boiler electronics advice

[essexsi]

hi chaps
first post so be gentle.

Having no real plumbing experience I enrolled on a Basic Gas Utilisation course in sept 2005 at Nescot college and after that completed my ACS CCN1 and elements in sept 2006.

Since then I have been working in my spare time with a local rgi to build up a portfoilio for Corgi registration.

Now getting to my qustion I would like to learn alot more about the electronics of boiler operation. Now are there any good books about the subject or perhaps relevant courses. Any advice appreciated . thankyou.

 

[Prof.plumb]

Why do you want to study electronics? Are you wanting to work primarily on combis?

 

[bster]

essexi-

I'm in the same boat as you - i'm beginning to learn about boiler electronics - sort off

I think the best way is to buy an electronics for beginners type book and learn about the components etc.

I think for general boiler diagonstics you dont have to know your electronics in depth but be competant with a multimeter and the ignition sequence of FF boilers.

I have started taking measurements of boiler parts etc to familarise myself with the process of diagonosing faults through checking resistance and stuff.

If you find a book on boiler component electrical testing then please inform me.

 

[essexsi]

cheers bster

I will keep an eye out for such a book ( if one Exists!!) Do you think a basic beginners type electronics book will do?

Need to learn how to use a multi meter competently also !!!

 

[corgiman]

long old bit of work to get CORGI as they look for someone with a minimum of 18 months experiance before they entertain anyone getting their own registration

phew good luck

 

[bster]

can you use a multimeter to test the 240v supply?

if not best learn about the domestic supply first before tackling the electronics side!

There are plenty of how to use a multimeter books and also there are some places that do 5 day fault finding courses on boilers with a lot of electric\electronic testing involved (theres one at Filton college Bristol - £500!)

If you havent got these two books by J.Reginald and your newbie then get them!!

The combi book goes through each component and tells you how to test them (to a certain degree). It is essential for those who wish to progress into the field of fault finding and heating systems in general!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Central-Heating-Combination-Boilers-Finding/dp/0954601319

 

[essexsi]

You are probably quite right corgiman, however every time I enquire I get conflicting statements from the Corgi bods. If its 18mnths then so be it, I'm lucky that I work shifts at present that enables me enough time off to build up slowly.

Now do you reackon that is 18mnths full time as at present I only do 1 or 2 days each week. So maybe in about 5yrs I'll be able to apply for my own reg!!!!

 

[essexsi]

Bster no I do not know how to check for a 240v supply, so yes I take on board what you say and thanks for your posts.

 

[bster]

no prob - i'll keep you informed on any other info i find

 

[essexsi]

Bster

yes mate I do have those books and they are very clear and concise. Perhaps at the level I am I need the book that he wrote as a warm up to those!!!!!

 

[corgiman]

with the bits you have a decent company would bite your hand off. Get paid and get experiance

 

[essexsi]

corgiman
do you believe that a firm would take me on a part time basis ? I know, I know go and ask them !!

 

[Paul Barker]

I think it's a load of cobblers.

Go and work for Rover and collect your FREE pass to corgi registration.

OR come from a former soviet state with 2 weeks experience as a "ploomer".

Anyway in the context of what you want to do, I believe quite strongly actually that a lesser corgi registartion is sufficient say ccn1 which you have and then some sort of specialist qualification for working on negative pressure room sealed modern central heating boilers.

The necessary knowledge to fix a combi is not included in any acs training or corgi pre-registration interrogation. A radio amateur is better equiped to fix a combi than a corgi registered individual.

Quite honestly if I lived in a town where enough repair work came my way I would lapse my corgi and my Napit registration and just go round happily twiddling with boilers to my hearts comntent leaving a host of warm customers in my wake.

 

[Paul Barker]

A guy I know who charges by the hour regardless rang me the other night most disgruntled. He spent 2 hrs incompetently failing to fix a combi and then was upset because the customer threatened him with trading standards because he charged £60 for failing.

I was just aghast, I said "I wouldn't have charged them if I hadn't fixed it".

The sooner we ban meddlers who are only corgi registered from working on these sensetive boilers the better. Especially ones who arogantly charge for thei incompetent time.

Bring on a special qualification, with very little about gas in it!

 

[essexsi]

thanks everyone for replying.

Paul Barker, all of what you say makes sense. I would primarily like to do servicing on gas appliances and then move slowly but surely onto repairs and fault finding.

My first post probably suggested that I was only interested in learning about modern boilers. The truth is that I need alot more knowledge about all appliances and would like to go the right way about attaining that knowledge.

I just feel that at some point all the boilers out there will be modern boilers with complex electronics, and that the person servicing those appliances should have a good knowledge of the workings of such appliances.

Thanks again.