ABSA 3B1 STUDY EXAM GUIDE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
SURE A+
✔✔In all systems, the horizontal steam supply pipes between boiler and
heating units are called the:
a. Mains
b. Risers
c. Banks
d. Racks
e. Downcomers. - ✔✔a
✔✔Finned convectors should be kept free of:
a. Air
b. Steam
c. Corrosion
d. Dust
e. All of the above. - ✔✔d
✔✔The Hartford Loop prevents the water in the boiler from:
a. Exceeding the maximum temperature
b. Exceeding the highest safe level
c. Dropping below a safe level
d. Contamination by impurities in the returning condensate
e. Flowing out through the steam main. - ✔✔c
✔✔In a gravity return system, the boiler should be placed:
a. Well above the highest radiator
b. Well below the lowest radiator
c. On an elevated platform
d. At the same level as the radiators
e. In a central location. - ✔✔b
✔✔Which one of the following steam heating systems can be used to
overcome the difficulty of returning condensate back to the boiler
due to inefficient static head?
a. One pipe, gravity return system
b. Two pipe, gravity return system
c. One pipe, free flow return system
d. Two pipe, return trap system
e. Two pipe, free drain return system. - ✔✔d
✔✔A pressure balancing device that prevents the boiler pressure from
forcing the water in the boiler into the return lines is called a:
a. Relief valve
b. Check valve
,c. Pipe siphon
d. Pressure reducing valve
e. Hartford loop. - ✔✔e
✔✔In the two, pipe variable vacuum steam heating system, the steam
temperature can be varied from:
a. 200°C to as low as 100°C
b. 150°C to as low as 100°C
c. 150°C to as low as 55°C
d. 105°C to as low as 55°C
e. 105°C to as low as 45°C. - ✔✔d
✔✔Which of the following would you expect to find in a steam heating
system?
1 Convectors
2 Return traps
3 Condensate tank
4 Cushion tank
a. 1, 2, 3
b. 2, 3, 4
c. 1, 2, 4
d. 1, 3, 4
e. 1, 2, 3, 4. - ✔✔a
✔✔When starting up a steam heating boiler, it should be filled to:
a. The maximum level
b. 3/4 of the gauge glass
c. 1/2 of the gauge glass
d. 1/4 of the gauge glass
e. The very bottom of the gauge glass. - ✔✔c
✔✔After a steam heating system has been operating for some time, you
notice that some sections of the system are still cold. Which one of
the following could be the cause of this?
a. Air is trapped in the affected sections
b. Boiler water pressure too low
c. Boiler water temperature too low
d. Steam does not contain enough heat
e. Condensate temperature too low. - ✔✔a
✔✔The piping and heating units of a steam heating system must be so
arranged that:
a. The condensate can flow freely to the heating units
b. The air can be kept at the top of the heating units
c. Steam can flow freely to all heating units
,d. All of the above.
e. None of the above. - ✔✔c
✔✔When the return main of a gravity return steam heating system is
located below the level of the water line in the boiler, it is called:
a. Flooded return
b. Dry return
c. Wet return
d. Upfeed return
e. Downfeed return. - ✔✔c
✔✔When a single main is used to carry both the steam supply from the
boiler to the radiators and the steam condensate from the radiators
back to the boiler, the system is called a one pipe:
a. Condensate return system
b. Gravity return system
c. Return trap system
d. Vacuum pump system
e. Variable vacuum system. - ✔✔b
✔✔The two pipe gravity return steam heating system, now obsolete,
had the disadvantage that during startup, some steam could pass
through a radiator without condensing and could enter other
radiators via the return main, thus trapping:
a. Water in the center
b. Steam in the center
c. Condensate in the center
d. Debris in the center
e. Air in the center. - ✔✔e
✔✔If the water level falls too low during operation of a steam heating
boiler, the operator should:
a. Tell his or her supervisor
b. Add more water immediately
c. Lower the flame and add water to bring it up to a safe level
d. Shut the boiler down
e. Operate the safety valve. - ✔✔d
✔✔In the case of radiators and convectors, the main sources of trouble
are the:
a. Air vents
b. Air traps
c. Push nipples
d. Connecting rods
e. Valves and traps. - ✔✔e
, ✔✔Slow or insufficient heat in one or more rooms in a steam, heated
building can be caused by a faulty:
a. Steam trap
b. Float switch
c. Heater
d. Vacuum switch
e. Sight glass. - ✔✔a
✔✔Slow or insufficient heat throughout a building heated by steam can
be caused by:
a. Too high a firing rate
b. Too low a firing rate
c. Air leaks
d. The feedwater being too cold
e. Oversized piping. - ✔✔b
✔✔All supply and drain lines of a steam heating system must be pitched
to:
a. Allow for drainage of condensate
b. Allow collection of air at the highest points
c. Prevent corrosion
d. Allow for temperature expansion
e. All of the above. - ✔✔a
✔✔A _____ for a steam heating system will reduce the possibility of
heating problems occurring when the system is in service.
