ACS Advice?

[Nvq level 3]

Hi all, Start the assessment soon, just wondering if anybody has recently done it and has any advice/tips? im doing ccn1 (boilers and pipe work) and also booked in hobs cookers and fires. Any pointers or advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

Listen to what your asked and only answer the question, don't go off on tangents.

 

[Ermintrude]

Smile nod and LISTEN read what info you are given you were given it for a good reason

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

Always flux the pipe not the fitting!

 

[ferret]

dont forget the continuity bond at the meter when doing the soldering test put it on before removing the meter. good luck

 

[Ermintrude]

Always flux the pipe not the fitting!

You clean the tube and the fitting not the flux!

Bet you use a brush and wipe with a damp cloth?

You can tell an ega fitter a million miles off - uses solder to smear flux on inside of fitting.

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

What's an ega fitter?

 

[Whyme]

What's an ega fitter?

A very keen one.

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

You clean the tube and the fitting not the flux!

Bet you use a brush and wipe with a damp cloth?

You can tell an ega fitter a million miles off - uses solder to smear flux on inside of fitting.

I'm that ega I use my finger to flux the fittings....makes lunch interesting.

 

[Ermintrude]

EGA were a special class of "muppets" working on the "stay warm and boiler scrappage schemes" rough isn't the correct word; the fitted 30,000 isar/icos boiler

 

[leethegasman]

Lift the cooker lid as soon as your in your bay some assessors will put paper work on lid to catch you out.
Also do a visual on pipe work find that loose nut.

 

[Nvq level 3]

Thought you just dip the pipe and fitting into flux?? have already failed! thanks for reply's so far. Any obvious things to look for the ones that always catch people out?

 

[Alpha man]

Lift the gas oven lid before tightness testing!!!

edit, Lee beat me to it!

 

[Ermintrude]

Look up the flue before you light smoke bomb

 

[Aquariusplumb]

Watch out for the cooker lids being down and the flues section. When you go in, take a deep breath and chill out! They are there to assess you not fail you so just take a chill pill and if you know your stuff you will be fine. Good luck

 

[Nvq level 3]

Thanks all.

 

[cannon]

Warm the chimney up with your blow lamp. (smoke test) gas fires ! Look out for any cement snotters , cob webs up the pre-fab flues . Remember to turn on any fans close windows in the test bays,on spillage test. Cookers make sure the oven by passes on oven thermostat at temp and that connection hose is terminated in accordance with bs 6173 part1 stability brackets chains ect . Read manufactors ( instructions very important) ps chill and good luck

 

[cannon]

Hi, use blow lamp to warm up flue on smoke test. Make sure any fans on windows shut in test bay on spillage test. Watch out for any cement snotters cob webs up pre-fab flues.Cookers make sure thermostat by passes on temp and not blocked flame picture ok, hoses installed correctly ,stability brackets , chains ect . Hobs mutual distances observed ,correct method of installation 26/9 checks to boilers installed in accordance with manufactor Good luck and remember read the instuctions

 

[bigun]

Read the question then read it again!

 

[gemma_p]

Look for spillage marks , ECv to on, elec sockets close to gas pipes, fly screen on vents, 90 bends on flues, over sized injectors in cookers hot plates, open ends in the bay , boilers connected on flexible hoses etc ***

 

[newcastle phill]

D- all of the above

 

[kirkgas]

Just relax, listen, step up to the plate and prove what you know, there are no trick questions, but people,don't listen and choose to make a simple test more difficult, here's a scenario, it will be easier because you can read the instruction rather than hear it but you should get the message

"Ok here's what I want you to do, using your knowledge and working to the current regs and safety standards I want you to go into bay 1 and confirm by whatever means you see fit, whether the gas carcass meets current standards and would be safe to leave on, or take appropriate action to comply with the regs, remember it's an assessment and time is crucial, so keep in mind I want it done safely but as quickly as the regs allow"

Let's say two bays are identical and the instruction is given to two candidates at the same time,
A goes into bay 1 and comes out 6/7 minutes later and starts writing the report,
B goes into bay 2 and after 25 minutes the assessor goes in and asked what's happening, to find the candidate fixing and altering all sorts

A listened, went in, did a visual, did a TT, saw faults and found a leak out with permissable , he then capped the meter and came back out
B heard what he wanted to hear and proceeded to repair leaks, alter pipes and all sorts, because he was told "to work to the regs and leave it safe" he wasn't actually told to repair and bring up to standards was he
A bit of a long winded example but makes the point, do what is necessary and what is asked of you, not what you thought you heard

 

[Kay101]

watch out for speedfit fittings, hidden compression, no sleeves, pipework too close to sockets, cooker lids etc. etc.
read through your books all the time so its familier, if you struggle with something you then have time

 

[Gordon8r]

If an accessor says ''Are you sure ?''
it means you are wrong lol.

 

[ribtickler]

hi, i completed my ACS back in july and to be honest i found it relatively easy. most of the questions are common sense provided you have done the revision.
I purchased the"CORE GAS SAFETY" revision guide by LEARNATRADE, the revision guide was quite helpful as it gave you all the basics in an somewhat simplified approach compared to the corgi handbook i purchased. What was very helpful is you have a cd rom with it that has loads of multiple choice questions to work through and it records your results aswell. I found this very eassy to use and also i think it made the actual acs exams much easier, for me anyway.
This costs £60 but was well worth it.
I think i had around 6 or 7 papers, all open book except 1 so the answers are in your handbooks.
the closed book i found very easy and got all 20 right on the 1st go.
if im honest the assesment centre is there to pass you unless you are for want of a better word, retarded. one bloke fell asleep twice in the exams and he still passed (after alot of help from the tutorsd) i didnt really agree with this as i worked my arse of studying for these exams but then i finshed a day earlier than everyone else so i guess my advice is get the learnatrade pack, put the effort in and you should be fine
john

 

[dsmart]

Just passed my CCN1 and the best advice I can give is try and lose the nerves before you go in!
Nearly let nerves get the better of me and It made things more difficult.

 

[Paul Ainslie]

Don't over complicate the problem in your head. Faults are usually staring you in the face.
I did mine just over a week ago. Its hard but just apply what you've learned.

 

[kirkgas]

Listen to what you are asked to do, don't make things up in your head,