Ran Chen, EA, CFP®

Trades Exam Prep

Education EN ↓ 169 episodes

Trades Exam Prep is a free, daily podcast by OpenExamPrep covering the most in-demand skilled trades licensing and certification exams — including EPA 608 (HVAC refrigerant), FAA Part 107 (drone), Master Electrician, Plumber, General Contractor, ASE automotive, NATE, OSHA 10/30, Welder Certification, and more. Each 5-minute episode breaks down one exam topic with concrete examples, common exam traps, code references, and field-ready memory tricks to help you pass on your first attempt. No fluff, no filler — just the concepts you need to know, explained the way the exam tests them. This podcast...

Be sure to visit the podcast's website and support the creator: open-exam-prep.com

Author

Ran Chen, EA, CFP®

Episodes

[Journeyman] 4. Power, Energy and Single-Phase versus Three-Phase Loads 11.10.2026 4:31

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The fundamental distinction between real power in watts and en...

[Journeyman] 3. Voltage, Current, Resistance and Ohms Law 10.10.2026 4:27

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Fundamental Ohm's law relationships connecting voltage, curren...

[Journeyman] 2. Finding Definitions, Articles and Exceptions in the NEC 09.10.2026 4:18

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to efficiently navigate the Table of Contents and Index du...

[Journeyman] 1. Choosing Your Exam and the Correct NEC Edition 08.10.2026 4:35

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Why there is no single nationwide journeyman electrician licen...

NATE HVAC Exam Prep 50, Final CHP-5 Review and Troubleshooting Strategy 07.10.2026 4:37

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to integrate all five NATE CHP-5 domains into a systematic...

NATE HVAC Exam Prep 49, Verifying Repairs and Documenting Results 06.10.2026 4:15

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to perform steady-state post-repair operational testing to...

NATE HVAC Exam Prep 48, Preventive Maintenance that Proves Performance 05.10.2026 4:40

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The distinction between visual checklist maintenance and quant...

NATE HVAC Exam Prep 47, Gas Furnace Service and Combustion Diagnosis 04.10.2026 4:03

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Understanding the exact step-by-step sequence of operation for...

NATE HVAC Exam Prep 46, Heat Pump Service and Defrost Diagnosis 03.10.2026 3:53

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to diagnose reversing valve internal leakage using tempera...

NATE HVAC Exam Prep 45, Diagnosing Electrical and Control Failures 02.10.2026 3:43

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to isolate step-down transformer failures and identify sec...

NATE HVAC Exam Prep 44, Airflow Problems versus Refrigerant Charge Problems 01.10.2026 3:06

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to differentiate between low indoor airflow and low refrig...

NATE HVAC Exam Prep 43, Refrigerant Circuit Diagnostic Patterns 30.09.2026 3:55

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to analyze suction pressure, discharge pressure, superheat...

NATE HVAC Exam Prep 42, Turning Customer Complaints into Testable Symptoms 29.09.2026 3:40

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to convert vague HVAC customer complaints into testable ob...

NATE HVAC Exam Prep 41, The Professional HVAC Service Call Workflow 28.09.2026 3:36

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - The eleven-step chronological service call workflow required f...

NATE HVAC Exam Prep 40, Commissioning and Customer Handoff 27.09.2026 4:08

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to measure Total External Static Pressure and compare it a...

NATE HVAC Exam Prep 39, Evacuation Charging and Startup 26.09.2026 3:54

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Why dry nitrogen pressure testing and low-PSI purging during b...

NATE HVAC Exam Prep 38, Fuel Gas Combustion Air and Vent Installation 25.09.2026 4:08

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Gas shutoff valves must be installed within 6 feet of applianc...

NATE HVAC Exam Prep 37, Condensate Drain Installation 24.09.2026 3:34

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Why negative pressure draw-through coils require a P-trap with...

NATE HVAC Exam Prep 36, Installation Wiring Controls and Protection 23.09.2026 3:43

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to properly calculate wire gauge and breaker sizing using...

NATE HVAC Exam Prep 35, Duct Installation Sealing and Insulation 22.09.2026 3:33

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Duct layout transition slope limits and the critical role of t...

NATE HVAC Exam Prep 34, Installing Refrigerant Lines Correctly 21.09.2026 3:59

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How line sizing and pitch dictate proper oil return and preven...

NATE HVAC Exam Prep 33, Equipment Location Clearances and Service Access 20.09.2026 3:50

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How NATE exam questions test NEC 2023 Article 110.26 electrica...

NATE HVAC Exam Prep 32, Load Calculations Equipment Sizing and Matching 19.09.2026 3:17

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - Why rule-of-thumb square-footage sizing is strictly rejected o...

NATE HVAC Exam Prep 31, Pre Installation Planning and Documentation 18.09.2026 3:15

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to resolve conflicts between local building codes, project...

NATE HVAC Exam Prep 30, Air Balancing and Comfort Diagnostics 17.09.2026 3:47

This podcast is made by Ran Chen, who holds an EA license, Insurance and Securities licenses (Series 6, 63, 65), and the CFP® designation. He is passionate about opening access to high-quality exam preparation resources and helping learners prepare more effectively for professional certification exams. In this episode you will learn: - How to systematically diagnose room-to-room comfort complaints...