18th edition exam - my thoughts

[peterhyper]

I Just did my 18th edition exam and I will share my thoughts with those that haven't yet taken it, and although I ordered the 18th bs7671 book last summer, it sat in a cupboard still wrapped in the cardboard it was delivered in until about 5-6 days before my exam. I watched the sparkyninji video where he goes through 60 exam mock questions using the bs7671 book for the answers and I found that very helpful (I didn't pay for any courses). I did spend a good few hours a day going through the book whilst reading mock exam questions which were free online, and probably 20% of the mock questions came up in the exam.

I passed with 52 correct questions out of the 60 (86.7% I think). The exam was possibly a little more difficult than the 16th and 17th, but if you know how to navigate your way around the book then you will nail it.

I am not the best person to study as I get bored very quickly and have a fairly low attention span to this type of thing (what normal person gets excited reading bs7671). I frankly just wanted to pass and wasn't trying to match the 100% results some on here got in their exams (poor excuse by me because I've never got 100% in any exam).

I would advise you spend longer than I did studying for it, and despite the short time I gave myself I had no interruptions from family or kids screaming as many others might have.

I have read of sparks paying to do a 1, 2 or 3 day course to prepare themselves for the exam and most things I've read is that the classroom courses haven't been worth the cost.

Sadly the exam proves very little of someones ability to do the actual job of a spark, but is more of a test of how well you can find answers to questions in a book.

So as above, I found it very useful going through mock exams and using my bs7671 book to find the actual answers to each question. Even if I knew the answer I still used bs7671 to find the answers to get me used to navigating the book, and that worked well for me.

Fortunately this will be my last exam, because I won't be doing the 19th edition whether that comes out in 5 years or 10.

 

[Charlie_]

What’s with all the stickers?

 

[stevels4]

I’m sorry but I just don’t see how anybody could find this exam difficult

I’m sorry but I just don’t see how anybody could find this exam difficult.
Not trying to be a dick bit I honestly don’t..
if a gas engineer fails any elements of his gas safe tickets then he loses them, the same system should apply here..
If you fail then you are not competent..
The 60% pass rate needs lifting, 80% would be better or perhaps make the questions slightly difficult..
No multiple choice would be 1 option, whereby the regulation number is quoted as part of the answer..
We need to raise the standards of our industry

I agree entirely, recently passed my gas metering course. You have 4 papers with 180 questions across them. On your 1st attempt the pass rate is 80% for each exam, any questions you get incorrect are given back to you for attempt 2, any incorrect questions this time and you have to answer those verbally to the examiner. The pass mark is 100% nothing less. On top of that I then had additional company training and a face to face technical interview to finally gain my permit to work.

 

[stevels4]

What’s with all the stickers?

Not my book, someone gave it to me, over tagged is an understatement!

 

[Chris1234]

Make certain your calculator has the square root function.
Unless of course you can work out square roots in your head.

What square roots are required?
All electricians should know the square roots of two and three as these are used in basic electrical calculations.

 

[Charlie_]

Adiabatic equation

 

[Tony Reidy]

There are other threads on the forum on the same subject. Calculators needed sometimes, not always.... each exam has different questions etc.

why are people still taking the exam if it came into force in January? How have you been able to work since jan without it?

You have about 2 years to take the 18th exam, but your work should be carried out to the 18th edition as from Jan19

 

[Deleted member 26818]

What square roots are required?
All electricians should know the square roots of two and three as these are used in basic electrical calculations.

As Charlie says, adiabatic equation.
There are two types of question that arise.
One is work out the CPC size required for a protective device.
The other is to work out whether a protective device will operate within the prescribed times given specified conductor sizes.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

You have about 2 years to take the 18th exam, but your work should be carried out to the 18th edition as from Jan19

Thought we already done this?
The 18th comes into force on the 1st of July.
Up until then, you can design to either the 17th, or the 18th.

 

[Deleted member 105166]

As I've said previously, you should only need to tag the 7 sections and perhaps a couple of appendices or regularly used tables, purely for ease of going to the start of the section quickly. For the price of the book, it should come ready tagged, or at least flashed, like the On-site Guide sections are. For anyone tagging excessively, I'd question if they really understand their way navigating the book, which essentially is all any open book test is about.

 

[Spoon]

You have about 2 years to take the 18th exam, but your work should be carried out to the 18th edition as from Jan19

Out of curiosity, there do you get the 2 years from?

 

[dksanders]

Thought we already done this?
The 18th comes into force on the 1st of July.
Up until then, you can design to either the 17th, or the 18th.

The 18th was issued on 1st July 2018 and comes into effect on 1st January 2019, installations designed after 31st December 2018 are to comply with 18th.

