Plumber – Exam Information

Self-Assessment
Exam Breakdown
Types of Exam Questions
Math Formulas
Acronyms

Self-Assessment

This tool can be used to reflect on your own experience and knowledge in the trade compared with what is on the exam.

Exam Breakdown

Each Red Seal exam's questions are developed to assess the activities laid out in the Red Seal Occupational Standard. This trade's Red Seal exam has 125 questions^{Footnote *}, which are distributed as follows:

Major Work Activity A – Performs common occupational skills - 16 questions

A-1 Performs safety-related functions

3 questions

A-2 Uses and maintains tools and equipment

4 questions

A-3 Organizes work

3 questions

A-4 Performs routine trade activities

5 questions

A-5 Uses communication and mentoring techniques

1 question

Major Work Activity B – Prepares and assembles tube, tubing and pipe - 13 questions

B-6 Prepares tube, tubing and pipe

6 questions

B-7 Joins tube, tubing and pipe

7 questions

Major Work Activity C – Installs, tests and services sewers, sewage treatment systems and drainage, waste and vent (DWV) systems - 31 questions

C-8 Installs, tests and services sewers

6 questions

C-9 Installs, tests and services sewage treatment systems

5 questions

C-10 Installs, tests and services interior drainage, waste and vent (DWV) systems

20 questions

Major Work Activity D – Installs, tests and services water service and distribution - 23 questions

D-11 Installs, tests and services water service

5 questions

D-12 Installs, tests and services potable water distribution systems

12 questions

D-13 Installs, tests and services private water pressure systems

6 questions

Major Work Activity E – Installs, tests and services fixtures, appliances and water treatment systems - 16 questions

E-14 Installs, tests and services plumbing fixtures and appliances

10 questions

E-15 Installs, tests and services water treatment systems

6 questions

Major Work Activity F – Installs, tests and services low-pressure steam and hydronic systems - 16 questions

F-16 Installs, tests and services low-pressure steam systems - Not Common Core

0 questions

F-17 Installs, tests and services piping and components for hydronic systems

9 questions

F-18 Installs, tests and services hydronic heating and cooling equipment

7 questions

Major Work Activity G – Installs, tests and services specialized systems - 10 questions

G-19 Installs, tests and services process piping systems

5 questions

G-20 Installs, tests and services potable water fire protection systems - Not Common Core

0 questions

G-21 Installs, tests and services other specialized systems

5 questions

Types of Exam Questions

All Red Seal exam questions are written in multiple-choice format. A multiple-choice question consists of question followed by four possible responses (A, B, C, D). Every question has exactly one correct answer and three incorrect options. They are not misleading or trick questions, but the incorrect options are not always obvious.

There are three types of questions that you will see on Red Seal Exams:

Knowledge and Recall
Procedural and Application
Critical Thinking

Knowledge and Recall

This type of question tests your ability to recall and understand definitions, facts and principles.

For this trade, between 15 and 25% of questions that are this type.

Example of a Knowledge and Recall Question:

A medical gas system has an in-line high pressure sensor. Where is the sensor located?

Downstream of the terminal unit.
Upstream of the pressure regulator.
Upstream of the main shut-off valve.
Downstream of the pressure regulator.

Answer: D

Procedural and Application

This type of question tests your ability to apply your knowledge of procedures to a situation.

For this trade, between 60 and 70% of questions are this type.

Example of a Procedural and Application Question:

Ground conditions prevent the installation of thrust blocks for an underground water service. What is done to restrain the connections?

Compact soil within 1 ft. of fitting.
Install companion flange.
Install continuous rodding.
Connect using flared coupling.

Answer: C

Critical Thinking

This type of question tests your ability to interpret data, solve problems and arrive at valid conclusions.

For this trade, between 10 and 20% of questions are this type.

Example of a Critical Thinking Question:

The relief valve on an RP is discharging intermittently. What is the cause?

Test valve 4 is leaking.
Shut-off valve is open.
Pressure fluctuations upstream.
Expansion of water downstream.

Answer: C

Math Formulas

Formulas [PDF, 211 KB]

The following formulas used in this trade may be needed to answer some questions on its Red Seal exam. They will also be provided with the exam sitting.

