Training advice

[solo]

I want to learn how to repair boilers and make loads of money by ripping people off..........

Not really chaps. Only joking. I realise successful fault identification and repair is not for the faint hearted. I have been on the dogs register for three years now and while avoiding repairs like the plaque I have had a few triumphs...and possibly an equal number of failures.

I've decided that I want to try and increase my knowledge in this area. I've seen a couple of adverts from a guy, no names, based in Bedford, offering one day fault finding courses. Anyone know if this is any good. I suppose I'd have to start somewhere. What about written literature? Are there any good books out there? I suppose ideally, I should go on manufacturers courses, but I never seem to have the time. Then there is the problem of deciding how many manufacturers and how many models to choose. Is there a certain element of "one boiler course suits all" to this side of training?

Anyhow, it's late and I've waffled on long enough. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, failing that, photographs of scantily clad women holding plumbing tools would go great in my scrapbook.

P.S. I know this is a d.i.y. forum but it's one of the most active one's I've come across next to screwedfix and i wouldn't bother posting there.

 

[kaboom]

Nice to see I'm not alone. Guess you're talking about the bloke who sounds like a Harvester meal! Looked into it once but impression I got was 'Cheque first, ask after' so I left it. Been on a few manu courses which were very useful in setting up and commissioning, but nothing too in-depth re fault finding. Would be nice to shadow some of the guys on here for a few weeks.

 

[solo]

kaboom....yeah that's the guy....cheque first. Although he seems quite legit I admit to being a bit wary. I've been shadowing RGI posts for years and I'm still none the wiser. When I read of some of the problems they encounter and then solve I just feel that i don't have the brain power for this line of work and think about returning to neuro-surgery.

 

[kaboom]

Its not that I don't think I could, in fact I'd like to think I be pretty good. It's just that I work alone so I can't learn from anyone and I'm not prepared to use customers as guinea pigs. So I'm stuffed I reckon!

 

[chrishutt]

No, don't be put off by the experts' posts. These guys have been doing it everyday for donkey's years. We've all gotta start somewhere, which is usually at the bottom.

Seriously though, boiler fault finding is just a matter of applying logic (you know, if A then B.....) and understanding the function of each element. Do some repairs on a "no win, no fee" basis, so your customer only pays if you solve the problem (and at a lower rate if you like, since it will take you longer). but make sure you have the MI with the fault finding charts. It's the best way of learning.

 

[Paul Barker]

Go to BAxi for their combi 1 training and then do the combi 2, combine it with practical attempts and you'll soon pick it up.

Once you learn the way boilers think (which Baxi will teach you) trace through from fiirst turn on. When you reach the stage where it fails, if there is a doubt as to which of two parts it could be, and you don't know how to prove a part, ring the manufacturer. They can usually tell you. For instance with their specific knowledge they'll say is there 240v at plug 14 on the pcb? If you don't have that luxury clean and check the suspect parts, as a last resort change the cheap ones first. Always hold in the back of your mind it's seldom the pcb. If you fail to fix it, don't charge and suggest someone who could fix it, even if that's the manufacturer. The guy who trained me has 25 years BG behind him and 10 years self employed. He doesn't half rub my nose in it when I refer a job to him, but he can usually fix my failures. I haven't failed much lately, his domineering attitude has driven me to success.

I am a radio ham so found it esier to pick up than you might, but the Baxi training is a good natural progression through the thinking of the boiler. Once you know what they are thinking, youy've cracked it. This also helps you understand service instructions, which might seem a maise at first.

I actually enjoy it on the whole, but there's nothing like the good earning days like combi swap days to cheer you up. I don't create combi swaps though, my main aim is always to get their boiler working.

 

[corgiman]

pauls is right

Baxi's combi course is fab

I would avoid MR C**bi and the like as I have been on their courses and the instructors seemed to be in a hurry to leave, private job i suspect, and really could not be bothered to try and pop some inventive faults on boilers.

Do as many Manufacturers Courses are the way to go, don't forget to speak up and ask as many questions as possible, even if you think they sound silly, as you have paid your money and should try to extract as much out of them as possible.

Also get out there and practice, but only during office hours as most manufacturers have great helplines and there is no better way of getting experience than doing it.

As for safety I take it you are ACS'd up so you know what is safe and what isn't just use some common sense, take your time and you will be fine.

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

I've done a few manufacturers courses lately and reckon Ravenheat was the best of those that I did. A very intense FREE course with a decent buffet meal just set your brain to sponge mode. There is another benefit to doing this one and it comes in the form of a number at the end of the course.
Biasi was also a good course and free as well, quite intense and a free munch in pizza hut.
Vokera did in 2 days [combi and condensing] what the others did in one, nice easy pace though if thats your style. Go through your suppliers rep to get this one for free. One guy was gutted because he paid £37 quid or something.

Glow worm are next on my hit list as that is also for free.

If manufacturers want me to work on and fit their stuff and propagate their image I am happy to do it, but at their expense not mine!!!

 

[Agile]

I will agree that the Ravenheat course with John Wilson is the best and you will not go to sleep! However their lunch was not so hot, in fact totally cold.

I do not totally support Ravenheat because in spite of two prompts to his secretary they have not added us to their approved engineer's list.

One of the worst I ever went on was at Vokera in London, it was not helped because I was asked to move my car from the Vokera car park to about a mile away where it looked likely to be vandalised, all because the then owner wanted to park his Rolls there! Quite apart from that poor welcome the fellow delivering the course was ex BG and seemed to know little about their boilers after only 6 months with Vokera.

Technically, one of the best was an Ideal course given by an ex-service engineer who was totally honest about the products and told us everything a service engineer needs to know!

A manufacturer's course is NOT designed to teach you how to service boilers, its for EXPERIENCED engineers to learn in depth about individual boilers!

Tony Glazier

 

[Paul Barker]

The Baxi one costs money and is generic, it does start at beginner level, but after combi II you have enough knowledge to be let loose on the public during helpline hours.

 

[Agile]

I have seen a Baxi advert for help line staff which said " no experience necessary " !!!

No wonder not everyone is happy with their advice, when you can get through before its time to go home that is !

Tony

 

[breezer]

as well, quite intense and a free munch in pizza hut.

mmmmmmmmmmm free lunch, think i will get signed up for that

 

[kevplumb]

now now breezer

 

[Agile]

I thought Mods were meant to delete postings which do not add to the topic being discussed.

One rule for Mods another to everyone else!

 

[corgiman]

I totally disagree with the statment FOR EXPERIANCED ops only

For years I was an installer popping in boilers left right and centre, then one day I got an offer I could not refuse to come on a big company as a breakdown engineer, I had not really ever done this so I booked my self on some boiler manufacturering courses (hey you gotta start somewhere) Potteron put me through my paces on their combi basic and advanced courses.

Whilst I was there I explained to the tutor my position and he could not have been more helpful, I was with experianced engineers and others like my self.

That set me on me way, and I attended other courses, and again I found them just as helpful.

The only thing about boiler manu courses is they dont run one on their older boilers, for obvious reasons, which are the ones you are going to see the most.

But you can get a good grounding with these courses and they are helpful for all levels of experiance.

It does seem to me that us CORGI blokes think "If you aint in, we aint letting you in"

Shame aint it.