Third Step "A"

What is the term for conductors that originate at the terminals of a circuit breaker or a circuit recloser in a distribution substation and continue to the termination point of the high side of distribution transformers?

A) Sub-transmission circuits
B) Secondary looped radial circuits
C) Primary looped radial circuits
D) Distribution feeder circuits

A study of 10 linemen who regularly worked on energized 345 KV transmission lines
conducted by personnel at John Hopkins University for a 10 year period concluded
what about the health of the linemen?

A) The linemen were in excellent health
B) The linemen suffered severe damage to the speech and creative centers of their brains
C) The linemen had a better sense of direction and common sense at the expense of spelling proficiency and long-term memory
D) The linemen suffered minor damage to their livers though magnetic field effects are most likely not the cause

Why are direct current transmission systems used?

A) To transmit large blocks of alternating current over rough terrain
B) To interconnect two AC systems which are not synchronized
C) To transmit DC power generated by hydro plants to converter stations
D) To supply large blocks of DC power to large industrial users

Given a primary metering installation on a 13,200 / 7,620 volt system with the primary WYE connected to the voltage transformer and a secondary voltage of 120 volts, what is the turn’s ratio of this voltage transformer?

A) 69.27/1
B) 110/1
C) Turns ratio cannot be determined from the information given
D) 63.5/1

What does the term LSC stand for?

A) Latex silicone conductor insulation
B) Light sensitive control
C) Liquid sodium chandelier
D) Lightening surge container

What is the term to describe a luminous discharge created by the ionization of air surrounding an electrical conductor?

A) Flash
B) Arc
C) Ozone
D) Corona

What would cause an ATO to switch from the preferred feed to the alternate feed?

A) A power interruption on the alternate feed for a preset amount of time
B) A power interruption on the preferred feed for a preset amount of time
C) A secondary fault on the customer’s equipment
D) Both B. and C

Why is the capacity of an underground transmission system severely limited when cables are installed in ducts?

A) Duct runs require multiple splices that limit the capacity of the cable
B) The duct reduces the cables ability to vibrate and dissipate heat
C) The duct run limits the cables ability to absorb water and cool itself
D) The duct limits the cables ability to dissipate heat generated in the cable

High-pressure, oil-filled, paper-insulated cables in which three phase conductors are enclosed in a steel pipe containing oil are used for underground transmission circuits.
True False

Phase sequence has no effect on poly-phase motors.
True False

How is an electronic sectionalizer reset?

A) It resets automatically as it opens
B) Install a new actuator and close the gate with a hotline tool
C) Turning switch on panel to closed and holding for 5 seconds
D) The yellow ring is pushed up with a hotline tool

An auto booster with a 10/1 ratio (boosting) is on a line where the source voltage measures 6,927 volts.
The sliding contact is on tap 5 of the secondary coil. What is the corrected voltage on the load side of the auto booster?

A) 10,390
B) 7,620
C) 7,200
D) 7,420

What should be done before replacing a three-phase transformer?

A) Voltage and amperage checked to determine phase sequence
B) Rotation should be checked, marked and returned the same way
C) Phasing is standard blue-to-blue, white to black, and red-to-red
D) Rotation should be checked marked and two wires changed on the new installation to make up for the difference in new and old transformers

What is the bank KVA rating of two 50-KVA transformers that are connected in an open delta configuration?

A) 50 KVA
B) 86.6 KVA
C) 100 KVA
D) 57.7 KVA

What does a yellow dot on the outside of a secondary pedestal indicate?

A) The pedestal has one spot left
B) It is a normal open
C) The pedestal is full
D) The pedestal feeds a streetlight

A 25 KVA transformer has a ratio of 27.5 to 1. If the primary voltage is 13,200, what is the rating of the secondary in KVA?

A) 3.28
B) 7620
C) 1.89
D) 25

If given a metering installation involving current transformers, what must be done prior to working on the secondary side of a current transformer for safety?

A) Secondary breakers must be closed and the circuit grounded
B) The high side of the CT must be de-energized
C) The CT must be shunted or bridged to prevent primary potential on the secondary side
D) Amperage on the primary and secondary must be verified in the acceptable range per NEC standard 6-879N

If a customer needs 240 volt three-phase service, what secondary rating on the nameplate can be used?