 

[dksanders]

As I've said previously, you should only need to tag the 7 sections and perhaps a couple of appendices or regularly used tables, purely for ease of going to the start of the section quickly. For the price of the book, it should come ready tagged, or at least flashed, like the On-site Guide sections are. For anyone tagging excessively, I'd question if they really understand their way navigating the book, which essentially is all any open book test is about.

In the exam you'll have 2 hours to answer 60 questions so that's 2 minutes per question.

To enable you to quickly find the information in the BBB, the tabs will save you critical time.

It's worth tagging, The sections, contents, index, definitions, abbreviations, parts, appendices and specific sections that may arise eg Max Disconnect Times, Min Insulation values etc.

 

[Deleted member 105166]

In the exam you'll have 2 hours to answer 60 questions so that's 2 minutes per question.

To enable you to quickly find the information in the BBB, the tabs will save you critical time.

It's worth tagging, The sections, contents, index, definitions, abbreviations, parts, appendices and specific sections that may arise eg Max Disconnect Times, Min Insulation values etc.

Each to their own, I find 10 tags works for me and this method got me 59/60, with time to spare. Whilst it averages 2 minutes per question, I'd guess most people sitting the exam will find around 15 questions that take no more than 2 seconds to answer with no reference to the book required, leaving time for those questions that need more thought and referencing.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

I thought that the 18th came into force January the 1st.
However, when I sat the 2391 earlier this month, there were no questions relating to any of the changes introduced in the 18th.
The reason given, is that the 18th doesn’t come into force until July 1st.

 

[Spoon]

According to the regs the 18th came into effect on the 1st Jan 2019

 

[Pete999]

According to the regs the 18th came into effect on the 1st Jan 2019

View attachment 49054

That settled the argument nicely Spoon.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

According to the regs the 18th came into effect on the 1st Jan 2019

View attachment 49054

According to the regs the 18th is intended to come into effect on the 1st Jan 2019.
This is a FAQ for the 2391 exam:
This qualification helps you to develop the knowledge and practical skills required to professionally carry out inspection and testing on electrical installations. Intended for experienced electricians who have never gained formal qualifications in inspection and testing or who may wish to update and reaffirm their skills. There are separate pathways available for just Initial Verification (2391-50) or just Periodic Inspection and Testing (2391-51) should they be required.Assessment takes the form of a 2 hour online 60 question open book multiple choice exam. You are allowed to take a copy of BS7671:2008(2015), On Site Guide and IET Guidance Note 3 into the exam. A non programmable calculator would also be advisable. There is also a separate Practical Assessment, that is booked on an individual basis and is NOT part of the 4 days of the course.

Note that the edition allowed in the exam is the 3rd amendment, not the 18th.

 

[Spoon]

According to the regs the 18th is intended to come into effect on the 1st Jan 2019.

Very true mate.
Is also states that "Installations designed after 3 lst December 2018 are to comply with BS 767l:2018." Which pretty much means that it comes into effect on the 1st Jan 2019.

 

[Spoon]

The reason given, is that the 18th doesn’t come into force until July 1st.

Your above post doesn't mention anything about 1st July 2019. Where did this come from?

 

[Tony Reidy]

Out of curiosity, there do you get the 2 years from?

Out of curiosity, there do you get the 2 years from?

I used the word" about " and was told that at my recent assessment

 

[Spoon]

I used the word" about " and was told that at my recent assessment

Very true mate, you did use the word "about".
I would say that your assessor was wrong.

 

[Charlie_]

I think you need a hyphen in there somewhere...
----essor.. that’s better

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Your above post doesn't mention anything about 1st July 2019. Where did this come from?

When I sat my 2391 exam, I was told that there would be no questions relating to any changes in the 18th.
They said I could use either the 3rd amendment book or the 18th, because there would only be questions that had answers in both editions.
They told me that this is because both editions are still in force until the 1st July.

I’ve not seen or heard anything about this elsewhere.

Perhaps they meant that the City and Guilds hadn’t got round to updating their exam yet, and that they’ll be issuing new exam questions on the 1st July?

I was told that some questions had been removed from the exam, specifically those relating to the boxes on the schedule of test results and the test button on RCDs.

 

[Tony Reidy]

Very true mate, you did use the word "about".
I would say that your assessor was wrong.

Well if he was wrong then I will have to take it before my next assessment and that will be in 11 months time

 

[Deleted member 105166]

There are lots of online resources that still make reference to the 17th Ed. probably for the simple reason they haven't been updated. In fact, on this forum, the "Wiring, Theories & Regulations" section preface still reads "Discussions on all electrical regulations in the UK. Including Part P, BS 7671, DPC BS7671:2008, BS 7671:2001 & 2004 Amendment No.2, IEE wiring regulations, 16th Edition and 17th Edition."