Measurement unit abbreviations

$° C$: degree Celsius
$° F$: degree Fahrenheit
$Δ T$: temperature difference
BTU: British thermal unit
Btuh: British thermal units per hour
ft.: foot
gpg: grains per American gallon
gpm: gallons per minute
in.: inch
kg: kilogram
kN: kilonewton
kPa: kilopascal
L: litre
lb.: pound
lbf: pound‑force
m: metre
mm: millimetre
ppm: parts per million
psi: pounds per square inch
s: second
U.S. gal.: American gallon

Constants

$π = 3.1416$

$1 {ft.}^{2} of equivalence of direct radiation (EDR) = 240 Btuh$

$1 U.S. gal. = 8.33 lb.$

$12 000 BTU of cooling = 1 ton$

$Pressure head conversion unit = 0.433 psi/ft.$

$Travel offset of a 45 ° elbow = 1.414$

Coefficients

Coefficients
Material	$Coefficient of linear expansion per 1 ° F$	$Coefficient of linear expansion per 1 ° C$
ABS	0.0000550	0.0000990
Brass	0.0000105	0.0000189
Cast iron	0.0000059	0.0000108
Copper	0.0000095	0.0000171
PVC	0.0000330	0.0000594
Steel	0.0000067	0.0000120

Conversion factors

Conversion factors
To convert	To	Multiply by
$° C$	$° F$	$1.8 and add 1.8$
gpg	ppm	17.12
kg	lb.	2.205
${kg/m}^{3}$	${lb./ft}^{3}$	$10.06243$
kN	lb.	224.81
kN/m	lbf/ft.	68.52
${kN/m}^{3}$	${lbf/ft}^{3}$	$6.360$
kPa	${lbf/ft}^{2}$	$20.88$
kPa	${lbf/in}^{2}$	$0.1450$
L	$gal. imp.$	$0.2200$
L/s	$gpm$	$13.20$
m	$ft.$	$3.281$
$m^{2}$	${ft}^{2}$	$10.76$
mm	$in.$	$0.03937$
${m/s}^{2}$	${ft./s}^{2}$	$3,281$

General formulas

General formulas
Descriptions	Full	Abbreviated
Boyle’s law	$\frac{{volume}_{1}^{}}{{volume}_{2}^{}} = \frac{{pressure}_{2}^{}}{{pressure}_{1}^{}}$	$\frac{V_{1}^{}}{V_{2}^{}} = \frac{P_{1}^{}}{P_{2}^{}}$
$Charles’ law$	$\frac{{volume}_{1}^{}}{{temperature}_{1}^{}} = \frac{{volume}_{2}^{}}{{temperature}_{2}^{}}$	$\frac{V_{1}^{}}{T_{1}^{}} = \frac{P_{1}^{}}{T_{2}^{}}$
Expansion	$length \times temperature difference \times coefficient of expansion$	$L \times Δ T \times α$
Force	$pressure \times area$	$P \times A$
gpm	$\frac{BTU}{pounds per gallon \times temperature difference}$	$\frac{BTU}{lb./gal. \times Δ T}$
gpm	$\frac{total Btuh}{temp. diff. \times mass \times specific heat capacity}$	$\frac{total Btuh}{Δ T \times M \times spec. heat cap.}$
gpm	$\frac{drope or rise}{run}$	Not applicable
Grains	$(number of persons \times gallons per day) \times (hardness in grains + iron concentration \times days of regeneration)$	$(# persons \times gal./day) \times (hardness in grains + Fe conc.) \times days of regeneration$
Litres	$area \times rainfall intensity$	$A \times rainfall intensity$
Watt’s law	$power = voltage \times current$	$P = V \times I$
Pressure	$height \times density$	$H \times dens.$

Hydronic thermal formulas

Hydronic thermal formulas
Descriptions	Full	Abbreviated
$Temperature difference$	$\frac{Btuh}{500 \times gallons per minute}$	$\frac{Btuh}{500 \times gpm}$
gpm	$\frac{Btuh}{500 \times temperature difference of water}$	$\frac{Btuh}{500 \times Δ T (water)}$
Btuh	$gallons per minute \times 500 \times temperature difference$	$gpm \times 500 \times Δ T$

