Free Practice Questions for SOLAS Instrumentation
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Key Facts: SOLAS Instrumentation Exam
100
Practice Questions
OpenExamPrep
Level 6
NFQ Award (QQI Advanced Certificate Craft)
SOLAS / QQI
4 years
Minimum Apprenticeship Duration
SOLAS
4-20 mA
Analogue Signal Standard
Instrumentation standard
Phases 2, 4, 6
Off-the-Job Training Phases
SOLAS
HSA
Irish Safety Regulator
Health and Safety Authority
The SOLAS Electrical Instrumentation apprenticeship is a four-year QQI Advanced Certificate Craft at NFQ Level 6, regulated by SOLAS and delivered through Ireland's Education and Training Boards and partner colleges. Apprentices alternate off-the-job training phases (Phase 2, 4 and 6) with employer-based on-the-job phases, and are assessed by modular phase theory examinations plus practical skills tests. The syllabus covers process measurement (pressure, temperature, flow and level), control loops and PID, transmitters, sensors and calibration, final control elements and pneumatics, PLCs and electronics, and safety including hazardous areas. This free prep includes 100 research-based practice questions with explanations and an AI tutor.
Sample SOLAS Instrumentation Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to review concepts for the SOLAS Instrumentation exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1What is the standard analogue current signal range used to transmit a process variable in industrial instrumentation?
2A 4-20 mA transmitter is measuring a temperature range of 0-200 degC. What current will it output at 100 degC?
3What does the HART protocol allow that a plain 4-20 mA loop does not?
4Which temperature sensor relies on the change in electrical resistance of a metal (typically platinum) with temperature?
5What is the nominal resistance of a Pt100 RTD at 0 degC?
6Why is a 3-wire or 4-wire connection preferred over a 2-wire connection for an RTD?
7On what physical principle does a thermocouple generate a measurable voltage?
8What is the purpose of cold-junction compensation in a thermocouple measurement circuit?
9Which thermocouple type uses Chromel-Alumel and is the most common general-purpose type?
10A pressure transmitter is calibrated for 0-10 bar. What is the measured pressure when its output is 16 mA?
About the SOLAS Instrumentation Exam
The SOLAS Electrical Instrumentation apprenticeship is a four-year, NFQ Level 6 craft programme in Ireland. Apprentices alternate between off-the-job training in ETBs and colleges (Phases 2, 4 and 6) and on-the-job employer phases, and are assessed by phase theory examinations and practical tests covering process measurement, control loops, transmitters and calibration, final control elements, PLCs, electronics and safety.
Exam sponsor: SOLAS, delivered through Education and Training Boards (ETBs) and partner Educational Colleges. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.
Assessment
Modular phase theory examinations across off-the-job Phases 2, 4 and 6 (Measurement, Electronics, Automatic Control, Final Control Elements and related theory), combined with practical skills assessments; this practice bank is 100 selected-response items
Time Limit
Varies by phase written examination
Passing Score
Typically 50% to pass, with higher thresholds for credit and distinction (per SOLAS/QQI phase assessment)
Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.
Our practice resources: topics covered
We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.
Process Measurement (Pressure, Temperature, Flow, Level)
Pressure (gauge vs absolute, Bourdon tube), temperature (RTD/Pt100, thermocouples, cold-junction compensation), flow (orifice/DP, square-root, magnetic, Coriolis, vortex) and level (DP, radar, ultrasonic, capacitance)
Control Loops & PID
Feedback control, setpoint/PV/error, PID action, proportional band and gain, loop tuning and stability, cascade control, manual/auto, ISA tagging and P&IDs
Transmitters, Sensors & Calibration
4-20 mA loop and live zero, signal scaling, HART and smart transmitters, burnout, and five-point calibration with zero/span adjustment, accuracy and turndown
Final Control Elements & Pneumatics
Control valves (fail action, positioners, Cv, characteristics, cavitation), actuators, solenoids, 3-15 psi signals, I/P converters and instrument air
PLC, Electronics & Communications
PLC scan cycle and ladder logic, analogue/digital I/O and ADCs, diodes, transistors and op-amps, Ohm's law, and fieldbus protocols
Safety & Hazardous Areas
Lock-out/tag-out, intrinsic safety and hazardous areas, emergency shutdown and SIS, relief valves, and Irish workplace safety law (HSA, 2005 Act)
Preparing for the SOLAS Instrumentation Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: Typically 50% to pass, with higher thresholds for credit and distinction (per SOLAS/QQI phase assessment)
- Assessment: Modular phase theory examinations across off-the-job Phases 2, 4 and 6 (Measurement, Electronics, Automatic Control, Final Control Elements and related theory), combined with practical skills assessments; this practice bank is 100 selected-response items
- Time limit: Varies by phase written examination
- Exam / certification fees: No separate exam fee for registered apprentices Official sources
Using Our Practice Resources
- Work through all 100 available questions
- Review every answer and explanation
- Track weak areas and revisit them
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
SOLAS Instrumentation: Suggested Study Strategy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the SOLAS Electrical Instrumentation apprenticeship?
It is a four-year craft apprenticeship in Ireland regulated by SOLAS that leads to a QQI Advanced Certificate Craft at NFQ Level 6. Apprentices alternate off-the-job training in ETBs and colleges with on-the-job employer phases and are assessed by phase theory exams and practical tests.
What topics are covered in the instrumentation phase exams?
The phase theory examinations cover process measurement (pressure, temperature, flow and level), control loops and PID, transmitters and calibration, final control elements and pneumatics, PLCs and electronics, and safety including hazardous areas and intrinsic safety.
What passing score do the SOLAS phase exams require?
SOLAS craft phase assessments are typically graded as pass (around 50%), credit and distinction at higher thresholds. Both written theory examinations and practical skills assessments must be passed to progress through the phases.
Is there an exam fee for the instrumentation apprenticeship?
Registered apprentices do not pay a separate exam fee; phase assessments are part of the SOLAS apprenticeship. Apprentices are employed and paid, with off-the-job phases delivered through Education and Training Boards and partner colleges.
What does an instrumentation craftsperson need to know about 4-20 mA and RTDs?
The 4-20 mA current loop is the analogue signalling standard, with 4 mA as a live zero so a broken loop reads 0 mA. RTDs such as the Pt100 (100 ohms at 0 degC) measure temperature by resistance change, while thermocouples use the Seebeck effect with cold-junction compensation.
Is this free SOLAS Instrumentation practice as good as paid prep?
Our 100 practice questions cover the same syllabus areas as the SOLAS instrumentation phases, with a teaching explanation for every answer plus free daily AI tutor interactions. All content is free forever and updated for 2026.