# Electrical Power PE exam



## Aerofrank (May 17, 2010)

I'm scheduled to sit for the Electrical (Power) PE exam on 29 October 2010. My concern is finding the right material to study with. The exam is fast-paced and I'm not really comfortable with bringing a library full of refererence material with me. The saying goes "Don't study harder, study smarter". The only material I've gathered for the exam so far are as follows:

1. Chelapati's Electrical Power Manual (Excellent).

2. Beaty's Electrical Power Calculations Handbook

3. EC&amp;M Electrical Calculations, by Paschal

4. Some useful lectures notes form the University of Florida's PE seminar.

5. Basic Electrical Technology (Free lecture from the Indian Inst of Technology ), online

6. Wildi's Electrical Machines, Drives and Power Systems (Covering just stuff on Power Electronics).

7 University of Illinois (ECE) Power Systems Analysis (Consist of 677 PPT slides and 10 homework

assignments, with solutions. Covers everything related to the Grainger text).

Now PPI is publishing a new EERM for Power only, written by Mr John Camara. There isn't much detailed imformation on what is covered at this time, and I'm assuming the subject matter will follow the NCEES syllabus for Power. My questions to anyone who's taken the new power exam is as follows:

1. With the material I've listed, along with the new PPI text (EERM and new practice problems text),

be enought to prepare for and successfully pass the exam?

A response would be greatly appreciated from anyone who's taken and passed the exam or is preparing to take the Electrical Power exam. Again thank you for your time and patience.

AEROFRANK


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## benbo (May 17, 2010)

Aerofrank said:


> 1. With the material I've listed, along with the new PPI text (EERM and new practice problems text),be enought to prepare for and successfully pass the exam?
> 
> A response would be greatly appreciated from anyone who's taken and passed the exam or is preparing to take the Electrical Power exam. Again thank you for your time and patience.
> 
> AEROFRANK


You should get the NCEES sample questons and answers (aka the practice test). Camara also wrote some problems books, not sure how valuable those are.

People swear by that Chelapati book- you are lucky you could find one. There was a guy on here who claimed he knew little EE and passed using that book alone (he also passed the ME exam). I also have a couple colleagues who didn't pass the first time, I gave them that book, and then they passed. I took the electronics test, so it wasn't so valuable for me.


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## cdcengineer (May 17, 2010)

To add to Benbo's comments.... Don't forget - National Electrical Code (get some practice problems if you're not familiar with this reference)

You may also study up on Power Systems Analysis by Grainger &amp; Stevenson.

I used the Camara stuff, but didn't think that the reference book was absolutely necessary.


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## MSEE_PE (May 18, 2010)

Aerofrank said:


> I'm scheduled to sit for the Electrical (Power) PE exam on 29 October 2010. My concern is finding the right material to study with. The exam is fast-paced and I'm not really comfortable with bringing a library full of refererence material with me. The saying goes "Don't study harder, study smarter". The only material I've gathered for the exam so far are as follows:
> 1. Chelapati's Electrical Power Manual (Excellent).
> 
> 2. Beaty's Electrical Power Calculations Handbook
> ...



I agree that the Camara EERM is one of the best. I used that as the main manual, I had 3-4 of my power books with me and it helped a lot. I took the PE in October 2009 and I really have to focus on the fact that it's "QUALITY NOT QUANTITY". First, you need to identify what you need to study and in my experience those 9 points are ALL important...

1) Power System Analysis and Faults

2) Machines

3) Power Electronics

4) High Voltage Engineering

5) Protection

6) Lighting

7) Economics

8) Other misc. topics that might need experience not books.

9) NEC Code.

Take a pen and paper and make pointer notes on EVERY SINGLE TOPIC of those 9 topics (you need to have the NEC code book with you anyway). Those pointers should be like a summary/formula sheet for all those topics...make a page or 2 for each one and after you're done put them all in a 3 ring binder. The benefits of the summary is as follows

a) You won't be surprised during the test if you see something that you've never studies and never worked with before.

B) As you're researching to create the pointers (Using reference books or even Wikipedia), your engineering sense will push you into further details to get more and more summary and equations to put on sheet and in my case, it really paid off.

c) They will be your first reference, even before the EERM and this can save alot of time.

