Massachusetts 2nd Class Fireman’s Exam 2025 –
Study Guide, Practice Test, and Licensing
Requirements
Prepare for your Massachusetts 2nd Class Fireman’s License Exam with this 2025 study
guide and practice test. Covers boiler operation, combustion, safety, steam systems, and state
regulations to help you pass the OPSI 2nd Class Fireman exam and earn your Massachusetts
Fireman’s License.
MA 2nd Class Fireman’s exam 2025
Massachusetts Fireman license exam
2nd class fireman practice test
OPSI Fireman exam study guide
How many square feet of heating surface does a 3-inch fire-tube 20 ft long with a 3/16-inch wall have?
a) 13.7
b) 14.7
c) 15.7
d) 16.7 - ANSWER-13.7
In a high-temperature hot water boiler, what would cause a tube to overheat?
a) Dirty economizer tubes
b) High economizer feedwater outlet temperature
c) Feedwater temperature too high
d) Poor circulation (plugged tube) - ANSWER-d) Poor circulation (plugged tube)
,A downcomer is
a) located in a fire-tube boiler
b) one of the tubes that supports the furnace
c) used to circulate flue gas
d) found in a water-tube boiler - ANSWER-d) found in a water-tube boiler
Extreme firebox temperature changes cause
a) spalling
b) lower stack temperatures
c) increased soot deposits
d) a rise in stack temperature - ANSWER-a) spalling
The low-water cutoff
a) feeds the boiler when it is low on water
b) shuts off the burner when the boiler is low on water
c) dumps the boiler
d) cuts off the water supply when the level is too high - ANSWER-b) shuts off the burner when the boiler
is low on water
The heating surface of a boiler is the area
a) exposed to the flame and flue gases
b) in contact with steam
c) of the furnace
d) of the burner face in the furnace - ANSWER-a) exposed to the flame and flue gases
The purpose of a superheater is to
a) heat steam above its saturation temperature
,b) boost the steam pressure
c) add heat to the combustion air
d) add heat to the incoming feedwater - ANSWER-a) heat steam above its saturation temperature
What is the formula for the factor of evaporation?
a) h-H/970.3 Btu
b) H-b/970.3 Btu
c) 970.3 Btu/H-h
d) 970.3 Btu/h-H - ANSWER-b) H-b/970.3 Btu
What can cause a superheater tube to overheat?
a) Not draining before starting
b) Overfiring
c) Poor boiler circulating
d) Dirty tube - ANSWER-d) Dirty tube
A boiler has a steaming capacity of 34,500 lb of steam per hour. The evaporation rate is 10lb/ft^2 of
heating surface per hour. What is the boiler heating surface?
a) 100
b) 1,000
c) 3,450
d) 6,900 - ANSWER-c) 3,450
Steam coming from the bottom try cock would indicate
a) normal water level
b) high water level
c) low water level
d) normal steam level - ANSWER-c) low water level
, What type of valve has the most resistance to flow?
a) Globe
b) Gate
c) Ball
d) Butterfly - ANSWER-a) Globe
When checking the water level of a boiler,
a) ask the boiler operator
b) test the safety valve
c) use the bottom blowdown valve
d) blow down the gauge glass and water column - ANSWER-d) blow down the gauge glass and water
column
A siphon or pigtail is used to protect a steam pressure gauge
a) from steam temperature
b) against high steam pressure
c) against high water pressure
d) against an excessive amount of steam - ANSWER-a) from steam temperature
The feedwater regulator is located
a) on the right side of the boiler
b) at the normal operating water level
c) two inches below the highest heating surface
d) next to the fusible plug - ANSWER-b) at the normal operating water level
An automatic feedwater regulator
a) ensures the proper water level in the boiler
b) shuts off the burner
c) controls the boiler's operating range
Study Guide, Practice Test, and Licensing
Requirements
Prepare for your Massachusetts 2nd Class Fireman’s License Exam with this 2025 study
guide and practice test. Covers boiler operation, combustion, safety, steam systems, and state
regulations to help you pass the OPSI 2nd Class Fireman exam and earn your Massachusetts
Fireman’s License.
MA 2nd Class Fireman’s exam 2025
Massachusetts Fireman license exam
2nd class fireman practice test
OPSI Fireman exam study guide
How many square feet of heating surface does a 3-inch fire-tube 20 ft long with a 3/16-inch wall have?
a) 13.7
b) 14.7
c) 15.7
d) 16.7 - ANSWER-13.7
In a high-temperature hot water boiler, what would cause a tube to overheat?
a) Dirty economizer tubes
b) High economizer feedwater outlet temperature
c) Feedwater temperature too high
d) Poor circulation (plugged tube) - ANSWER-d) Poor circulation (plugged tube)
,A downcomer is
a) located in a fire-tube boiler
b) one of the tubes that supports the furnace
c) used to circulate flue gas
d) found in a water-tube boiler - ANSWER-d) found in a water-tube boiler
Extreme firebox temperature changes cause
a) spalling
b) lower stack temperatures
c) increased soot deposits
d) a rise in stack temperature - ANSWER-a) spalling
The low-water cutoff
a) feeds the boiler when it is low on water
b) shuts off the burner when the boiler is low on water
c) dumps the boiler
d) cuts off the water supply when the level is too high - ANSWER-b) shuts off the burner when the boiler
is low on water
The heating surface of a boiler is the area
a) exposed to the flame and flue gases
b) in contact with steam
c) of the furnace
d) of the burner face in the furnace - ANSWER-a) exposed to the flame and flue gases
The purpose of a superheater is to
a) heat steam above its saturation temperature
,b) boost the steam pressure
c) add heat to the combustion air
d) add heat to the incoming feedwater - ANSWER-a) heat steam above its saturation temperature
What is the formula for the factor of evaporation?
a) h-H/970.3 Btu
b) H-b/970.3 Btu
c) 970.3 Btu/H-h
d) 970.3 Btu/h-H - ANSWER-b) H-b/970.3 Btu
What can cause a superheater tube to overheat?
a) Not draining before starting
b) Overfiring
c) Poor boiler circulating
d) Dirty tube - ANSWER-d) Dirty tube
A boiler has a steaming capacity of 34,500 lb of steam per hour. The evaporation rate is 10lb/ft^2 of
heating surface per hour. What is the boiler heating surface?
a) 100
b) 1,000
c) 3,450
d) 6,900 - ANSWER-c) 3,450
Steam coming from the bottom try cock would indicate
a) normal water level
b) high water level
c) low water level
d) normal steam level - ANSWER-c) low water level
, What type of valve has the most resistance to flow?
a) Globe
b) Gate
c) Ball
d) Butterfly - ANSWER-a) Globe
When checking the water level of a boiler,
a) ask the boiler operator
b) test the safety valve
c) use the bottom blowdown valve
d) blow down the gauge glass and water column - ANSWER-d) blow down the gauge glass and water
column
A siphon or pigtail is used to protect a steam pressure gauge
a) from steam temperature
b) against high steam pressure
c) against high water pressure
d) against an excessive amount of steam - ANSWER-a) from steam temperature
The feedwater regulator is located
a) on the right side of the boiler
b) at the normal operating water level
c) two inches below the highest heating surface
d) next to the fusible plug - ANSWER-b) at the normal operating water level
An automatic feedwater regulator
a) ensures the proper water level in the boiler
b) shuts off the burner
c) controls the boiler's operating range
