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Electrical Construction Methods, Inspection & Measurement, and the First-Class Practical Exam

Class 1 Electrician 第一種電気工事士 (written exam) · 第一種電気工事士(学科試験) · Written by Tokutei Pass based on the official study texts; not copied verbatim.

Support Intervals and Grounding Exemption Rules in Low-Voltage Indoor Wiring

In low-voltage indoor wiring for factories and buildings, the maximum distance between support points (最大支持点間距離) is a frequent exam topic. When installed along building surfaces, cable work must be supported at intervals of 2m or less (6m or less vertically), synthetic resin conduits (合成樹脂管) at 1.5m or less, metal conduits (金属管) at 2m or less, bus ducts at 3m or less, and lighting ducts at 2m or less.

In lighting duct work (ライティングダクト工事) used for store lighting, to prevent dust entry and electric shock, the duct opening must be installed facing downward (or sideways); installing the opening facing upward (上向き) is prohibited. Also, the end of the duct must be closed with an end cap and given Class D grounding.

Metal raceway / molding work (金属線ぴ / メタルモール工事) may only be installed in dry, accessible, exposed locations; insulated wires such as IV wire are placed inside, but outdoor vinyl-insulated wire (OW), which has lower insulation performance, cannot be used. Also, if the raceway length is 4m or less, Class D grounding may be omitted.

In metal conduit work (金属管工事), Class D grounding may be omitted if the conduit length is 4m or less in a dry location, or if the voltage to ground is 150V or less and the conduit length is 8m or less (with simple contact protection or in a dry location). Conversely, for cable racks (ケーブルラック) and Type 2 flexible metal conduits (2種金属可とう電線管), grounding cannot be omitted even if they are 4m or less in a dry location.

Metal conduits and metal ducts operating at over 300V (400V class) require Class C grounding (10Ω or less) in principle, but if contact protection measures (接触防護措置) are applied so that people cannot touch them, this can be relaxed to Class D grounding (100Ω or less).

Support Intervals and Grounding Exemption Rules in Low-Voltage Indoor Wiring

Key points


  • Maximum support intervals: Synthetic resin conduit = 1.5m; Cable, Metal conduit, Lighting duct = 2m; Bus duct = 3m

  • Lighting duct openings must never face upward (downward or sideways is allowed). OW wire cannot be used inside metal raceways (金属線ぴ)

  • Class D grounding exemption: Metal raceways (≤ 4m) and metal conduits (≤ 4m in dry locations) can omit grounding, but cable racks (ケーブルラック) can never omit grounding regardless of length

  • Metal conduits and metal ducts over 300V (400V class) require Class C grounding in principle, but Class D grounding is permitted if contact protection measures are applied
WordMeaning
支持点間距離 (しじてんかんきょり): Distance between support points
ライティングダクト・バスダクト: Lighting duct and Bus duct
金属線ぴ (メタルモール): Metal raceway / Metal molding
ケーブルラック: Cable rack
接触防護措置 (せっしょくぼうごそち): Contact protection measures

Construction in Hazardous Locations, Solar PV, and High-Voltage Overhead / Underground Lines

In hazardous locations containing flammable gases or vapors, or combustible dust locations (such as flour or starch), wiring must use thick steel conduits (厚鋼電線管) or cables (MI cables, armored cables, or cables protected in metal pipes); synthetic resin conduits cannot be used. Explosion-proof flexible fittings (防爆形可とう電線管) are used at motor terminal connections.

In a solar photovoltaic system with a DC working voltage of 450V, although DC 750V or less is classified as low voltage, because it exceeds 300V, metal enclosures and frames must receive Class C grounding (10Ω or less). Also, a 3-phase 3-wire 210V motor circuit must use a 3-pole 3-element (3極3素子 / 3P3E) molded-case circuit breaker (a 3-pole 2-element breaker is not permitted).

