Joining the ranks of Oftec!

[Dannypipe]

I'm finally going to get Oftec registered. Worked with oil for a few years (not my bread and butter) but I know a bit.

I'm doing 101 & 105e and 600a (tanks).

The thing is, the books they say I need are £150.00!!:bigcry:

One of them is for central heating. I can't honestly think I'll need a book on central heating after working on it for years.

Anyone any experience of this?

I'm booked in on the 30th of July. Looking forward to it, as I won't have to pay a rival firm to come out and commision my appliances anymore, and I can fit tanks.

 

[Roger Welton]

You will need the books for when you register, they check you have them on there inspections, and also that you keep them updated.

 

[Dannypipe]

Oh right. Are they really £150? Seems bloody steep.

I can see I'm going to have to put my rates up!

 

[SimonG]

You'll need a set, maybe not for the course (we had sets provided) but when you get your inspection (within 12 months) he'll want to see your books and that you are adding in the updates.

How much you paying for commissioning? Danny.

 

[stani]

Are you actually doing the course or just an assessment with the Oftec inspector?

 

[Dannypipe]

Doing the course. Surely you can't do an assessment until you have your competancy certificates?

Its all new to me. Do I have to renew every five years as with gas? I guess initial registration is a few hundred quid? Then I'll get inspected.

I have a job I fitted a couple of years ago, possibly I can go and service that and get inspected on it?

Its all new to me. Never been urgent as I have never broken the law by working on an oil fired appliance. As I understand it, anyone can, registered or not. The registered bit becomes important when you start installing and want to notify. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Roger Welton]

I see they're £31.50 when you're registered instead of £45, may be worth waiting until then, or do you know someone local that could get them for you

 

[Dannypipe]

You'll need a set, maybe not for the course (we had sets provided) but when you get your inspection (within 12 months) he'll want to see your books and that you are adding in the updates.

How much you paying for commissioning? Danny.

All in I'm paying £600. Seems reasonable to me. Then the books on top.

 

[stani]

Only asked because I was going to do the course at Trianco and they sold the books at a considerable saving over Oftec,thought your trainers might do the same

 

[Dannypipe]

I see they're £31.50 when you're registered instead of £45, may be worth waiting until then, or do you know someone local that could get them for you

I have a couple of mates who are registered, but they're employed by a firm. So probably not possible. I think I'm paying £50 a book if I buy it from the college.

 

[Roger Welton]

Not sure now, but if you have been working on oil then you should be fine to just do the assessment, maybe a days training to familiarize yourself with the books and relevant BSI. Reasesment every 5 years like gas. You need two registrations one for yourself and one for the business, I think you can pay for these annually now, you used to have to do 5 years at a time!

 

[Roger Welton]

I have a couple of mates who are registered, but they're employed by a firm. So probably not possible. I think I'm paying £50 a book if I buy it from the college.

Oftec Direct Shop - Technical Publications

 

[Dannypipe]

Only asked because I was going to do the course at Trianco and they sold the books at a considerable saving over Oftec,thought your trainers might do the same

I was going to go to Trianco myself. They're near suffolk aren't they? Anyway I was going to stay with the father in law as he lives up that way.

When I did my LPG conversion the other month, the college I went to did oil and I thought it would be a good time to bite the bullet. There's a lot of off mains property around me, (hence the LPG conversion) so just trying to add a string to my bow!

 

[SimonG]

Its about 500 for company reg and 240 for engineer, every 5 years. They train you then assess, you then get your certs through the post and then register (££££) with OFTEC. Take the inspector (prob 6 months down line) to a good one. He'll assess your install and want to see you commission it, again. Big on tank base sizes, tank clearances, ventilation, earth bonding to oil lines, flue terminal locations.

 

[Dannypipe]

Not sure now, but if you have been working on oil then you should be fine to just do the assessment, maybe a days training to familiarize yourself with the books and relevant BSI. Reasesment every 5 years like gas. You need two registrations one for yourself and one for the business, I think you can pay for these annually now, you used to have to do 5 years at a time!

Two registrations? That sounds expensive and un-neccessary!

 

[Dannypipe]

Its about 500 for company reg and 240 for engineer, every 5 years. They train you then assess, you then get your certs through the post and then register (££££) with OFTEC. Take the inspector (prob 6 months down line) to a good one. He'll assess your install and want to see you commission it, again. Big on tank base sizes, tank clearances, ventilation, earth bonding to oil lines, flue terminal locations.

I have to do the assessment at a college right? Or are you saying someone from Oftec can come out and do it with me direct?

Yes, I would imagine I won't need much training. I have a smoke pump, and obviously an analyser for my gas work. So I'm ready to rock N roll.

Thanks for all the answers so far everyone.

 

[stani]

Two registrations? That sounds expensive and un-neccessary!

My thoughts as well

 

[SimonG]

Assessment on training at college then your 'oftec' inspection with 12 months on site (of your choosing)

 

[Dannypipe]

Oh and have the correct guage for setting the pump. I'm set!!

 

[SimonG]

Two registrations? That sounds expensive and un-neccessary!

Aye bit of a rip of. The company is registered and then there's a fee for each technician.

 

[Dannypipe]

OK, I get it. College it is then.

I'm sure I'll learn something. Decided not to to do vaporising burners, as it's only really Aga's and I don't know anything about them, so wouldn't feel comfortable doing a day in college and then going out to service them!

I'm going to have to make sure this is worth forking out all the money for. I do have a boiler to install in the next couple of weeks. With possibly a new tank too, so it would start earning me money straight away.

