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Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer Practice Test & Exam Prep

Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer (NMC QMED02) is the electrical-and-refrigeration QMED rating, examined in Q802 Electrician and Q803 Refrigerating Engineer — each 70 questions at a 70% pass mark. It covers DC and AC theory, motors and generators, switchboards and distribution, batteries, troubleshooting, and the vapor-compression refrigeration cycle.

Every answer cited & verifiedOriginal questions, NMC exam formatFree to start

The Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer exam (QMED02)

2

Modules — Q802 + Q803

70

Questions per module

70%

Passing score

3.5 h

Time per module

Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer is examined in Q802 Electrician and Q803 Refrigerating Engineer. Each module is 70 multiple-choice questions at a 70% pass mark, 3.5 hours long. In the engine-room exam room you may reference 46 CFR and 33 CFR only.

What’s on the Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer exam

The subject set derives from the Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer column of Table 1 to 46 CFR 12.505(c). We drill each of these areas:

  • Electrical safety and general safety
  • DC circuits and electronic principles
  • AC circuits and theory
  • Motors and generators
  • Motor controllers and remote control
  • Switchboards and distribution systems
  • Batteries and storage systems
  • Electrical measuring devices and instrumentation
  • Electrical troubleshooting and maintenance
  • Refrigeration cycle and components
  • Air conditioning, ventilation, and compressed air
  • Auxiliary machinery and mechanical systems
  • Firefighting, damage control, and emergency response

Would you pass?

Sample Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer questions — no sign-up

Original questions calibrated to the NMC Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer exam format — every answer is cited to a public source. Answer a few right here.

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According to 46 CFR §111.70-3, which item is NOT required to be marked on the exterior of a motor controller?

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What minimum clear working space must be maintained in front of a main distribution switchboard?

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Under 46 CFR §111.15-5, what is the minimum watertight lining height required on the deck of a battery room or locker?

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Three capacitors — C1 = 10 µF, C2 = 10 µF, and C3 = 10 µF — are connected in parallel. What is the total capacitance?

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A refrigeration compressor trips on its high-pressure cutout. Which of the following is a likely cause?

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Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer requirements

Sea service (46 CFR 12.503)

6 months of service in a rating at least equal to Wiper or Coal Passer on the appropriate class of vessels (46 CFR 12.503). Graduates of an approved training ship qualify with no further service, and other approved training can substitute for up to half of the required service.

Fees (46 CFR 10.219)

$280 in Coast Guard fees — $95 evaluation + $140 exam + $45 issuance. You also need a USCG medical certificate (CG-719K), a drug test, and a TWIC (46 CFR 10.203).

See the full application flow and the other ratings on the QMED hub, or find where you test in the REC locations guide.

Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer exam questions, answered

What does the QMED Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer exam cover?

The QMED02 exam pairs Q802 Electrician (DC and AC circuits, motors and generators, switchboards and distribution, batteries, motor controllers, and troubleshooting) with Q803 Refrigerating Engineer (the vapor-compression refrigeration cycle, refrigerants, compressors, condensers, evaporators, and air conditioning). Each module is 70 questions with a 70% passing score.

Is this a combined electrician and refrigeration rating?

Yes. As of the 2024 QMED rules the endorsement is issued as the combined Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer rating; the older standalone Electrician and Refrigerating Engineer endorsements are now renewal-only. Passing both Q802 and Q803 earns the combined rating.

Are the electrical questions from the real Coast Guard bank?

No. The USCG exam bank has not been public since 2016. CaptainsGround writes original questions calibrated to the Q802/Q803 format and cites every answer to a public source — 46 CFR and public-domain electrical references such as the NEETS series — so you can check the reasoning.

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