When installing high-voltage building-side or overhead lines using cables, the messenger wire (ちょう架用線) supporting the cable must be a galvanized steel strand with a tensile strength of at least 5.93kN and cross-section of at least 22mm², strung with a safety factor of at least 2.5, supported by hangers at intervals of 0.5m or less, and given Class A grounding.

The height above ground of high-voltage overhead service drops (高圧架空引込線) must in principle be at least 5m (at least 4m where there is no traffic obstruction and no danger; at least 6m across roads). For direct burial of high-voltage underground cables on premises, burial depth must be at least 1.2m in places subject to heavy vehicle pressure, and at least 0.6m in other places.

Underground power lines must always use cables (ケーブル); insulated wires (絶縁電線 such as IV or KIP) can never be used. Protective troughs or waterproof cast-iron pipes may be used, but galvanized gas pipes (白ガス管) are improper. Also, if a high-voltage underground line exceeds 15m in length, an underground warning sheet indicating the facility name and manager must be installed.

Key points


  • Hazardous gas and combustible dust locations require thick steel conduit or cable work, with explosion-proof flexible conduits at motor connections

  • High-voltage cable messenger wire: safety factor ≥ 2.5, hanger interval ≤ 0.5m, Class A grounding. High-voltage service drop height: ≥ 5m in principle (≥ 4m if no hazard)

  • High-voltage underground direct burial depth: ≥ 1.2m under vehicle pressure, ≥ 0.6m elsewhere. Warning sheet required if length exceeds 15m

  • Insulated wires (絶縁電線) are prohibited underground (must use cables). A 3-phase 3-wire 210V circuit breaker must be 3-pole 3-element (3P3E)
WordMeaning
防爆形可とう電線管: Explosion-proof flexible conduit
ちょう架用線 (メッセンジャーワイヤ): Messenger wire
直接埋設式 (1.2m・0.6m): Direct burial method (1.2m / 0.6m depth)
埋設表示シート (15m超): Underground burial warning sheet (over 15m)
3極3素子 (3P3E): 3-pole 3-element circuit breaker

Complete Summary of Class A, Class B, Class C, and Class D Grounding

Class A grounding (A種接地工事) is applied to metal enclosures and frames of high-voltage and extra-high-voltage equipment, cubicle enclosures, lightning arresters (LA), and metallic sheaths/messenger wires of high-voltage cables. Grounding resistance must be 10Ω or less, and the soft copper grounding wire cross-section must be at least 5.5mm² (at least 14mm² for lightning arresters LA).

Class B grounding (B種接地工事) is applied to the low-voltage neutral point or one terminal of a transformer to prevent high-to-low-voltage contact (高低圧混触防止). Grounding resistance using the 1-line ground fault current I1 (A) is in principle 150 ÷ I1 (Ω) or less; if the high-voltage side automatically trips within 1 to 2 seconds, it is 300 ÷ I1, and if within 1 second, 600 ÷ I1 or less.

The size of a Class B grounding wire depends on the high-voltage interruption method. In principle (such as with LBS + PF), the cross-section must be at least 8mm² (or diameter at least 4.0mm); combined with cases requiring at least 14mm² when interrupted within 1 second, a minimum of at least 8mm² is required.

Class C grounding (C種接地工事) is applied to frames and metal enclosures of low-voltage equipment operating at over 300V (400V-class motors, 450V solar PV, etc.); grounding resistance must be 10Ω or less (500Ω or less if a ground-fault interrupter trips within 0.5 seconds), and the grounding wire diameter must be at least 1.6mm.

Class D grounding (D種接地工事), in addition to low-voltage equipment of 300V or less, is applied to the secondary circuits of high-voltage instrument transformers (CT, VT, VCT) — this is the most frequently tested point (extra-high-voltage CT/VT secondaries require Class A). Resistance is 100Ω or less (500Ω or less with 0.5-second interruption), and wire diameter is at least φ1.6mm (at least 3.5mm² for VCT secondary).

