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Motor Practice Questions for the California Electrician Exam

Motor questions look hard and trip people on one thing: which current to use. Get that right and the rest is arithmetic. Here is the rule, the trap, and an original question worked all the way through.

Last reviewed June 2026

What the exam is really testing

  • Using the table full-load current (FLC) from 430.250, not the nameplate.
  • Sizing the branch-circuit conductor at 125% of FLC per 430.22.
  • Knowing when to use nameplate amps (overload) versus table amps (conductors).
  • Multiple-motor feeders: 125% of the largest plus 100% of the others.

The trap

Candidates use the nameplate amps to size the conductor. The conductor is sized off the table FLC. The nameplate is only for overload protection. Read which one the question is asking for.

Try an original question

Sample question · original

A 7.5 HP, 230-volt, three-phase motor has a table full-load current of 22 amps (Table 430.250).

What minimum conductor ampacity does NEC 430.22 require for the branch circuit?

  • A22 amps
  • B25 amps
  • 27.5 amps
  • D30 amps

Answer C. 430.22 requires branch-circuit conductors for a single continuous-duty motor to be sized at 125% of the table full-load current. 22 amps times 1.25 equals 27.5 amps.

  • NEC 2023 430.22
  • NEC 2023 Table 430.250

Why the other answers tempt you

  • A: 22 amps is the table FLC with no 125% added. 430.22 requires the cushion.
  • B: 25 amps is a guess that does not match the 125% rule.
  • D: 30 amps is the next standard breaker size, not the required conductor ampacity.

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