F Gas Do's and Don'ts

14th October 2010

1. DON’T study the sample questions and answers from the City and Guilds website – they are only sample questions and therefore NOT in the exam! (See Ozzys blog for experiences).
2. DO choose the right training provider for your needs. Look into the facilities they have and the number of successful candidates they have had.
3. DON’T think that the cheapest course is necessarily the best one for you, reassuringly expensive means quality training.
4. DO be careful in selecting the correct training and assessment package. The practical assessment is based on a refrigeration system fitted with an HP liquid receiver and thermostatic expansion valve – unless you are experienced on this sort of kit, you will need a package that includes practical training.
5. DON’T confuse the F Gas qualification with the old ‘safe handling’ – it is much more demanding in both it’s knowledge requirement’s and the practical skills and knowledge that must be demonstrated to the assessor.
6. DO talk to us before making your choice of training and assessment package – we have loads of experience and are here to help you make the right choice.
7. DON’T think that because you yourself are very experienced you don’t require some ‘top – up’ training. Most people do! Especially if you have not been carrying out service and maintenance on refrigeration systems or chillers. Installation work alone is not good preparation for the F Gas assessment.
8. DO come with an open mind! Most of our five day courses have a healthy mix of novice and experienced (sometimes very experienced!) people all of whom can benefit from being introduced to the basic principles, or being reminded of them!
9. DON’T forget that everyone who carries out service, maintenance, installation, recovery and/or leak checking on F Gas systems has to have the new F Gas qualification by the 4th July 2011.
10. DO remind your employer that the company has to be company certified to work legally with refrigerants (and the employer may be you if you are self employed). To obtain full company certification the employer has to have all employees F Gas qualified by the 4th July 2011.
11. DON’T leave it to the last minute! We have a high capacity but anticipate that advance bookings will pick up, with people scrabbling for places.
12. DO get your planning done now. Remember – Proper Planning Precedes a Perfect Process!
13. DON’T get confused about the different categories. Category 4 holders may ONLY carry out leak checks; Category 3 holders may ONLY carry out refrigerant recovery on systems containing less than 3 kg of refrigerant; Category 2 holders may carry out recovery, installation, maintenance and servicing for systems containing less than 3kg (or 6 if hermetically sealed); Category 1 holders may carry out recovery, installation, maintenance and servicing for systems containing any quantity of refrigerant.
14. DO take note that while City and Guilds qualifications are ‘for life’, CITB / Construction Skills qualifications have to be renewed / reassessed every five years.
15. DON’T believe the rumours that City and Guilds qualifications will change every five years. Their F Gas qualifications will only change when the F Gas regulations expire! The five year renewal is simply a Constructions Skills / CITB policy.

Comments

Paul Rignall

24th November 2010

I agreed with you about the sample questions on the C&G webb site I studied them for some time, when it came to my on line test, all these questions and answers did was to totaly confuse me as to the answers needed for the on line test.

dont read them as you wont get them out of your head, take it from me i know, my re test is tomorow.

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