Frequently Asked Questions
General
Do you offer courses at the weekend or the evening?
Yes, all of our courses are offered to suit the learner – even on Bank Holidays.
Do you come to us?
We are a peripatetic training organisation – which means we deliver and assess in various locations.
Do I need to bring any Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?
We supply all the PPE required, however we encourage you to have your own as it may make you feel more comfortable.
F-Gas courses
I am new to the air conditioning industry what qualifications do I need to get started?
The F-Gas course is the legal minimum requirement and will need to be done first. This covers the basics of refrigeration vapour compression. Following on from that we would recommend the Split Air Conditioning Installation Course (City and Guilds 2081) followed by the Service and Maintenance course.
Do I need to do the brazing course before the F-Gas course?
No, we offer the City and Guilds 2079 qualification so there is no prerequisite to do the brazing as well.
Does the F-Gas qualification expire?
No, there is no expiry date on the qualification so it does not have to be renewed unless the legislation changes and City and Guilds make a change.
I do not have a formal qualification but I have been in the industry for 15 years what course would you recommend?
We would recommend attending the 5 day course as you will need to cover the theory behind the systems.
Do I only have to get one engineer qualified with the company?
No all of the engineers who are working with refrigerants will need to have the qualification i.e. ‘certified’ engineers working for ‘certified’ companies.
The F Gas certificate is only an update on the Safe Handling certificate, so why does it take so much longer to get the F Gas?
The F Gas course is not just an update of the old Safe Handling it is a completely new qualification and much more involved. It looks at the whole efficiency of the systems including the indirect emissions, Kyoto Protocol requirements, HFC refrigerants and CO2.
Is there any recommended reading before coming on the course?
We would suggest that you do not read or revise any of the subjects covered to avoid any confusion when you attend the course. Our courses are specially designed to take the candidate from any level through to passing the exam (provided they are on the correct course).
I’m not sure what to do for the best about getting qualified for F Gas. Can you advise
Yes, the most appropriate programme depends on your background, qualifications and training. We are careful to ensure that candidates are directed to the most beneficial programme that suits their needs.
Is there any practical training on the 3 day course?
No because the course is really revision designed for experienced, qualified refrigeration or chiller engineers used to working with DX systems.
People say that if my background is AC system installation I should consider doing the 5 day course? Can that be right?
Yes, actually we find that the 5 day programme is the most popular and successful because most AC engineers don’t get the opportunity of measuring superheat and subcooling and need the practical experience that is an integral part of the 5 day course.
What are the hours for the fgas course?
The fgas course starts at 9.00 and runs through to about 5.00, with an hour for lunch.
Heat Pumps
I am a plumber getting more enquiries about the heat pumps systems can you help?
Yes, as most heat pumps systems contain fluorinated gases you will need to have the F Gas qualification to break into the refrigeration cycle. If you are new to the refrigeration industry then we would recommend the F Gas 5 day course followed by the SACIC course.
The heat pump system is a monoblock system charged with HFC refrigerant, do I need the F Gas qualification to install or maintain it?
You will not need the F Gas qualification to install it but, should there be a fault on the refrigeration side you will need F Gas to leak check and rectify any faults. We also offer the City and Guilds 2399-31 and 32, Installation, Service and Maintenance of Heat Pump systems.
Do I need the F Gas qualification to install any air to water heat pump system?
The qualification you require depends on the refrigerant in the system, most systems contain fluorinated gases and will need the F Gas qualification but some systems use CO2 for which we have an Introduction Course. The City and Guilds 2399 covers both ground source and air source heat pumps.
BRA Flame Brazing
I am an experienced brazer and I only need to renew my qualification, do I have to do both days of the course?
No the two day course is set up for newcomers to brazing, you only need to attend the second day if you are renewing your qualification.
I heard that there is a new specification for the brazing out. What is it that you are offering.
We offer the updated BRA specification which has now been accepted throughout the industry.
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