CALIFORNIA GENERAL ELECTRICIAN CERTIFICATION | VERIFIED
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - COMPLETE COVERAGE 2026/2027
1. Which class of fire extinguisher is rated safe for use on fires involving
energized electrical equipment?
A. Class A
B. Class B
C. Class C
D. Class D
C — Class C extinguishers use a non-conductive agent and are rated safe
for fires involving energized electrical equipment.
2. Before working on a circuit believed to be de-energized, a qualified
electrician should test it using which method?
A. Test the circuit only, once
B. Test a known live source, test the circuit, then re-test the known live
source ("live-dead-live")
C. Rely solely on the breaker label
D. Touch the conductor with the back of the hand
B — The "live-dead-live" method confirms the tester itself is working
before and after verifying the circuit is de-energized.
3. What is the primary purpose of a lockout/tagout program?
A. To speed up repair work
B. To prevent unexpected re-energization of equipment during service
C. To track company tool inventory
D. To satisfy insurance paperwork only
B — Lockout/tagout isolates energy sources so equipment cannot be re-
energized while someone is working on it.
,4. A metal ladder should never be used when:
A. Working in an attic
B. Working near or on energized electrical circuits
C. Working outdoors
D. Working on a flat roof
B — Metal ladders conduct electricity and create a severe shock hazard
near energized parts; a fiberglass ladder is used instead.
5. Approximately what current level through the chest can induce
ventricular fibrillation, a potentially lethal heart rhythm?
A. 1 mA
B. 6 mA
C. 60-100 mA
D. 1 A minimum
C — Roughly 60-100 mA through the chest can induce ventricular
fibrillation, which is why personnel-protection GFCIs are set to trip at
about 5 mA.
6. Which of the following is required when work must be performed on or
near energized equipment with an arc-flash hazard?
A. Cotton gloves only
B. Arc-rated clothing and eye/face protection sized to the incident energy
C. A hard hat only
D. No PPE, provided the panel has a warning label
B — Arc-rated clothing and face/eye protection sized to the calculated
incident energy are required whenever energized work is unavoidable.
, PART 2 — DETERMINATION OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
7. Using Ohm's Law, what current does a 120-volt, 1,200-watt space heater
draw?
A. 5 A
B. 10 A
C. 12 A
D. 14.4 A
B — I = P ÷ V = 1,200 W ÷ 120 V = 10 A.
8. What is the total resistance of two 10-ohm resistors connected in series?
A. 5 ohms
B. 10 ohms
C. 20 ohms
D. 100 ohms
C — In series, resistance values add directly: 10 Ω + 10 Ω = 20 Ω.
9. What is the total resistance of two 10-ohm resistors connected in
parallel?
A. 20 ohms
B. 10 ohms
C. 5 ohms
D. 2 ohms
C — For two equal parallel resistors, total resistance is half of one: (10 ×
10) ÷ (10 + 10) = 5 Ω.
10. A branch circuit shows excessive voltage drop at the load. What is the
most likely cause?
A. The conductor is too short
B. The conductor is undersized for the length of run and load
C. There are too few connections
D. The breaker is oversized
B — Voltage drop rises as conductor resistance rises, which happens
when conductors are undersized for the run length and load.
11. The NEC recommends limiting combined branch-circuit and feeder
voltage drop to no more than approximately:
A. 1%
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - COMPLETE COVERAGE 2026/2027
1. Which class of fire extinguisher is rated safe for use on fires involving
energized electrical equipment?
A. Class A
B. Class B
C. Class C
D. Class D
C — Class C extinguishers use a non-conductive agent and are rated safe
for fires involving energized electrical equipment.
2. Before working on a circuit believed to be de-energized, a qualified
electrician should test it using which method?
A. Test the circuit only, once
B. Test a known live source, test the circuit, then re-test the known live
source ("live-dead-live")
C. Rely solely on the breaker label
D. Touch the conductor with the back of the hand
B — The "live-dead-live" method confirms the tester itself is working
before and after verifying the circuit is de-energized.
3. What is the primary purpose of a lockout/tagout program?
A. To speed up repair work
B. To prevent unexpected re-energization of equipment during service
C. To track company tool inventory
D. To satisfy insurance paperwork only
B — Lockout/tagout isolates energy sources so equipment cannot be re-
energized while someone is working on it.
,4. A metal ladder should never be used when:
A. Working in an attic
B. Working near or on energized electrical circuits
C. Working outdoors
D. Working on a flat roof
B — Metal ladders conduct electricity and create a severe shock hazard
near energized parts; a fiberglass ladder is used instead.
5. Approximately what current level through the chest can induce
ventricular fibrillation, a potentially lethal heart rhythm?
A. 1 mA
B. 6 mA
C. 60-100 mA
D. 1 A minimum
C — Roughly 60-100 mA through the chest can induce ventricular
fibrillation, which is why personnel-protection GFCIs are set to trip at
about 5 mA.
6. Which of the following is required when work must be performed on or
near energized equipment with an arc-flash hazard?
A. Cotton gloves only
B. Arc-rated clothing and eye/face protection sized to the incident energy
C. A hard hat only
D. No PPE, provided the panel has a warning label
B — Arc-rated clothing and face/eye protection sized to the calculated
incident energy are required whenever energized work is unavoidable.
, PART 2 — DETERMINATION OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
7. Using Ohm's Law, what current does a 120-volt, 1,200-watt space heater
draw?
A. 5 A
B. 10 A
C. 12 A
D. 14.4 A
B — I = P ÷ V = 1,200 W ÷ 120 V = 10 A.
8. What is the total resistance of two 10-ohm resistors connected in series?
A. 5 ohms
B. 10 ohms
C. 20 ohms
D. 100 ohms
C — In series, resistance values add directly: 10 Ω + 10 Ω = 20 Ω.
9. What is the total resistance of two 10-ohm resistors connected in
parallel?
A. 20 ohms
B. 10 ohms
C. 5 ohms
D. 2 ohms
C — For two equal parallel resistors, total resistance is half of one: (10 ×
10) ÷ (10 + 10) = 5 Ω.
10. A branch circuit shows excessive voltage drop at the load. What is the
most likely cause?
A. The conductor is too short
B. The conductor is undersized for the length of run and load
C. There are too few connections
D. The breaker is oversized
B — Voltage drop rises as conductor resistance rises, which happens
when conductors are undersized for the run length and load.
11. The NEC recommends limiting combined branch-circuit and feeder
voltage drop to no more than approximately:
A. 1%
