Chapter 4

Electric Services

4-1 The overhead conductors, through which electrical service is supplied, between the last power company pole and
the building or other support used for the purpose are called:
A) Service entrance C) Service drop
B) Service-entrance conductors D) Service-entrance equipment

4-2 The conductors and equipment for delivering electric energy from the power company to the wiring system of the
premises served is called a:
A) Service C) Service drop
B) Service-entrance conductors D) Service-entrance equipment

4-3 The conductors between the point of termination of the overhead service drop or underground service lateral
and the main disconnecting device in a building are known as:
A) Service C) Service drop
B) Service conductors D) Service-entrance equipment

4-4 The necessary equipment connected to the load end of the service conductors to a building or other structure and
intended to constitute the main control and cutoff of the supply is known as:
A) Service entrance C) Service drop
B) Service-entrance conductors D) Service equipment

4-5 The underground conductors through which service is supplied between the power company’s distribution
facilities and the first point of their connection to a building or area service facilities located at the building or other
support used for the purpose are known as:
A) Service clearance C) Parallel connection
B) Service lateral D) Weatherhead

4-6 In a balanced three-phase, 4-wire system, the current in the neutral conductor:
A) Is the same as in the other conductors C) Is higher than in the other conductors
B) Is lower than in the other conductors D) Will not flow when all loads are exactly balanced

4-7 On a 240-volt, single-phase, 3-wire system, the neutral conductor will:

A) Never carry current even if the other conductors carry current
B) Never carry current larger than the difference between the current in the two ungrounded (‘hoy’) conductors
C) Carry current equal to the current between phases
D) Carry current equal to one-half the current between phases

4-8 The unit used to measure current is the:

A) Ohm B) Ampere `C) Watt D) Coulomb

4-9 The minimum allowable current rating of 3-wire service-entrance conductors for a onefamily dwelling is:
A) 60 amperes B) 100 amperes C) 125 amperes D) 150 amperes

4-10 The minimum allowable current rating of 3-wire service-entrance conductors for a onefamily dwelling with an
initial net computed load of 10 kVA or more is:
A) 60 amperes B) 100 amperes C) 125 amperes D) 150 amperes

4-11 What is the smallest copper wire size allowed for service-entrance conductors?
A) No. 10 AWG B) No. 8 AWG C) No. 12 AWG D) No. 4 AWG

4-12 The smallest grounded or neutral conductor for an electric service using 1100 kcmil copper conductors is:
A) 2/0 copper B) 3/0 copper C) 1/0 copper D) No. 4 AWG copper

4-13 What is the minimum size electric service required on a single-family dwelling?
A) 60 amperes B) 100 amperes C) 125 amperes D) 150 amperes

4-14 The name given to a system or circuit conductor that is intentionally grounded is:
A) Grounding conductor C) High-leg conductor
B) Bonding conductor D) Grounded or neutral conductor

4-15 To measure the area of a dwelling to determine the lighting load, the following dimensions are used:
A) The floor area computed from the inside dimensions
B) The cubic feet of each room
C) The floor area computed from the outside dimensions
D) The area six inches from the inside walls

4-16 What is the smallest copper wire size allowed for service-entrance conductors supplying loads consisting of
limited loads of a single branch circuit?
A) No. 10 AWG B) No. 12 AWG C) No. 4 AWG D) No. 6 AWG

4-17 The allowable number of service disconnects can consist of up to:

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

4-18 Service conductors that pass over a flat roof must have what clearance from the highest point of roof over which
they pass?
A) 4 feet B) 6 feet C) 8 feet D) 10 feet
.
4-19 Where the voltage between conductors does not exceed 300 and the roof has a slope of not less than 4 inches in
12 inches, the minimum clearance of service conductors is:
A) 3 feet B) 4 feet C) 5 feet D) 6 feet

4-20 Where the voltage between conductors does not exceed 300, and not more than 6 feet of service conductors
pass over not more than 4 feet of the overhang portion of the roof, and the conductors terminate in a through-the-
roof raceway or other approved support, the clearance of service conductors above the roof is reduced to not less
than:
A) 6 inches B) 12 inches C) 18 inches D) 24 inches

4-21 Overhead service conductors, when not in excess of 150 volts to ground, that pass over residential sidewalks,
finished grade (the ground), or over any platform or any projection from which the conductors may be reached, must
have a minimum clearance of:
A) 8 feet B) 10 feet C) 12 feet D) 16 feet

4-22 Overhead service conductors, when not in excess of 300 volts, that pass over residential driveways and
commercial areas such as parking lots and drive-in establishments not subject to truck traffic must have a clearance of
at least:
A) 8 feet B) 10 feet C) 12 feet D) 16 feet

4-23 Overhead service conductors, when not in excess of 600 volts, that pass over public streets, alleys, roads,
parking lots, agricultural, or other areas subject to truck traffic must have a minimum clearance of:
A) 10 feet B) 12 feet C) 15 feet D) 18 feet

