Lessons
Lessons (found under Learn) are short, guided walkthroughs that build your understanding one concept at a time. Each lesson mixes plain-language explanations, live formula examples, quick knowledge checks, and hands-on steps on the real pump panel.
Lessons are free and need no account.
The Learn hub
When you open Learn, you'll see:
- A "Start here" card highlighting the first recommended lesson, with its title, a one-line summary, and an estimated time. Once you've completed some lessons, this changes to "Continue your training" and points to your next lesson.
- A numbered list of all lessons, each showing its title, description, and estimated time. The next recommended lesson carries a "Recommended" badge.
- A link to the Glossary if you want to build vocabulary first.
You can take lessons in the recommended 1–10 order, or jump around freely — nothing is locked.
The lessons
| # | Lesson | Time | What you'll learn |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pump Basics | ~10 min | How a centrifugal pump moves water, and why the throttle controls pressure and flow. |
| 2 | Panel Anatomy & Flow Paths | ~10 min | Identify every control and gauge, and trace the water path from source to discharge. |
| 3 | Tank-to-Pump & First Line | ~12 min | The arrival sequence: open the valves, throttle up, and watch the tank drain as water flows. |
| 4 | Tank Fill / Recirculation | ~10 min | Why the tank-fill valve protects the pump from overheating when no water is leaving the lines. |
| 5 | Static & Residual Pressure | ~12 min | The difference between pressure at rest and under flow, and how to spot a weak hydrant. |
| 6 | Friction Loss Basics | ~15 min | How hose diameter, length, and flow drive the pressure the hose eats up. |
| 7 | Pump Discharge Pressure Builder | ~15 min | Build a pump pressure target from its parts: nozzle, friction, appliances, elevation. |
| 8 | The Pump Curve and The Tag | ~12 min | The flow-vs-pressure trade-off, and reading remaining capacity from the rated-capacity plate. |
| 9 | Automatic Nozzles: The Flow You Can't Feel | ~10 min | Why automatic nozzles can hide under-pumping, and how to pump them by choosing flow on purpose. |
| 10 | Five Pump Myths | ~15 min | Five commonly repeated misconceptions — and the corrections that make the panel make sense. |
What a lesson looks like
Each lesson is a series of short steps. A progress bar at the top shows "Step 3 of 5" so you always know where you are. Steps come in a few flavors:
- Concept steps — a clear explanation, often with a highlighted callout box for the key idea.
- Formula steps — the formula shown plainly, a "Where:" legend explaining each symbol, and a worked example with real numbers (for example, 1.75″ hose, 200 ft, 150 GPM → 28 PSI of friction loss). Every number is computed live by the app's engine — the same math the calculators and simulator use.
- Knowledge checks — a quick multiple-choice question (see below).
- Interactive steps — an embedded pump panel where you operate specific controls (highlighted in gold) while the lesson guides your attention. Some include a Run / Pause button so you can watch time-based effects like the pump heating or the tank draining.
A Continue / Next button advances you through the steps; the last step's button reads Finish.
Knowledge checks
Knowledge checks confirm your understanding without any pressure:
- Pick one of the answer choices and you get immediate feedback — no separate "submit."
- Right answer: a green "Correct" banner with a short explanation. Click Continue.
- Wrong answer: a "Not quite" coaching note. You can Try Again (it coaches you without revealing the answer, so you can reason it through) or Continue Anyway.
- There's no score and no pass/fail, and you can never get stuck — a lesson will always let you move forward.
Inline glossary links
The first time a defined term (like centrifugal, recirculation, or residual) appears in a lesson, it's a subtle link to its Glossary entry. Tap it to read the definition, then come back — you won't lose your place.
Saving and resuming progress
- As a guest: your progress is saved in your current browser, so you can resume where you left off on that device. Switching browsers or devices starts you over.
- Signed in: your progress saves to your account and syncs across devices — pick up any lesson anywhere.
- If you return to a lesson you started, you'll be offered Resume (jump back to your step) or Start Over.
Finishing a lesson
Completing a lesson shows a "Lesson Complete" screen confirming your progress (e.g. "Lesson 1 of 10 complete") with a button to start the next lesson. Finish all ten and you'll be invited to practice on the panel to apply what you've learned.
Lessons use simplified training models for teaching. See Safety & Disclaimer.