Accepted onto EAL Dip Electrical Installations L2

[godzilla]

Hi all,

After some great discusions and advice from a number of members in my welcome 1st post.

I signed up and enrolled (yesterday) for the EAL Diploma in Electrical Installations Level 2

College route in Gwent, 2 evening per week 5.30-9pm (yesterday was enrollement). 50 miles round trip and bit of a pain to get there and back, but in for the long run.

Picked up my safety toe capped booths this morning from screw fix.

Thought I come on here again to get some advice on what to expect on this course!

Also very grateful for any help and pointers on materials I need to use - reading, video, pdfs anything that is available (free at the moment) to help to get me started.

Not sure what to expect, but i think H&S is the first module.

Also to train myself - any pointers on buying anything at this moment to tinker or train/practice at home.

Once again thanks for all the chaps from my first post

 

[sloughrookie]

Congratulations on taking the plunge. I only have experience with City & Guilds so can't comment on your choice of course or qualification you'll be working towards.

With regards to your commute, make sure you go to the loo before you set off and always have something to drink in the car.

Don't invest too much money on additional training material until you start the course and see what is provided or what the tutors advise you to get.

There are loads and loads of good quality videos on site for access to free training. John Ward is a fountain of knowledge, GSH, Sparky Ninja, Engineering Mindset are a few other excellent channels to learn from. Once you start down the YT rabbit hole, you will discover loads more electrician content. Just be cautious and not take anyone on YT word as gospel as the way they do things may differ from the way your tutors will show you or they may just be wrong - there is a lot of bad workmanship out there. Just try to stick to the videos more suitable for learning rather than a spark on site.

Saying that, you can ignore all of this and watch David Savery as his channel is a gold mine of entertainment.

While your college will probably provide all the tools you need for the practical stuff, it's always nice to have a basic hand tool kit for yourself. I found this to be a benefit during my training because I don't have to worry about disinfecting everything (due to covid) before and after use and your own tools will generally be in better condition that tools used my multiple other students.

Once you get into the testing, it's good to have your own testing board at home. I have one in my shed which consists of a cheap (populated) DB, cable, sockets and switches from Screwfix. I think the entire set up cost me about £120, it won't give you any meaningful readings but I found it very useful to familiarise myself with the sequence & process of testing.

Good Luck

 

[godzilla]

Thanks SR,

Here is my my thoughts after enrollment and the first night class sessions

day 1 was enrollment and getting setup online and early finish
day 2 finish off last min checks on enrollment and started the following module.

In two groups, 1 week theory, 1 week pracs

Interesting start - lecturer walks in and say 1 guy from the first night has been rubbing shoulders with someone with covid!!!
As everyone was jacked up in PPE and keeping SD, we were given the all clear to start, but, if we felt ill, we dont turn up and do everything online.
So, H&S sorted for the course!
Also great bunch of guys - all walks of life - still to finid out more about everyone.

Our first module - went over 1.1 and 1.2
Learning outcome 1. Understand how health and safety applies to electrotechnical operations. ;
1.1 State the general aims of health and safety legislation.
1.2 Recognise the legal status of health and safety documents.
1.3 State their own roles and responsibilities and those of others with regard to current relevant legislation.
1.4 State the role of enforcing authorities under health and safety legislation.

Thoughts - apart from the 45-50mile round trip each night - not the best route (long winded A roads), so far so good!

On your advice!

1. loos - check
2. gear/tools - wont buy anything anyless told - But did pickup my steel toecap boots from screw fix for £20 - reduced from 30 - well chuffed with those - Lecturer was well impressed with them too!
3. Videos - Dave Savery - noted!
4. testing gear for the future - yes planned to get a board and bits to tinker with - planning to get that once I am a couple of months in and seen what gear is used most in the pracs

cheers again and will report back on a regular basis

Congratulations on taking the plunge. I only have experience with City & Guilds so can't comment on your choice of course or qualification you'll be working towards.

With regards to your commute, make sure you go to the loo before you set off and always have something to drink in the car.

Don't invest too much money on additional training material until you start the course and see what is provided or what the tutors advise you to get.

There are loads and loads of good quality videos on site for access to free training. John Ward is a fountain of knowledge, GSH, Sparky Ninja, Engineering Mindset are a few other excellent channels to learn from. Once you start down the YT rabbit hole, you will discover loads more electrician content. Just be cautious and not take anyone on YT word as gospel as the way they do things may differ from the way your tutors will show you or they may just be wrong - there is a lot of bad workmanship out there. Just try to stick to the videos more suitable for learning rather than a spark on site.

Saying that, you can ignore all of this and watch David Savery as his channel is a gold mine of entertainment.

While your college will probably provide all the tools you need for the practical stuff, it's always nice to have a basic hand tool kit for yourself. I found this to be a benefit during my training because I don't have to worry about disinfecting everything (due to covid) before and after use and your own tools will generally be in better condition that tools used my multiple other students.

