How do I become an electrical contractor?

**skatingsparks** · 19-Aug-15, 06:11 PM

The paper 1 and 2 were quite tricky. When I sat the exam 138 people went in and 2 passed..... Some say it's easy, I found quite hard to be honest, mostly because there is a lot of stuff in there that most electricians won't ever use (IT earthing systems, never seen one in 20 years). Also Kosmonooit is right they want some of the answers word for word as is written in SANS 10142. The other books were about HV cable and lightning protection which there was a question or 2 and there was quite a bit from OHS act which is weird considering the crazy dangerous ways a lot of people work. Machine regulations etc..... The course will highlight the bits you are expected to memorise, most of which you will never use again.

**paulbloggs** · 22-Jul-16, 12:17 PM

OK this thread is old but it is mine so...

I finally received my results for the installation rules exam - wrote them in April - received the official results today. Takes a while. Anyway I passed both - woohoo!

So now I need to do the portfolio of evidence. Basically just need to do 3 COC and document them with lots of photos and diagrams.

So if there is anybody out there who will allow me to accompany them while they doing their inspections I would be grateful. I would also appreciate any instruction they might offer - I think I am reasonably competent with tools, testers etc. My day job is in metering and instrumentation. I would have to work around the day job as there is not a lot of encouragement from management.

I am in the Sandton , Johannesburg area.

**thomasj** · 21-Aug-15, 02:38 PM

A test where 2 out of 138 pass does not sound easy to me - wow!

**kosmonooit** · 21-Aug-15, 06:08 PM

We were told that the national pass rate for Papers 1 and 2 is 5%

I don't think the exams really test your understanding of the codes.

**DieterT** · 22-Aug-15, 11:58 AM

It sounds to me like someone is influencing you guys very negative for these exams...
If that is true that there is only a 5% pass rate then it seems the learners ain't doing it right or the teachers don't know how to teach.

You are right you might never use some of the information in the SANS10142 part 1, but there is always the possibility you might and even later on if you would move on and to get your MIE or even more your GCOC (Government ticket) you would require knowledge on the different earthing systems used and other information contained in the SANS10142 part 1 which you might not use right now. Is that not how most exams / subjects are? Some you use, some you don't and some is supporting information for the next step??

If you I can give you my advice (therefore saying "take it or leave it...") get the past exam papers and learn them off by heart (repetition)
This is the way most N subjects are offered, even now with having done my specialized codes paper 1 and 2 it was exactly the same as when I wrote my installation codes paper 1 and 2. The exam was a repetition of previous exams and also asking one of the moderators about this I was told that this is the way it is prescribed and therefore they have to adhere (even though they would like to create new, more difficult exam papers)

I just finished now with the unit standards for specialized installations and I must say that PnT Tech is well worth the their weight in gold. It is hard work and a pressure cooker of an exam also there is a lot of work to do with the POE, but the knowledge gained from the course is well worth it.
If anyone is considering doing their trade prep/wireman's or masters I would recommend doing it through PnT Technologies.

I also see that PnT provides you with all the documentation required for the installation unit standards as they have also done when I did the specialized unit standards.
Another recommendation would be to get it done as soon as possible since with the PV regs being introduced into the SANS 10142 part 1 it will most probably cause the exam papers to be adopted for this. Which is a good thing, but will obviously make the exam more difficult being that it will be new questions with no past exam papers to reference too. An on the other side of this they will remove medical locations from the SANS 10142 part 1, since it is a specialized environment thus being a MIE responsibility and therefore only forming part of the specialized codes...

**kosmonooit** · 22-Aug-15, 08:03 PM

That number of 5% Pass Rate came from P&T

Sure they are do-able, but you are going to need more that a few days off work to crack them.

**DieterT** · 24-Aug-15, 01:09 AM

Originally Posted by kosmonooit

That number of 5% Pass Rate came from P&T

Sure they are do-able, but you are going to need more that a few days off work to crack them.

Sad to hear that they are demotivating people. I really had a good experience with them with the M.I.E. Unit Standards and do wish I did my I.E. Unit Standards with them.
One of the guys who was with me in the training did his I.E. Unit Standards with them and he was very happy. Seems they are very thorough with their training and that I could see now with the M.I.E.
I do not know how their courses are for the paper 1 and 2.

Don't get me wrong they do tell you straight that this is hard work, especially with the Portfolio of Evidence, but paper 1 and 2 should not be a killer.
I say again, for paper 1 and 2, put enough effort into learning the old exam papers and you will make it. It is a given.

**SilverNodashi** · 18-Sep-15, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by DieterT

Sad to hear that they are demotivating people. I really had a good experience with them with the M.I.E. Unit Standards and do wish I did my I.E. Unit Standards with them.
One of the guys who was with me in the training did his I.E. Unit Standards with them and he was very happy. Seems they are very thorough with their training and that I could see now with the M.I.E.
I do not know how their courses are for the paper 1 and 2.

Don't get me wrong they do tell you straight that this is hard work, especially with the Portfolio of Evidence, but paper 1 and 2 should not be a killer.
I say again, for paper 1 and 2, put enough effort into learning the old exam papers and you will make it. It is a given.

Where can we get some of these old exam papers?

**skatingsparks** · 19-Sep-15, 01:30 AM

I kind of think its good its hard exam because there are enough bad electricians out there already and most will struggle to pass if they haven't got a few years experience behind them anyway. On the flip side I also think the exam should be more based on 'do you know how to use the book' rather than 'have you memorised chunks of the book which you don't really understand'. Like the trade test, what good is learning parrot fashion how to link out pins on a board, useless.....

**paulbloggs** · 26-Jan-16, 04:44 PM

Old thread I know but I started it so...

Well I am currently doing a part time installation rules course with the ECA. So far so good - just need to get all the facts into my head - has been a while since I last studied.

Now I need to enrol for the exams - is there somewhere in Edenvale that I can do those? I have been given a list of FET colleges but they all seem so far away. So my options seem to be CJC near Ellis Park or Ekurhuleni West in Germiston. But someone said there was one in Edenvale but I cannot find it.

And the phone numbers seem to be pointless - there is usually no answer or maybe half an answer and then you get cut off. So I guess I have to go in person.