# NEC reference cards ok to bring?



## thebard (Aug 22, 2017)

HI all,

I'm just wondering if it is ok to bring the NEC reference cards on the exam? I see that NFPA sells 13 cards, and, Amazon has what looks like a single 8.5x11 laminated card ("2017 National Electrical Code NEC Quick-Card by Builders Book Inc"). I'm just not sure if these are loose sheets or something and wouldn't be allowed.

Thanks.


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## trainrider (Aug 22, 2017)

Loose sheets are *not* allowed. You will get kicked out of the exam room and your exam will not be scored. 

If you really want them for your exam, photocopy them onto 8x11 and throw into your 3-ring binder. 

In my opinion, you don't need these cards for your exam. Go ahead and study from them, but all you need is the NEC Handbook and I recommend the Tom Henry key word index book. Best of luck!


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## rg1 (Aug 22, 2017)

trainrider said:


> Loose sheets are *not* allowed. You will get kicked out of the exam room and your exam will not be scored.
> 
> If you really want them for your exam, photocopy them onto 8x11 and throw into your 3-ring binder.
> 
> In my opinion, you don't need these cards for your exam. Go ahead and study from them, but all you need is the NEC Handbook and I recommend the Tom Henry key word index book. Best of luck!


Are they really ruthless? I mean there can always be a interpretation difference between what is loose- what is bound. They can tell us to keep it outside, if they feel that a particular item is loose. What if- a martial is stapled together?


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## knight1fox3 (Aug 22, 2017)

rg1 said:


> Are they really ruthless? I mean there can always be a interpretation difference between what is loose- what is bound.


The better question. Are you really willing to argue semantics and risk your exam results being invalidated due to interpretation? I think not. Best to follow the guidelines as closely as possible. Typically proctors are not of the engineering types and will interpret things much much different. They also tend to operate mostly on a binary scale in terms of what they deem to be an infraction.


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## Jbone27 PE (Aug 22, 2017)

I saw a girls binder come open when she was removing it from her tote in the middle of the exam. A bunch of  pages fell out and she wasn't allowed to use it at all. Yes it's up for interpretation and she probably would have been allowed to reassemble it under 9 out of 10 proctors but I would always err on the safe side when you have any doubt. NCEES has all the rules on their website.


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## trainrider (Aug 22, 2017)

rg1 said:


> Are they really ruthless? I mean there can always be a interpretation difference between what is loose- what is bound. They can tell us to keep it outside, if they feel that a particular item is loose. What if- a martial is stapled together?


I am providing you the instructions they gave me during my exam. Not worth the risk IMO. Knight1fox3 is correct. Follow the rules or live with consequences, your choice.


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## rg1 (Aug 23, 2017)

trainrider said:


> I am providing you the instructions they gave me during my exam. Not worth the risk IMO. Knight1fox3 is correct. Follow the rules or live with consequences, your choice.


Thanks everyone. Certainly not going to let proctors perform a test on me.  Binder whether three hole or multi hole is my most loose item with me. Just wanted to know, where does exactly, the rule stand. Discussion always benefits. Optimization on anything and everything is part and parcel of Engineering practice. Habits die hard. But there is something called factor of safety!!!!


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## trainrider (Aug 23, 2017)

rg1 said:


> Thanks everyone. Certainly not going to let proctors perform a test on me.  Binder whether three hole or multi hole is my most loose item with me. Just wanted to know, where does exactly, the rule stand. Discussion always benefits. Optimization on anything and everything is part and parcel of Engineering practice. Habits die hard. But there is something called factor of safety!!!!


Items need to be in a 3 ring binder, spiral bound or sewn bound like the kind you see with composition notebooks. No loose or stapled sheets allowed of any kind.  Best of luck!


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## cos90 (Aug 23, 2017)

Read through this: 






pencil and paper section. 

Don't lose out to a technicality.


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## Ken PE 3.1 (Aug 23, 2017)

And no fit-bits!


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## KatyLied P.E. (Sep 11, 2017)

On a related note Complex Imaginary's NEC drill book is also a  great  resource. This late in the game I'd be wary of throwing off my routine if you already feel comfortable enough.  Just another resource if needed.


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## PDX-EE (Apr 8, 2019)

You know the test case you guys are all talking about not wanting to be...? Well that's me. For whatever reason I 100% knew that any exam reference materials had to be bound to start the test. For some reason my brain didn't link that with those materials needing to stay bound during the test. I had a set of stapled notes I was using a lot, and it was hard to flip through them with the staple and the 3-ring. So i pulled them out. Soon after a proctor informed me of my violation and took my notes (which was my main consolidated equation reference sheet).

They let me finish the exam, and over lunch I was even able to go reprint them from a small mom &amp; pop print shop, grab a 3-ring binder from Wal-mart, hole punch them in my car, and bring them back in for the second half exam (minus my hand-written blue pen study notes).

Now I'm stuck in purgatory wondering if my exam will be scored, or invalidated, or worse.

Don't be me.


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## fyrfytr310 (Apr 8, 2019)

PDX-EE said:


> You know the test case you guys are all talking about not wanting to be...? Well that's me. For whatever reason I 100% knew that any exam reference materials had to be bound to start the test. For some reason my brain didn't link that with those materials needing to stay bound during the test. I had a set of stapled notes I was using a lot, and it was hard to flip through them with the staple and the 3-ring. So i pulled them out. Soon after a proctor informed me of my violation and took my notes (which was my main consolidated equation reference sheet).
> 
> They let me finish the exam, and over lunch I was even able to go reprint them from a small mom &amp; pop print shop, grab a 3-ring binder from Wal-mart, hole punch them in my car, and bring them back in for the second half exam (minus my hand-written blue pen study notes).
> 
> ...


Yikes....  The guy behind me, civil I believe, had the majority of his notes in folders.  Totally loose.  They took them all.........  I could hear the panic in the sounds of the scratches of pencil against paper.


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