old.sparkles

If you have work, you could try an OTSR application but again expensive. Or see what the TAFE says about RPL to Cert III.

dlewis120

Hello, I was wondering if anyone can give me any advice? I'm doing my vetassess practical skills assessment at the end of the month and I am just looking through the candidate guide now. In their disconnection procedure they seem to test for live, then isolate and lock off and that's it, where as I was always taught to test again after isolating in order to make sure you have isolated the correct circuit. Has this occurred to anyone else? And if I do test again after I have isolated will I be penalised? It just seems to have a key step missing. Any Ideas?

shaw86

Hi hasselhoff86,
Please could you send over the details for the exam?

shaw86

If there is anyone else out there who has sat the Practical recently then your advice would be much appreciated.

old.sparkles

Have you read back through the thread? I don't believe it's changed much - no one has reported any changes.

shaw86

Thanks Old.Sparkles. I have read through the info and followed some of the advice. Just wanted to see if any changes had been made since the info was posted. Also hasselhoff86 said he would send over a schematic of the Motor and some practice questions.

shaw86

Hi All,
Anyone doing there Vetassess Practical Assessment this Friday at Blackburn?

shaw86

Just checked my Vetassess account online and ive PASSED!!!!!!

Want to thank everyone who has posted on this thread as without the information on here you are going into the assessment unprepared.

A tip for anyone taking the assessment is to read through the info on this thread and PREPARE!!!!

I will write an account of my day tomorrow for anyone taking the practical assessment as i think a couple of tweaks have been made to the assessment that may not be mentioned on this thread.

Now it is beer oclock!!!

shaw86

For all Electricians waiting to take the Practical the biggest piece of advise i can give is to read all the information in this thread and prepare. Below is a description of each section of the Vetassess practical Exam.

Safe Isolation/Disconnection/Reconnection

The scenario given was an electrical heater in a kitchen had given someone a shock and we were there to check it. All i can say in this is to read the procedure given to you in the candidate booklet and learn it all by heart. I wrote the scenario in the candidate guide a couple of times until i was able to write it step by step without looking in the guide. This is a good way of memorizing the procedure how they want to see it. Remember to test your testers every time before and after you use them and also to check the appliance frame to ensure it is not live before starting. Before you reconnect the appliance you were required to test the CPC continuity and insulation resistance noting the maximum values allowed, your results and then pass or fail. I heard the assessor throw in a couple of additional scenarios to some of the other lads such as your boss is phoning you and you need to go outside to take the call. He was trying to see if you left the installation in a dangerous condition i.e exposed live connections or you hadnt locked off the mcb and left your warning signs on.

Motor

Firstly the assessor will write into your work book either star or delta. Once he has written down which one you are required to draw out the symbol for the motor connections and identify the winding connections i.e u1, u2, v1, v2, w1, w2. Next step was to draw out the connections for the given motor i.e star is L1 - U1, L2 - V1, L3 - W1, and then W2 - U2 - V2 and for Delta L1 - U1, L2 - V1, L3 - W1, and then W2 - U1, U2 - V1, V2 - W1. After you have done this you have to label up 4 components in the control circuit which were start, stop, thermal overload, and a normally open contact (Revise what the symbols look like) and then draw out the DOL motor control circuit using the symbols and make sure you number the connections as i did that and the assessor was pleased i had done it and it shows you have knowledge of motor control circuits. Once you had filled in your workbook as above you was taken over to a whiteboard with the motor control components fixed on and you were to wire the control circuit you had drawn out with plug in leads. Once you have proved the circuit is correct and it works the assessor will put a fault on the control circuit. Mine was the start and stop connections were switched so the connections 1 & 2 became my start and 3 & 4 became my stop. You got a bell set so i found this be belling out the pin connections to the contacts. I can honestly say this is the section i dreaded most but i read all the info given and revised the drawing schematics on this thread and i can say i found it quite straight forward. There was a guy who said to the assessor i dont know anything about motors and i think he didnt get far with the drawing. I dont do much motor installation at work but i revised and found it easy so the tip is revise.

Multiple Choice Exam

This section is self explanatory. You have six sections of 4 questions where you are required to get 3 out of 4 in each section. The book for electrical calculations level 2 and 3 are highly recommended for your revision. It will also help if you can transpose equations also as there were a couple of questions where this was required and i struggled with. All equations/formulas were given at the back of your workbook.

Practical

First thing you do is do a risk assessment in your workbook of all the tasks carried out i.e safe isolation, motor, and the practical. Then you start with the Very straight forward practical installation section. Conusmer unit with a straight piece of PVC conduit to a socket outlet wired in a 2.5mm radial, lighting circuit with 2 x 2 way switches partially wired in T&E Cable clipped direct and partially in 1.5mm singles in PVC conduit. Between the switches you are to do a double set in your PVC conduit as there is a difference in height of your switches by 50mm. Practice bending PVC conduit as you do not get a vice or former you bend it over your knee. Main Earth is a mm taken from a copper pipe which is acting as your earth electrode. Once you have completed the installation you are required to test earth continuity and insulation resistance of the installation and note your readings, also stating minimum values acceptable and if it passess or fails. Then its time to power up and check you have wired your lighting circuit correctly and your switches operate correctly. Once the assessor takes measurements of the installation ensuring you have followed the drawing given you are told to disconnect the supply and strip it all out.

The day was very intense and i was bricking it but if you prepare you will walk it. The assessor was really nice and approachable and he is accompanied by a local expert which is a tutor from the college. The college tutor is the one who does the safe isolation procedure and he throws in the odd hint about making sure you test the appliance before starting and once re energized.

Good luck to everyone taking the assessment and remember FAIL TO PREPARE, PREPARE TO FAIL!

Constanti

Hey hasselhoff i am having my test in perth too , can you send me some details plz.
I am too stressed

Timmo 72

Has anyone from a railway signalling background gone through the vetassess general electrician assessment?

Gems81

Hi guys,
I think I did my practical on the same day as you shaw86. Unfortunately I wasn't successful!!
I failed on the insulation part but reading the posts it says read the scenario in the guide?? I never had anything in mine. Could you pm me and I could go over some things if poss.
Cheers

I can't seem to get to my private messages.

Ok thanks.

old.sparkles

Insulation or isolation?

The guides are on the Vetassess site.

old.sparkles

New members do not have access to the pm system initially, and posting just to access the pm system is not allowed.

If you are unsure how to isolate safely, check out the guides on the Vetassess site - http://www.vetassess.com.au/Skills-A...de-Occupations

shaw86

Gems81,
I take it you are referring to the safe isolation part of the practical. If this is the case then you download the candidate guide from the Vetassess website when you book. Upon booking your practical assessment there is a link for you to download the guide.
If you need any assistance with any part of the practical then post on here so others can also benifit from the answers.
Cheers
Ian