meagm11
Active member
I'm still waiting on my Mech-HVAC results. I'm just curious how people who have heard back did on this test. I know a lot of us weren't very happy about the afternoon test.
Anyone who took Mech-HVAC October 2010 get results?
- Thread starter meagm11
- Start date
Help Support Professional Engineer & PE Exam Forum:
meagm11
Active member
Its good to know they score differently. It seemed like everyone who took the MD and T&F tests didn't have as much difficulty as the HVAC. I was worried they would screw us over!
Well, I hope the fact that very few people have replied is not because everyone failed! haha!
adh
Active member
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2010
- Messages
- 36
- Reaction score
- 0
Hey I'm still waiting on my Mech HVAC Oct 2010 results... haven't heard much about it on here. I'm thinking the mail should be here any day now...
meagm11
Active member
I found out yesterday that I passed the Mechanical HVAC exam. I thought the morning section was very easy, but struggled something fierce in the afternoon. If I would have had to do it again, I would spend a lot more time using the ASHRAE books to find equations and solutions to problems. I was outside my comfort zone when I couldn't find direction in my other references and had to dig through the ASHRAE books.
meagm11
Active member
I just got my results! I passed!!!!!! First time!
adh
Active member
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2010
- Messages
- 36
- Reaction score
- 0
adh
Active member
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2010
- Messages
- 36
- Reaction score
- 0
I felt very well prepared for the morning part of the exam. I read through many of the MERM chapters and did the practice problems at the end which I would recommend for the AM part. The afternoon part was much harder for me. I feel the MERM is a little skinny for the HVAC depth. The ASHRAE books are very helpful. I would spend some time getting used to using the indexes in those books and get used to being able to locate information quickly from one book to another. I also would recommend the 6 minute solutions HVAC book (many people recommend all 3, but I just used the HVAC book) and the Lindeburg exam. At first pass, the Lindeburg exam is very difficult (and very discouraging) but forget about timing yourself, just chip away at the problems one by one and make sure you fully understand a problem before moving onto the next problem. I also was able to find some previous NCEES tests and other HVAC textbooks (the Crane paper, Cameron Hydraulic Data, etc.) at my University's engineering library which were helpful too. Work as many problems as possible, and more importantly, understand the theory behind each problem. Then go back and work the problems again. Get very comfortable working problems. Take a couple of days off work if you can and spend a full day at a time on these exams. For me, the problems seemed easier once I'd gotten in a groove. You will begin to recognize patterns and similar approaches. Most of all, take a deep breath, don't get caught up with stress, and never stop working problems.
I wish you the very best of luck!
(Now get crackin' on those problems!)
HerrKaLeun
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 12, 2010
- Messages
- 205
- Reaction score
- 0
I don't think p.m. was much harder. It was just more intense than a.m. but some civil peer said the same about civil test...
In the morning I was done after 2 hours and then re-calculated everything in different ways. In the afternoon I really had to work continuously for 4 hours. (I passed, BTW).
you should be fluent in calculating and recognizing problems. Do many practice questions.... Be fluent in the ASHRAE books and MERM. Being able to find everything quickly, be fluent in calculating,... I made a cheat sheet with all "rule of thumb" equations for pump power etc. there often is no need to calculate in the formal complicated way (you can do that when you have time to double-check).
I took a thermo, Power plant etc. book with me, but didn't need it.
meagm11
Active member
As I said above, I passed! YAY! I think maybe my biggest mistake was believing I needed to prepare more for the morning than the afternoon. I kept thinking, "Hey, I do HVAC design everyday so I need to review TF and MD in much more depth" In reality, these questions were quite basic in the morning. The MERM had everything I needed for the morning test. I left the morning early feeling confident about every problem except for maybe 2 or 3.
I thought the afternoon was more difficult because it was very different than any of the practice tests I had done. I had worked the six minute solutions, and both NCEES tests. (2001 and 2008) I rarely used the MERM in the afternoon because it really is lacking in the HVAC department. If there was an equation or fundamental I needed that I didn't already have memorized, I went to the ASHRAE books. It would have been better to be more familiar with the ASHRAE books. It seems like there were a lot of questions that didn't require calculations that tripped me up. They were questions like what does ASHRAE stand for? (that really wasn't a question...just and example) If I didn't know the answer right away, I spent a lot of time trying to look it up in the ASHRAE books. I think the only question I just flat out guessed on was one of these questions.
Oh and be very very familiar with enthaply wheels. I thought there were a ton of questions on enthaply wheels....
HerrKaLeun
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 12, 2010
- Messages
- 205
- Reaction score
- 0
Sure it changes. If it didn't change, the repeat taker pass rates would be higher
Fortunately I don't have opportunity to see more than one
But people who took the test in recent years also pointed out that psychometric is big. And energy wheels are pure psychrometrics. Obviously different than cooling coils. but if you know how to use a psychrometric chart, you'll be fine with anything they ask about wheels, cooling/heating coils, humidifiers etc.
Thank you to everyone that posted a reply to my question! It looks like I'll be spending a little more time with my ASHRAE books than I first thought.
Does anyone know where I can get a Psychometric Wheel? I've always used a chart because time usually isn't a factor like during the test.
Thanks again.
Does anyone know where I can get a Psychometric Wheel? I've always used a chart because time usually isn't a factor like during the test.
Thanks again.
adh
Active member
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2010
- Messages
- 36
- Reaction score
- 0
I believe most states require all reference material brought into the examination room to be "permanently bound." No loose items are permitted, but items secured in a three-ring binder (no opening of the rings of course) are okay. (Check your state for exact rules.) I'm not sure how this will work with the wheel...
Print out the ASHRAE Psych. Chart #1 on 11x17" paper and work your practice problems using that. You will have sufficient time to solve psychrometric problems using this type of chart on the actual test.