These people that are Gas Safe registered, Heatas Registered, Part P registered, Oftec Registered must spend every day at college. There's a bloke lives round by me, who's van is so badged up it looks like a racing car!

 

[Roger Welton]

I have OFTEC, Domestic and Commercial Gas also LPG, somehow they are all come up for renewal at the same time :icon9: I don't look forward to that year, costs a fortune and have the best part of a month not being able to work whilst at college .

 

[Dannypipe]

Yeah, I can't imagine that. My qualifications are all spread across the years, so luckilly no big lumps.

Next to expire is my unvented in a year or two. Think I can just about afford that one.

What do you do more of Roger, gas or oil?

 

[Roger Welton]

About 50:50 not so much commercial or LPG but keep them going as they wipe there noses over 5 years

 

[Dannypipe]

Right, well I guess that makes it a bit more interesting and certainly means its worth all the hassle and money to keep registered.

Commercial, I've done jobs that are borderline and it's always interested me, but I'm not going down that road. Next thing I'll look at will be solid fuel. That's in a couple of years I think. I've been asked to fit combined systems with solid fuel and oil. So like you say, if it wipes its nose in the five years, why not.

Cheers all. Very interesting. I'll obvioulsy report back on here how it went. Looking forward to putting a nice green sticker on me van!!!

 

[ecowarm]

Been Oftec for over 2 years and never been inspected

 

[Dannypipe]

Brilliant!! LOL.

 

[kimbo]

Just had my second inspection in 10years, it took about 2.1/2hrs, he will check everything including analyser certificates.
Technically you cant install or commission until your registration is through, as with Unvented it is not just a case of getting qualified you have to be part of a competent persons scheme.
Oh and by the way I think you will be caught for the new insurance scheme which costs about 52pds a year to protect the customer if you go bust.
Happy days

 

[Dannypipe]

Little wonder cowboys can under cut us is it? No qualifications, no insurance, will work cheaper for pound notes.

Oh well, I've made my mind up to go for it, and will follow it through now. I could well see like Roger, I could get 50/50 gas and oil if I pushed the oil more. Which I will do once I've ironed out over a grand to get it sorted.

 

[Roger Welton]

I don't know why this new insurance thing wasn't just rolled into the registration fee, it's so specialised I can't see there being many options as to underwriters.

 

[furryneddy]

Never had an install inspected but did have business audit very quickly after passing and had to go to an exisiting installation (not mine) and explain what was what, also was shown how to fill in T133 CD10 cert's etc. Had to go back to my home address after and show all books including the central heating one ! henry the hoover, fire valve tester, oil spill kit, insurance, flare kit, tools etc etc. They won't complete your registration otherwise. Oh and Trianco used to be in Sheffield near to Meadowhall shopping centre not Suffolk unless they moved ?

 

[stani]

Never had an install inspected but did have business audit very quickly after passing and had to go to an exisiting installation (not mine) and explain what was what, also was shown how to fill in T133 CD10 cert's etc. Had to go back to my home address after and show all books including the central heating one ! henry the hoover, fire valve tester, oil spill kit, insurance, flare kit, tools etc etc. They won't complete your registration otherwise. Oh and Trianco used to be in Sheffield near to Meadowhall shopping centre not Suffolk unless they moved ?

They have moved but I think to Nottingham

 

[Dannypipe]

Yeah, the father in law lives in Lincoln. That was about half hour from their new premises.

 

[francisco]

Lads coul do with some help. Done the often course a few weeks back,good course but one glaring omission was the little time we had using the the flue gas analyser. Bought a anton one and haven't a clue how to use it,net,nethe,gross,which one is for standard eff and which one is for high eff.

 

[SimonG]

Lads coul do with some help. Done the often course a few weeks back,good course but one glaring omission was the little time we had using the the flue gas analyser. Bought a anton one and haven't a clue how to use it,net,nethe,gross,which one is for standard eff and which one is for high eff.

What experience have you had on oil other than the course. I don't use an analyser I'm old school and still use a wet kit, but on the course we used analysers and didn't have a problem. What's the instructions like with the analyser? Have you phoned Anton for a few pointers or if they run a course themselves to get the best out of an analyser?

 

[Roger Welton]

I personally leave my analyser on gros as to me nett efficiencies are a bit of a fiddle from the boiler manufacturers to make there products seem better.

SimonG- A wet kit that takes me back, haven't seen one of those for a few years now, can you still get the fluid for it?

 

[SimonG]

Aye, heating world of spares carry the bottles.

 

[keltoyboy]

What experience have you had on oil other than the course. I don't use an analyser I'm old school and still use a wet kit, but on the course we used analysers and didn't have a problem. What's the instructions like with the analyser? Have you phoned Anton for a few pointers or if they run a course themselves to get the best out of an analyser?

What about when you have an inspection.....do they not look for calibration cert for the wet kit:cool3:.....have my inspection tomorrow..... guess it will be fun!!

 

[Dannypipe]

I've contacted OFTEC in advance of me doing the course so I can get the forms filled out ect.

I don't like the sound of this business audit that is now mandatory to become a member. What's that all about? They should be checking our apptitude as good engineers, not how seriously we treat health and safety in our business and such like.

Its almost enough to put me off joining on principal. I don't want some pen pusher sat in my home telling me how to run my business. Personally I've not had any issues with Gas Safe. It seems like I'm allready wound up with Oftec and I haven't even joined!!

Whats really funny is they say "at no extra charge". Thanks!!

 

[Lou]

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