ABYC Marine Electrical Certification Exam
ABYC MARINE ELECTRICAL CERTIFICATION EXAM
REVIEW ACCURATE QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS.
B. Inside an enclosure requiring the use of hand-tools to open - ANSWER-All terminations and
junctions for AC conductors must be installed:
A. in free air to allow for proper ventilation
B. Inside an enclosure requiring the use of hand-tools to open
C. In conduit
D. In snap-covered junction boxes
D. TDR - ANSWER-Wha is the best tool to use for locating short-circuits?
A. Megger
B. Amp Clamp
C. DVM
D. TDR
A. Cooler - ANSWER-High frequency transformers typically run _____ than traditional magnetic
transformers.
A. Cooler
B. Hotter
C. Faster
D. Slower
1|Page
, ABYC Marine Electrical Certification Exam
6 lbs for 1 minute (E-11.13.2.3) - ANSWER-What is the pull-test requirement for DC
plug/receptacles?
True - ANSWER-T or F: For AC wiring, the "hot" ungrounded conductor (i.e., not the insulation
color) should be brass or copper colored and the "neutral" grounded conductor should be light
silver colored.
600 Watts for 15-amp circuit, 1000 Watts for 20-amp circuit (E-11.13.3.4) - ANSWER-For a
branch circuit supplying both receptacle loads and permanently connected loads, what is the
maximum recommended permanent load for 15-amp circuit? For 20-amp circuit?
2 Watts / sq. ft. (E-11.8.2.2.1.1) - ANSWER-When calculating AC loads, what is the
recommended wattage per square foot of living area?
1500 Watts / 20 A circuit (E-11.8.2.2.1.2) - ANSWER-When calculating AC loads for small galley
appliances, how many watts should be used for each 20 amp circuit?
True - ANSWER-T or F: when installing a remote solenoid for switching high-current draws like
windlass, bow-thruster, etc, a separate appropriately sized overcurrent protection must be in
place for both the low-current and high-current wiring of the solenoid.
As the motor heats up, winding resistance increases causing a corresponding decrease in
current draw. Fire hazard. Thermal protection device recommended in motors! - ANSWER-
Describe the reason why a locked-rotor motor may not trip an overcurrent protection device.
seven hours (E-11.10.1.3.1) - ANSWER-For how long must a motor be able to sustain a locked
rotor condition without inducing a fire hazard?
2|Page
, ABYC Marine Electrical Certification Exam
True - ANSWER-T or F: if no standard rating OC protection device is available which equals 100%
of the allowable current for the conductor being protected, the next larger rating, up to 150% of
the conductor ampacity, may bee used - unless the load is a motor.
On diesels, the oil pressure sender may be used to switch alternator on/off and the trigger the
tachometer. - ANSWER-Describe why a non-functional tachometer and charging system on a
diesel engine may be caused by a failed oil pressure sending unit.
False - ANSWER-True or False: AC receptacles may be used for DC service, provided they are
properly labeled.
B. Tech B - ANSWER-Tech A says that combined AC/DC panel boards are grounded via the DC
negative bus. Tech B says that such panel boards should be grounded to the AC grounding bus.
Which tech is right?
A. Tech A
B. Tech B
C. Both techs are correct
D. Neither tech is correct
Closed when in neutral (therefore, an open-circuit failure would prevent engine starting) -
ANSWER-Start-in-gear protection switches should be open or closed when in neutral?
Styrene from curing fiberglass, methane from head/holding tank, hydrogen from battery
outgassing or refrigeration leaks - ANSWER-Name three common gasses other than CO that may
trigger a CO alarm:
Excessive humidity, low supply voltage - ANSWER-Name two likely possible causes of falsely
trigger fire alarm in an engine room space.
3|Page
, ABYC Marine Electrical Certification Exam
True - ANSWER-T or F: boats with an enclosed accommodation compartment shall have an
audible high bilge-water alarm.
4 AWG - ANSWER-What gauge wire is required at a minimum for the primary down conductor
from a lightning Air Terminal?
1 sq. ft. - ANSWER-What is the minimal required surface area for lightning protection system's
immersed ground plate?
6 AWG - ANSWER-What gauge wires is required for lightning protection system secondary
conductors?
30 mA, 100 ms - ANSWER-What is the maximum allowable trip current & time for ELCI/RCD at
the main shore power input?
False - ANSWER-T or F: CO detectors will also detect smoke in most situations.
Peak Voltage = 1.414 * RMS Voltage
or, V peak * .707 = V RMS - ANSWER-For true RMS inverters what is the relationship between
peak and RMS voltage?
2-3% - ANSWER-What is the max typically allowable % difference between true sinusoidal peak
AC voltage and harmonically distorted peak AC voltage?
shorter, thicker terminal is HOT
taller, narrower terminal is NEUTRAL - ANSWER-On a standard 3-conductor AC outlet, which of
the two blade conductors (i.e., not the rounded GROUNDING conductor) is Hot and which is
Neutral?
