I didn't see the farm code in that?? don't be braggin till you've passed the farm code addenda to it.

LOL, calm down.  I didn't mean to ruffle oversensitive feathers with my quotation marks.

Back im my days of erector engineer I took part in the erection of power plants, oil refineries and chemical plants, where the applicable Code is ASME IX; oil and natural gas pipelines and boosting stations, where the applicable standard is API 1104; and heavy structural steel, where the applicable standard is AWS D1.1.
In the power plants, oil refineries, chemical plants and oil and gas boosting stations there were light structural steel to erect (platforms, walkways, stairs, columns etc.) and pipe supports to install. Strictly speaking, they should have been welded by welders qualified under AWS D1.1. Nevertheless, the client and the contractor (us) decided that those items were of light nature and could have been welded by welders qualified under ASME IX or API 1104.
Many years have passed and none of the plants that I took part in its erection busted or blew up, which means that our decision wasn't that wrong.

I've noticed that many of the frequentors of this site consider API 1104 as a "second class" standard, whereas ASME IX and AWS D1.1 are "first class" ones. I don't know why. If a weld located in a natural gas piping leaks, a tremendous explosion can happen, with deads, injured and property loss.
Giovanni S. Crisi
Sao Paulo - Brazil

well said!! I bet you're referring to one of the guys' comments on my post. honestly i feel proud of taking the api 1104. you know the funny thing is, before i took the test i talked to many cwi who took the d1.1 and when i told them i am taking the 1104 they all said i am an idiot because there's no index in the api 1104. so they think that the api 1104 is somehow more difficult because of the lack of index but then they made fun of me for taking an "easier" test!!?? i really dont get the thinking process here. my goal is to get into pipeline inspection and get some api cert and that's part of the reason why i took the api 1104. another reason is i do think there's an advantage of taking the 1104 over the d1.1 because there are more questions in it.

i paid for my own test and seminar as well and for any cwi out there have done that they know it is not cheap, the cost of the whole package plus missing work.not to mention for api 1104 you gotta buy your own codebook which is $300 for about 65 pages of book. now i didnt think the seminar was all that helpful but that's just me and my opinion. maybe i studies hard enough that i didnt need the seminar and thats why i dont suggest people to take it. so if some people got problem with that, THAT'S TOO BAD!! i didnt mean to be show bone by saying i passed the test the first try because i also did say that you have to be dedicated to the studying.

so here , I PASSED MY CWI API 1104 EXAM.

Superflux,
  I have been told by "People in the Know" (no I will not drop names) that AWS is over time and currently tightening up the API 1104 test. It is evident if one watches how the test is evolving, even by your own statements of the number of questions from 1986 until now.

While I do not think it is the case so much now, in the past API 1104 was definitely the "easier" of the two tests D1.1/API 1104.

I can not even count the times I have seen people with good structural background go test to D1.1 multiple times and fail, then go pass API 1104. This would happen to the extent that they would tell others that had failed D1.1 to go test to API 1104.

It was a long time running joke that if you could not pass D1.1 not to worry, just go test to API 1104.

Unfortunately as AWS tightens up the API 1104 test many are not lightening up on the ones taking the API 1104 test.

I will not currently detract from the accomplishment of passing the AWS CWI exam to API 1104, BUT I do know of people who were born and bred "Structural Guy's" that could not pass the D1.1 test and went back to test to API 1104 for the sole reason that it was an easier test, and they passed. I also know of one structural company that had to get three inspectors certified through AWS and after 2 attempts at passing D1.1 they sent them to test to API 1104 because someone told them it was an easier test and guess what?.... They passed. They all also said "Damn, we should have done that in the first place and we would have been done". These inspectors were all three Lead Inspectors (2 day shift and 1 night shift) with several years of structural experience. And this was only 3 years ago. This "Structural Steel Shop" also currently will only send inspectors to test to API 1104. ????

Again, I will not currently detract from the accomplishment of passing API 1104. For the sake of conversation, let’s say that the API 1104 test is a little easier. It is still not currently an EASY test.

Having said all that, I do have an opinion on which test to take and the answer will vary depending on the person.

In my opinion, a person should take the test that applies most to what they will be focusing their career on. AWS has gone quite a ways in helping make this possible by offering the AWS CWI tests in more formats than they used to.

When I tested it was D1.1 or API 1104 only. So keeping that in mind, it was my opinion at that time that to get the most out of it and to be better equipped to step out of my comfort zone to inspect to any code I might come across, that D1.1 was the one for me because at the time I do believe it was the harder test to pass and that I could better prepare myself for other codes. Again, this is only MY opinion and also what might have been best for ME at that time might not have been the best for the next person.

I believe that currently if a person passes the AWS CWI test in any format D1.1/API 1104/B31.3 or what have you, then they have for sure accomplished something.

I guess I kind of veered off from your challenge, but I tested to D1.1 and only have knowledge of sample questions from API 1104 and the code, so I have no scores to submit for comparison. I sure wish I did have something to compare from 2003, I am sure they would be surprising to some people.

All I have is first hand observations like the ones above.

While I am sure money plays the biggest role in it, I am glad that AWS is currently offering the test to more than just D1.1 and API 1104 and that they are working to make the test's equal in difficulty across the board.

jrw159

I really don't care which test people take.  It's kind of like going to medical school, when you graduate, you're still a Doctor, whether you're a Brain Surgeon or a Proctologist.  

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Who the hell cares what test someone else passed... shut your pie holes about someone else's ticket... work your projects to the code required... my clients pay my rent, not some other inspector who thinks he's hot poo