Is there an f Gas entry level requirement in Europe?

[nevgee]

City & Guilds description of the 2079 qualification is "A licence to practise for those working on fluorinated gases (F-gases) and ozone-depleting substances (ODS) on stationary refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat pump system equipment in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland."

However there is no real entry level required in the UK, such a level might be NVQ2 or two year work experience.

Is there an entry requirement for F gas in other EU states?

[RSTC]

From the Irish FETAC qualification descriptor:
"Access: To access programmes leading to this award the learner should have
reached the standards of knowledge, skill and competence associated
with the preceding level of the National Framework of Qualifications.
This may have been achieved through a formal qualification or through
relevant life and work experience."

A bit fluffy, but not to worry as most if not all qualifications here have been C&G2079

From 2079 entry requirements:
"It is recommended that candidates should hold or be working towards the level 2 NVQ in RAC or an equivalent or higher qualification, in order to be able to satisfactorily complete the C&G Level 2 award in F-Gas & ODS Regulations.

Without evidence of formal qualification, candidates must be able to demonstrate adequate prior knowledge and experience to ensure they have the potential to successfully gain the qualification(s)."

[Moneyhell]

Without 'adequate prior knowledge and experience' someone would not pass the C&G 2079 anyway.

In my experience, it is not something you can blag.

[nevgee]

Without 'adequate prior knowledge and experience' someone would not pass the C&G 2079 anyway.

In my experience, it is not something you can blag.

Sorry to say I have to disagree with you here.
I know of a young woman who's previous work experience was in hairdressing. She passed and now works as a company rep for a major wholesaler. I have come across Plumbers on two different sites who hold the F gas qualification ... in both of their cases they were asking me about refrig problems with GS heat pumps they were working on. One had removed the compressor sight glass and replaced it with a galvanised 3/4 bsp taper plug because the sight glass had signs of oil on the thread. The other guy was perplexed because the compressor was running very hot and had no idea the system was short of gas, that the compressor was cooking itself and didn't understand what superheat was. I suggested in both cases they get a competent refrig guy to look at the systems. I doubt they did. SO the customer will be forking out for expensive compressor replacements when they didn't need to.
I have also heard so many people talk about the wet trades walking into f gas courses, usually funded by the boiler manufacturers because they prefer wet trades personnel doing the work on their heatpumps, as well as the fact that heatpumps connected to the lphw systems usual requires the person to have G3 certification for unvented heating systems..
blagging f gas would be fairly easy if you were determined. You don't need experience to pass the test only a good parrot fashion memory and you're there.

[install monkey]

my lad has just passed his f gas- but also he has failed his driving theory twice!- enough said! :)

[mark957]

And what about the practical exam?

[Moneyhell]

Sorry to say I have to disagree with you here.
I know of a young woman who's previous work experience was in hairdressing. She passed and now works as a company rep for a major wholesaler. I have come across Plumbers on two different sites who hold the F gas qualification ... in both of their cases they were asking me about refrig problems with GS heat pumps they were working on. One had removed the compressor sight glass and replaced it with a galvanised 3/4 bsp taper plug because the sight glass had signs of oil on the thread. The other guy was perplexed because the compressor was running very hot and had no idea the system was short of gas, that the compressor was cooking itself and didn't understand what superheat was. I suggested in both cases they get a competent refrig guy to look at the systems. I doubt they did. SO the customer will be forking out for expensive compressor replacements when they didn't need to.
I have also heard so many people talk about the wet trades walking into f gas courses, usually funded by the boiler manufacturers because they prefer wet trades personnel doing the work on their heatpumps, as well as the fact that heatpumps connected to the lphw systems usual requires the person to have G3 certification for unvented heating systems..
blagging f gas would be fairly easy if you were determined. You don't need experience to pass the test only a good parrot fashion memory and you're there.

Well, I did say in my experience.

I have been in refrigeration all my life and I did the C&G 2079 theory and practical to pass and I would not say that anyone outside the trade can pass 'properly'. The practical and theory exam conditions were very tight / tough. It sounds like to me that this has more to say about the people conducting the course rather than what the course content and strictness should be.

I did mine external but my mate works at WR (they are a C&G training centre) and he told me of engineers who had been in the trade for years being failed on their course.

Anyone can pass anything if the training agencies are not doing their job I guess. :rolleyes:

[r.bartlett]

Well, I did say in my experience.

I have been in refrigeration all my life and I did the C&G 2079 theory and practical to pass and I would not say that anyone outside the trade can pass 'properly'. The practical and theory exam conditions were very tight / tough. It sounds like to me that this has more to say about the people conducting the course rather than what the course content and strictness should be.

I did mine external but my mate works at WR (they are a C&G training centre) and he told me of engineers who had been in the trade for years being failed on their course.

Anyone can pass anything if the training agencies are not doing their job I guess. :rolleyes:

There was an article about certain mobile training centres who had unusually high pass rates and that they should be looked into but it was aparently well known that for a g.teed pass no matter how good/bad you were this was the way to go.....

[Allen Key]

Hi There

does anyone know where I can get sample papers for the F Gas test. Im ok with the practical part but I would hate to fail it on the paper work.

Regards

Dave

[Moneyhell]

Hello Dave,

There is an 84 page document you read for the course and that has sample questions in it.

Apart from that, I have not seen any.

Cheers

[stufus]

I'd like to see that document.
I did 2079.a few years back and saw no documents other than a few diagrams.
Anyone with a few hours coaching could pass it easily.
Cheers
Stu

[install monkey]

dave- check ur e mail

Hi There

does anyone know where I can get sample papers for the F Gas test. Im ok with the practical part but I would hate to fail it on the paper work.

Regards

Dave

[RSTC]

http://www.acr-news.com/news/news.asp?id=1639&title=Service+and+maintenance%3A+Who's+afraid+of+the+F-Gas+test%3F

http://tradewindsgroup.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/2079_sample_questions.pdf
(http://www.acr-news.com/news/news.asp?id=1639&title=Service+and+maintenance%3A+Who's+afraid+of+the+F-Gas+test%3F)
Although a word of warning ... it is pointless learning the answers to questions because everybody gets a different test from a bank of thousands of questions with many many optional answers. Use these as a guide for the level of knowledge you will expected

[nevgee]

I recently got wind that they are going to set a minimum entry (level 2 )for the f gas qualification

Sadly though I fear there are now too many past the gate for any real control.