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.

 

[SparkySy]

Thank-you that was a really useful bit of advice, I'm much the same when it comes to study, haven't done mine yet and didn't want to do the short course, I was going to book the exam and having read that I now will!

 

[multimick]

are there any calcs to do, or is it all read from bs7671?

 

[peterhyper]

are there any calcs to do, or is it all read from bs7671?

None that required me to use a calculator, but I understand from others that some exams will require you to use a calculator. I brought a calculator along, but there was one provided for each person in the exam just in case.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

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

 

[littlespark]

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?

 

[peterhyper]

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?

Apologies if my thread is a replicate of other threads.

Can't speak for other Part P schemes, but the NICEIC said I had until June 2019 to get the 18th edition, so I have been able to work and issue certificates with just the 17th edition since the 1st January.

 

[Midwest]

When I did my 17th Edition course, after returning to the industry, I had some stupid notation that I would actually be taught something. Only thing I was taught was how to try & use (unsuccessfully) the contents and index of BS7671.

I echo the use of mock exam questions, and not doing a 'course'. I was toying with the idea of sitting the 18th exam in a while, when its a bit cheaper. Don't need it per say for my current job, but thought it might come in useful, doing notifiable jobs in my house or relatives. But I guess the next amendment will be along anytime soon, so its a wasted expense.

 

[Toneyz]

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.

Agree 100 %.

 

[Red Tony]

Congrats Peter I've got mine in couple weeks so thanks for sharing your thoughts on it.
That's a decent score you got....I've done a couple of mocks myself without the book (regs due to arrive tomorrow) and been getting around 70% which I'm happy with but know I need to put some good revision in over next couple weeks to make sure.
I'm doing 3 day course at a local college.

 

[remedial]

sparkyninja's videos are excellent and for anyone who hasn't done the exam yet, don't even think about wasting your time and money on a training course. you'll get everything you need in his videos.

 

[Toneyz]

Are they printing the regs book without the mistakes now?

 

[Red Tony]

When's the 19th out?

 

[telectrix]

after you done 18 holes.

 

[Gary latto]

Hi were you allowed to tags the pages etc ?

 

[peterhyper]

Hi were you allowed to tags the pages etc ?

Yes. I tagged about 12 pages, but one guy in the exam looked liked he had tagged every page (lol).

 

[Deleted member 26818]

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?

It comes into force 1st of July.

 

[FatAlan]

Are the questions ordered according to section or have they mixed them up now?

 

[Deleted member 26818]

They’re mixed up in the sections, but the sections are in order.

 

[Topboy]

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.

 

[Topboy]

I passed my 18th last November and being honest i found it harder in some ways than the 2391.I did get some calculations.
My advice to anyone is do not assume this is a walk in the park and there were a couple on the course who didnt pass and a few who just shaded it.
I found the questions well written,in days gone by it was possible to ignore 2 of the 4 answers.

 

[Old Tiler 43192]

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

Under C&G rules you can't use your own calculator but have to use the one provided

 

[peterhyper]

Under C&G rules you can't use your own calculator but have to use the one provided

I took mine out of my bag and had it in front of me throughout the exam next to the one that was already on the desk and the invigilator never said a word.

This was the only exam where the invigilator asked everyone with a phone to leave it at the front with him (not sure if it's a new thing). A bit daft in reality because if someone was going to the loo during the exam to use a phone they wouldn't say they had a phone or would use a second phone. He also asked if everyone had id to show him which we did (albeit a very quick glance), but one guy hadn't brought any id at all, but he was still allowed to sit the exam (a slightly pointless exercise then if someone is taking the exam for another person).

I expected to wait 30-60 minutes for the exam results (as previously was the case) but we literally got them within 5 minutes maximum of the exam ending (not the actual certificate but an individual print out of each candidates results), so I was impressed how fast we got the print out this time.

 

[Charlie_]

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

 

[stevels4]

Certainly not.........

 

[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?

 

[Old Tiler 43192]

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.

 

[Old Tiler 43192]

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