Indirect system

[scotty plumber]

I went to college for 3years during my apprenticeship and i admit to learning very little at college! It was a waste of time for myself and i can kind of see his point ( a little ) they did not teach me any very basic stuff like changing washers etc but more thing's like bylaw's and distances between pipe clip's etc and as a 16 year old it was in one ear and straight out the other!

 

[philtheflush]

and thats why this forum is important you learn a great deal if you look at all the problems people have and seeethe solutions that are given in time you tend to remeber when out on jobs

 

[jtsplumbing]

So whats the point of these collage`s if they are not teaching you guys , at least the basic`s of plumbing B4 you go out into the world.

 

[scotty plumber]

I learn't all my basic knowledge via my journeyman and just learning myself, i would not thank my old college for any of it!

 

[Best]

I knew of a lecturer who had building qualifications longer than your arm. He built his own house & later sold it. The entire house was a DIY disaster, except the kitchen units, which were good.
The storage tank had a very large part of it like a tissue paper - obviously melted with a blow lamp, & had to be thrown out. Almost all the rustic bricks on the chimney were upside down.
If they don't know these basics, they shouldn't be teaching.

 

[philtheflush]

i also think that if you go to college to keep your parents happy you dont learn but if you go because you want to then its up to you listen and take in what they tell you. i havnt done an apprentiship so to compensate for that i come on hear and observe and ask questions

 

[ste b]

Ok jts,let me explain,went to college in bolton,after working in the caravan industry for 10 yrs i though it was time for a change, (how wrong was i) so i decided at the young age of 30 to do my c and g level 2 and progress onto my level 3,i did 3 nights a week for 1 year and it was"nt easy,lol.......when i finished the course in 2009 i was hoping to progress onto level 3 but i just could not afford to pack in work unless someone would take me on to get some real experience,but there is no-one round this area willing to do that,so i rang numerous plumbers to see if i could tag along and help out where ever i could in return learn as much as i could,but again with no luck,so since 2009 when i finished college i am still in the caravan industry working for a well establised firm.Since then i have done numerous little jobs,guttering,loadsa taps and outside taps,few rads changes and about six bathroom suites inc tiling,all have been done for friends and family and everyone has had combi"s believe it or not,lol,its not like i been avoiding indirect system i just not come accross one outside of college and was just re-capping and making sure before i took the job on,and i can say i had one leak on all the jobs i done and that was on a bath which the owner got into as soon as i left the property even though i said toleave until the sealer around the bath had set,no pipe leaks to date touch wood,trust me if i could get a plumber to let me out with him at weekends i would,thats why i am here lol...................cheers...

 

[ste b]

Back again lol,when at college we plumbed in a vessel, from mains to cwsc then to the vessel then drained after making sure we had no leaks,we never actually fitted the pipework from this cwsc to the other cold water out-lets,thats were i was getting confused lol,having done a little research and talked on here about draining the cwsc i am a lot clearer on the system and all has come back to me now lol,the thing what was confusing me was why you have to drain the cwsc i just pre-sumed it was normal practice to fit a service valve or stopcock near to the cwsc on the pipework to all upstairs cw outlets so you dont need to drain all the cwsc,obviously i was wrong lol............i got diagram here showing a service valve near to cwsc,i do have adiagram here showing a service valve lol so maybe i will getlucky and the last plumber fitted one too lol...........

 

[SimonJohns]

Back again lol,when at college we plumbed in a vessel, from mains to cwsc then to the vessel then drained after making sure we had no leaks,we never actually fitted the pipework from this cwsc to the other cold water out-lets,thats were i was getting confused lol,having done a little research and talked on here about draining the cwsc i am a lot clearer on the system and all has come back to me now lol,the thing what was confusing me was why you have to drain the cwsc i just pre-sumed it was normal practice to fit a service valve or stopcock near to the cwsc on the pipework to all upstairs cw outlets so you dont need to drain all the cwsc,obviously i was wrong lol............i got diagram here showing a service valve near to cwsc,i do have adiagram here showing a service valve lol so maybe i will getlucky and the last plumber fitted one too lol...........

i wasnt sayin that there will not be a service valve fitted, but it is usually a gate valve and they stick and shear off, when this happens its a pig of a job to replace
you will most prob see a service valve

 

[ste b]

ok thanks,hope we not got off on the wrong footmate,i know some replys can be taken in the wrong way in these forums.............i was"nt having a go by any means.......thanks for replying,hope you got a bit of an idea where i coming from now......as i have...appreciated.....

