# What's in your binder?



## MyBeardAndMe

Topic says it all... what references/articles do you have in your binder?

*Paralleling Transformers:*

http://static.schneider-electric.us/docs/Electrical%20Distribution/Medium%20Voltage%20Transformers/General%20Documents/7400DB0701.pdf

*MVA Method:*

http://www.arcadvisor.com/pdf/ShortCircuitABC.pdf

*NEMA Enclosure Types:*

https://www.nema.org/Products/Documents/nema-enclosure-types.pdf

*Grounding:*

https://support.fluke.com/find-sales/Download/Asset/2633834_6115_ENG_A_W.PDF

*Resistance Grounding:*

http://apps.geindustrial.com/publibrary/checkout/Resistance-Gro?TNR=White%20Papers|Resistance-Gro|generic

*Insulation Testing:*

http://www.aikencolon.com/assets/images/pdfs/megger/mit400/ac-MIT400_EN_doc_3.pdf

*Lightning Arresters:*

http://apps.geindustrial.com/publibrary/checkout/Arresters?TNR=White%20Papers|Arresters|generic

From Wikipedia, I only have the article on variable frequency drives so far.

I also have IEEE C37.2 for the list of device/function numbers.


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## zm83

NEMA paper on vfds. (I've read people actually reference it on the test)

http://www.nema.org/Standards/Pages/Application-Guide-for-AC-Adjustable-Speed-Drive-Systems.aspx

Resistance grounding (don't have it printed yet but it was emailed to me recently and I haven't had time to look it over)

http://www.i-gard.com/Downloads/techlib/Public/Resistance%20Grounding%20Booklet.pdf

Econ slides

http://www.valpo.edu/student/asme/FE%20Slides/EngEconSlides.pdf

MVA method (in addition to abc paper)

http://www.jmpangseah.com/wp-content/uploads/2003/01/chapter-5.pdf

Some printed pages from RUS substation design manual

http://www.rd.usda.gov/files/UEP_Bulletin_1724E-300.pdf

I have yet to compile my own note sheet yet. I am using grafffeos book and know it pretty well and since it is already laid out topic wise I might just add my notes to it.


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## dayrongarcia

I will say about 70-80% of the stuff is in my binder.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B5uJgUyE_qjfbTFoQ0VSa1AyZms&amp;authuser=0


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## Kovz

Good stuff. Thanks for sharing guys


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## legato

Likewise, thanks all for the reference materials!

This is helpful!


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## kduff70

thank you all for the reference there were somethings I needed to plug in and the information you all provide help now i will just continue repetitive studying of problems then go back to theory then back again to problem for the rest of the month back n forth


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## jdscottPE

Great thread. By the way, I have really enjoyed the NEMA Application Guide for AC ASD Systems. It's really boosted my knowledge for work. I plan to read it several more times after the test. It surpasses my company's in-house guidance by a long shot. It's funny how we sometimes get used to do something one way and forget to see where the industry as a whole is going.


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## Kalika PE

Thank you for sharing your references. I will definitely utilize this for the October exam. Been out of school for over a decade and just passed the FE on the first go around. So I am hoping to compile and review as much learning material well in advanced. I hope what they say is true about the FE being so much harder than the PE because the FE was rough. Thanks again for sharing your references.


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## Kovz

cpunpingco said:


> Thank you for sharing your references. I will definitely utilize this for the October exam. Been out of school for over a decade and just passed the FE on the first go around. So I am hoping to compile and review as much learning material well in advanced.* I hope what they say is true about the FE being so much harder than the PE because the FE was rough*. Thanks again for sharing your references.




This is totally false. I passed the FE in July 2014 and sat for the PE this April 2015. The PE is just as challenging as the FE (especially for someone who's been out of school for a while). It was easier in the sense that I actually care about learning all the topics on the PE and want to understand them and need to know them for my career, but it doesn't make the exam any easier. It's still a very difficult test.


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## iwire

Kovz said:


> cpunpingco said:
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you for sharing your references. I will definitely utilize this for the October exam. Been out of school for over a decade and just passed the FE on the first go around. So I am hoping to compile and review as much learning material well in advanced.* I hope what they say is true about the FE being so much harder than the PE because the FE was rough*. Thanks again for sharing your references.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is totally false. I passed the FE in July 2014 and sat for the PE this April 2015. The PE is just as challenging as the FE (especially for someone who's been out of school for a while). It was easier in the sense that I actually care about learning all the topics on the PE and want to understand them and need to know them for my career, but it doesn't make the exam any easier. It's still a very difficult test.
Click to expand...

FE was tougher back before they change the format..i went thru the regular one..and i was out of school for a while


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## Kovz

iwire said:


> FE was tougher back before they change the format..i went thru the regular one..and i was out of school for a while




I agree. I tried back in 2008 and 2011 and failed. Finally passed with the new CBT format.


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## Raj_NYU

Hello Guys! I am taking the exam this October. Can any one help me with the materials that are allowed in the exam. Camara ref book is allowed I believe. Is Greffeo book allowed as well. I do not want to carry many books but I do not want to bank on something that I would not be able to bring it in the exam. Please help. I am taking in Texas.


