City & Guilds 2392 Practical Exam

chris-leeds · Jan 30, 2011

Hi. By trade I'm a qualified mechanical maintenance engineer with 30 years experience and recently I've been trying to diversify in order to gain not only new, but continual employment.

Over the last couple of years I've passed the nebosh health & safety qualification, the city & guilds 2377 pat testing qualification and recently the city & guilds 2382 17th edition qualification. This week I took the city & guilds 2392 inspection & testing examination after completing the course. I passed the online Gola exam but failed miserably with the practical. I'm annoyed at failing the practical exam, but not as annoyed as I am at what is happening in this country when it comes to securing employment.

These days to be a mechanical maintenance engineer you have to be all things to everybody. You're required to have qualifications and experience of much more than was required of you 20 or 30 years ago. People like myself in their late 40's are having to go out and learn new skills and obtain diverse qualifications or resign themselves to the scrap heap. Gone are the days when we all stuck to our own disciplines, we’re now expected to be multi-skilled, work overtime for single time pay and be on 24 hour call out.

It's not surprising that I failed the 2392 practical because as to date, I have pretty much no knowledge of electrical installations, yet I've taken a course that covers testing your own installations, I'm the first to question the logic in that, but I don't have the time to go on a 2330 course and there are limited options available to people like myself at this time of life with regards to learning new skills.

I know that in a factory environment like I'm used to there is very little need for single phase domestic qualifications, but I guess they're better than none.

I'm determined to pass the 2392 practical exam and then consider scrambling my brain with the 2391 course if I have to. The Part P course is an option I guess, but the cost of that has jumped up at some places to around a £1000 and I don't know how much that course would benefit me. If anyone can advise me it would be much appreciated.

I've even recently completed a night class welding course as well for what it's worth.

I don't think that there are many more courses to be had, and with all those qualifications they aren't worth much without the experience, a kind of chicken and egg situation. I've been considering looking for work as an electricians mate, but I have to question the wisdom of that move for someone in their 40's.

.... Is there anything out there such as a step by step guide to the testing sequence in detail of the 2392 practical exam? Written as if you were talking someone through it... I think the best description is a crib list? Any help would be much appreciated.

Experienced sparks needn't worry that I'm going to let myself loose out there, all I'm hoping for is extra qualifications to secure a job. I’m the first to agree with the requirements of the terms skilled, instructed, an ordinary person.

I am considering out of desperation becoming a freelance health & safety officer and the electrical qualifications would help me to pass comment on some aspects of visited companies’ electrical testing & inspection compliance, which is something I’m guessing not many H&S inspectors have.

Thanks for reading. And best of luck with your employment.

SMB · Jan 30, 2011

Guidance Note 3 might be worth a read ?

john25 · Jan 30, 2011

I've got my 2392 Practical exam tomorrow mate

here is the tests that you will need to do

SAFE ISOLATION Procedure Identify and secure the Isolation (you wont need to lock it off with a padlock as you can see the Isolation point) then Prove the Voltage indicator on the proving unit and then test the circuit (L-N L-E N-E) then re-prove the tester on the proving unit.

1.Continuity of Protective conductors (Bonding not needed as it's visible on the rig) Basically connect L-CPC of each circuit in the CCU in a Connector Block and then test between L-CPC at every socket outlet on the circuit with an open back plug and take the Highest reading (For lighting open up the Switches/Lighting points and test between the Switch LIVE and CPC)
Operate the Sockets & Switches to also prove the polarity

2.Ring Final test (End to End in the CCU for r1-r2 / L-N Figure of 8/L-CPC Figure of 8 for your R1-R2 result) and then test at each Socket outlet on the Ring and record the highest result which will be the Spur. Again operate the Socket switches to prove polarity

3.Insulation Resistance (Global test but im unsure whether the test is done on the Load or Supply side with the Main Switch on or off plz Advise ??? Leave all MCB's in the ON position
the test Voltage to be applied is 500V between both LIVE conductors and then between both LIVE conductors and Earth also operate the Light switches on a 2-way intermediate circuit.

4.Dead polarity (Which you would have already proven via the Continuity tests

LIVE tests Below

5.LIVE polarity (Again unsure whether you have to test both sides of the Main Switch with the Main switch on or off??? ( Prove with a Voltage indicator)

6. Earth Fault Loop impedance ( Isolate the supply and disconnect the Earthing conductor to avoid Parallel paths and set tester to the High loop setting and crocodile clip on the earth test lead and connect it to the Earthing conductor and then put the other test probe on the Line screw of the supply side of the main switch take a reading then re-connect the earthing conductor for the next tests

7. Prospective Fault current put the test meter on the PFC Setting and test between Line and Neutal on the Supply side of the main switch (PSCC) and then between the Line and Earth (PEFC) and then record the Highest result of the 2 as your (PFC)

7.RCD and Functional testing . (RCD set the test meter to RCD and then test @ 1/2 its rated current and then @ 1 times it's rated current were it will either trip at 200ms or 300ms depending on what BS number it is BS=200ms BS EN= 300 .Then press the 180o button and test again at 1 times it's rated current and record the highest result of the 2 tests .Then do the same tests @ 5 times and record the highest result of the 2 tests.

(Functional testing is self explanitory).

malcolmsanford · Jan 30, 2011

Treat yourself to this

Practical Guide to Inspection, Testing and Certification of Electrical Installations: Conforms to 17th Edition IEE Wiring Regulations BS 7671:2008 and Part P of Building Regulations: Amazon.co.uk: Christopher Kitcher: Books

john25 · Jan 30, 2011

I've got that book which im actually reading now along with GN3 for when I start the 2391 on Wednesday but while its a good book to read it has quite a few Spelling mistakes and some of the
pictures aren't really that clear in their instructions.