Key points


  • Class A grounding (HV equipment enclosures, cable sheaths): ≤ 10Ω, wire ≥ 5.5mm² (lightning arrester LA grounding wire must be ≥ 14mm²)

  • Class B grounding (transformer LV side): ≤ 150÷I1 Ω (300÷I1 for ≤ 2s trip, 600÷I1 for ≤ 1s trip), wire ≥ 8mm² (or ≥ 14mm²)

  • Class C grounding (LV > 300V): ≤ 10Ω; Class D grounding (LV ≤ 300V): ≤ 100Ω (both relaxed to ≤ 500Ω if interrupted within 0.5s; wire ≥ φ1.6mm)

  • The secondary circuits of high-voltage CTs, VTs, and VCTs require Class D grounding (be careful: not Class A!)
WordMeaning
A種接地工事 (10Ω・5.5mm²): Class A grounding (LA requires ≥ 14mm²)
B種接地工事 (150÷I1・8mm²): Class B grounding (HV/LV contact protection)
C種接地工事 (10Ω・φ1.6mm): Class C grounding (LV over 300V)
D種接地工事 (100Ω・φ1.6mm): Class D grounding (LV ≤ 300V and HV CT/VT secondary)
1線地絡電流 (I1): Single-line-to-ground fault current (I1)

High-Voltage Dielectric Strength Test and Earth / Insulation Resistance Measurement

In the dielectric strength test (絶縁耐力試験) performed upon completion of a high-voltage receiving substation, the maximum working voltage E of a nominal 6,600V circuit is calculated as 6,600 × (1.15 ÷ 1.1) = 6,900V. For high-voltage circuits with a maximum working voltage of 7,000V or less, an AC test voltage of 1.5 times the maximum working voltage is applied continuously for 10 minutes.

Therefore, the AC test voltage for a 6,600V high-voltage circuit is 6,900V × 1.5 = 10,350V (continuously for 10 minutes). Furthermore, when testing high-voltage cables with DC voltage, a DC voltage of twice the AC test voltage, namely 10,350V × 2 = 20,700V (continuously for 10 minutes), is applied.

During a dielectric strength test, devices that would be damaged by high voltage to ground — such as lightning arresters (LA), primary windings of voltage transformers (VT), discharge coils of power capacitors, and zero-phase voltage detectors (ZPD) — are disconnected beforehand, and the test voltage is applied between all three phases connected together and earth.

When measuring the insulation resistance of a high-voltage cable with a high-voltage Megger, connect the L terminal to the core conductor and the E terminal to the metallic sheath; to eliminate measurement error caused by surface leakage current along the termination insulation surface, connect the Guard terminal (G — ガード端子) to a bare copper wire wrapped around the insulation surface.

When measuring with an earth resistance tester (接地抵抗計), drive the auxiliary electrodes into the ground in a straight line from the grounding electrode under test E at intervals of about 10m in the order: potential electrode P (S) in the middle, and current electrode C (H) on the outside (order E − P − C). Before measuring, verify that earth voltage is below the specified limit.

High-Voltage Dielectric Strength Test and Earth / Insulation Resistance Measurement

Key points


  • Maximum working voltage of a 6,600V circuit is 6,900V. The dielectric strength test applies AC 10,350V (1.5×) continuously for 10 minutes

  • When testing a 6,600V high-voltage cable with DC, apply DC 20,700V (twice the AC test voltage) continuously for 10 minutes

  • When measuring insulation resistance of a high-voltage cable, connect the Guard terminal (G) to the insulation surface to eliminate surface leakage current

  • Auxiliary electrode placement for earth resistance measurement: in a straight line at approx. 10m intervals in the order E (earth) → P (potential) → C (current)
WordMeaning
最大使用電圧 (6,900V): Maximum working voltage of a 6.6kV system
絶縁耐力試験 (10,350V・10分間): Dielectric strength test (AC 10,350V for 10 min)
ガード端子 (G): Guard terminal (eliminates surface leakage current)
接地抵抗計 (E・P・C): Earth resistance tester (E - P - C electrode order)

Protective Relay Testing, Insulating Oil Diagnosis, and Periodic Voluntary Inspection

Test items for a directional ground relay (DGR) are minimum operating current, minimum operating voltage, phase characteristic, and operating time characteristic tests; an operating frequency test (動作周波数試験) is unnecessary. For overcurrent relay (OCR) testing, short-circuit the CT secondary at the current test terminal (CTT), and a minimum operating voltage test is unnecessary.

