Industrial Electrician – Exam Information

Self-Assessment
Exam Breakdown
Types of Exam Questions
Math Formulas
Acronyms

Self-Assessment

This tool can be used to reflect on your own experience and knowledge in the trade compared with what is on the exam.

Exam Breakdown

Each Red Seal exam's questions are developed to assess the activities laid out in the Red Seal Occupational Standard. This trade's Red Seal exam has 100 questions^{Footnote *}, which are distributed as follows:

Major Work Activity A - Performs common occupational skills - 9 questions

Task A-1 Performs safety-related functions

2 questions

Task A-2 Uses tools and equipment

2 questions

Task A-3 Organizes work

2 questions

Task A-4 Fabricates and installs support components

1 question

Task A-5 Commissions and decommissions electrical systems

2 questions

Task A-6 Uses communication and mentoring techniques

0 questions

Major Work Activity B - Installs and maintains generating, distribution and service systems - 23 questions

Task B-7 Installs and maintains consumer/supply services and metering equipment

3 questions

Task B-8 Installs and maintains protection devices

4 questions

Task B-9 Installs and maintains low voltage distribution systems

3 questions

Task B-10 Installs and maintains power conditioning systems

2 questions

Task B-11 Installs and maintains bonding, grounding and ground fault detection systems

3 questions

Task B-12 Installs and maintains power generating systems

2 questions

Task B-13 Installs and maintains renewable energy generating and storage systems

1 question

Task B-14 Installs and maintains high voltage systems

2 questions

Task B-15 Installs and maintains transformers

3 questions

Major Work Activity C - Installs and maintains wiring systems - 20 questions

Task C-16 Installs and maintains raceways, cables, conductors and enclosures

5 questions

Task C-17 Installs and maintains branch circuitry and devices

5 questions

Task C-18 Installs and maintains heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) electrical components

3 questions

Task C-19 Installs and maintains electric heating systems and controls

3 questions

Task C-20 Installs and maintains exit and emergency lighting systems

2 questions

Task C-21 Installs and maintains cathodic protection systems

2 questions

Major Work Activity D - Installs and maintains rotating and non-rotating equipment and control systems - 21 questions

Task D-22 Installs and maintains motor starters and control devices

7 questions

Task D-23 Installs and maintains drives

5 questions

Task D-24 Installs and maintains non-rotating equipment and associated controls

3 questions

Task D-25 Installs and maintains motors

6 questions

Major Work Activity E - Installs and maintains signalling and communication systems - 10 questions

Task E-26 Installs and maintains signalling systems

4 questions

Task E-27 Installs and maintains communication systems

3 questions

Task E-28 Installs and maintains building automation systems

3 questions

Major Work Activity F- Installs and maintains process control systems - 17 questions

Task F-29 Installs and maintains input/output (I/O) devices

8 questions

Task F-30 Installs, programs and maintains automated control systems

6 questions

Task F-31 Installs and maintains pneumatic and hydraulic control systems

3 questions

Types of Exam Questions

All Red Seal exam questions are written in multiple-choice format. A multiple-choice question consists of question followed by four possible responses (A, B, C, D). Every question has exactly one correct answer and three incorrect options. They are not misleading or trick questions, but the incorrect options are not always obvious.

There are three types of questions that you will see on Red Seal Exams:

Knowledge and Recall
Procedural and Application
Critical Thinking

Knowledge and Recall

This type of question tests your ability to recall and understand definitions, facts and principles.

For this trade, between 10 and 20% of questions that are this type.

Example of a Knowledge and Recall Question:

On a schematic diagram, which type of interlock is indicated by a dashed line between 2 motor starters?

Mechanical.
Electrical.
Auxiliary contact.
Push button.

Answer: A

Procedural and Application

This type of question tests your ability to apply your knowledge of procedures to a situation.

For this trade, between 35 and 45% of questions are this type.

Example of a Procedural and Application Question:

What is the procedure for testing an HPS lamp socket for power?

Use digital VOM, then check from centre contact to ground.
Use digital VOM, then check from shell to centre contact.
Use analog VOM, then check from centre contact to ground.
Use analog VOM, then check from shell to ground.

Answer: B

Critical Thinking

This type of question tests your ability to interpret data, solve problems and arrive at valid conclusions.

For this trade, between 40 and 50% of questions are this type.

Example of a Critical Thinking Question:

Three 25 kVA transformers are connected in delta. One of the transformers fails and is reconnected as an open delta. What is the available capacity of the transformer bank?

38.5%
43.4%
51.6%
57.7%

Answer: D

Math Formulas

Formulas [PDF, 144 KB]

The following formulas used in this trade may be needed to answer some questions on its Red Seal exam. They will also be provided with the exam sitting.

