How Extensive Is Your Knowledge on a Lineman Apprenticeship?
Written by Philip Simpson
Last updated · 18 min play time
If you have always had an interest in the work linemen do, this is the quiz for you. Put your knowledge to the test and see if you know what it takes to enter a lineman apprenticeship and different aspects of the lineman profession.
Quiz written by
Philip SimpsonLineman Apprenticeship Quiz Questions
50 Questions · 1.6K Plays · No comments
Question 1
What is the name for the large, grey cylinder on many electrical poles?
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ADistributor
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BMagnet
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CTransformer
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DConverter
Transformer
The large grey cylinder is called a transformer.
Question 2
What is another name for an electrical pole?
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AElectricity tree
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BEnergy tower
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CUtility pole
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DPower stick
Utility pole
While calling it an electrical pole is very common, utility pole is actually the most accurate term. After all, all types of wires are suspended by them, not just power lines.
Question 3
The term "mole" is used sometimes to refer to crews that work on a growing trend in power distribution. What is this trend?
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ADeeper holes for electrical poles
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BAnimal-proof wires
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CMole-skin insulation
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DUnderground power lines
Underground power lines
"Moles" are linemen who work on placing electrical wires in underground tunnels, rather than suspending them from poles.
Question 4
What is the most common electrical component linemen work on?
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AElectric meters
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BSolar panels
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CTraffic lights
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DElectrical lines
Electrical lines
While linemen do work on all sorts of electrical components, the most iconic and common thing they work on are electrical lines. If you see someone up at the top of an electrical pole, that is almost always a lineman.
Question 5
Which of these is the lowest level of education that is universal among lineman?
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AElectrical engineering bachelor's degree
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BVocational school diploma
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CHigh school diploma
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DApprenticeship
High school diploma
There are many paths to becoming a lineman, but a high school diploma is nearly always necessary for candidates.
Question 6
Can linemen use spikes to climb the electrical poles?
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AYes
-
BNo
Yes
There is no reason a lineman cannot use spikes to climb a pole. Spikes should not be used on living trees, but linemen do not have to worry about hurting the dead electrical pole.
Question 7
What does a lineman mean if he or she uses the slang "bible"?
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AThe electrician code book
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BThe safety harness
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CGloves
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DThe tool bag
The electrician code book
As you might expect, the electrician's code book is sometimes called a "bible" since it is used so extensively.
Question 8
What else is used to stabilize some electrical poles besides their underground length?
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AAdhesive
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BMagnets
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CCement
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DGuy wires
Guy wires
Guy wires are wires that attach the electrical pole to the ground. They keep it from falling over using tension.
Question 9
Which of these is the most important thing for every lineman to have when working on an electrical pole?
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AElectrical code book
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BSafety harness
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CInsulation kit
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DWire strippers
Safety harness
The most important thing that linemen always need to have is a safety harness. Safety is more important than any other aspect of the job.
Question 10
What is the name for the lines that connect the substation and individual consumers?
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ATransmission lines
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BBranch lines
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CDistribution lines
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DCapillary lines
Distribution lines
After passing through the substation, electricity travels along distribution lines.
Question 11
This profession got its start by working on telegraph lines in the 1840s.
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ATrue
-
BFalse
True
Indeed, the first linemen worked on telegraph lines, long before electrical wires were even imagined.
Question 12
Is an electrical engineering degree required to be a lineman?
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AYes
-
BNo
No
Most agree that an electrical engineering degree makes it easier to become a lineman, but it is far from required to enter the field.
Question 13
What is the maximum voltage a normal house can receive?
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A40 volts
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B100 volts
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C240 volts
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D460 volts
240 volts
The max voltage any normal home can receive is usually 240 volts. However, this often does not rise above 120.
Question 14
What is the most common first step toward becoming a lineman after high school?
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AOnline study
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BAttending a university
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CVocational school
Vocational school
While far from universal, most linemen get their start by first attending a vocational or trade school to learn the discipline.
Question 15
What precaution is taken to keep the guy wires from electrocuting pedestrians?
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AAir pockets
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BA set distance from live wires
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CStrain insulators
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DWarning signs
Strain insulators
The guy wires always have strain insulators inserted into them to keep any voltage from running through them. There are usually also yellow plastic sleeves to keep anyone from touching the guy wires.
Question 16
What terms are commonly used to describe whether a line is energized or not?
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AHot and wet
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BCurrent and lost
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CLive and dead
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DAngry and sad
Live and dead
Energized wires are called "live" and de-energized wires are called "dead".