In deterioration diagnosis of insulating oil in oil-immersed transformers, dielectric breakdown voltage testing, acid value measurement (酸価度測定 — judging oxidation deterioration), dissolved gas analysis (油中ガス分析 — diagnosing internal overheating or discharge), and moisture measurement are performed. Vacuum degree measurement (真空度測定) is an inspection for vacuum circuit breakers (VCB), not insulating oil.

Completion inspection (竣工検査) items for private electrical installations include visual inspection, earth resistance measurement, insulation resistance measurement, dielectric strength testing, and operational testing of protective devices and interlocks. Temperature rise tests (温度上昇試験) and short-circuit strength tests are factory tests and are not performed during on-site completion inspections.

Under the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health, insulating protective equipment (rubber gloves, insulating boots, safety helmets) and insulating shields (insulating sheets, etc.) used in high-voltage live-line work must undergo periodic voluntary inspection of their insulating performance at least once every 6 months, and the inspection records must be preserved for 3 years.

Additionally, in low-voltage circuits that cannot be de-energized where insulation resistance measurement is difficult, measure leakage current during operation using a clamp-type leakage current meter; if the leakage current is 1mA or less, the insulation performance is judged compliant.

Key points


  • DGR testing does not require an operating frequency test. OCR testing does not require a minimum operating voltage test (short-circuit CT secondary during testing)

  • Transformer oil diagnosis = dielectric strength, acid value, dissolved gas analysis (vacuum degree measurement is for VCBs and is wrong)

  • On-site completion inspection does not include a temperature rise test (温度上昇試験). Low-voltage circuit leakage current passes if ≤ 1mA

  • Periodic voluntary inspection of insulating protective gear: perform once every 6 months and keep records for 3 years
WordMeaning
地絡方向継電器試験 (DGR試験): Directional ground relay (DGR) test
酸価度測定・油中ガス分析: Acid value measurement and Dissolved gas analysis in oil
竣工検査 (しゅんこうけんさ): Completion inspection
定期自主検査 (6か月・3年保存): Periodic voluntary inspection (every 6 months, keep 3 years)

Overview of the First-Class Practical Exam and Defect Judgment Criteria

The First-Class Electrician Practical Exam (技能試験), taken after passing (or being exempted from) the written exam, presents 1 problem out of 10 pre-published candidate problems (候補問題 No.1–No.10). Within a 60-minute time limit, candidates must draw a multi-line wiring diagram from a single-line diagram and assemble the installation using supplied materials.

Unlike the Second-Class practical exam (low-voltage residential wiring, 40 minutes), the First-Class exam combines high-voltage receiving equipment such as transformers (T), current transformers (CT), voltage transformers (VT), and terminal blocks representing switches with low-voltage motor control circuits (pushbuttons, indicator lamps, electromagnetic contactors, timers, etc.).

Among supplied wires in the First-Class exam, thick-insulated high-voltage ethylene-propylene rubber insulated wire KIP 8mm² (black) is used for high-voltage wiring; control vinyl-insulated vinyl-sheathed cable CVV 2.0mm² (2-core, 3-core) and IV wire are used for CT/VT secondaries and control circuits; and VVR or VVF cables are used for low-voltage feeders.

Pass/fail is determined on a zero-tolerance basis where even a single defect (欠陥) results in failure. In particular, at high-voltage terminal blocks (such as transformer primary KIP wire connections), exposing 20mm or more of bare core wire outside the terminal is judged a defect (whereas at low-voltage terminal blocks, exposing 5mm or more of bare wire is a defect).

