2 Week Plan

[MizzouMatt]

I am HVAC in Missouri also. I am going to take the Lindberg and NCEES 2008 practice tests next weekend. Along with the 6 min solutions for HVAC. I did the afternoon problems in the 6 min books and I thought they went pretty well. I got around 85-90 percent on those. I am more worried about the morning questions in areas other than HVAC. .They had about 5 out of 60 questions that asked code questions. I am planning on bringing

1. MERM, also shaggy tagged

2. 4 ASHRAE handbooks

3. ASHRAE codes 55, 62.1, 90.1

4. Separate book with PSYCH Chart blown up to 11x17. ( so much easier to read enthalpys from the larger chart. ). Steam tables, and indexes

5. Various other just in case books fom college. ( fluids, machine design, heat transfer, dynamics, statics) I have not really planned on using these but I will probably bring them.

What kind of other things were you planning on bringing. So far I have a calculator, ruler, protractor. Anything that can make you faster or more accurate would be great. Like the big psych chart helps with both I think.

 

[MetsFan]

I didn't get a chance to take a full practice exam yet, but have been working through the morning parts of the NCEES 2001 and the MERM sample exam volume 1. This week I'm going to work on the MERM sample exam volume 2 and the afternoon portions of the afore mentioned practice tests. I'm saving the 2008 exam for this coming weekend.

My depth is HVAC and this is what I'll be bringing:

• MERM - Thanks for the tips Shaggy!
  
• 4 ASHRAE Handbooks
  
• ASHRAE pocket handbook - some of the same info as the big books, but easier to handle and flip through
  
• ASHRAE 55, 62.1, 90.1
  
• NFPA 90a, 90b, 91, 96, and 73 (all the ones available at work)
  
• Cameron Hydraulics book (I haven't really used this throughout my studies)
  
• Trane HVAC book
  
• FE Review Manual (Has sample problems, which might be useful)
  
• Dictionary
  
• Binder with blown up Psych Chart, Indexes, equations, conversion PDF I found online: http://www.its.caltech.edu/~culick/Roschke.pdf
  
• All practice exams and sample problems
  
• Two calculators, triangle, and scale
  

All that said, I don't really feel prepared for this exam. Hopefully, I'll step it up within the next few days and catch up. I basically skipped the machine design/materials/statics chapters because I ran out of time and figured my time would be better spent doing exam problems.

jageeto, for me, crib sheets are useful because I can write exactly what the equation is used for and what units are associated with them. I don't know how many times I've used PSI instead of lb/ft^2.

 

[Outlaw44]

Are you taking the NCEES exams and MERM problems book to the exam?

I will be taking these! Not sure how much time I'll really have to look through them, but they will be nice to have as a reference if I spot something similar.

Damn, I keep forgetting to get another calculator.

 

[Outlaw44]

I am HVAC in Missouri also.

I'll see you in Columbia! Wooooot wooooot. I'm T/F, however. It's out of my way, but I'm thinking of stopping by Trops on the way out of town...

 

[MizzouMatt]

I'm thinking of stopping by Trops on the way out of town...

I am sure I could use a drink after this test. Are you staying in Columbia the night before or are you close enough. I am in STL so it is the LaQuinta for me. 45 bucks on Priceline BTW.

Mets fan

Thanks for that conversion PDF. I have been looking for something like that for my reference binder.

 

[Outlaw44]

I'm thinking of stopping by Trops on the way out of town...

I am sure I could use a drink after this test. Are you staying in Columbia the night before or are you close enough. I am in STL so it is the LaQuinta for me. 45 bucks on Priceline BTW.

Dang! $45! I'm coming from KC, so I'm staying in Columbia. Staying at the Holiday Inn, where the test is.

 

[Rockettt]

I got lucky as the test is 15 minutes away. I have the same worry about workspace....a 2'x2' desk! Perfect would be a conference table but I doubt I will get that lucky.

Guess I am glad I am not alone in being unprepared. After 12 weeks of studying 10-20 hours a week... I took the first half of the 2008 practice test. Needless to say I felt great! Only about 5 i didnt know a solution and flat out guessed on 2.

Wellllll.... Came out 21/40. OUCH. Most things i found answers for but made all stupid mistakes. Hope I can concentrate more. Will do the 2nd half tonight. Saved this test for the end.

Ill be the Machine Design depth, so as you can guess cycles and Heat transfer problems got the best of me. I did all them chapters and problems in the MERM but...that was like 10 weeks ago!

Its not like back in college senior year (2002) when i studied 2 nights and blew through the FE. All I can hope for is the best. Got a 3 day weekend this week so plan to hit it all hard and know that MERM back and forth.

 

[Krakosky]

I think that no matter how much you study for this test, you'll never feel completely prepared just bc of the vast amount of material it covers. At least that's the way I feel. I'm feeling a little panicked bc I've done most of my studying with the MERM but as I went thru the MD chapters I realized its lacking in some topics. I have Shigley but am not as familiar with it as I should be. Trying to use the time that's left to fill in the gap, recap on the T/F and HVAC material I studied weeks/months ago and increase my speed working thru practice exams. It seems like such a daunting task right now with so little time left.

Speaking of HVAC, does anybody know of any good mollier diagrams on the web? I have a hard time reading the one in the MERM. Seems like all the lines just blur together. There was a problem in the morning session of the NCEES 2008 exam and a similar one in the HVAC 6MS that should be quick and easy points but I am getting them wrong bc I can't follow the lines on the chart.

 

[Outlaw44]

^^^ Yeah, I think the thing that makes me the most nervous at this point is the wide range of questions that could be asked. While I agree that if you understand the concepts and can apply them to several situations, you'll most likely fend alright, I feel like there's no guarantee that just b/c you know the 2001 and 2008 practice test you'll be golden.

Krak, do you mean psychometric charts? I found some very good ones here: http://www.coolerado.com/products/psychometric-charts/

SI and U.S. units, different elevations, AND your choice of 8.5" x 11" or 11" x 17".

 

[Krakosky]

Thanks. The 2 questions I was referring to asked to find the difference in entropy and difference in temp of a refrigerant. One question is towards the end of the morning session of the NCEES 2008 exam and the other question is the first problem in the HVAC 6MS. They gave a P-H diagram to use. I get the basic idea how to use it but it's hard to follow the lines.

 

[MizzouMatt]

the ASHRAE fundamentals would have your best refrigerant info. It would have the charts that you are looking for along with the info in tables.

 

[Outlaw44]

Thanks. The 2 questions I was referring to asked to find the difference in entropy and difference in temp of a refrigerant. One question is towards the end of the morning session of the NCEES 2008 exam and the other question is the first problem in the HVAC 6MS. They gave a P-H diagram to use. I get the basic idea how to use it but it's hard to follow the lines.

Oh, oh, oh. Yes, yes, yes. I have not looked online for any, just using what's in the MERM. I did, however (thanks to the Kaplan practice exam), find an ammonia chart online. Not sure what the reality of an ammonia problem being in the morning exam is, but I figure it's worth it to have another piece of paper in my binder. Looks like it's too big to attach, but it's really hard to read anyway. Apparently, ammonia charts are hard to find in English units.