Tools & Equipment Operation Flashcards

An AEP crew is using a wire mesh cable grip (Kellems grip) to pull a heavy cable into a conduit. The grip's load rating is 2,000 lbs and the calculated pull tension is 1,850 lbs. What additional precaution is required?

Answer: Monitor the pulling tension continuously and stop if 2,000 lbs is approached

Operating near a grip's rated capacity requires continuous tension monitoring so the pull can be stopped before the rating is exceeded.

Which type of insulated screwdriver handle material provides the highest dielectric strength for live electrical work?

Answer: Fiberglass-reinforced polymer rated per IEC 60900

IEC 60900-rated fiberglass-reinforced polymer handles are tested to withstand 10,000V AC and are the industry standard for live-line insulated hand tools.

A lineman uses a ratchet strap to secure a transformer on a flatbed during transport. After driving 10 miles, what must be done before continuing?

Answer: Stop to re-inspect and re-tension all tie-down straps

Tie-down straps settle and lose tension during initial travel; FMCSA regulations and AEP policy require a re-inspection after the first 50 miles or within the first hour.

When using a Phase Rotation Meter (phase sequence tester) before paralleling a generator to an AEP distribution circuit, a correct reading indicates:

Answer: Phase rotation of the generator matches the utility system (A-B-C)

Matching phase rotation (A-B-C sequence) between the generator and the utility is essential to prevent destructive reverse-phase paralleling.

A lineman is using a shotgun stick to operate a switch 15 feet away. During operation, rain begins. What is the required action?

Answer: Stop operations until the stick can be dried and the dielectric condition verified

Wet insulating tools have drastically reduced dielectric strength; operations must stop until the stick is dried and its insulating properties are confirmed.

In AEP substation work, a ratchet puller (come-along) is used to tension a bus conductor. To avoid overstressing the bus connections, tension should be verified using:

Answer: A dynamometer (in-line tension meter) connected in series with the puller

An in-line dynamometer provides actual load readings in real time, preventing overtensioning that could crack compression fittings or stress bus hardware.

After completing work on a distribution recloser using a laptop-based interface tool, the technician must perform which step before leaving the site?

Answer: Log out of the recloser interface and verify all protection settings are restored to approved values

Confirming that all protective relay settings are restored to approved values prevents outages or equipment damage from inadvertently modified protection curves.