A 4th Class study plan, unit by unit
This plan puts the 24 units of the 4th Class Power Engineer exam in order of their exam weight, so the units that carry the most questions come first. For each unit it lists how many chapters there are to quiz. It doesn't tell you how many weeks you need. That depends on you, your course and your regulator's exam dates.
If you're taking a course, follow your course's order and use this plan to see where the weight sits. If you're studying on your own, work down the tables.
How the weights work
SOPEEC, Technical Safety BC, ABSA, TSASK and TSSA all set each paper at 100 questions in 3 hours, with 65% to pass. Check your own regulator before you book. Regulators publish the units but not a per-unit question count, so the weights below are Pass 4's estimate of each unit's share of a 100-question paper. Every unit has a share above zero, so leave none out.
Part A, by exam weight
Part A is free on Pass 4.
| Order | Unit | Exam weight | Chapters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A11 Boilers | 15% | 6 |
| 2 | A12 Boiler Systems | 15% | 6 |
| 3 | A2 Chemistry & Thermodynamics | 10% | 4 |
| 4 | A4 Power & Heating Plant Safety | 10% | 5 |
| 5 | A9 Instrumentation & Controls | 10% | 6 |
| 6 | A1 Mechanics & Dynamics | 7% | 9 |
| 7 | A6 Materials & Welding | 7% | 3 |
| 8 | A7 Piping & Valves | 7% | 2 |
| 9 | A8 Electricity | 7% | 6 |
| 10 | A5 Environment | 6% | 3 |
| 11 | A3 Codes & Standards | 4% | 3 |
| 12 | A10 Plant Communication | 2% | 3 |
The two boiler units together carry 30% of the Part A paper. The first five units carry 60%, and the first nine carry 88%.
Part B, by exam weight
Part B unlocks with a paid plan.
| Order | Unit | Exam weight | Chapters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B4 Boiler Plant Ops | 14% | 6 |
| 2 | B9 Refrigeration | 14% | 7 |
| 3 | B2 Pumps & Compressors | 10% | 4 |
| 4 | B3 Boiler Safety | 10% | 5 |
| 5 | B5 Plant Maintenance | 10% | 4 |
| 6 | B6 Water Treatment | 10% | 5 |
| 7 | B7 Prime Movers | 7% | 5 |
| 8 | B10 HVAC | 7% | 6 |
| 9 | B11 Heating & Cooling Systems | 7% | 6 |
| 10 | B1 Lubrication | 6% | 2 |
| 11 | B8 Auxiliary Building Systems | 3% | 3 |
| 12 | B12 Plant Types | 2% | 2 |
B4 and B9 together carry 28% of the Part B paper. The first six units carry 68%, and the first nine carry 89%.
Units with the same weight are listed in unit order. Swap them as you like.
Work each unit the same way
- 1. Listen first. Play the unit's chapter podcasts in the browser, or download the MP3s for the drive to work. Each Part A podcast comes with its transcript.
- 2. Quiz one chapter at a time. Each chapter has its own quiz, short enough to finish in one sitting. After every answer, read why each choice is right or wrong, including the ones you got right.
- 3. Review your misses. Missed questions come back in a unit review. Work through it before you move on.
- 4. Keep the cheatsheet. Each unit has a cheatsheet with its terms, limits and formulas in one place, and a PDF to download. You find it on the unit's page once you sign in.
Finish with the practice exam
When you've worked through a part, sit its timed practice exam: 100 questions in Part A and 100 in Part B, 3 hours, 65% to pass. It draws from every unit, weighted by each unit's exam weight, so it tests the same balance as this plan. Then go back to the units where you dropped marks.
Start tonight
Start with A11 Boilers, the first unit in the Part A table. It's free. For a taste of the topic, read firetube vs watertube boilers.
See the exam guide for the format by regulator, and the podcasts page for every chapter podcast.
Pass 4 is not affiliated with SOPEEC, Technical Safety BC, or any other exam or licensing body.