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Free CALT Practice Questions

10 free, exam-style Certified Apprentice Lighting Technician (CALT) practice questions with answers and explanations. No signup required. Work through them below, then take the full free CALT practice test to study every exam domain.

These 10 free CALT questions are organized by exam domain, so you can see how each part of the Certified Apprentice Lighting Technician blueprint is tested. Reveal the answer and explanation under each question.

Domain 1: Introduction to Lighting

Question 1

A lighting technician needs to compare how efficiently two lamps convert electrical power into light. Which value should be compared?

  1. Watts consumed by each lamp
  2. Rated life in hours
  3. Efficacy in lumens per watt
  4. Color temperature in Kelvin
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - Efficacy in lumens per watt

Question 2

A circuit operates at 120 volts and has a resistance of 60 ohms. Using Ohm's Law, what is the current flowing through the circuit?

  1. 0.5 amps
  2. 2 amps
  3. 180 amps
  4. 7,200 amps
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B - 2 amps

Question 3

A customer complains that new lamps look 'too blue and cold' and wants a warmer appearance. Which change to the correlated color temperature (CCT) will produce a warmer light?

  1. A higher CCT, such as 5000K
  2. A lower CCT, such as 2700K
  3. A higher CRI, such as 90
  4. A lower wattage, such as 9W
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B - A lower CCT, such as 2700K

Question 4

Which of the following light sources operates WITHOUT a ballast or driver?

  1. Fluorescent
  2. Metal halide
  3. Incandescent
  4. High-pressure sodium
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - Incandescent

Domain 2: Incandescent Lighting

Question 5

In the lamp designation 'PAR38,' what does the number 38 represent?

  1. The wattage of the lamp
  2. The beam angle in degrees
  3. The rated life in hundreds of hours
  4. The diameter in eighths of an inch
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: D - The diameter in eighths of an inch

Question 6

Why should a technician avoid touching the quartz envelope of a halogen lamp with bare fingers?

  1. Skin oils create hot spots that shorten lamp life
  2. Fingerprints reduce the lamp's color rendering
  3. The glass carries a residual electrical charge
  4. Body heat can crack the cold glass instantly
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: A - Skin oils create hot spots that shorten lamp life

Domain 3: Fluorescent Lighting

Question 7

A fluorescent lamp is rated at 2,800 lumens. It is operated on a ballast with a ballast factor of 0.88. What is the approximate light output delivered?

  1. 2,464 lumens
  2. 2,712 lumens
  3. 3,182 lumens
  4. 3,080 lumens
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: A - 2,464 lumens

Question 8

A technician reads 'T8' on a linear fluorescent lamp. What is the lamp's diameter?

  1. 8 millimeters
  2. 8 eighths of an inch, or 1 inch
  3. 8/16 of an inch, or half an inch
  4. 8 centimeters
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B - 8 eighths of an inch, or 1 inch

Question 9

A fluorescent ballast is marked 'Class P.' What feature does this designation indicate?

  1. It contains built-in thermal protection
  2. It is rated for parallel lamp wiring only
  3. It is a premium high-efficiency model
  4. It is approved for outdoor, wet locations
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: A - It contains built-in thermal protection

Question 10

Which fluorescent lamp starting method requires a separate starter to preheat the cathodes before the lamp ignites?

  1. Instant start
  2. Rapid start
  3. Preheat
  4. Programmed start
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - Preheat

The rest of the CALT blueprint

The CALT exam also covers these domains. Drill them in the full free practice test:

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