Boiler Fault FInding and Repair query (from an old un)!

[StevenD2010]

Can be a chick and egg situation as most of the colleges are still very oversubscribed. Willesden used to be over subbed by 10 times but thats only 4 times now. They select by aptitude.

However, they are meant to only take those who have an established employment or practical experience position.

Tony

Agile - is this for the gas training course?

I obviously don't have an employment position, but do have some practical experience as have done plumbing repairs before and worked with a ocal plumber for a short while, until he retired and moved away a while ago.

I am enthusiastic though and hard working, if that counts for anything nowadays?!

 

[MANDATE]

Hi Harold Just wondered what boiler and type of system you have? and have you ever experienced any problems with it and how they were resolved?

 

[Agile]

Being unemployed can be an advantage in getting a place as my trainees have spoken about the class being devided into two sets, the motivated genuine students and the waste of time unemployed ones who were only there because they had to attend to keep their benefits.

They even sat seperately in the canteen!

Tony

 

[StevenD2010]

Hi Agile - really?!! I am unemployed but I really want to learn and do the best I can. I'm not trying to be a waste of space at all. I'd even pay for the course from my own money if I had to. Is this course a long course or a full time one? I'd like to find out more.

 

[Agile]

Most college gas courses are two years at one day a week. They are aimed at apprentices with a day job in the industry.

Private courses are about 6-12 weeks and the better ones include months of placement to get practical experience. Those cost about £10-£12k and are much used by ex army people who get a retraining grant for civvy life.

Many ex-mil are very serious students and good at timekeeping even if sometimes a bit thick.

Tony

 

[HaroldJenkins]

Hi MANDATE, my boile rhas been OK (touch wood), I have had faults in my system though over the years. I have in the past had a faulty 3 port motorised valve, the actuator was not putting power to the pump and boiler when heating only was on. I have also had a faulty radiator, which the TRV pin was stuck down and would not free, so I replaced the vale by creating a vacuum in the system (I put plugs, 1 in the open vent end and the other in the cold feed outlet in the header tank).

My son also had a faulty programmer, which was not sending power to the hot water cyilnder thermostat, so I diagnosed that using my multi meter and replaced the face of the programmer (Drayton Tempus 7).

My boiler though, which is old and has a pilot flame (perm pilot), has has no repairs on it at all.

 

[StevenD2010]

Most college gas courses are two years at one day a week. They are aimed at apprentices with a day job in the industry.

Private courses are about 6-12 weeks and the better ones include months of placement to get practical experience. Those cost about £10-£12k and are much used by ex army people who get a retraining grant for civvy life.

Many ex-mil are very serious students and good at timekeeping even if sometimes a bit thick.

Tony

I have heard of gas training which is 2 full days per wekk for 10 or so weeks and includes ACS assessment as well as a portfolio that includes certain gas safe training practical tasks, but again I think you have to have a certain number of practical tasks outside of the college, working with a gas safe engineer. I will try and find this again, I think it was Ealing college or somewhere in west London.

 

[Mark Br]

Does anyone know where I could possibly find an old boiler (as kindly suggested)? Any ideas where to look/ask? I do have a car, and a kind grandosn who could help me with lifting if necessary

Ask local engineers, they'll have a few or at least will have in the coming future. I normally get a local scrap man to pick them up, but still have an old combi in my back garden if your stuck for one and can pick it up.

 

[sambotc]

I could travel, what ones do you know of sambotc? Any good ones?

Varies week by week depending on whats being taken out. Was it combi's in particular you were after? Would have to see whats in the pile at the time.

Maybe worth having a word with the lad's down your local tip. Ask them to put aside any boiler that come in and throw them a tenner when they get you one??

 

[StevenD2010]

Thanks I'll do that. Anything to learn more and get some hand on close up experience with boilers.

 

[kitch0978]

Most college gas courses are two years at one day a week. They are aimed at apprentices with a day job in the industry.

Private courses are about 6-12 weeks and the better ones include months of placement to get practical experience. Those cost about £10-£12k and are much used by ex army people who get a retraining grant for civvy life.

Many ex-mil are very serious students and good at timekeeping even if sometimes a bit thick.

Tony

I have sometimes come across civvys who are a bit thick...and with poor timekeeping! And those that are not thick i have found to be quite unwilling to work past 5pm and skive after half 4 every day lest the office calls them and gives them another job to call on....!Finding an employee who has a good work ethic, good timekeeping and is intelligent must be a godsend nowadays!

 

[Gasman77]

Agile I think thats really out of order to say that some ex military peeps are a bit thick. You should be ashamed of yourself

 

[Gasguru]

During the past year or so I have discovered a book called Combination Boilers Fault Finding and Repair, which has good reviews and is supposedly very good. Has anyone on this site read it or got it?

I bought it in mind of my trainee...having read it I would not recommend it. Very basic and poorly written. I suspect the author has worked on a very limited range of boilers. Much of the text will prove confusing.

 

[StevenD2010]

Really? Is this the book written by Reginald?

I thought it was quite good, hard to understand at first in parts but with a bit of time and experience you can understand it but I agree it is confusing in parts.


What would you suggest for learning fault finding/repair on boilers?

 

[Gasguru]

Yes the one by Reginald....to a beginner it may seem thorough but take it from me it's just a starting point. It's a while since I read it but from memory there were gaping holes all over the place when it came to diagnostics and endless repetition through the book.

Get yourself a good grounding in electronics for starters...this is where it's all going. Subscribe to the manuals library and read everything. Buy old boilers and rip them apart. It takes a long long time to be competent...I've been doing it years but there are plenty of faults that are still a nightmare to diagnose. The jobs getting harder all the time...more complexity in boilers, manufacturers instructions less detailed and full of mistakes, virtually no competent technical backup, nightmare design, extortionate parts prices etc etc.