# EE's: The final push



## cableguy (Oct 18, 2010)

So what are you folks doing in your final week and a half?

Me, I've been through the NCEES exam so many times that I can circle the right answers without working the problem. I'm hitting the Kaplan exam again, since it's pretty tough but has some good problems in it (aside from the craptacular editing). I've got my formula sheets finished, got all my references organized and tabbed, and am just about ready to hit it.

It's going to be a long week and a half. And then an even longer 6 week wait...


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## t5rrr (Oct 18, 2010)

Firstly, it's work as usual, might have to pull some late nights at work this week to make up for the 2 day vacation I'm taking the days before the exam to relax and refresh my mind.

Other than that, it's organizing formula/summary sheets, writing the solutions to the NCEES Sample exam tailored to my way of solving the problems.

Oh, and looking for container/bag to haul my binders and books into the exam hall


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## knight1fox3 (Oct 18, 2010)

Glad you started this thread cableguy as I've been meaning to myself. Pretty much doing the same thing, working any problems I can to get my technique down. I've been through the sample exam enough so that I can also circle the answer without working the problem. I may go through the Kaplan exam again but I was frustrated with it the first time I went through it. I might instead work some of the sample problems in the Chelapati book. I also have a number of supplemental problems from the GA Tech course material.

One of my issues on the upcoming exam (as was the case with the Spring exam) is going to be the short conceptual questions where little to no calculations are required. A few prime examples of this are NCEES 128, 113, 112. Most of my references are good with the "meat &amp; potatoes" problems and the fundamentals. For the questions I mentioned, I have difficulty finding any specific references which would help me arrive at the answer. And there were plenty of those types of problems on the April exam. Any thoughts?



cableguy said:


> It's going to be a long week and a half. And then an even longer 6 week wait...


That must be nice. Wisconsin was one of the last states to send out results. I believe it was just above the 12 week mark. :brickwall:


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## cdcengineer (Oct 18, 2010)

t5rrr said:


> Firstly, it's work as usual, might have to pull some late nights at work this week to make up for the 2 day vacation I'm taking the days before the exam to relax and refresh my mind.
> Other than that, it's organizing formula/summary sheets, writing the solutions to the NCEES Sample exam tailored to my way of solving the problems.
> 
> Oh, and looking for container/bag to haul my binders and books into the exam hall


Try a big suit case with wheels and tow handle for hauling books.


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## mull982 (Oct 19, 2010)

cableguy said:


> So what are you folks doing in your final week and a half?
> Me, I've been through the NCEES exam so many times that I can circle the right answers without working the problem. I'm hitting the Kaplan exam again, since it's pretty tough but has some good problems in it (aside from the craptacular editing). I've got my formula sheets finished, got all my references organized and tabbed, and am just about ready to hit it.
> 
> It's going to be a long week and a half. And then an even longer 6 week wait...


I'm just curious what kind of formula sheets people are putting together? Are these basically handwritten sheets with a number of equations and formulas on them?


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## cableguy (Oct 19, 2010)

Note that I have access to one of those plastic ring binding machines at work, I have gone crazy with the thing.

My "formula sheet" is about 8 pages of handwritten notes in a plastic binder. I broke it down in to sections. By page:

1) Angle, Cosine, Sine table (useful for quick power factor stuff) - did this on an Excel spreadsheet

2) Page with Per Unit conversions, Wattmeter, CT/PT/Relaying, Power Factor Correction, and basic formulas like S=VI and all those little "brain lock" formulas

3) Page with voltage and current phasor diagrams for abc and cba sequences, along with delta-Y transformation formulas

4) Page on transformers - short circuit, open circuit, autos, parallel, losses, voltage regulation, efficiency, magnetic parameters, all day efficiency

5) Page on motors - DC, AC Induction, Synchronous, torque, speed regulation, locked rotor, blah blah blah

6) Misc stuff.. max power transfer, electromagnets, blah blah

7) Page on Faults, symmetrical components, and problem setup

8) Page on rectifier circuits - peak detectors, clippers, clampers, doublers

My NEC stuff is in a separate binder with the rest of my NEC notes.

Anyone have anything I should add to my list? I still have a few blank pages in the book.