Area formulas

Area formulas
Descriptions	Full	Abbreviated
Area of a circle	$π \times {radius}^{2}$	$π r^{2}$
Cylinder (open top)	$(π \times {radius}^{2}) + (π \times diameter \times height)$	$π r^{2} + π D H$
Rectangle	$length \times width$	$L \times W$
Rectangle box (open top)	$(length \times width) + 2 (width \times height) + 2 (length \times height)$	$(L \times W) + 2 (W \times H) + 2 (L \times H)$
$Rectangle box (totally enclosed)$	$2 (length \times width) + 2 (width \times height) + 2 (length \times height)$	$2 (L \times W) + 2 (W \times H) + 2 (L \times H)$
Sphere	$4 \times π \times {radius}^{2}$	$4 π r^{2}$
Triangle	$\frac{base \times height}{2}$	$\frac{B \times H}{2}$

Circumference and perimeter formulas

Circumference and perimeter formulas
Descriptions	Full	Abbreviated
Circle	$π \times diameter$	$π D$
Rectangle	$2 \times (length + width)$	$2 \times (L + W)$
Triangle	$side a + side b + side c$	$a + b + c$

Volume formulas

Volume formulas
Descriptions	Full	Abbreviated
Cylinder	$π \times {radius}^{2} \times height$	$4 π r^{2} H$
Rectangle box	$length \times width \times height$	$L \times W \times H$
Sphere	$\frac{4 \times π \times {radius}^{3}}{3}$	$\frac{4 π r^{3}}{3}$

Acronyms

Acronyms [PDF, 151 KB]

The following acronyms used in this trade may be on its Red Seal exam. They will also be provided with the exam sitting.

$° C$: degree Celsius
$° F$: degree Fahrenheit
ABS: acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene
ASME: American Society of Mechanical Engineers
BTU: British thermal unit
Btuh: British thermal units per hour
cm: centimetre
${cm}^{2}$: square centimetre
CPR: cardiopulmonary resuscitation
CPVC: chlorinated polyvinyl chloride
D: diameter
DCVA: double check valve assembly
DISS: Diameter Index Safety System
DWV: drainage, waste and vent
FIP: female iron pipe
ft.: foot
ft./s: feet per second
${ft}^{2}$: square foot
gal.: gallon
GFI: ground fault interrupter
gph: gallons per hour
gpm: gallons per minute
HDPE: high-density polyethylene
hr: hour
ID: inside diameter
in.: inch
in./ft.: inches per foot
kPa: kilopascal
kW: kilowatt
L: litre
LPF: litres per flush
LPM: litres per minute
L/s: litres per second
lb.: pound
LPF: litres per flush
LWCO: low water cut-off
m: metre
m/s: metres per second
$m^{2}$: square metre
min: minute
MIP: male iron pipe
MJ: mechanical joint
mm: millimetre
NPC: National Plumbing Code
NPS: nominal pipe size
NPT: National Pipe Thread
OHS: Occupational Health and Safety
PEX: cross-linked polyethylene
pH: potential of hydrogen
PPE: personal protective equipment
ppm: parts per million
PRV: pressure reducing valve
psi: pounds per square inch
PVC: polyvinyl chloride
RFI: request for information
RO: reverse osmosis
RP: reduced pressure principle backflow preventer
RV: recreational vehicle
s: second
SAE: Society of Automotive Engineers
SDS: safety data sheet
T&P: temperature and pressure
TDS: total dissolved solids
U.S. gal.: American gallon
UV: ultraviolet
V: volt
VFD: variable frequency drive
w.c.: water column
WHMIS: Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System
WOG: water, oil, gas

Try more sample questions for this trade and check out the Exam Preparation Guide. It will give you practical insights on what goes into Red Seal exams, and how you can best prepare yourself to do well.

For more information about exam preparation materials contact your provincial/territorial apprenticeship office.

Plumber – Exam Information

Table of Contents

Knowledge and Recall

Procedural and Application

Critical Thinking

Measurement unit abbreviations

Constants

Coefficients

Conversion factors

General formulas

Hydronic thermal formulas

Area formulas

Circumference and perimeter formulas

Volume formulas