NEIEP 400 National Elevator Industry
Educational Program 400 Practice Exam
2026/2027 — Comprehensive Module |
Exam-Style MCQs with Correct Answers &
Detailed Rationales | Certification Prep
1. In an elevator control system, what is the primary
purpose of a safety circuit?
A. Increase motor speed
B. Provide additional car lighting
C. Prevent or interrupt operation when a required safety
condition is not satisfied
D. Reduce the controller's input voltage
The safety circuit is designed to prevent unsafe operation by
monitoring required safety devices and conditions. It does not
control normal operating speed or auxiliary functions; those
are handled by the drive, motion-control, and auxiliary
circuits.
2. Which component is primarily responsible for converting
electrical energy into mechanical rotation in a
conventional traction elevator?
A. Brake coil
B. Motor
C. Selector
D. Governor switch
,The motor converts electrical energy into mechanical torque
that drives the traction machine. The brake holds or releases
the machine, while the governor and its switch are safety-
related components rather than the primary source of
mechanical power.
3. A normally closed contact opens when its associated
safety device operates. What happens to a series safety
circuit containing that contact?
A. The circuit becomes higher in voltage
B. The circuit automatically bypasses the device
C. The motor accelerates
D. The circuit is interrupted and the elevator is prevented
from continuing normal operation
Opening one normally closed safety contact interrupts the
series circuit. Because the devices are arranged so that loss of
continuity represents an unsafe or abnormal condition, the
controller responds by removing or preventing normal
operation.
4. Which statement best describes the function of a traction
sheave?
A. It directly controls door-open time
B. It detects overspeed
C. It transfers motor torque to the hoist ropes through
friction
D. It supplies power to the traveling cable
The traction sheave provides the frictional interface between
the machine and hoist ropes, allowing the machine to move
,the car and counterweight. Door timing, overspeed detection,
and traveling-cable power are separate functions.
5. An elevator car stops slightly above the floor after
leveling. Which component or system is most directly
associated with correcting the car's final position?
A. Governor
B. Leveling system
C. Machine brake lining only
D. Car-top inspection light
The leveling system detects the car's position relative to the
landing and commands the appropriate movement to bring the
car accurately to floor level. The governor and inspection
lighting do not perform normal leveling functions.
6. What is the primary purpose of an elevator machine
brake?
A. Increase motor horsepower
B. Reduce controller temperature
C. Generate regenerative power
D. Hold the machine stationary when the brake is applied
The brake provides the mechanical holding function required
when the machine is not commanded to move. Motor torque
alone should not be relied upon to hold a stopped elevator
stationary.
7. A technician measures continuity across a normally
closed safety contact while the device is in its normal
, condition. Which reading is expected on a properly
functioning contact with the circuit isolated?
A. Infinite resistance
B. Very low resistance
C. Rated line voltage
D. Full motor current
A closed contact provides a low-resistance path for current.
Infinite resistance would indicate an open circuit, while
voltage or motor current is not the appropriate quantity for a
simple isolated continuity measurement.
8. Why are elevator control circuits commonly designed so
that a loss of control power results in a safe condition?
A. To make the motor run faster
B. To eliminate the need for inspections
C. To use de-energization as a means of removing normal
operation when a required condition is lost
D. To prevent the brake from applying
Fail-safe control philosophy uses the absence of an expected
electrical condition to inhibit operation. This helps prevent
continued operation when wiring, contacts, power supplies, or
safety devices develop certain failures.
9. A three-phase motor rotates in the wrong direction after
installation. What is the usual electrical correction?
A. Increase the motor frequency
B. Replace the overload relay
C. Reverse the brake spring
Educational Program 400 Practice Exam
2026/2027 — Comprehensive Module |
Exam-Style MCQs with Correct Answers &
Detailed Rationales | Certification Prep
1. In an elevator control system, what is the primary
purpose of a safety circuit?
A. Increase motor speed
B. Provide additional car lighting
C. Prevent or interrupt operation when a required safety
condition is not satisfied
D. Reduce the controller's input voltage
The safety circuit is designed to prevent unsafe operation by
monitoring required safety devices and conditions. It does not
control normal operating speed or auxiliary functions; those
are handled by the drive, motion-control, and auxiliary
circuits.
2. Which component is primarily responsible for converting
electrical energy into mechanical rotation in a
conventional traction elevator?
A. Brake coil
B. Motor
C. Selector
D. Governor switch
,The motor converts electrical energy into mechanical torque
that drives the traction machine. The brake holds or releases
the machine, while the governor and its switch are safety-
related components rather than the primary source of
mechanical power.
3. A normally closed contact opens when its associated
safety device operates. What happens to a series safety
circuit containing that contact?
A. The circuit becomes higher in voltage
B. The circuit automatically bypasses the device
C. The motor accelerates
D. The circuit is interrupted and the elevator is prevented
from continuing normal operation
Opening one normally closed safety contact interrupts the
series circuit. Because the devices are arranged so that loss of
continuity represents an unsafe or abnormal condition, the
controller responds by removing or preventing normal
operation.
4. Which statement best describes the function of a traction
sheave?
A. It directly controls door-open time
B. It detects overspeed
C. It transfers motor torque to the hoist ropes through
friction
D. It supplies power to the traveling cable
The traction sheave provides the frictional interface between
the machine and hoist ropes, allowing the machine to move
,the car and counterweight. Door timing, overspeed detection,
and traveling-cable power are separate functions.
5. An elevator car stops slightly above the floor after
leveling. Which component or system is most directly
associated with correcting the car's final position?
A. Governor
B. Leveling system
C. Machine brake lining only
D. Car-top inspection light
The leveling system detects the car's position relative to the
landing and commands the appropriate movement to bring the
car accurately to floor level. The governor and inspection
lighting do not perform normal leveling functions.
6. What is the primary purpose of an elevator machine
brake?
A. Increase motor horsepower
B. Reduce controller temperature
C. Generate regenerative power
D. Hold the machine stationary when the brake is applied
The brake provides the mechanical holding function required
when the machine is not commanded to move. Motor torque
alone should not be relied upon to hold a stopped elevator
stationary.
7. A technician measures continuity across a normally
closed safety contact while the device is in its normal
, condition. Which reading is expected on a properly
functioning contact with the circuit isolated?
A. Infinite resistance
B. Very low resistance
C. Rated line voltage
D. Full motor current
A closed contact provides a low-resistance path for current.
Infinite resistance would indicate an open circuit, while
voltage or motor current is not the appropriate quantity for a
simple isolated continuity measurement.
8. Why are elevator control circuits commonly designed so
that a loss of control power results in a safe condition?
A. To make the motor run faster
B. To eliminate the need for inspections
C. To use de-energization as a means of removing normal
operation when a required condition is lost
D. To prevent the brake from applying
Fail-safe control philosophy uses the absence of an expected
electrical condition to inhibit operation. This helps prevent
continued operation when wiring, contacts, power supplies, or
safety devices develop certain failures.
9. A three-phase motor rotates in the wrong direction after
installation. What is the usual electrical correction?
A. Increase the motor frequency
B. Replace the overload relay
C. Reverse the brake spring