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## cdcengineer (Oct 19, 2010)

cableguy said:


> Note that I have access to one of those plastic ring binding machines at work, I have gone crazy with the thing.
> My "formula sheet" is about 8 pages of handwritten notes in a plastic binder. I broke it down in to sections. By page:
> 
> 1) Angle, Cosine, Sine table (useful for quick power factor stuff) - did this on an Excel spreadsheet
> ...


Are you bringing in an UGLY's book? Very useful for power factor correction..

Also, my binder had a quick reference page at the beginning of each section with the primary formulas, hints and NCEES practice exam and sample questions which relate to the topics of the section.

Good Luck


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## cableguy (Oct 19, 2010)

I have and am bringing an Ugly's book, but I haven't been using it to study, so I'm not "used" to it. I've looked through it a couple times, it will help on "I oughta know that" electrician type questions.


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## Wes (Oct 27, 2010)

Hi all - I just found this board yesterday when I was searching for some help on NCEES #530. Wish I had gotten here sooner!

Only two more days to cram - anyone else in panic mode?


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## cruzy (Oct 28, 2010)

So i'm throwing this out there, wanting to see if anyone has other strategies. My main reference material to go to will be:

1. My notes

2. Grainger's book

3. Chelapati book

4. Chapman's book

5. Handbook of electric power calculations (beaty)

6. Wildi's motors and drives

7. Electrical engineer's handbook (beaty)

8. American electrician's handbook

And lastly, which didn't even deserve a ranking number, Camara book.

Still trying to figure out if I should bring any IEEE books...they are a lot to print out, and have not heard too many people mention them as useful reference during the test, although a coworker said she used it a few times during the test to get her answers.


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## knight1fox3 (Oct 28, 2010)

cruzy said:


> So i'm throwing this out there, wanting to see if anyone has other strategies. My main reference material to go to will be:
> 1. My notes
> 
> 2. Grainger's book
> ...


Wow, my list is strikingly similar. To your list I would hope you are also bringing a copy of NEC 2008. In addition to that I'm also bringing the binder of class notes that was provided from the GA Tech online course I enrolled in.



cruzy said:


> And lastly, which didn't even deserve a ranking number, Camara book.


Don't suppose you would want to scan and email me the Illumination section, would you? Unless you don't think it would be worth having for the exam. :bowdown:

To anyone else following this thread, I would advise on taking tonight off to hit the exam head on with a fresh mind tomorrow morning. Just from these last few days of over-analyzing and constant reworking of certain problems, I noticed myself making those slight frustrating errors. :brickwall:


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## Wes (Oct 28, 2010)

cruzy said:


> So i'm throwing this out there, wanting to see if anyone has other strategies. My main reference material to go to will be:
> 1. My notes
> 
> 2. Grainger's book
> ...


I'm taking:

1. Testmasters class notes

2. Ugly's References

3. EERM (Camara)

4. NCEES Example Exam

5. 2005 NEC

6. Protective Relaying Book (Blackburn)

7. Binder of various notes and guides on various subjects complied from the internet (paralleling XFMRs, motor starting, etc)

8. Electric circuits textbook

9. Electromagnetics textbook


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## cableguy (Oct 28, 2010)

Well I don't know about you guys, but my adventure has begun. I'm now in a hotel about 2 miles from the exam location in Ft Worth (~100 miles from home).  I was checking out my car before the drive, looked at my power steering fluid (I had to fill the reservoir a few weeks ago - but I just bought the car, so I didn't think a lot of it). Reservoir was low again. Hmm, car doesn't leak. I crawl under, my steering rack dust boots are swollen like balloons. Yikes. I drove 'er anyway. Hopefully she'll hold together for the drive home. If not, well, my Grover arms will get a workout without power steering...

And I forgot my mustard for my lunch sammich tomorrow.  But if that's the only thing I forgot, I'll be happy.


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## knight1fox3 (Oct 28, 2010)

cableguy said:


> And I forgot my mustard for my lunch sammich tomorrow.  But if that's the only thing I forgot, I'll be happy.


Maybe you could get some mustard packets from the Hotel.......or if you go to dinner.


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## cruzy (Oct 28, 2010)

knight1fox3 said:


> cruzy said:
> 
> 
> > So i'm throwing this out there, wanting to see if anyone has other strategies. My main reference material to go to will be:
> ...


Sorry, I do not have access to a scanner.


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