June 2396 Exam

[sparky05084]

Evening peeps. Been a while since I posted but been a busy bee has this one. Just curious to know if anyone is doing June's 2396 exam. Heard it's a real stinker and 3 hours is nowhere near long enough.

Grabbed myself some revision notes in the form of past papers that look pretty legit and in the 10 question layout. First impressions are it looks daunting to say the least and properly hard. Anyone taken the exam prior? If so, how did you find it and can you recall what scenario's were involved.


Wish me luck. Why oh why did I take this on :rolleyes4:



*gulp*

 

[uksparks]

I'm thinking about doing the 2396, I suppose I don't really need it but it all helps at the end of the day, makes you look better to others and also your knowledge and understanding should hopefully be better.

 

[Andy78]

I took the last exam before this and it was pretty intense for sure but alright after dissecting it up.
Make sure you have your calculation question pegged down as that's a given inclusion. Get that right and out the way.
The rest is just a race against time to demonstrate your knowledge of design, theory, and the regs.
No way did I answer every question and I did not put my pen down except to thumb through the regs.... There's a lot to do.
You'll be right though.. just keep a cool vibe and be productive, making use of the heavily weighted questions.

 

[uksparks]

If anyone has some questions or papers can you PM me please.

the 2394 and 95 are a bit like that, you need to keep the pace up else you soon find yourself running out of time.

 

[Andy78]

If anyone has some questions or papers can you PM me please.

the 2394 and 95 are a bit like that, you need to keep the pace up else you soon find yourself running out of time.

I found it nothing like the 2394 and 2395 timewise. I think I had both of those done and checked through 3 times with more than half the time left, and I was never the first out the room. No-one in those exams took the whole time.
The 2396 however, everyone in my exam (a dozen candidates) was writing like hell until the clock went. I probably left 1/5 or 1/6 of the questions unanswered too, and similar reports from the other guys.

 

[uksparks]

The 2394 & 2395 I felt I had to keep the pace up, but equally I didn't find it that challenging, I did have time to run through it a couple of time at the end, so can't have been that pushed for time I suppose.

What sort of questions do you get on the 2396 then? Are they of a totally different nature?

 

[Andy78]

As a general rule the questions are similar in structure although obviously leaning toward the design element, and the amount is significantly more.
There is a large calculation question at the start, further large questions, some requesting diagrams, some scenario based. Lots of reg referencing to answer small questions precisely.
Special location questions etc.
We had questions on elv calculations, restricted movement conductive locations, 110V site systems etc.

 

[uksparks]

It sounds like its probably quite challenging then, the only reason I have not looked at doing it yet is because where I would like to do it, do not currently offer it due to numbers etc... But I am on their list, so long as they get three people they will run the course.

 

[Andy78]

Make sure you have the time to give to it. I was looking at about 3 or 4 hours homework and study after every session, then your project requires about 100 hours of your own time to get it right.
My course came at my busiest period ever since starting my business and its a been a struggle to fit it all in.

 

[uksparks]

I must admit I probably haven't got the time at the moment as am very busy, its hard enough making time to do quotes and the like. Every Tuesday I have a day off as I look after the kids now to save on child care costs, so I have a little bit but only once a week, I think if I start looking at papers and questions now, in 12 months of so, I should be in a better position to be able to pass it without rushing it at the last minute.

 

[stevey1983]

Yep you will be writing righy up to the last second, i could of easily carried on for another couple of hours writing. Keep going through old papers and learn where eveything is in the regs. Show all your working out for the calculations. The worst bit is waiting 6 weeks to find out your results. The project does take up alot of your time, i was lucky to be working nights at the time i did it so when i got up early afternoon i had a few quiet hours with no one else in the house to distract me

 

[sparky05084]

Nice to hear some replies back guys. A word of warning to anyone who is primarily a house basher, think very carefully before taking this course on. This is way beyond the scope of an average spark (yippe me) and you have to do a hell of a lot of self study and dedicate your time to research and stuff.

A mate of mine at work thinks I'm bat crazy for doing this and part of me agrees. Having said that, I intend to finish it and can only do my best.

The project is pretty ruthless if you don't come from a design background or work on commercial/industrial situations. Added to that moving house and a kid on the way makes me wonder what on earth I've got myself into. Oh well. These things are sent to try us.

 

[Paul651975]

When I did it it was a catalogue shop. Took two goes to pass the exam as just ran out of time on first effort. The project is a killer though think I spent about 120hrs on it, mind I did do all drawings in autocad. Helps if your good at excel as well for all the cable calcs as saves a lot of time.

 

[ImpededLoop]

When I did it it was a catalogue shop. Took two goes to pass the exam as just ran out of time on first effort. The project is a killer though think I spent about 120hrs on it, mind I did do all drawings in autocad. Helps if your good at excel as well for all the cable calcs as saves a lot of time.

Mine was the catalogue shop too - probably two years ago?

I spent about 100 hours on the project too and also used autocad and excel.

I really can't remember anything about the exam other than an error in the second part of the first question which C&G did admit to after it was brought to their attention after the exam. Luckily I passed it despite the problem with the first question which got us all off to a slow start!

 

[Paul651975]

Thats right was 2 years ago now. Yeah spent ages trying to figure out what I was missing. If remember correctly though there was a fair bit on street furniture or was that in the resit not sure now. Doing it in cad help speed up to cable calcs as just had to use dimension tool and not try and work it out using a scale rule.