Furthermore, for ring-sleeve crimp connections, joining two 1.6mm wires requires the '〇' (extra-small) die mark; joining three to four 1.6mm wires or one 2.0mm + one to two 1.6mm wires requires the '小' (small) mark; and joining three to four 2.0mm wires requires the '中' (medium) mark. An incorrect crimp mark or core wire protruding more than 5mm beyond the sleeve is also a defect.

Key points


  • First-Class Practical Exam: 60-minute time limit, 10 pre-published candidate problems, even 1 defect results in failure

  • Wires unique to First-Class: KIP 8mm² for high-voltage wiring, and CVV 2.0mm² (2-core, 3-core) for control and instrument circuits

  • Terminal block bare wire exposure defect criteria: ≥ 20mm exposed is a defect on high-voltage terminal blocks (KIP); ≥ 5mm exposed is a defect on low-voltage terminal blocks

  • Ring-sleeve crimp marks: 1.6mm × 2 = '〇' (extra-small); 1.6mm × 3–4 or 2.0mm × 2 = '小' (small); 2.0mm × 3–4 = '中' (medium)
WordMeaning
技能試験 (60分間・候補問題10問): Practical skill exam (60 min, 10 candidate problems)
高圧絶縁電線 (KIP 8mm²): High-voltage EP-rubber insulated wire (KIP 8mm²)
制御用ケーブル (CVV): Control cable (CVV 2.0mm²)
欠陥の判断基準: Defect judgment criteria (bare wire exposure ≥ 20mm HV / ≥ 5mm LV)
リングスリーブ圧着刻印 (〇・小・中): Ring-sleeve crimp die marks (〇, 小, 中)

Key Exam Points and Memory Tricks

Organize construction numbers together: Bus duct = 3m; Cable, Metal conduit, Lighting duct = 2m; Synthetic resin conduit = 1.5m; High-voltage hanger = 0.5m; High-voltage underground burial = 1.2m under heavy loads / 0.6m elsewhere (warning sheet over 15m). Cable racks can never omit grounding even if 4m or less.

The top three grounding traps are: (1) High-voltage CT and VT secondaries require Class D grounding (not Class A); (2) Lightning arrester LA Class A grounding wire must be ≥ 14mm² (normal Class A is ≥ 5.5mm²); (3) Class B grounding resistance = 150÷I1 (300÷I1 for 2s, 600÷I1 for 1s), wire size ≥ 8mm².

For the 6,600V dielectric strength test, memorize: Maximum working voltage 6,900V × 1.5 = AC 10,350V continuously for 10 minutes (for DC tests, twice that = 20,700V for 10 minutes) for an instant answer without calculation. When measuring high-voltage cable insulation resistance, connect the G (Guard) terminal to the insulation surface to remove surface leakage current.

Classic wrong choices in inspection questions are: Operating frequency test for DGR; Minimum operating voltage test for OCR; Vacuum degree measurement for insulating oil; and Temperature rise test in completion inspections. Also, periodic voluntary inspection of insulating protective gear is once every 6 months, with records kept for 3 years.

Key points


  • Support intervals: Bus duct 3m, Cable 2m, Synthetic resin conduit 1.5m, HV hanger 0.5m. HV underground depth: 1.2m / 0.6m

  • High-voltage CT/VT secondary = Class D grounding; LA = Class A (≥ 14mm²); Class B = 150÷I1 (≥ 8mm²)

  • 6.6kV dielectric strength test = AC 10,350V (DC 20,700V) continuously for 10 minutes. Earth resistance electrodes placed in order E − P − C at 10m intervals

  • Insulating protective gear inspection = every 6 months, keep records 3 years. Practical exam = 60 min, KIP terminal bare wire exposure ≥ 20mm is a defect
WordMeaning
10,350V・連続10分間: 6.6kV AC dielectric test voltage and duration
高圧CT・VT二次側D種接地: Class D grounding on HV CT/VT secondary circuits
6か月以内ごとに1回・3年間保存: Inspection cycle and record retention for insulating protective gear

Installation Methods & Inspection of Private Installations

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Official references

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