A) 277
B) 120
C) 240 / 480
D) 277 / 480

How many times will our field reclosers operate before they lockout?

A) Two operations and then lockout
B) One operation includes all the cycles up to and including lockout
C) Four operations and then lockout
D) Three operations and then lockout

There are three different types of substations. What are they?

A) Low voltage, high voltage, and extra high voltage
B) Transmission, sub-transmission, and distribution
C) Transmission, overhead, and underground
D) Urban, rural, and suburban

What type transformer is used in a series street lighting circuit?

A) Light sensitive controlled transformer
B) Variable wattage
C) Constant current
D) Low resistance

What device uses air, oil, SF6, gas or vacuum to break the arc when switching electrical circuits and equipment in and out of the system?

A) Surge arresters
B) Induction voltage regulators
C) Circuit breakers
D) Shunt capacitors

There are four basic types of switched capacitor banks. Which of the following are
switched capacitor banks?

A) Voltage, current, VAR, and Temperature
B) Thermal, SCADA, electrical, and chemical
C) Underground, overhead, DC, and AC
D) Underground, overhead, DC, and AC

What is the safest way of completing electrical distribution work?

A) Ensure the feeder is set on one shot before grounding the line
B) Use hot sticks from the pole
C) Contract the work out to less skilled crews
D) De-energize, isolate, test, and ground

When taking a regulator off line, after confirming the regulator is in the neutral position, what should be done before closing the bypass switches?

A) Open line side switch
B) Open load side switch
C) Ground the S bushing
D) The selector switch should be turned to the off position

What is a clearance tag to be considered the same as?

A) A lock
B) A Live line tag
C) A do not move tag
D) All of the above

ATO’s are installed to meet what customer requirements?

A) Wealthy residential customers who can afford construction and desire green power only
B) Large industrial customers who require high quality, three-phase, single feed power
C) Customers with essential loads who require generator back up to their primary feed, equipped with automatic transfer technology
D) Customers with essential loads who require two electric sources with automatic transfer from one source to the other

What equipment reduces primary voltage to the utilization voltage required by the customer?

A) An autotransformer
B) A distribution transformer
C) A primary metering installation
D) A line drop compensator

If the regulatory tap setting on a single-phase transformer is changed from tap C
(100%) to tap D (97.5), what happens to secondary voltage?

A) It will remain the same and current will increase
B) It will stay within + or – 2 volts of nameplate values
C) It will increase
D) It will decrease

What does the number 25 on a luminaire indicate?

A) 250 watts
B) The degree of refraction the lamp was constructed with
C) The amperage the lamp requires
D) The candlepower emitted from the lamp

Converter stations are used to convert AC transmission voltages to DC, and
vise-versa.
True False

When paralleling transformers, what is the maximum allowable difference in rated impedance between the transformers?

A) No more than 92.5% below or 107.5% above
B) Impedance ratings must be identical
C) Percent ratings must be within + or – 2.5% of each other
D) Within 7.5% above or below each other

On a WYE / WYE bank, the primary neutral is floated to prevent excess voltage from building up on the secondary side.
True False

Auto Boosters automatically adjust to changing loads and voltages.
True False

What should be used to energize and de-energize oil filled equipment?

A) Load break tool
B) Class 3 rubber gloves
C) All of the above
D) Appropriate insulated sticks

Why should rubber gloves be stored in canvas bags when not in use?

A) To keep from losing or misplacing them
B) To protect them from mechanical damage or deterioration from ozone
C) To protect them from extreme cold or extreme heat
D) To keep the rubber supple and easy to manipulate

A sectionalizer is found tripped. You patrolled the lines find nothing wrong and call dispatch for permission to close it back in. How do you close the sectionalizer back in?

A) Turn the control handle to the closed position
B) Push up on the silver L shaped lever with a hot line tool
C) Push up on the yellow ring with a hot line tool
D) Have dispatch close it back in remotely using the SCADA system

What does protective equipment provide the lineman?

A) A margin of safety for error without injury
B) Barriers for absolute protection from injury
C) A safety factor of from 2 to 5 depending on line voltage
D) All the above

What are the two types of capacitor banks?

A) Inductive and capacitive
B) Overhead and underground
C) Leading and lagging
D) Fixed and switched

What is the purpose of current transformers used in substations?