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## Ken PE 3.1

Graffeo was allowed in Ohio. You can always check with your state board to see if they have any restrictions.


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## jdscottPE

Raj_NYU said:


> Hello Guys! I am taking the exam this October. Can any one help me with the materials that are allowed in the exam. Camara ref book is allowed I believe. Is Greffeo book allowed as well. I do not want to carry many books but I do not want to bank on something that I would not be able to bring it in the exam. Please help. I am taking in Texas.


In SC, we were able to take anything that was bound including Graffeo and handwritten notes. I did all my practice work in spiral notebooks which I took with me.


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## KatyLied P.E.

I know the info listed below is a lot more than was aked for but hopefully it will be helpful. It helped me pass in April '14. It's from an earlier posting of mine.

Two three ring binders. Composed of GA Tech material, solved problems, and miscellaneous info I printed from the internet. One of the binders was the GA Tech one. By the time I included all the supplemental info I had to split it in two. GA Tech really gives you a good foundation. It also has a good section on code and NESC.

Camara reference manual along with the associated sample test and solved problems. the reference manual came in handy but I did not really use the other two books.

Graffeo book. Electrical Engineers Guide to Passing the PE Exam. Handy reference manual good and concise. Good lighting and wattmeter info. I recommend a good cursory reading of this book. A nice amount of miscellaneous info which could come in handy. Good section on CT's. also has helpful sample test.

Complex Imaginary sample tests. Good sections on ideal transformers, motors, and code problems. Some problems are on par with actual exam problems.

Spin Up exams. Problems are not as difficult as exam problems but they focus on details which come in handy during exam.

NEC handbook, as opposed to actual NEC book. The additional, clear explanations worked better for me.

Grainger and Stevenson's Power System Analysis. I used it more as moral support than an actual reference.

NESC book. Focus more on NEC as opposed to NESC. I would recommend becoming familiar with the basic goals of NESC and what it covers and doesn't cover. If you read through NESC introduction I think that will be sufficient.

Complex Imaginary NEC drill book. I highly recommend getting this. Time was tight so I only worked through about a third of the book. the drills helped me become familiar with where the topics were located. As I attempted each problem I would underline the nouns in each question. then go to the index, look up the nouns and go from there. You just have to grind it out but if you use that process you should be able to answer the drill problems in 6 minutes or less. I felt really good about the NEC test questions as a result of this book.

As I worked through each sample test, if I couldn't find the answer in my reference book I would google it. I'd then print that info out and add to my notebook. A lot of this included PLC's, VFD's, GFCI's, harmonics, voltage classifications, short circuit calc, generation prime movers, load flows/bus types and any other subject I couldn't find.

NCEES sample test. Good overall study guide. Know different ways that the problems can be asked. I only carried in the 2011 edition but also had 2009. Problems are exactly the same. 2009 contained a lot of general info which is now found on NCEES website. My guess is NCEES wanted to be able to quickly update any rule/guideline changes. If I have to do it again I will spend a little more time on this test.

Finally spin-Up suggested a good test day strategy.

1) Don't skip around the test but go through each problem in order. On first pass, work the ones that you know off the bat and don't necessarily have to dig deep to solve.

2) Mark the NEC/NESC problems with a "2" and work on the second pass. That way you don't have to worry about going back and forth between the code books and other reference matl's.

3) Mark all problems with a "3" that you think you can solve after digging deeper in your reference matl's. Also, any code problems that you couldn't work on the 2nd pass should also be marked with a "3".

4) Mark all problems with a "4" that you really don't know but maybe can use solid engineering reason to solve. Hopefully by this time you only have about 20% of test left. I'm not saying I was fortunate enough to have this happen to me I'm just telling you my strategy.

5) Mark all problems with a "5" that you have no idea how to work. Assuming the light bulb doesn't come on for these, I would recommend doing a quick scan on the rest of your answers, seeing what letter is trending and go with that.

On some of the "4" and "5" the light bulb did come on for me after a 2nd or 3rd look. Hopefully that made up for any careless errors I might have made on 1-3. I actually used that same strategy to pass the CEM (Certified Energy Manager) exam in 2013.

Hopefully all this translates into a passing score but nonetheless I felt really good about my test prep. As a result of my cross referencing and various tabs I was able to quickly access a good amount of info. How you organize your references and sticking to a test strategy are just as importa


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## Captain America

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## shailesh_excl

Can anyone send me some good material on Demand and Energy Management and also on PLCs. I dont seem to have much for these topics.

Regards


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## saberger_vt

Bookmarks have come up with. My original post on this was back in 2013.

PE Exam bookmarks_6_17_15.html

Hope this helps fill your binder!


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## ItsStudyTime!

My 'writeup' for what was in my binder is integrated into my whole writeup about my study method/approach because I built my binder as I studied. This link will take you on a journey into my brain (sorry) - hope it helps you build the right binder for you though!!


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