Once you get into the testing, it's good to have your own testing board at home. I have one in my shed which consists of a cheap (populated) DB, cable, sockets and switches from Screwfix. I think the entire set up cost me about £120, it won't give you any meaningful readings but I found it very useful to familiarise myself with the sequence & process of testing.

Good Luck

 

[David Prosser]

Don't buy anything once you get a couple of months down the road on your course post on here what you're after most people will have plenty of spare bits they can send you for free.

 

[godzilla]

Don't buy anything once you get a couple of months down the road on your course post on here what you're after most people will have plenty of spare bits they can send you for free.

Will defo remember this, i am sure they will be some bits i will eventually need!

 

[godzilla]

Latest update...

3rd week in and we have completed the following outcomes.

Learning outcome 1. Understand how health and safety applies to electrotechnical operations.
Learning outcome 2. Understand health and safety procedures in the work environment

Started outcome 3 this week

Learning outcome 3. Understand the basic electrical safety requirements

But, today we get our first Prac. We were meant to do 1 a week, but a register mess up means our group starts 1 week behind.

So far, so good, its straightforward at the moment. That will change once the maths starts, but all good.

Hopefully, pick up some library books today to skim through. Not going to buy any books as the library and some pdf's hopefully will be enough to cover the whole course.

New update next week!

 

[JAWS]

Hi Godzilla I take it you've got the specific level 2 course book for your particular course that your tutor will go though in each lesson along side the smartscreen?

 

[Lister1987]

The EAL coursebook should've given free to you by your learning provider, something the EAL courses do right that C&G dont

 

[Lister1987]

Don't buy anything once you get a couple of months down the road on your course post on here what you're after most people will have plenty of spare bits they can send you for free.

Don't suppose anyone has a copy of GN8 going begging? Don't think it's changed since last edition bar a blue bar on the front cover.

On topic, get on the trainees section of you haven't already,some good stuff on there

 

[godzilla]

Hi Godzilla I take it you've got the specific level 2 course book for your particular course that your tutor will go though in each lesson along side the smartscreen?

Hi Jaw,

Everything is on Powerpoint notes wise, we just folllow whats written and answer all questions from there.

Its like they covering all the main points you need to pass.

No book mentioned, but I did make some queries in the college library and found out its

Electrical installation work. Level 2 by Peter Roberts, so I have it on hold. I did pick up some books by Lindsay and Watkins, both electrical installations. Older but the formulae not changed. These I will skim through until the main book becomes available or i can pick one up via pdf somewhere.

On the course update, did the prac, but because it was pelting down, we could not do the ladder and tower scaffold prac, so did their assessment write up instead. Basic Isolation is next weeks prac.

 

[godzilla]

Don't suppose anyone has a copy of GN8 going begging? Don't think it's changed since last edition bar a blue bar on the front cover.

On topic, get on the trainees section of you haven't already,some good stuff on there

How do I become a trainee or get onto that section. I am down as DIY!

 

[Lister1987]

How do I become a trainee or get onto that section. I am down as DIY!

Drop @Dan or @Lou a message with your details of study and they'll sort you out.

 

[godzilla]

Drop @Dan or @Lou a message with your details of study and they'll sort you out.

cool will do!

 

[godzilla]

cool will do!

Sent @Dan a message, will update shortly about the trainee section

 

[godzilla]

Drop @Dan or @Lou a message with your details of study and they'll sort you out.

I looked at the

Apply to Gain Access to Trainee-Only Forum​

There is nothing there and when I click on the link to get application form, it goes to a

Access-only Areas Of The Forum - How Do I Gain Access?​

page. Link to get the app, pressed that, and I ended up in a page not found error!

Any easier way to get an application for the trainee page or have I done this wrong?

 

[westward10]

That link no longer works. As in #14 send a PM to @Dan

 

[godzilla]

Latest update...

4th week in and we have completed the following outcomes.

Learning outcome 4. Know the safety requirements for using access equipment;
Learning outcome 5. Understand the importance of establishing a safe working environment.

Start and finishing outcome 5/6 next week

Learning outcome 6. Understand the importance of establishing a safe working environment.

Finished ladder setup and use and scaffold setup use and take down prac, which was great fun!

After that we had a bash at the circuit setup of the light, single switch and unit - 1 way light system. Did not finished, but had a good bash at it!

Gave in and bought the EAL: level 2 for £15 odd bucks - had a £5 offer ticket, so worth a punt and with no chance of getting abook from the library, decided, £15 was worth it (latest edition).

New update next week!

ps. Anyone got good source of the wiring diagrams or templates, I can use to draw on or study. The one drawn on the whiteboard is never the best for me to refer to in class (its all in 1 marker pen)!