A) To measure high voltages by reducing it proportionally to a manageable level
B) To boost current when system lags behind the pre-set limits for a specified period of time
C) It provides a low resistance path to ground for switching surges and lightning strokes and converts a portion of that energy to a usable medium
D) To measure high current by reducing it proportionally to a manageable level

Given a 101 KVA or larger single phase overhead transformer, how many secondary bushings would you generally expect it to have?

A) Six
B) Two
C) Three
D) Four

What is the most likely cause for a streetlight burning during daylight hours?

A) The lamp bulb has arced over between electrodes
B) Timing clock malfunction
C) The ballast has failed
D) The photocell has failed

The need for a neutral is minor when the load is balanced among the three phases. For this reason, the neutral is often omitted in distribution and
transmission wye circuits.
True False

Once secondary phase conductors have been removed from an energized
overhead transformer, they should be considered energized until the connection
status of both ends of the secondary mains are verified open and not paralleled
to another transformer.
True False

What are the two main reasons linemen wear safety hard hats?

A) To protect the head from the impact of heavy objects by spreading the force across the top of the skull so it will be equally distributed to the body
B) To protect the head from the impact of falling or moving objects and electrical contact
C) To keep the head cool and block sunrays that might damage the lineman’s skull
D) All of the above

What is the phase to ground voltage in a 4160 four wire system?

A) 7200 volts
B) 1200 volts
C) 8320 volts
D) 2400 volts

Which of the following is true of a transformer nameplate listing one secondary voltage of 277 volts?

A) The transformer has three secondary bushings
B) The transformer is not to be used in three phase banks
C) The Transformer secondary internal coils are wired in series
D) The transformer has only one secondary coil

In addition to ensuring percent impedance of one transformer is between 92.5% and 107.5% of the other transformer, which of the following conditions must be met in order to parallel two single-phase transformers for greater capacity?

A) Tap settings and frequency ratings must be identical
B) Polarity and KVA ratings must be the same
C) Voltage ratings must be identical and the transformers must be connected to the same primary phase
D) Only B and C

Which situation will cause a substation breaker to operate automatically?

A) Over currents
B) Low voltage
C) A drop in frequency
D) All the above

Given a transformer that has a high side winding made with small wire and a large
number of turns and a low side winding that is made with larger wire and a fewer
number of turns, what type of transformer is this?

A) Auto booster
B) Auto transformer
C) Step up transformer
D) Step down transformer

What is the best rubber cover up component to use to cover up odd shaped conductors and equipment?

A) A rubber-insulating blanket
B) A rubber multi-purpose cover
C) An electric blanket
D) An odd shaped conductor cover

What test should be performed on rubber gloves before work each day?

A) Squeak test
B) Air test
C) Visual test
D) Dielectric test

Conductor covers, insulator covers, and cross arm covers are fabricated from rubber
and what other material?

A) High dielectric polyethylene
B) Laminated canvas
C) Water-soluble oil impregnated fiber barrier board
D) Plasticized carbon filament

A sectionalizer is normally set to lockout at ________ count(s) less than the recloser lockout.

A) 3
B) 0
C) 2
D) 1

Class 0 rubber gloves are AC proof tested to __________ volts rms and DC proof
tested to __________ volts average.

A) 10,000 and 20,000
B) 10,000 and 10,000
C) 5,000 and 20,000
D) 1,000 and 5,000

Fuses are installed to protect the electrical system from what?

A) Small animals damaging the electrical system
B) Faults and short circuits
C) Inductive reactance
D) Capacitive reactance

What is the purpose of a lightning arrester in a distribution circuit?

A) To convert lightning energy into useful electric power through a series of diodes and relays
B) To bypass electrical surges on the circuits, protecting the insulators and equipment from over voltages
C) To prevent lightning from striking the lines
D) They are always installed on the end of a circuit to keep the electricity from arcing out the end of the wire

An Auto booster is capable of lowering the voltage on a distribution line.
True False

What is the most common type of lamp used by this company?

A) Nichol metal halide
B) Ammonia vapor
C) High pressure sodium
D) Mercury vapor

What is the voltage required by the primary winding in a transformer that has
2,400/4,160Y 120/240 on its nameplate?

A) 4160 volts
B) 120 volts
C) 2400 volts
D) 240 volts

Primary metering is a cost saving installation that benefits the company and customers that use large amounts of power.
True False

Which of the following is true regarding a three phase delta circuit?