a. Heat monitor
b. Thermostatic controller
c. High capacity boiler
d. Air/fuel controller
e. Good preventative maintenance program. - ✔✔e
✔✔Chapter 103 Hot Water Heating Systems - ✔✔
✔✔In a hot water system compared to a steam heating system, if there
is a leak, damage will:
a. Be greater in the steam system
b. Be greater in the hot water system
c. Be about the same in either system
d. Depend on where the boiler is located in the system
e. Be minimal due to the automatic drain system. - ✔✔b
✔✔In a radiant panel heating system, changes are:
a. Difficult to make
SURE A+
✔✔In all systems, the horizontal steam supply pipes between boiler and
heating units are called the:
a. Mains
b. Risers
c. Banks
d. Racks
e. Downcomers. - ✔✔a
✔✔Finned convectors should be kept free of:
a. Air
b. Steam
c. Corrosion
d. Dust
e. All of the above. - ✔✔d
✔✔The Hartford Loop prevents the water in the boiler from:
a. Exceeding the maximum temperature
b. Exceeding the highest safe level
c. Dropping below a safe level
d. Contamination by impurities in the returning condensate
e. Flowing out through the steam main. - ✔✔c
✔✔In a gravity return system, the boiler should be placed:
a. Well above the highest radiator
b. Well below the lowest radiator
c. On an elevated platform
d. At the same level as the radiators
e. In a central location. - ✔✔b
✔✔Which one of the following steam heating systems can be used to
overcome the difficulty of returning condensate back to the boiler
due to inefficient static head?
a. One pipe, gravity return system
b. Two pipe, gravity return system
c. One pipe, free flow return system
d. Two pipe, return trap system
e. Two pipe, free drain return system. - ✔✔d
✔✔A pressure balancing device that prevents the boiler pressure from
forcing the water in the boiler into the return lines is called a:
a. Relief valve
b. Check valve
,c. Pipe siphon
d. Pressure reducing valve
e. Hartford loop. - ✔✔e
✔✔In the two, pipe variable vacuum steam heating system, the steam
temperature can be varied from:
a. 200°C to as low as 100°C
b. 150°C to as low as 100°C
c. 150°C to as low as 55°C
d. 105°C to as low as 55°C
e. 105°C to as low as 45°C. - ✔✔d
✔✔Which of the following would you expect to find in a steam heating
system?
1 Convectors
2 Return traps
3 Condensate tank
4 Cushion tank
a. 1, 2, 3
b. 2, 3, 4
c. 1, 2, 4
d. 1, 3, 4
e. 1, 2, 3, 4. - ✔✔a
✔✔When starting up a steam heating boiler, it should be filled to:
a. The maximum level
b. 3/4 of the gauge glass
c. 1/2 of the gauge glass
d. 1/4 of the gauge glass
e. The very bottom of the gauge glass. - ✔✔c
✔✔After a steam heating system has been operating for some time, you
notice that some sections of the system are still cold. Which one of
the following could be the cause of this?
a. Air is trapped in the affected sections
b. Boiler water pressure too low
c. Boiler water temperature too low
d. Steam does not contain enough heat
e. Condensate temperature too low. - ✔✔a
✔✔The piping and heating units of a steam heating system must be so
arranged that:
a. The condensate can flow freely to the heating units
b. The air can be kept at the top of the heating units
c. Steam can flow freely to all heating units
,d. All of the above.
e. None of the above. - ✔✔c
✔✔When the return main of a gravity return steam heating system is
located below the level of the water line in the boiler, it is called:
a. Flooded return
b. Dry return
c. Wet return
d. Upfeed return
e. Downfeed return. - ✔✔c
✔✔When a single main is used to carry both the steam supply from the
boiler to the radiators and the steam condensate from the radiators
back to the boiler, the system is called a one pipe:
a. Condensate return system
b. Gravity return system
c. Return trap system
d. Vacuum pump system
e. Variable vacuum system. - ✔✔b
✔✔The two pipe gravity return steam heating system, now obsolete,
had the disadvantage that during startup, some steam could pass
through a radiator without condensing and could enter other
radiators via the return main, thus trapping:
a. Water in the center
b. Steam in the center
c. Condensate in the center
d. Debris in the center
e. Air in the center. - ✔✔e
✔✔If the water level falls too low during operation of a steam heating
boiler, the operator should:
a. Tell his or her supervisor
b. Add more water immediately
c. Lower the flame and add water to bring it up to a safe level
d. Shut the boiler down
e. Operate the safety valve. - ✔✔d
✔✔In the case of radiators and convectors, the main sources of trouble
are the:
a. Air vents
b. Air traps
c. Push nipples
d. Connecting rods
e. Valves and traps. - ✔✔e
, ✔✔Slow or insufficient heat in one or more rooms in a steam, heated
building can be caused by a faulty:
a. Steam trap
b. Float switch
c. Heater
d. Vacuum switch
e. Sight glass. - ✔✔a
✔✔Slow or insufficient heat throughout a building heated by steam can
be caused by:
a. Too high a firing rate
b. Too low a firing rate
c. Air leaks
d. The feedwater being too cold
e. Oversized piping. - ✔✔b
✔✔All supply and drain lines of a steam heating system must be pitched
to:
a. Allow for drainage of condensate
b. Allow collection of air at the highest points
c. Prevent corrosion
d. Allow for temperature expansion
e. All of the above. - ✔✔a
✔✔A _____ for a steam heating system will reduce the possibility of
heating problems occurring when the system is in service.
a. Heat monitor
b. Thermostatic controller
c. High capacity boiler
d. Air/fuel controller
e. Good preventative maintenance program. - ✔✔e
✔✔Chapter 103 Hot Water Heating Systems - ✔✔
✔✔In a hot water system compared to a steam heating system, if there
is a leak, damage will:
a. Be greater in the steam system
b. Be greater in the hot water system
c. Be about the same in either system
d. Depend on where the boiler is located in the system
e. Be minimal due to the automatic drain system. - ✔✔b
✔✔In a radiant panel heating system, changes are:
a. Difficult to make
