for $25, but maybe things are cheaper where you are?
I suggest you just arrange with an electrician the details of who will do what and how much his signature will cost.
It's the State of New Mexico Inspector's signature I'll be needing for the CO, not an electrician's.
If the electrical installation is not approved I doubt if any company would insure the place.
You imply I am incapable of doing the work so as to pass inspection?
GregW, I don't know you from Adam, but it seems you have nothing constructive to add to this discussion. You have no idea as to my ability to wire a house, yet you advise me to hire someone to do it for me.
Thanks for your advice, but why don't you go help someone else?
Joe H - I am capable of wiring a house (I wired a shop for both 120 and 240v when I was a teen) and I am pretty certain you are as well. I am not questioning your skill. I am trying to warn you about the stubbornness of State and/or local inspection systems. Knowing what they will want is just as important as the actual work.
Good luck on your building and please keep us informed. I may be doing something similar in the future.
Has anybody taken the california state electrician certification test, if so how hard is the test?
I took the journeyman Electrician test last week. You must finish the test within 4 hours. The test covers the 2002 NEC code book. I would say the test is not hard but if you were not an electrician you would not know what the question was most of the time. Like what is smurf tube. Tradesmen refer to the stuff by that name but I have not seen it in the NEC book that way. (ENT) is how the book refers to it. The questions on the test must be looked up most of the time. What is being tested is your ability to find the particular problem in a book 2 inches By 8.5 by 11 inches with very small print. If you have worked with the code book very much I think you would finish the test in about 2 1/2 to three hours because of you have used the book so much in the past. Even if you have worked as an electrician for years I think it would be dificult to get a perfect score. Of course you only have to get 70 out of 100 questions. The problem is to qualify for the test. after you have done that & praticed looking up questions in the code book for time. I believe you will pass 1st time. Later, bill lee
[quote=williamylee;6561832]I took the journeyman Electrician test last week. You must finish the test within 4 hours. The test covers the 2002 NEC code book. I would say the test is not hard but if you were not an electrician you would not know what the question was most of the time. Like what is smurf tube. Tradesmen refer to the stuff by that name but I have not seen it in the NEC book that way. (ENT) is how the book refers to it. The questions on the test must be looked up most of the time. What is being tested is your ability to find the particular problem in a book 2 inches By 8.5 by 11 inches with very small print. If you have worked with the code book very much I think you would finish the test in about 2 1/2 to three hours because of you have used the book so much in the past. Even if you have worked as an electrician for years I think it would be dificult to get a perfect score. Of course you only have to get 70 out of 100 questions. The problem is to qualify for the test. after you have done that & praticed looking up questions in the code book for time. I believe you will pass 1st time. Later, bill lee P.S. I hope I answered your question & did not ramble to much. The Building code has provisions for building several homes in a calender year (owner builder), the main thing that was mentioned in other replies (& I believe it) is your Building official.
Bill Lee, the New Mexico test is closed book. 2008 NEC.
It's like reading glue, slow and boring as hell. I'm guessing about 99% of it is stuff I have no need to know. Or anyone else for that matter.
There's no point to memorizing this EXCEPT to take the test. Like memorizing span tables, what for? It's in books, when you need the info you look for it. It's what the code book is for, if you don't know you look it up.
You're allowed to pass with only 70 out of 100 on an OPEN BOOK test? That's the same % required of an owner builder with no book.
Makes me wonder why a Journeyman electrician would do any better than a supposed amateur?
My guess is this is designed to keep electricians employed, and I don't know any that know all this stuff.
Joe H
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wiring