A) You can ground one conductor on a three phase delta circuit
B) Grounding two phases in a delta circuit creates a short circuit
C) If one phase is grounded the voltage between the other two phases and ground is equal to phase-to-phase voltage
D) All the above

Reactive kilovolt-amperes can be supplied to the electrical system by connecting___________ to the distribution circuits in the substations or out on the distribution lines to neutralize the effect of customer inductive loads.

A) coupling capacitors
B) banks of capacitors
C) induction voltage regulators
D) shunt reactors

How is an insulator hood properly installed?

A) It will snap into place around the insulator leaving a perfect 1/4 inch gap between the hood and the line hose to eliminate tracking
B) It will snap into place around the insulator leaving a perfect 1/2 inch gap between the hood and the line hose to eliminate tracking
C) It will overlap the line hose when properly installed
D) It will snap into place below the cross arm

To keep from damaging underground cable when pulling it in, you must not pull beyond its maximum allowable tension or bend it greater than its allowable radius.
True False

What device is used to check for a bad cell in a de-energized capacitor rack?

A) C-meter or microfarads meter
B) Voltmeter
C) Mega-ohm meter
D) Amp meter

Auto boosters can only boost or only buck depending on how they are wired.
True False

What do voltage or potential devices connected to coupling capacitors normally provide
power to?

A) Voltmeters
B) Current meters
C) Wattmeters
D) Protective relays

Which of the following are methods of controlling light emissions from streetlights?

A) Rheostats vary voltage to the lamp and control light intensity
B) Motorized elliptical iris controls light distribution
C) Variable resistors in the street light circuit control light intensity
D) Reflectors, refractors and diffusing globes or a combination are used to direct and control light

How should rubber-insulating sleeves be treated by the lineman?

A) Rubber sleeves must be treated with care and inspected regularly by the lineman
B) Rubber sleeves must be washed after each use to remove residue, which might damage them
C) Rubber insulating sleeves must never be worn without leather keepers to protect them from mechanical damage
D) All of the above

What is the preferred method for de-energizing a switched capacitor bank?

A) Open switches by holding a lighter under the temperature sensor
B) Open oil switches with a switch stick
C) Open switch in the control box with class two rubber gloves
D) Open fused cut outs with a load break tool

What is the term for a transformer that contains protective devices such as lightning arrestors, primary fuses and secondary breakers?

A) Power transformer
B) Auto transformer
C) CSP transformer
D) URD transformer

How is voltage regulation on any electrical system defined?

A) The amount of power factor correction required to supply good voltage to each part of the system
B) The difference in voltage between periods of no load and periods of full load on the system
C) The degree to which frequency changes in a given system based on load of the circuit and torque on the generator
D) The degree to which current lags voltage and heat losses are more severe on the electric system

What is calculated when the resistance, inductive reactance, and capacitive reactance are considered to determine the total opposition to current in a circuit?

A) Frequency
B) Specific resistance
C) Impedance
D) Conductive resonance

How are rubber goods easily damaged?

A) Only Improper storage and Exposure to grease and oil
B) Improper storage
C) Exposure to mild soap or water
D) Exposure to grease and oil

After washing rubber gloves, what is the best thing to do next?

A) Set them in the sun for two hours to dry
B) Wipe down with an alcohol wipe, turn inside out and store
C) Rinsed thoroughly and left to air dry
D) Turn them inside out for storage

When using a voltmeter to perform phasing on two known energized secondary circuits, what does a “0.00” reading indicate?

A) The circuits are de-energized
B) The two circuits being tested are out of phase
C) The two circuits being tested are the same phase
D) The meter has a dead battery

What is used to cover primary distribution conductors to protect the lineman from an accidental electrical contact?

A) Rubber insulating line hose
B) XLP sleeves
C) Primary inhibitor compound
D) Weatherproof insulation

What is the maximum use voltage for class 2 rubber gloves?

A) 26, 000 volts ac rms
B) 15, 000 volts ac rms
C) 600 volts ac rms
D) 17, 000 volts ac rms

What is the most important article of protection for a lineman or cableman?

A) A good pair of rubber gloves with proper dielectric strength
B) An approved hard hat with a collision avoidance system
C) A flame retardant jump suit with reflective stripes
D) All of the above

Which of the following is true concerning a transformer with the following voltage rating on the nameplate:12,470GRDY/7,200?