4|Page
ABYC MARINE ELECTRICAL CERTIFICATION EXAM
REVIEW ACCURATE QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS.
B. Inside an enclosure requiring the use of hand-tools to open - ANSWER-All terminations and
junctions for AC conductors must be installed:
A. in free air to allow for proper ventilation
B. Inside an enclosure requiring the use of hand-tools to open
C. In conduit
D. In snap-covered junction boxes
D. TDR - ANSWER-Wha is the best tool to use for locating short-circuits?
A. Megger
B. Amp Clamp
C. DVM
D. TDR
A. Cooler - ANSWER-High frequency transformers typically run _____ than traditional magnetic
transformers.
A. Cooler
B. Hotter
C. Faster
D. Slower
1|Page
, ABYC Marine Electrical Certification Exam
6 lbs for 1 minute (E-11.13.2.3) - ANSWER-What is the pull-test requirement for DC
plug/receptacles?
True - ANSWER-T or F: For AC wiring, the "hot" ungrounded conductor (i.e., not the insulation
color) should be brass or copper colored and the "neutral" grounded conductor should be light
silver colored.
600 Watts for 15-amp circuit, 1000 Watts for 20-amp circuit (E-11.13.3.4) - ANSWER-For a
branch circuit supplying both receptacle loads and permanently connected loads, what is the
maximum recommended permanent load for 15-amp circuit? For 20-amp circuit?
2 Watts / sq. ft. (E-11.8.2.2.1.1) - ANSWER-When calculating AC loads, what is the
recommended wattage per square foot of living area?
1500 Watts / 20 A circuit (E-11.8.2.2.1.2) - ANSWER-When calculating AC loads for small galley
appliances, how many watts should be used for each 20 amp circuit?
True - ANSWER-T or F: when installing a remote solenoid for switching high-current draws like
windlass, bow-thruster, etc, a separate appropriately sized overcurrent protection must be in
place for both the low-current and high-current wiring of the solenoid.
As the motor heats up, winding resistance increases causing a corresponding decrease in
current draw. Fire hazard. Thermal protection device recommended in motors! - ANSWER-
Describe the reason why a locked-rotor motor may not trip an overcurrent protection device.
seven hours (E-11.10.1.3.1) - ANSWER-For how long must a motor be able to sustain a locked
rotor condition without inducing a fire hazard?
2|Page
, ABYC Marine Electrical Certification Exam
True - ANSWER-T or F: if no standard rating OC protection device is available which equals 100%
of the allowable current for the conductor being protected, the next larger rating, up to 150% of
the conductor ampacity, may bee used - unless the load is a motor.
On diesels, the oil pressure sender may be used to switch alternator on/off and the trigger the
tachometer. - ANSWER-Describe why a non-functional tachometer and charging system on a
diesel engine may be caused by a failed oil pressure sending unit.
False - ANSWER-True or False: AC receptacles may be used for DC service, provided they are
properly labeled.
B. Tech B - ANSWER-Tech A says that combined AC/DC panel boards are grounded via the DC
negative bus. Tech B says that such panel boards should be grounded to the AC grounding bus.
Which tech is right?
A. Tech A
B. Tech B
C. Both techs are correct
D. Neither tech is correct
Closed when in neutral (therefore, an open-circuit failure would prevent engine starting) -
ANSWER-Start-in-gear protection switches should be open or closed when in neutral?
Styrene from curing fiberglass, methane from head/holding tank, hydrogen from battery
outgassing or refrigeration leaks - ANSWER-Name three common gasses other than CO that may
trigger a CO alarm:
Excessive humidity, low supply voltage - ANSWER-Name two likely possible causes of falsely
trigger fire alarm in an engine room space.
3|Page
, ABYC Marine Electrical Certification Exam
True - ANSWER-T or F: boats with an enclosed accommodation compartment shall have an
audible high bilge-water alarm.
4 AWG - ANSWER-What gauge wire is required at a minimum for the primary down conductor
from a lightning Air Terminal?
1 sq. ft. - ANSWER-What is the minimal required surface area for lightning protection system's
immersed ground plate?
6 AWG - ANSWER-What gauge wires is required for lightning protection system secondary
conductors?
30 mA, 100 ms - ANSWER-What is the maximum allowable trip current & time for ELCI/RCD at
the main shore power input?
False - ANSWER-T or F: CO detectors will also detect smoke in most situations.
Peak Voltage = 1.414 * RMS Voltage
or, V peak * .707 = V RMS - ANSWER-For true RMS inverters what is the relationship between
peak and RMS voltage?
2-3% - ANSWER-What is the max typically allowable % difference between true sinusoidal peak
AC voltage and harmonically distorted peak AC voltage?
shorter, thicker terminal is HOT
taller, narrower terminal is NEUTRAL - ANSWER-On a standard 3-conductor AC outlet, which of
the two blade conductors (i.e., not the rounded GROUNDING conductor) is Hot and which is
Neutral?
4|Page
