What you'll learn
Name the parts of an oil-fired low-pressure steam boiler plant and explain what each one does
Follow the burner through its operating cycle, from startup through each stage
Recognise low water, ignition problems, fuel oil trouble and control failures
Understand how pressure controls, safety valves and the low water cut-off protect the boiler
Test yourself with practice questions and see which topics need more work
Walk into the exam knowing where you stand, instead of hoping
Water level controlSafety valvesPressure controlsCombustion safetyFuel oil systemsFault recognition
Syllabus
Nine modules, each paired with hands-on work in the simulator.
Draft outline. The final lessons will follow the FDNY's free study material.
Module 1Meet the boiler room
A guided tour of the oil-fired plant: storage tank, strainer, pump, preheaters, burner and controls. Tap any part in the simulator to see what it does.
LessonSimulator
Module 2Fuel oil supply and preheating
How oil travels from the tank to the burner: suction line, strainer, vacuum gauge, pump, relief valve, preheaters and the return line.
LessonSimulator
Module 3Startup and the operating cycle
Step through the burner cycle, speed it up or slow it down, and set the pressuretrol cut-out to see how the controls respond.
LessonSimulator
Module 4Water level and the low water cut-off
Why water level matters, how the low water cut-off protects the boiler, and what happens when it sticks.
LessonSimulatorQuiz
Module 5Pressure controls and safety
The operating and manual-reset pressuretrols, what happens when one fails, and how the safety devices work together.
LessonSimulatorQuiz
Module 6Combustion and flame safety
Ignition failure, delayed ignition, combustion air, the photoelectric cell and the atomizing cup.
LessonSimulatorQuiz
Module 7Fuel oil problems
Dirty strainer, water in the oil, cold oil, a pump seal leak, a leaking main fuel valve and an empty tank.
LessonSimulator
Module 8Practice faults
Work through 18 practice faults and watch how the plant responds to each one.
Simulator
Module 9Practice questions and mock exams
Answer over 180 practice questions with an explanation for each, then check your readiness score. Timed mock exams will be added to this module.
SimulatorQuizMock exam