A) Indicates the transformer is for three phase applications
B) Indicates the transformer is a two bushing can
C) Indicates the transformer has reduced insulation at the neutral end of the primary coil
D) Indicates the transformer is to be delta connected on a 12,470 volt system

What is the function of a protective relay in a substation?

A) Automatically operate their contacts to properly identify the source of the trouble and remove it from the electrical system
B) To protect lines from transformer faults
C) To protect lines from substation breaker failure
D) All of the above

What procedure must be completed before connecting two energized secondary wires
together?

A) Use a voltmeter to ensure the phasing is correct
B) Physically trace the wires back to point of origin to ensure they are at the same potential
C) Both circuits must be de-energized first
D) Perform a flash test on the transformer tank to ensure the circuits are energized at the same potential

Each work project and especially those projects requiring linemen and cablemen to handle energized electrical conductors should be planned in detail. What should this plan ensure?

A) The positioning and location of all equipment
B) Written step-by-step procedures for the work to be done
C) The safety of the workers and the reliability of the electrical service
D) All of the above

What is the purpose of capacitor banks installed on distribution circuits?

A) To absorb excess current flow
B) To improve the power factor
C) To maintain the power factor at unity
D) Add inductance to the line

There are two types of distribution regulators now in service. They are the induction and the step voltage regulators.
True False

What causes a voltage drop in an electric circuit that causes voltage to be less at the load end than it is at the source end of a line?

A) Customers use electricity all along the line reducing the quantity
B) Power lines get smaller toward the ends of the line, which causes more resistance to the current flowing through the line
C) Current flowing through the line impedance causes a voltage drop
D) All of the above

What type of transformer connection is shown by the illustration?

A) Delta - Delta
B) Wye - Wye
C) Delta - Wye
D) Wye - Delta

Current and potential transformers supply the intelligence for measuring power flows and the electrical inputs for the operation of protective relays associated
with the transmission and distribution circuits.
True False

The voltage variation to residences (secondary) has been standardized. What are the low and high limits?

A) 115 and 125
B) 100 and 130
C) 114 and 126
D) 110 and 130

How many steps does an auto booster have, not counting the neutral position?

A) 5 for boost and 5 for buck
B) 16 for boost and 16 for buck
C) 5 steps wired for either boost or buck but not both
D) 16 steps wired for either boost or buck but not both

What component is used to regulate voltage on a line when capacitors are no longer
effective?

A) Tap-changing transformers
B) Induction voltage regulators
C) Step voltage regulators
D) All the above

What should be done with metal structures and fences that are constructed under extra high voltage transmission lines?

A) Metal structures are prohibited on transmission line right of ways
B) Metal portions should be effectively grounded to bleed off static charges
C) Metal structures and fences should be removed from the transmission right of way because such structures cost the company money by unintentionally stealing power
D) Metal portions should be isolated from ground potential, magnetic induction by the line, and step potential

What does the acronym “SCADA” stand for on an automated distribution system?

A) Supervisory Controlled Automated Distribution Analysis
B) Secondary Control and Distribution Automation
C) Supervisory Controlled Automatic Data Acquisition
D) Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition

What limits the capacity of overhead AC transmission lines?

A) Thermal expansion and resulting sag of line conductors
B) The operating frequency of the line conductors
C) The amount of voltage to be transmitted by the line
D) The direction the line is routed in relation to the earth’s magnetic field

What happens to the current on the neutral of a wye system when the loads between
the phases are not balanced?

A) The current goes up on the neutral
B) The current remains constant on the neutral
C) The current is zero
D) The current goes down on the neutral

A sectionalizer senses fault current at what percentage of its operating current rating?

A) 200%
B) 86.6%
C) 120%
D) 160%

What is the term for a direct current transmission line consisting of one conductor with the ground as a return?

A) Monopolar DC system
B) Single phase DC
C) Two phase DC ground return system
D) Bipolar DC system

What is the purpose of a sectionalizer?

A) Installed on branch circuits to protect lateral fuses
B) Performs the same function as a recloser but more cost effectively
C) Isolates faults and protects the feeder and distributor
D) Wired in series with a recloser to activate the reclosing operation

On a delta circuit, there is no return current through the ground.
True False

Your mother is incredibly proud of the man you have become!
True False