Inspection & Testing practical

[Zorro]

I was just wondering how many people wished they did some sort of hands on practical for Inspectiion & Testing before they did C&G's2392/2391/2394/5 it seems alot of training centres concentrate on theory side and not the practical side?

 

[Octopus]

Not sure attempting the 2391 without hands on practical experience is a good idea... the same would be for the "new" exams.

 

[Guest55]

i did fault finding , periodics and initial testing out in the field for 2 years before undertaking the 2391.
probably helps explain the 60-70% fail rate of those that didnt.

 

[Zorro]

I know, but a lot of Electricians do the 2391 expecting some sort of guidence they don't realise the 2391 is for experts only, yet they still enrol on course??

 

[Guest55]

agreed , so they split it down into 3 easier courses 2392/4/5.
those with no testing experience at all should try the basic 2392 first.
2391 was always for sparks who had done it before , it was never intended for novices but the training centres like the hard sell.

 

[SYKRAPS]

Yep a fail = retake = more money

 

[Zorro]

This is what I dislike centres who sell you the wrong exam, then blame the admin for mistake knowing people won't pass and will either have to resit exam, or do the correct course i.e the 2392. The colleges stick 4-5 people in a booth and get them to do practicals and everyone of the students pass WTF and some of them haven't a scooby doo what they are doing.

 

[Guest55]

Quote "scooby doo" lol.
made me laff that did :-D

 

[Engineer54]

Never had C&G testing qualifications as such in my day. I learnt most of my inspection and testing skills at that time, hands on with qualified electrician and technicians... Which went far deeper than those covered by today's 17th edition BS7671. None of these inspection and testing qualification courses of today will teach you how to fault find when you don't see the test results you expect to find, that only comes from working with experienced electricians that know what they are doing....

Seems these day's you need a C&G number for every aspect of being an electrician!!

 

[SirKit Breaker]

agreed , so they split it down into 3 easier courses 2392/4/5.
those with no testing experience at all should try the basic 2392 first.
2391 was always for sparks who had done it before , it was never intended for novices but the training centres like the hard sell.

Biff i agree, and disagree with you a bit on this one. The written test is probably a bit easier, as it only covers half of the old 2391, and is more specific, but the practical if anything is a bit more difficult, especially for 2395. For Periodic, i now have to put 2 from a choice of 7 faults onto the rig. These are both on at the same time, and they have to be diagnosed properly, they are then removed, and the candidate carries on al la 2391 as was. If it is combined 2394/5 they have to do all that and maintain the correct testing sequence do it in the correct order. for the 2395 visual, there are some photographs, they have to identify the visual non conformances and give the correct coding. Some photo's have more than one, and some don't have any.

You are bang on though, it is not for novices, and i wont register any candidates unless i screen them first. There is no gain in setting up someone to fail.

Cheers............Howard

 

[Guest55]

.....and disagree with you a bit on this one.

how dare you !

*reaches for shotgun.

;-)
first day on 2396 course today , first day in a classroom for 7 years !! :-D ( ignoring the 17th regs course which doesnt really count as any sort of academic challenge )
the tutor teaches at my old tech and lives down the road lol.

 

[Zorro]

@ Biff you doing the Johnston's catalogue shop project for 2396.

 

[shagbite]

speaking from a purely selfish point of view, it is really going to pi55 me off, if the pass rates for the new courses are higher than the 2391. i don't want every tom, dick and harry on-site to have inspection and testing. so glad i've got the 2396 - keeps the one-upmanship going!

 

[Guest55]

@ Biff you doing the Johnston's catalogue shop project for 2396.

yes.

 

[Adam W]

It depends on the training centre of course. My local college insist you must be a practicing electrician with a 2330 or equivalent and regs qualification; it's almost as if they're trying to put people off signing up! On the course every 3rd week is practical, which obviously helps prepare students for the practical exam.
These cowboy training centres just seem to be about taking your money and leaving you to get on with it - when they go selling courses to people with no experience and little previous training then stuff them full of information but still no practical experience it's little wonder most of them fail, £600 or so worse off.
As the training centres are well aware, there's no regulatory body to stop them doing this, but if anyone asks I'm happy to give them the reality.

 

[Zorro]

I've started my project which I'm finding this a bit monotonous, but as for the written exam I'm going to keep the answer short and simple the 1st 2 question normally relate to the design and commissioning process and the other 8 questions are based on the requirements of BS7671 been doing a lot of studying for this.

 

[Zorro]

Oh and good luck Biff

 

[shagbite]

I've started my project which I'm finding this a bit monotonous, but as for the written exam I'm going to keep the answer short and simple the 1st 2 question normally relate to the design and commissioning process and the other 8 questions are based on the requirements of BS7671 been doing a lot of studying for this.

not too short and simple, i hope. this exam requires a little more depth to the answers, than previous exams.

C and G recommend 40 hours for the project. in my case, i spent at least 120 hours on it. i wrote mine out by hand though, so any silly little mistake resulted in a furious attack on the page and a return to the start. i'm a bit OCD, that way.

 

[shagbite]

zorro, are you doing the design course AND inspection and testing? at the same time???

 

[Zorro]

I have my 2392 did that 4yrs ago also have my 2391 and now doing my 2396

 

[Zorro]

@ Shagbite No not to short and simple, but I'm not going to write an essay on each question, you have 18 minutes per question. I'm ok with all the equations and finding all relevant answers in the Regs,GN3 and OSG. I will Interpritate answers from these books and also the knowledge I already have and put answers into my own words.

 

[shagbite]

you sound like you've got it covered, mate. i hope you pass.