THe other thing I always advice, if you are taking the exam in October, start working on your speed + ACCURACY NOW....Remember that the exam is 80 problems (not 120 in morning and 60 in afternoon like the FE). Since that number is low you need to ensure your accuracy and remember the problems format can sometimes be tricky...Work on accuracy and speed, so that in the exam you can go quickly finish what you know well then go back and think hard about the rest.


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## FMendez (Jun 3, 2010)

I was looking for chelapati book and came across this website where they sell volume 1 and 2.

http://www.irvine-institute.org/pe_elect.htm

Do you think these books are better than EERM?

Thank you


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## Gnana (Jun 11, 2010)

Can you please tell me where u were able to get no 1, 4 and 7? I am taking the exam in october 2010 and i am dire need of study materials.

Thank you



Aerofrank said:


> I'm scheduled to sit for the Electrical (Power) PE exam on 29 October 2010. My concern is finding the right material to study with. The exam is fast-paced and I'm not really comfortable with bringing a library full of refererence material with me. The saying goes "Don't study harder, study smarter". The only material I've gathered for the exam so far are as follows:
> 1. Chelapati's Electrical Power Manual (Excellent).
> 
> 2. Beaty's Electrical Power Calculations Handbook
> ...


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## amiznit (Jun 20, 2010)

Aerofrank said:


> I'm scheduled to sit for the Electrical (Power) PE exam on 29 October 2010. My concern is finding the right material to study with. The exam is fast-paced and I'm not really comfortable with bringing a library full of refererence material with me. The saying goes "Don't study harder, study smarter". The only material I've gathered for the exam so far are as follows:
> 1. Chelapati's Electrical Power Manual (Excellent).
> 
> 2. Beaty's Electrical Power Calculations Handbook
> ...



I took a review course (Testmasters) and used mostly the notes provided for it. Some people had Wildi's textbook in the class and said it was a good book. I haven't even heard of any of the others you listed.

Be sure to use Ugly's ... it's a great pocket reference for simple questions.


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## sparkette (Jun 22, 2010)

I also liked Schaum's Outline "Electric Power Systems" Lots of quick problems and easy explanations.

Work the NCEES power sample test. I did use these problems during the exam, but I hear this is not allowed in some States.

The Kaplan "PE Power Electrical Engineering Sample Exam" had some good problems, but they should publish an errata for it. Errors in these kinds of materials make you scratch your head and then maybe even pull your hair. It is frustrating!

For reference materials I color keyed everything as I studied. This may sound childish, but knowing that all my transformer references were highlighted in orange and tabbed with orange post-its made look-ups much quicker during the exam. I even used colored pens for notes.

We were allowed to assemble a binder with reference materials and this is a good opportunity to customize your study materials. This may also vary with the State.


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## penamite (Nov 3, 2010)

I took the electrical power last week and my morning was just like the afternoon. I had to even call the proctor over. I did not have any of the items listed in the morning exam.

I used the 2005 NEC

Electrical Power Calculations Handbook (Must have for mine)

NCEES sample exam

I brought some others for the morning but as mentioned above I did not need them.


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## Kahrlo (Nov 7, 2010)

penamite said:


> I took the electrical power last week and my morning was just like the afternoon. I had to even call the proctor over. I did not have any of the items listed in the morning exam.
> I used the 2005 NEC
> 
> Electrical Power Calculations Handbook (Must have for mine)
> ...



why would you use the 2005 NEC handbook instead of the 2008?... They always revise it every 3 years.. To be sure, always use the most recent NEC.. Now it's the 2011 version.. i believe it applies at the beginning of the year..


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## Flyer_PE (Nov 7, 2010)

^Agreed. I would use whatever version of the code the exam calls for. There are enough little differences from one version to the next that it can and will hang you on the test.


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## taha (Jan 21, 2011)

Aerofrank said:


> I'm scheduled to sit for the Electrical (Power) PE exam on 29 October 2010. My concern is finding the right material to study with. The exam is fast-paced and I'm not really comfortable with bringing a library full of refererence material with me. The saying goes "Don't study harder, study smarter". The only material I've gathered for the exam so far are as follows:
> 1. Chelapati's Electrical Power Manual (Excellent).
> 
> 2. Beaty's Electrical Power Calculations Handbook
> ...


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## taha (Jan 21, 2011)

preparing for PE Exam please let me know if you still have the material you put together for the PE Exam my email is [email protected]

Regards


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