Measurement unit abbreviations

E: voltage
hp: horsepower
I: current
P: power
PF: power factor
R: resistance
RMS: root mean square
VA: apparent power
W: watts

Constants

$\sqrt{2} = 1.41$

$\sqrt{3} = 1.73$

$π = 3.14$

Formulas

Formulas
Description	Full	Abbreviated
Area of a circle	$pi \times radius squared$	$π r^{2}$
Current	$\frac{voltage}{resistance}$	$\frac{E}{R}$
${Current}_{(average)} (full wave)$	${current}_{(maximum)} \times 0.6365$	$I_{(max)} \times 0.6365$
${Current}_{(average)} (full wave)$	${current}_{(maximum)} \times 0.6365$	$I_{(max)} \times 0.6365$
${Current}_{(root mean square)}$	${current}_{(maximum)} \times 0.7071$	$I_{(max)} \times 0.7071$
Force	$area \times pressure$
Frequency	$\frac{poles \times speed}{120}$
$Line current (I_{line})$	$\frac{apparent power}{(line voltage \times \sqrt{3})}$	$\frac{VA}{(E_{line} \times \sqrt{3})}$
$Line current (I_{line}) (delta)$	$phase current \times \sqrt{3}$	$(I_{phase}) \times \sqrt{3}$
$Line current (E_{line}) (wye)$	$phase voltage \times \sqrt{3}$	$(E_{phase}) \times \sqrt{3}$
Peak	$root mean square \times \sqrt{2}$	$RMS \times \sqrt{2}$
Power	$current squared \times resistance$	$I^{2} \times R$
Power	$horsepower \times 746 watts$	$hp \times 746 W$
Power	$voltage \times current \times power factor$	$E \times I \times PF$
Power	$\frac{voltage squared}{resistance}$	$\frac{E^{2}}{R}$
Power factor	$cosine \times angle$	$\cos \times angle$
Power factor	$\frac{true power}{apparent power}$	$\frac{P}{VA}$
Resistance	$\frac{voltage squared}{power}$	$\frac{E^{2}}{P}$
$Short circuit current (I_{short‑circuit})$	$\frac{secondary current}{impedence}$	$\frac{I_{secondary}}{% Z}$
$Total power (P_{total})$	$line voltage \times line current \times power factor \times \sqrt{3}$	$E_{line} \times I_{line} \times PF \times \sqrt{3}$
$Total power (P_{total})$	$phase voltage \times phase current \times power factor \times 3$	$E_{phase} \times I_{phase} \times PF \times 3$
Turn ratio	$\frac{number of primary turns}{number of secondary turns} = \frac{primary voltage}{secondary voltage} = \frac{current in the secondary}{current in the primary}$	$\frac{N_{p}^{}}{N_{s}^{}} = \frac{E_{p}^{}}{E_{s}^{}} = \frac{I_{s}^{}}{I_{p}^{}}$
Volt‑amperes	$line voltage \times line current \times \sqrt{3}$	$E_{line} \times I_{line} \times \sqrt{3}$
Volt‑amperes	$phase voltage \times phase current \times 3$	$E_{phase} \times I_{phase} \times 3$

Acronyms

Acronyms [PDF, 93 KB]

The following acronyms used in this trade may be on its Red Seal exam. They will also be provided with the exam sitting.

AC: alternating current
AFCI: arc-fault circuit interrupter
CCTV: closed-circuit television
CSA: Canadian Standards Association
CT: current transformer
DC: direct current
DCLA: data communication link, Class A
DCS: distributed control system
DIP: dual in-line package
EEPROM: electrically erasable programmable read-only memory
EMI: electro-magnetic interference
EMT: electrical metallic tubing
EOL: end of line
FAS: fire alarm and signal
FLA: full load amperage
FS: float switch
FTP: File Transfer Protocol
Gb/s: gigabits per second
GFCI: ground fault circuit interrupter
HID: high-intensity discharge
HMI: human machine interface
HPS: high pressure sodium
HTTP: Hyper Text Transfer Protocol
HVAC: heating, ventilation and air conditioning
I/O: input/output
IGBT: insulated gate bipolar transistor
IR: internal resistance
JSR: jump to subroutine
kAIC: kiloampere interrupting capacity
LED: light-emitting diode
LRA: locked rotor amperage
LRC: locked rotor current
LVT: low voltage thermoplastic
MCC: motor control centre
MI: mineral insulated
MOV: metal oxide varistor
NC: normally closed
NO: normally open
O/L: overload
PLC: programmable logic controller
PoE: power over Ethernet
PVC: polyvinyl chloride
RTD: resistance temperature detector
RTRC: reinforced thermosetting resin conduit
SCR: silicon-controlled rectifier
SF: service factor
TCP/IP: Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
TD: time delay
UPS: uninterruptible power supply
VFD: variable frequency drive

Try more sample questions for this trade and check out the Exam Preparation Guide. It will give you practical insights on what goes into Red Seal exams, and how you can best prepare yourself to do well.

For more information about exam preparation materials contact your provincial/territorial apprenticeship office.

Industrial Electrician – Exam Information

Table of Contents

Knowledge and Recall

Procedural and Application

Critical Thinking

Measurement unit abbreviations

Constants

Formulas