 

[philtheflush]

im the same as you ste b but i gave up work its hard out there but the more you do the more you learn gravity systems are a pain as ive had a few and had air locks because of draining down but if your not sure turn the job down unless you explain to the customers the probs of draining down and see if they still want you to do it cover your tracks in other words good luck anyway i still love the job though

 

[ste b]

Yeah i allready told the guy,hes a good friend so i have explained to him the probs that may arise,he is fine with it,there are drain valves on the hot and cold feeds under-neath the basin but i not sure if they are just drain valves,should they be able to turn off feed as well,i asked him and he said the water does not stop when turned in,will know more friday when i pay a visit.......cheers....

 

[jtsplumbing]

I can-not see how some of you younger guys have problems understanding basic systems ! are you only taught about combis ? it seams if you have more than 4 pipes its beyond what you know, if you can-not work out a basic system, you need more training, or think about changing your job.!! :13:

 

[SimonJohns]

I can-not see how some of you younger guys have problems understanding basic systems ! are you only taught about combis ? it seams if you have more than 4 pipes its beyond what you know, if you can-not work out a basic system, you need more training, or think about changing your job.!! :13:

Don't tar us all with the same brush 😛

 

[jtsplumbing]

Sorry Simon J , but honestley some of the questions thes guys need to ask about the most basic plumbing, makes you wounder why they chose to do plumbing in the first place, and how they managed to get C&G quals, are these people what the plumbing industry has to look forward to ?? Maybe its not their fault ! but their is somthing wrong with the system when these guys are let out of collage with-out the basic knowlage they need to build on.

 

[ste b]

The basic system is easy,the problem is what the last plumber has left you with,i cant see why some plumbers put iso valves on and some dont,i know now that the job i going to the last plumber has rounded both valves on the central heating pipework,probably trying to turn then with pliers or grips,the idiot,i know the basic sytem mate,just needed re-capping thats all,and now i re-capped its all clear again..........but thanks for calling me young lol.........pics of job to follow,piece of cake.....if i gotta drain down,i will drain down the system......

 

[SimonJohns]

Sorry Simon J , but honestley some of the questions thes guys need to ask about the most basic plumbing, makes you wounder why they chose to do plumbing in the first place, and how they managed to get C&G quals, are these people what the plumbing industry has to look forward to ?? Maybe its not their fault ! but their is somthing wrong with the system when these guys are let out of collage with-out the basic knowlage they need to build on.

I do agree alot. I've gained alot of experience in my short time

I work with a plumber that is same age as me and has been doing it long than me YET he phones me most days asking what to do

For eg. I had to teach him how to balance a system
I had to talk him through an air lock
Ive even had to show him the correct way of using a flexi with rubber washer

 

[GerrythePlumber]

I'm not slagging anyone off, but if you passed your City & Guilds, why didn't you learn this?
This is fundamental information that all Plumbers must know.

 

[GerrythePlumber]

I remember every job interview I went for years ago, the interviewer, probably the boss with limited Plumbing knowledge would ask, "What's the difference between a direct cylinder and an indirect cylinder." You would then be shown a picture, and tell him what was wrong. The answer would normally be a pump on the cold feed or something.

Do you know the answer to this question? If not. Get your books out and read some, like we all had to do.

 

[Mike Jackson]

The problem with most courses nowdays is that the emphasis is on passing rather than learning.