Electrical course at college question?

[kevinlondon]

What would be a suitable route to learn how to be a maintenance / repair electrician, and to be able to do smaller jobs like adding another socket to a ring etc? I have looked at my local college website who do a lot of electrical courses there, but I am not sure what course(s) would be suitable for me?

Any ideas please from anyone in the trade would be so helpful

 

[ricicle]

A Domestic Installer course is supposed to give you enough insite to carry out small works which might be enough for you. The trouble with these courses is that people get ideas above their station and suddenly believe they can start working on bigger and more in depth installations without sufficient knowledge.

 

[kevinlondon]

I'm only interested in domestic electriocs, not commercial or anything above single phase. I'd like to learn some fault finding and be able to do domestic repairs and maintenance work.

 

[ericmark]

What is domestic? My PC has a cooling fan powered by an inverter which generates a three phase supply to the squirrel cage motor. So even in my house we have three phase.

What I see as the problem is learning to the required level is working out what is required.

I did an A level physics course where they talked about quantum physics on one hand but gave us a diagram for a florescent lamp which as best would just not work and worst is it could explode.

I started an electrics coarse I lasted one day in a class who did not know iron was a conductor! I did a degree instead.

However we are all different and I am sure some people will need to be told glass is an insulator and silver is a conductor! What it all depends on is how quick you can learn and what you already know. To do the C&G 2382, 2391 etc will to some be all the college training they want. To others they will want a far more detailed education.

One has to hope the people in the college have the skill to work out what you need. This is a good time to visit. They are not overwhelmed with school leavers and will likely have the time to talk to you and advise.

In real terms you get a pin and stick it into a list of local colleges and select one then do what they recommend.

 

[ricicle]

My PC has a cooling fan powered by an inverter which generates a three phase supply to the squirrel cage motor.

What flippin' size PC do you have Eric ?

 

[Aragorn84]

PC Cooling fans are typically Brushless DC motors.

There is no inverter, just microprocessor controlled DC switching.

 

[kevinlondon]

all I wanted it some advise on a course!!

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

all I wanted it some advise on a course!!

Take a proper City&Guilds cousre, you are not going to stop at just spurs, eventually you will want to install new circuits, change fuse boxes, rewire etc..
You can not expect to fault find if you do not understand the fundamental princibles and how and where faults occur.
It's all about progression. start at 2330 C&G level 2 and not a micky mouse fast track course either, you will learn jack poo!

 

[kevinlondon]

Thanks for your help

I am not sure if C & G 2330 still exists?

I do understand how ring and radial circuits are wired and a bit about fuse box's etc. I'd just like to learn properley and over time by a professional really.

 

[17thman]

What I see as the problem is learning to the required level is working out what is required.

I did an A level physics course where they talked about quantum physics on one hand but gave us a diagram for a florescent lamp which as best would just not work and worst is it could explode.

Christ, i did a degree in physics. I started to wonder about where electrons might be. At least i know they are in the same place every 25th of a second..or are they.

Best advise to op. no point in learning how to add a spur, no living in that. do 2330 and 2382 and 2392 and or 2391 c and g. plus you need to do some bashing with a spark for 6 months. otherwise you will be first fixing a rewire for 10 days.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I am not sure if C & G 2330 still exists?

It still does but only till July
http://www.cityandguilds.com/1107.html

I do understand how ring and radial circuits are wired and a bit about fuse box's etc. I'd just like to learn properley and over time by a professional really.

Well get enrolled on City and Guilds course, contact your local college and see what's available or even C&G and ask them who runs accredited courses in your area.
It would be really handy to get some hands on experience to!
It's okay knowing how to wire a circuit but do you know why it is installed that way, do you understand design calculation, do you know the inspection and test procedures and what results you are looking for and if the Zs is compliant? Lots of other stuff too!

 

[kevinlondon]

not sure if I want to do re-wires etc really. My local college dioes a lot of courses in electrics but no 2330 by look of it, is it known as anything else?

 

[17thman]

To the op, you are going to make a career out of adding a socket for mrs Smith of Arcaciaa Avenue

 

[kevinlondon]

I am not sure if C & G 2330 still exists?

It still does but only till July
http://www.cityandguilds.com/1107.html

I do understand how ring and radial circuits are wired and a bit about fuse box's etc. I'd just like to learn properley and over time by a professional really.

Well get enrolled on City and Guilds course, contact your local college and see what's available or even C&G and ask them who runs accredited courses in your area.
It would be really handy to get some hands on experience to!
It's okay knowing how to wire a circuit but do you know why it is installed that way, do you understand design calculation, do you know the inspection and test procedures and what results you are looking for and if the Zs is compliant? Lots of other stuff too!

i know a bit, like why certain appliances have their own radial circuit, why ring's are wired like they are as they consume a lot of current etc, and have heard of ze' and zs etc but only through reading a but myself, same with earthing arrangements, ie tt, tns tncs. I'd love to learn more, am really interested. Do colleges give you hands on experience with wiring in components, etc?

 

[kevinlondon]

To the op, you are going to make a career out of adding a socket for mrs Smith of Arcaciaa Avenue

sorry, I don't get the reply !!