# Electrical PE Exam: Power or Electronics?



## lac41 (Aug 30, 2012)

I am signing up for the Electrical PE exam and I'm not sure what exam is the best fit for me so I'm hoping you guys can throw me some suggestions.

I graduated from college in '08 with a BS in EE and a pretty heavy concentration on Electronics. However, I've been working for consulting firms since I graduated and that work really isn't really geared toward electronics. But it's not heavy in Power concepts either. Most of my day to day work is along the lines of panel and feeder sizing which falls quite a bit shy of the complexity of motor and transmission line theory. Every now and then some basic controls work will come my way, but I'm certainly not a seasoned controls engineer.

So, I'm not sure what test will be the best fit for me, or which test I'll have the best shot at passing: Power or Electrical and Electroncs. I'll be taking a review class and studying my butt off either way, but I'd naturally like to make this as painless as possible... At this point I'm leaning toward the Elec and Electronics version.

Do you have any input?


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## willsee (Aug 30, 2012)

Sounds like you work at an MEP firm

Take power


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## knight1fox3 (Aug 30, 2012)

There have been a few discussions on this topic in the electrical prep forum. Might offer some additional insight.

Thread 1

Thread 2


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## jmann (Aug 30, 2012)

I took Electrical computer engineering and it was as easy as pi. the test was just like reading data sheets and decoding digital electronic logic. There were a few software engineering questions, but all are based on the method of doing it, which a few hours of reading fully covered (they never taught us that in school). Power scared me off because I never learned power distribution and can't find anything in the NEC. I don't remember how to do a single non-linear electronic component calculation.

The one op-amp question on my exam required no calculations. if you could identify the type of filter it was, you basically got the answer.


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## sethologist (Sep 15, 2012)

I took the Electronics test as I felt I was reviewing the information instead of having to learn anew. I reccommend getting the NCEES study guides for both and see which feels more comfortable.


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## lac41 (Oct 5, 2012)

sethologist: That's actually what I'm doing and I'm reaching the same conclusion. I'm pretty convinced I'm going to take the electronics version... feels like home (or at least maybe like my old apartment)


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## lac41 (Mar 23, 2013)

lac41 said:


> sethologist: That's actually what I'm doing and I'm reaching the same conclusion. I'm pretty convinced I'm going to take the electronics version... feels like home (or at least maybe like my old apartment)




I agree. I bought both the power and electronics practice exams and decided that the power stuff was almost all completely new to me so I'm taking the electronics test. I have been taking the ppi2pass online review course and it's been difficult to digest all of the information coming from that. I'm hoping the course in just more in depth than the test will be and that I'll be ok. I figure the pass rate is usually in the neighborhood of 60% so I only have to do better than 4 out of 10 people.. I think of my intelligence as of the road so I think I can squeek by... I hope..

Good luck to everyone who'll be taking it with me next month. Hopefully we only have to do this once.


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## joepwr13 (Mar 24, 2013)

jmann said:


> I took Electrical computer engineering and it was as easy as pi. the test was just like reading data sheets and decoding digital electronic logic. There were a few software engineering questions, but all are based on the method of doing it, which a few hours of reading fully covered (they never taught us that in school). Power scared me off because I never learned power distribution and can't find anything in the NEC. I don't remember how to do a single non-linear electronic component calculation.
> 
> The one op-amp question on my exam required no calculations. if you could identify the type of filter it was, you basically got the answer.


The reason it was easy was because you probably were prepared and knew your stuff. Be careful about making comments that it was easy in front of your supervisor if they do not have a PE. Most likely in the computer engineering industry they do not have a PE and do not understand its value. They may use your comments to place the value on the PE if they do not understand its value. Your comments may devalue your worth, and can possibly cost you some pay raise.


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## lac41 (May 23, 2013)

I felt pretty uncomfortable about the exam when I finished, but I passed, thank god. After reading through this thread again, it looks like I posted something up there, forgot about it, then responded to myself... Makes me wonder how I managed to pass that exam..


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## BDonjon (May 29, 2013)

Take Power.

A portion of the Power exam has to do with distribution (which you'd need to know for feeder sizing), and you'll benefit a lot in your job from studying the NEC code book, and you'll need to know how to navigate that book and the NESC if you want to do well on the exam.

Honestly I don't work a ton with motors either, but it is what it is.


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