4-24 Overhead service conductors, when not in excess of 600 volts, that pass over residential property, driveways,
and those commercial areas not subject to truck traffic must have a minimum clearance of:
A) 10 feet B) 12 feet C) 18 feet D) 15 feet
4-25 Multiconductor cables used for overhead service conductors must be attached to buildings or other structures
by:
A) Tie wires B) Fittings approved for the purpose C) 16d nails or larger D) Tapcons

4-26 Power distribution blocks are permitted in a junction box when:

A) The conductors need to be spliced C) A box cover is installed
B) The box is smaller than 100 cubic inches D) The box is larger than 100 cubic inches

4-27 Service-entrance cable must be supported within what distance from the service head?
A) 12 inches B) 18 inches C) 24 inches D) 36 inches

4-28 Service-entrance cable must also be supported at intervals of:

A) 2 feet B) 21/2 feet C) 3 feet D) 41/2 feet

4-29 What clearance must service conductors have from windows, doors, porches, fire escapes, or similar locations?
A) 1 foot B) 2 feet C) 3 feet D) 4 feet

4-30 When installing a service head, the conductors of different potential must be:
A) Brought out through separately bushed openings
B) Brought out through the same bushed openings
C) Brought out through the same unbushed openings
D) Brought out through separately unbushed openings

4-31 Metal enclosures for service conductors and equipment must:

A) Never be grounded C) Be coated with non-conductive material
B) Be grounded D) Be constructed of at least 38 gauge steel

4-32 What size service is required for a 120/240-volt, single-phase load with a demand load of 36 kVA?
A) 60 amperes B) 100 amperes C) 150 amperes D) 200 amperes

4-33 What size copper THW conductors are required for the service load in Question 4-32?
A) 1/0 B) 2/0 C) 3/0 D) 4/0

4-34 What size rigid steel conduit is required to contain the three conductors in Question 4-33?
A) 11/2 inch B) 2 inch C) 21/2 inch D) 3 inch

4-35 What percentage of fill is allowed in a conduit with three conductors?

A) 30% B) 40% C) 50% D) 60%

4-36 If THHN copper conductors are used for the service-entrance in Question 4-32, what size is required?
A) No. 4 AWG B) No. 3 AWG C) No. 2 AWG D) No. 1 AWG

4-37 What size electrical metallic tubing (EMT) is required to contain the service conductors in Question 4-36?
A) 1 inch B) 11/4 inch C) 11/2 inch D) 2 inch

4-38 When using 21/2-inch rigid steel conduit for a through-the-roof 120/240 volt service mast, what is the minimum
distance the conduit can protrude above the roof?
A) 18 inches B) 24 inches C) 36 inches D) 48 inches

4-39 What is the minimum size copper grounding electrode conductor allowed on an electric service utilizing No. 3/0
copper current-carrying conductors?
A) No. 8 AWG B) No. 6 AWG C) No. 4 AWG D) No. 2 AWG
4-40 The main service disconnecting means should be located:
A) At or near the point where the service-entrance conductors enter the building
B) At least 20 feet from the point where the service-entrance conductors enter the building
C) At least 30 feet from the point where the service-entrance conductors enter the building
D) At least 50 feet from the point where the service-entrance conductors enter the building

4-41 The NEC requires that all circuits over 150 volts to ground containing fuses have a disconnecting means located:
A) Outside B) On supply side of all fuses C) On load side of all fuses D) Where convenient

4-42 The general lighting load for residential services is calculated at:
A) 1 watt per square foot C) 3 watts per square foot
B) 2 watts per square foot D) 4 watts per square foot

4-43 Residential small appliance circuits are calculated at:

A) 1500 watts each C) 2500 watts each
B) 2000 watts each D) 3000 watts each

4-44 All metal enclosures for service conductors and equipment must be:
A) Watertight B) Painted C) Locked D) Grounded

4-45 Mobile home service equipment shall not be rated less than:
A) 50 amperes B) 60 amperes C) 100 amperes D) 200 amperes

4-46 What is the ampacity of the conductors required for a 120/208-volt, three-phase, 4-wire commercial service
with a load of 72 kVA?
A) 150 amperes B) 200 amperes C) 250 amperes D) 300 amperes

4-47 What size aluminum THW conductors are required for the service in Question 4-46?
A) 1/0 kcmil B) 3/0 kcmil C) 4/0 kcmil D) 250 kcmil

4-48 What size rigid steel conduit is required for the service conductors in Question 4-47?
A) 2 inch B) 2 1/2 inch C) 3 inch D) 4 inch

4-49 What is the maximum distance between supports for the conduit in Question 4-48 if the conduit is a straight
run?
A) 2 feet B) 4 feet C) 8 feet D) 16 feet

