Baxi course: highly recommended

[armyash]

Hi guys, Just thought I'd share my opinions on the Baxi courses that I have been on this week. The instructor has been excellent, doesn't bombard us with so much information that we forget half of it. He doesn't waffle on too much, he keeps it basic and gives us the info we need. So glad I did the course now and not a year ago when I was first starting out, I have done a lot of courses over the last couple of years but the trouble was not getting to put what I was being taught in to practise because I was still in the army, so I have the qualifications for some things but only just starting to learn aspects now (part P stuff mainly). Did basic electrics yesterday (learning how to use a multimeter and test components) today was combi appreciation - a lot of it I knew or had a good idea of but it was good to go in to more detail and was good to see how simple some things really are. I would definitely recommend the course to anyone who is familiar with boilers through installs but want to learn more on the fault finding side. It has done my confidence some good because there's guys on the course who didn't seem to know much more than me (but they can obviously smash pipe work in fairly quick and everything else where as i'm still slow). I wont feel so guilty in work now when a repair is taking a bit too long because it has made me realise everyone has to start somewhere and nobody knows everything. I have boiler diagnostics tomorrow - should be the most interesting day and get plenty of hands on then i'm back on the 23rd for system wiring and controls. sorry for the lay out of my post can't seem to use the enter button on the forum.

 

[Killy Bing]

Pm how much you paid ash im interested in doing them

 

[galaxy_plumbing]

it was 75 or 67 if paid online, not sure how much they charge now.

 

[jase158]

yeah, how much, its around £65 per course isn't it? and you have to do the electrical course, so £130 for 2, £200 for all 3???

 

[galaxy_plumbing]

i remember there was no discount on multiple days, just multiply days by 67 or whatever it costs now. They do/did 4 day course

 

[stevetheplumber]

ive recommended this course before without a doubt the best course ive ever been on and when i did it it was free

 

[armyash]

That's right £75 per day but 10% off for making an online enquiry first. They wont let you do boiler diagnostics without doing basic electrics first though as they said so many people turn up saying they can use a multimeter but turns out they haven't got a clue. A lot of money but worth it for me even considering i'm not getting paid for my time off but if you can convince your boss (if you have one) to pay then go for it.

 

[johnnyplumb]

where abouts you doing it ash

 

[armyash]

In Dartford Johnnyplumb but I think they have training centres in other locations.

 

[johnnyplumb]

I enquired about there boiler courses, but was told I had to go to warrington
I know the courses get good reviews but I was hoping for somewhere nearer.

 

[armyash]

whats that about 3 hr drive each way?? It's definitely worth going to if you can. I'm lucky only half hour drive for me.

 

[ndsmith]

I have been on 3 baxi course's ,or BDR Thermea as they call it now. I also couldnt recommend them enough, its very well thought out and not just here you go get your hands dirty, they teach you a lot.

 

[johnnyplumb]

yea probably about 3hrs or so each way, but it's having to do the 3 courses that's the problem, means 3 days lost.
I was really only interested in the boiler fault finding.

 

[ndsmith]

It's not 3 days lost though, there are a lot more than 3 working days left in your working life aren't they?

 

[dancinplumba]

Good question

 

[TBServices]

I went on a free course for the DuoTec and it was great, so I'd have no reservations about doing the full course and paying for it. Just couldn't face that drive every day. May do it in the summer when free time is easier to come by.

 

[Riley]

They are wicked courses. Did them in Warwick earlier this year. Really can't recommend them highly enough. Good coaches excellent hand outs.

 

[johnnyplumb]

It's not 3 days lost though, there are a lot more than 3 working days left in your working life aren't they?

depends if I learn anything, I might know everything they teach you.

 

[ndsmith]

depends if I learn anything, I might know everything they teach you.

If you think you may know everything then maybe you don't need to go on any courses?!

 

[chris watkins]

Went to Dartford last Thursday & had a look at there re-newables - Solar thermal, CHP, GSHP & Wood chip boiler all very good & more coming.
You may even see us in the PHAM News they had a reporter down to cover the day.

 

[armyash]

yea probably about 3hrs or so each way, but it's having to do the 3 courses that's the problem, means 3 days lost.
I was really only interested in the boiler fault finding.

I think you can get away with doing basic electrics and boiler diagnostics and miss out on the other 2. The combi appreciation course I could imagine for someone who has been at it for years would not learn very much. I have started to get my head around system wiring but feel that a whole day doing it without the pressure of work will be priceless and I'll probably learn more in that one day than I would in 3 months of flapping on jobs staring at a wiring centre thinking i'd rather just rip it all out and start again than try to find where it's been wired up wrong!

 

[Dannypipe]

Did the course a few years back. Thought it was great. I haven't done any training for a while now. Going to try to get a free Worcester Bosch course as I've fitted a fair few of them this year.

 

[armyash]

Did the boiler diagnostics today and picked up on all the faults pretty quickly using what I had been taught. Has given me so much more confidence that i'm really excited about putting it all in to practise (geek) Excellent day today, plenty of hands on and was good to see what we have been taught actually works. On top of that what made it better was the lads on the course were all really keen to be there too and wanted to learn and they were all just as impressed with the course as I was. I hate it on courses when there's usually 1 or 2 blokes who act like they know it all and constantly gobbing off. Wasn't like that this time, best course I have ever done and I have learnt more about how boilers work in the last 3 days than I have in the last 12 months, just goes to show if you are taught well things can be understood. Things seem a lot clearer to me now and I wont be so worried about working on boilers now. Still have loads to learn but this has been a great step up. Roll on 23rd December for system wiring and controls.

 

[Marka1411]

Glad to hear good things about these courses as i have been looking into them myself over the last few weeks, think you have just made my mind up, i will get them sorted for the new year.
Can i just ask are they full day courses?

 

[armyash]

Glad to hear good things about these courses as i have been looking into them myself over the last few weeks, think you have just made my mind up, i will get them sorted for the new year.
Can i just ask are they full day courses?

Hi that's good I would get them done asap, was beneficial for me as only been at it for a year so I learnt so much. They are full days, teaching starts about 9ish if everyone is on time. Tea break somewhere between half 10 and 11ish. dinner time about half 12 1ish and then can either finish the day earlier or have a tea break in afternoon - which is what we did. finished between 15.45 and 16.30 on different days. It's a very relaxed course and done at a good steady pace. They could cram more information in and show you more stuff but I think they had the balance about right. Too much info and it's in 1 ear and out the other for me but that's been the general gist of the day for me this week.