Question 17
Which of these is not a task linemen may have?
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AWire installation
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BPole location planning
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CRepair
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DMaintenance
Pole location planning
Linemen may install, repair, or maintain electrical poles and lines, but they would never be the one to decide where they go and how to set up the system in the first place. When installing lines, they would be following strict plans that someone else created.
Question 18
Which of these is the most important skill for a lineman to have?
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ATime management
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BTechnical knowledge
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CKnowing the tango
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DMathematics
Technical knowledge
All these skills are necessary to be a lineman, but technical knowledge is vital not only for completing the work, but for always acting safely. Knowledge is power.
Question 19
Besides their location and purpose, what is the biggest difference between distribution and transmission lines?
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AMetal vs. wood utility poles
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BHigh vs. low voltage
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CPrivate vs. public power
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DInsulated vs. uninstalled wires
High vs. low voltage
Transmission lines carry very high voltage power, while distribution lines carry lower voltage power. The power lines themselves carry medium voltage power, while the wires that connect to houses are low voltage.
Question 20
What is the name of the belt that keeps linemen safe?
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AD-belt
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BSafety sphere
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CDouble harness
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DX-harness
D-belt
The belt used almost universally by linemen is called a D-belt. The name comes from the cut in the back that is shaped like the letter D.
Question 21
What lineman tool is "leg iron" slang for?
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ASupport beams
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BBoots
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CClimbing hooks
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DA steel electrical pole
Climbing hooks
Leg irons refer to climbing hooks which are used to scale utility poles.
Question 22
How far does a 40 foot electrical pole usually extend underground?
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A1 foot
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B6 feet
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C15 feet
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D40 feet
6 feet
To keep it in place, an electrical pole usually extends about 6 feet underground. Many people do not know this, since you can never see it.
Question 23
Linemen are never able to work on live wires, and must always disconnect them first.
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ATrue
-
BFalse
False
Amazingly, linemen are able to work on live wires. Only specially trained linemen can do this technique, which has a very specific setup.
Question 24
Once a lineman finishes training, what is the average starting salary?
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A$20,000
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B$750,000
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C$75,000
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D$200,000
$75,000
While apprentices make $50,000 on average, lineman starting salary is $75,000 on average. Again, an individual lineman may earn more or less, but this is the average.
Question 25
In addition to power lines, linemen also work on telecommunication lines.
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ATrue
-
BFalse
True
Linemen do work on power transmission, but they also work on telecommunication lines.
Question 26
What is the average annual salary of a lineman apprentice?
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A$10,000
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B$50,000
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C$25,000
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D$175,000
$50,000
The exact salary depends on the specific details of the apprenticeship, but the average salary for linemen in training is $50,000.
Question 27
How long does on-the-job training usually last before linemen are officially ready to work on their own?
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A20 years
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B6 months
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C4 years
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D3 weeks
4 years
The work is dangerous and needs to be done right to avoid injury. Linemen train on the job for four years before working alone most of the time.
Question 28
Which of these is NOT part of the construction of a transformer?
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ACore
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BBattery
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CWindings
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DCooling
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EInsulation
Battery
Transformers contain cores, windings, cooling, and insulation, but not a battery.
Question 29
What is the average height of an electrical pole?
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A10 feet
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B20 feet
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C40 feet
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D80 feet
40 feet
Most electrical poles are about 40 feet tall.
Question 30
Which of these is NOT a common non-wood material used to create an electrical pole?
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ASteel
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BRubber
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CFiberglass
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DConcrete
Rubber
Rubber would not be a good material because it is not very structurally sound. Concrete, steel, and fiberglass do not have this problem.
Question 31
What is the average age a lineman retires?
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A45 to 50
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B75 to 80
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C55 to 60
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D35 to 40
55 to 60
It is a demanding job, but most linemen are ready to retire between the ages of 55 and 60.
Question 32
What does a lineman really mean if he or she asks for a "banjo"?
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ARadio
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BWire
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CShovel
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DPick
Shovel
Although a bit humorous, this slang actually refers to a shovel.
Question 33
What is the most common wood type used to make electrical poles?
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ABalsa wood
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BSouthern yellow pine
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CGreat oak
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DDragon blood tree
Southern yellow pine
Most electrical poles are made of southern yellow pine, although not all poles are made of wood.
Question 34
What are the lines called that connect the power plant to the substation?
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AArtery lines
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BTransmission lines
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CDistribution lines
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DPrimary lines
Transmission lines
The name for the lines that get the power from the power plant to the local substation is transmission lines.