4-50 What is the maximum distance for a required support for rigid steel conduit from the service head?
A) 3 feet B) 2 feet C) 4 feet D) 5 feet

4-51 What is the required ampacity of conductors serving a 120/240-volt single-phase residential electric service with
a total load of 30 kVA?
A) 100 amperes B) 125 amperes C) 150 amperes D) 200 amperes

4-52 What size aluminum SE cable is required for the service in Question 4-51?
A) No. 2 AWG B) No. 1 AWG C) No. 1/0 AWG D) No. 2/0 AWG

4-53 What is the maximum distance that an SE cable strap can be from either the service head or the meter base?
A) 10 inches B) 12 inches C) 18 inches D) 24 inches

4-54 What is the maximum distance allowed between cable straps when installing Type SE cable when used as
service-entrance conductors?
A) 1 foot B) 21/2 feet C) 3 feet D) 4 feet

4-55 When a single-family dwelling has an initial load of 10 kVA or above, the minimum service rating is:
A) 60 amperes B) 100 amperes C) 125 amperes D) 150 amperes
4-56 If the phase-to-neutral voltage in a three-phase, 4-wire Y-connected service is 240 volts, the phase-to-phase
voltage will be approximately:
A) 460 volts B) 480 volts C) 415 volts D) 425 volts

4-57 The service grounding conductor is sized by the rating of:

A) The overcurrent protective device C) The supply transformer
B) The service-entrance conductors D) The load to be served

4-58 A 400-ampere electric service is normally metered with a combination of a watt-hour meter and:
A) Current transformers B) VAR meters C) Capacitors D) Ammeter

4-59 In which of the following dwelling unit locations may overcurrent protection devices, other than supplementary
protection, be installed?
A) Kitchens
B) Dormitory bathrooms serving up to 6 persons
C) Clothes closets
D) Over steps in a stairway provided that it is located where it will not be exposed to physical damage

4-60 When two to six fused switches or circuit breakers are used as the “main” in an electric service, they must be:
A) Grouped and marked to indicate the load served C) Marked
B) Grouped but left unmarked D) Grouped

4-61 In a multiple-occupancy building, each occupant shall:

A) Not have access to the occupant’s service disconnecting means
B) Have access to the occupant’s service disconnecting means
C) Have access to all occupants’ service disconnecting means
D) Have complete access to all electrical equipment

4-62 Although enclosed, a service disconnecting means must still be:

A) Locked securely C) Locked only while operable
B) Always kept unlocked D) Manually or power operable

4-63 The service disconnecting means for a two-circuit installation shall not be less than:
A) 15 amperes B) 20 amperes C) 30 amperes D) 60 amperes

4-64 A means must be provided to disconnect the grounded conductor from the premises wiring. One approved
method is:
A) A terminal with pressure connectors C) A wire trough
B) A ground clamp on a grounding electrode D) A cablebus

4-65 Service conductors shall not be connected to the service disconnecting means with:
A) Pressure connectors B) Clamps C) Solder only D) Approved conductor terminators

4-66 What is the minimum allowed rating for the service disconnect of a single circuit installation?
A) 15 amps B) 20 amps C) 30 amps D) 10 amps

4-67 Immediately before service conductors enter the bushed holes in a service head, what should be provided for
the conductors?
A) Drip loops B) Solderless connectors C) Weatherproof connectors D) Soldered connectors
4-68 What is the minimum allowable length of a concrete-encased electrode?
A) 8 feet B) 10 feet C) 20 feet D) There is no minimum. An electrode may be any length

4-69 What is the minimum allowable diameter of a rod-type grounding electrode?

A) 1/2 inch B) 5/8 inch C) 3/4 inch D) 1 inch

4-70 Which of the following systems and materials is not permitted to be used as a grounding electrode?
A) Metal underground gas piping C) Stainless steel
B) Zinc coated steel D) Copper pipe larger than metric designator 21

4-71 What is the minimum size grounded system conductor permitted by the NEC?
A) 6 AWG copper C) 10 AWG aluminum
B) 8 AWG copper D) 250 MCM copper

4-72 How must wire terminals be arranged and located in panelboards?

A) So the installer must reach across ungrounded lines
B) So they are not readily accessible
C) So they may not be tampered with or changed
D) So it will not be necessary for service personnel to reach across or beyond an uninsulated ungrounded line bus to
make connections

4-73 Which of the following may not be used as a grounding electrode?

A) Metallic cold-water pipe C) Underground metallic gas pipe
B) Driven ground rod D) A grounding ring consisting of No. 2 AWG bare copper

4-74 If the following grounding electrodes are available on the premises, how many of them must be bonded
together: metal underground water pipe, metal frame of the building, concreteencased electrode, ground ring,
ground plate, and a ground rod?
A) Only one may be used C) At least three must be bonded together
B) Two must be used D) All available electrodes must be bonded together