SMB · Jan 30, 2011

John and Chris, I wish you both luck.

Rather than reading 'Mills and Boon' before you go to sleep...start reading Guidance Note 3.

Its just a short story really. The plot isn't that complicated.

And we all lived happily after.

All the best.

B6 7BU · Jan 30, 2011

chris-leeds said:
It's not surprising that I failed the 2392 practical because as to date, I have pretty much no knowledge of electrical installations, yet I've taken a course that covers testing your own installations, I'm the first to question the logic in that,

Where did you do the course? and long was it? and how much time was spent on the hands on part?

john25 · Jan 31, 2011

Well I just passed the Practical this afternoon and TBH it was a doddle really, I didn't need any prompting during the Exam cause I knew the test sequences off by heart and I only made a couple of errors on the inspection Sheet and 1 on the second page of the EIC but other than that it was all good and all I can say to anyone taking this exam is to Pay attention in Class and Study hard.

SMB · Jan 31, 2011

Well done John.

Excellent.

SirKit Breaker · Jan 31, 2011

chris-leeds said:
Hi. By trade I'm a qualified mechanical maintenance engineer with 30 years experience and recently I've been trying to diversify in order to gain not only new, but continual employment.

Over the last couple of years I've passed the nebosh health & safety qualification, the city & guilds 2377 pat testing qualification and recently the city & guilds 2382 17th edition qualification. This week I took the city & guilds 2392 inspection & testing examination after completing the course. I passed the online Gola exam but failed miserably with the practical. I'm annoyed at failing the practical exam, but not as annoyed as I am at what is happening in this country when it comes to securing employment.

These days to be a mechanical maintenance engineer you have to be all things to everybody. You're required to have qualifications and experience of much more than was required of you 20 or 30 years ago. People like myself in their late 40's are having to go out and learn new skills and obtain diverse qualifications or resign themselves to the scrap heap. Gone are the days when we all stuck to our own disciplines, we’re now expected to be multi-skilled, work overtime for single time pay and be on 24 hour call out.

It's not surprising that I failed the 2392 practical because as to date, I have pretty much no knowledge of electrical installations, yet I've taken a course that covers testing your own installations, I'm the first to question the logic in that, but I don't have the time to go on a 2330 course and there are limited options available to people like myself at this time of life with regards to learning new skills.

I know that in a factory environment like I'm used to there is very little need for single phase domestic qualifications, but I guess they're better than none.

I'm determined to pass the 2392 practical exam and then consider scrambling my brain with the 2391 course if I have to. The Part P course is an option I guess, but the cost of that has jumped up at some places to around a £1000 and I don't know how much that course would benefit me. If anyone can advise me it would be much appreciated.

I've even recently completed a night class welding course as well for what it's worth.

I don't think that there are many more courses to be had, and with all those qualifications they aren't worth much without the experience, a kind of chicken and egg situation. I've been considering looking for work as an electricians mate, but I have to question the wisdom of that move for someone in their 40's.

.... Is there anything out there such as a step by step guide to the testing sequence in detail of the 2392 practical exam? Written as if you were talking someone through it... I think the best description is a crib list? Any help would be much appreciated.

Experienced sparks needn't worry that I'm going to let myself loose out there, all I'm hoping for is extra qualifications to secure a job. I’m the first to agree with the requirements of the terms skilled, instructed, an ordinary person.

I am considering out of desperation becoming a freelance health & safety officer and the electrical qualifications would help me to pass comment on some aspects of visited companies’ electrical testing & inspection compliance, which is something I’m guessing not many H&S inspectors have.

Thanks for reading. And best of luck with your employment.

The IEE guidance note 3 is a must, even for seasoned test and inspection engineers. Also it makes reference to the Regs book and on site guide, again a must if Electrical work is your chosen route. With regard to testing, there is no substitute for experience. Lay your hands on a 17th edition multifunction tester or hire one and following GN3 test your own house. Domestic testing is not rocket science, but you do need to practice and understand what and why you are doing it, what are the expected results, and what action to take or recommend when the results are out of spec. If you can get into a local sparky who can show you and let you have a go even better.
As you call yourself chris-leeds, i guess you are in Leeds, so am I and at the moment i am in the process of completing 27 PIR's.

Cheers.........Howard

chris-leeds · Feb 1, 2011

Many thanks for that John, that's a great help, much appreciated mate..

chris-leeds · Feb 1, 2011

Hi Howard, thanks for your reply. I'll see if I can get hold of the guidance note 3 book. On the course I used the city & Guilds and the niceic course book.

Yes I'm in leeds, albeit north leeds, wetherby as it happens. Glad to see your busy in these quiet times mate.

B6 7BU · Feb 1, 2011

How much time did you spend on the practical side in class before your exam?

chris-leeds · Feb 1, 2011

I did it at Wakefield Skill Centre. It was 4 days long, plus the exam There wasn't that much time spent on the hands-on. I was told that you were expected to be a sparky to go on the 2392 course in the first place. My response to that was that unfortunately it looks like the future lies within the re-training route for many mechanical engineers and it can be expected that more and more inexperienced people will be required to undertake further developement just to get a job. There was a 2 day electrical introduction course available, but had I gone on that, I wouldn't have had the finances available to go on the 2392, and I doubt that it would have made any difference to the outcome. I guess I need to study the practical routine until it's second nature and then get myself back on a re-sit.

I'm still in the process of finding work and 'multi-skilled' is the holy grail of getting a job these days. However, fluent in certain foreign languages is now creeping in, along with CRB checks etc. I'm not sure how much off these obstacles are due to all these agencies getting involved in employment? Back to my notes I guess....