Question 35
When counting the length of all wires, are there more transmission or distribution lines?
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ATransmission lines
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BDistribution lines
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CThey are equal
Distribution lines
There are far more distribution lines than transmission lines. Counting every electrical pole and the wires that connect to each and every home, there are about 10 times more distribution lines.
Question 36
What is the main difference between linemen and electricians?
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AInterior vs. exterior electronics
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BTwo names for the same job
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CPowered vs. non-powered electronics
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DInsulated vs. non-insulated electronics
Interior vs. exterior electronics
Linemen are very similar to electricians, except they work on exterior electronics instead of interior electronics.
Question 37
What is the function of a transformer?
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ATransfer energy between multiple circuits
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BTransform energy from DC to AC power
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CTransform energy from AC to DC power
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DConvert light into electrical energy
Transfer energy between multiple circuits
Using a magnetic flux, a transformer can transfer energy from one circuit to one more more other circuits.
Question 38
While it is not universally required, what license might come in handy to land a lineman job?
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ALicense to operate large utility trucks
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BLicense to read electrical meters
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CLicense to climb utility poles
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DLicense to enter power substations
License to operate large utility trucks
The only one of these actions that a license is even required for is operating large utility trucks. This may indeed help you find a job as a lineman.
Question 39
What is the final stage of power delivery?
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ATransmission
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BDistribution
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CInsulation
-
DConversion
Distribution
Electrical networks deliver power to a neighborhood, and then the final stage to get the power to each individual house is called distribution.
Question 40
How are linemen able to work on live wires without getting electrocuted?
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AWearing a rubber suit
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BAchieving the same electric potential as the wire
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CBeing very careful
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DNot eating for 24 hours before touching the wire
Achieving the same electric potential as the wire
If the lineman achieves the same electric potential as the wire, they can handle it without any harm. They still must be careful not to connect a circuit with their hands, however.
Question 41
It seems there is no shortage of strange slang terms. What does the term "pickles" refer to?
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AWire connectors
-
BWire strippers
-
CDrill
-
DHammer
Wire connectors
If a lineman says he or she needs "pickles," go fetch wire connectors.
Question 42
Which electrical poles are most in-need of a guy wire for support?
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ADamaged poles
-
BDead-end poles
-
CWooden poles
-
DPoles in wet climates
Dead-end poles
Electrical poles that are at the end of a straight sequence of power lines are called dead-end poles, and are most in need of support since the power lines themselves do not continue to the next pole, which naturally provides some support.
Question 43
When were the first transformers invented?
-
A1790s and 1800s
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B1870s and 1880s
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C2000s and 2010s
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D1950s and 1960s
1870s and 1880s
While they did not exist as anything resembling their modern day equivalent, the technology behind transformers was first put into practice in the 1870s and 1880s.
Question 44
What does the lineman slang "dog bone" refer to?
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AHardhat
-
BVibration damper
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CWire stripper
-
DHammer
Vibration damper
This refers to a special kind of EHV yoke plate that looks like a bone.
Question 45
Although it sounds funny, some linemen do use the term "nutty putty". What does it refer to?
-
ASeal-a-conn cover
-
BDrill case
-
CClimbing hooks
-
DAdhesive
Seal-a-conn cover
Despite the silly name, nutty putty refers to a seal-a-conn, which is used for covering connectors.
Question 46
Linemen have all sorts of strange slang terms for their tools. If a lineman uses the term "old man" what is he or she talking about?
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AFork suspension attachment
-
BSingle conductor
-
CWire connectors
-
DA-Frame Transformer Gin
A-Frame Transformer Gin
The term "old man" refers to an A-frame transformer gin. Some linemen may call this a "pole buddy" instead.
Question 47
What does a lineman mean if he or she uses the slang, "goatskin"?
-
ATarp
-
BBlanket
-
CElectrical tape
-
DInsulation
Tarp
A goatskin refers to a tarp, which can be used to cover electrical components that need to be left out overnight if a job does not get completed.
Question 48
What does a lineman mean when he or she uses the term "Leroy"?
-
AWire
-
BClimbing hooks
-
CGloves
-
DGenerator
Generator
The slang term for a generator is "Leroy".
Question 49
Do linemen need to acquire a license to work?
-
AYes
-
BNo
No
There is no such thing as a lineman certificate or license. Some employers do require a physician's certificate of health before hiring someone, however.
Question 50
What does the slang term "alligator" refer to?
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ASpike
-
BClamp
-
CTie stick
-
DA live alligator
Tie stick
When a lineman says he or she needs an alligator, they mean they need a tie stick.
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