CET Elevator study plan

Map the full traction elevator system into a one-page block diagram covering car, counterweight, guide rails, roping, sheave, machine, controller, and safety chain, labeling each component's function.

Explain out loud, without notes, how a geared versus gearless machine transfers torque and why roping ratio (1:1 vs 2:1) changes car speed relative to sheave speed.

List the primary and secondary safety devices (overspeed governor, safeties, buffers, door interlocks, final limits, emergency brake) and state what each protects against.

Define the general-industry vocabulary you will meet all exam: rated load, rated speed, travel, pit depth, overhead, rise, and duty cycle, and write a one-line definition for each.

Trace the electrical power and control path from main line disconnect through drive, motor, brake coil, and safety-chain relays, and annotate where each protective device sits.

Describe how an overspeed governor trips the safeties mechanically and how the safety-chain circuit drops the brake, distinguishing electrical from mechanical stopping.

Identify the standard door operator components and explain the interlock circuit logic that prevents motion with an open door.

Practice reading a simple schematic symbol set (contacts, coils, limit switches, fuses, motors) until you can interpret a control ladder without hesitation.

Build a structured troubleshooting sequence for a car that will not start, ordering checks from power supply through safety chain to controller inputs.

Diagnose, in writing, three common mechanical faults (rope stretch, guide-rail misalignment, brake drag) and state the symptom, cause, and corrective action for each.

Explain how to use a multimeter safely on elevator circuits, including lockout/tagout steps before any test.

Compare VVVF drive behavior with older AC-2 and DC systems, focusing on how each affects troubleshooting approach.

Sequence a new traction installation from pit preparation through rail alignment, machine placement, roping, wiring, and commissioning, listing the inspection gate at each stage.

Describe the personal protective equipment and fall-protection, pit, and overhead hazards present during installation and maintenance, and state the control for each.

Explain the purpose and method of rope tension equalization and how to verify it.

Outline a preventive maintenance schedule (weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual) with the specific item checked at each interval.

Summarize the structure of the governing elevator code and the role of the authority having jurisdiction in inspection and permitting.

Identify the code requirements for pit access, overhead clearance, machine-room access, and car-top railing or clearance, and state why each exists.

Explain the acceptance-test categories performed before a new or altered elevator is placed in service and what each test verifies.

Describe recordkeeping and periodic inspection obligations a maintenance provider must satisfy.

Walk through the electrical and mechanical tests an inspector would witness (safety-chain, governor trip, buffer, brake, door force) and predict the pass/fail criterion for each.

Diagnose an intermittent fault using a systematic method: reproduce, isolate by section, substitute, and verify, documenting each step.

Explain how to interpret controller fault codes and logs to narrow a fault to a subsystem.

Practice safe isolation and proving dead before working on a drive or motor circuit.

Rehearse emergency procedures: entrapment release, manual rescue, fire-service operation, and power failure, stating the correct order of actions for each.

Explain the roles and communication between mechanic, helper, and inspector during a maintenance visit or rescue.

Review your weakest topics from weeks 1-6 and write targeted notes closing each gap.

Complete a timed 40-question mixed practice set across all domains and categorize every miss by domain and cause.

Re-take a full-length timed mock exam and compare domain scores against week 7 to confirm improvement.

Drill only your two lowest-scoring domains until each practice subsection is at or above target.

Recite the key safety devices, code requirements, and troubleshooting sequence from memory in a rapid review.

Finalize exam-day logistics: timing strategy, question-flagging rules, and a last-week review schedule.