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NAPIT provides Central Heating Control Systems (NA-CH-1). This is also one day course.
"Hello Jeniffer4u",
I know that You are NOT suggesting that this course would allow an Electrician to Work on a Boiler - but just in case someone inexperienced in Electrical Works misunderstands what You wrote:
That course or any other Electrical Qualification / or Course would NOT allow an Electrician to `Work On` the INTERNAL Electrics of a Gas Appliance - that is anything `Downstream` of the Boiler Electrical connection terminals - within the Boiler.
An Electrician can only wire up the Heating Controls and wire to the Boiler electrical terminals.
Although it might seem ridiculous to an Electrician even replacing Boiler Controls which are not connected directly to a Gas pipe such as a Boiler Thermostat MUST be done only by a Gas Safe registered Gas Engineer.
The first thing that a Gas Engineer would do when attending a Boiler Breakdown is to visually inspect the Boiler to see if it is correctly installed.
This requires specific knowledge of the Gas Regulations / Manufacturers Instructions etc. which most Electricians would not have.
Accessing some of the Controls / components often requires the removal of the Room Sealed Boiler Casing - obviously this MUST be refitted correctly and inspected for any sign that the Casing Seal has deteriorated which could cause the Boiler to spill products of Combustion into the Home / premises.
THAT alone cannot be done by anyone other than a Gas Safe registered Gas Engineer.
Also while diagnosing the Fault the Gas Engineer will know the operating sequence of the Boiler / Gas Appliance controls / components and although they will usually refer to the Electrical Controls Flow Chart and be Testing for electrical power etc. to the suspected Control / component it would be Illegal under the Gas Safety Regulations for anyone other than a Gas Safe registered Gas Engineer to do anything to a Boiler Control / component.
Doing anything to a Boiler Control such as a Gas Valve / Multifunctional Control Valve which is connected to the Gas Supply to the Boiler is the most obvious `Do not touch` item - BUT - ANY Boiler Control / Component is `Forbidden Territory` for all but Gas Safe registered Gas Engineers / Heating Engineers.
Something else that is worth mentioning is that even if they were informed that the `Heating system is full of water - Gas has been tested` etc. - it would be totally against the Gas Safety Regulations for an Electrician to wire up a Heating system which has never been operated before and then `Switch On` the Heating / Boiler to run the Heating system without it being Safely / Correctly `Commissioned` by the Heating Engineer / Registered Gas Engineer.
This is because although the Gas supply etc. to the Boiler should have already been Tested for `Gas Tightness` and available pressure at the Boiler - the Gas Engineer MUST carry out further Commissioning Tests etc. when the Boiler is fired up for the first time.
I mention this because I have known cases where exactly this HAS happened - the `Heating Engineer` has told the Electrician that the `Heating is ready to go` and has actually asked the Electrician to `Do Him a favour` and Turn On the Heating after wiring up the Controls` !
I am NOT trying to be a `Jobsworth` by posting these details / comments - rather I want Members who might be unsure of the Law regarding the Electrical Controls / Components or `Working` on a Boiler / Gas Appliance in general to be more aware of the Regulations / Legal requirements.
Regards,
Chris
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