Train as gas engineer

robfosters said:
I think hydrogen boilers are quite possibly going to be more widespread than heat pumps.
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They are really not and for lots of really obvious reasons.

  1. There is not a surplus of clean hydrogen to power them with and we are decades away from decarbonising existing uses. Burning 'brown' hydrogen is worse than burning gas.
  2. Green hydrogen is more expensive than gas, a lot more expensive in fact, you typically need 4-6kwh of electricity to make 1kwh of hydrogen. You might as well just use an electric radiator...
  3. The entire gas infrastructure and every appliance attached to it would need to be replaced because its not designed to take hydrogen and it would leak out. Hydrogen is explosive in a far wider range of concentrations than gas, needless to say, that's bad.

Heat pumps are being installed today and need 1kwh of electricity to add 3-5kwh of heat to a property.

Hydrogen might get widespread adoption as an LPG replacement for bottled gas but that's about it.
 
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Jokester said:
It's unlikely there'll ever be the infrastructure in place for hydrogen boilers, beyond a replacement for LPG, the current plan is to spike the domestic gas supply with upto 10% H2 as part of the transistion, but they'll always be limited by installed gas boilers ability to burn higher levels of H2.
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23% is the max H2 without causing issues:p
 
Step in to my office young man.

Firstly, no to gas. As mentioned, gas is going out of fashion and we already have a surplus of gas engineers.

A trade however is most definitely the way to go, tradies are a dying breed and salaries are starting to reflect this.

Answer these questions:

Do you want to fly solo and beg for work yourself (not really ideal if you don't have the relevant networks)?
Do you want to work for a company and enjoy the security whilst not having to worry about begging for work to make ends meet?
Do you want to do installs or maintenance? Installs are generally better suited to fit young men who can lift many heavy things, maintenance is for those who've cut their teeth and want to chill out a bit. Depending on how you play your cards, they will generally earn the same.



//For reference, I started off as a pipefitter/boilermaker apprentice and worked my way through all manner of trade jobs, from mechanical engineer, HVAC engineer, plumber, and I'm currently the engineering manager for the Natural History Museum. I employ about 20 people of all sorts of trades and my network goes far and wide. You will struggle to find a more suitable person to answer your questions on this forum :)

I'm two years older than you.
 
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robfosters said:
That is true, but there won’t be a ban on installing gas boilers on properties built before 2025 until 2035.

Heat pump costs are prohibitive too. I think hydrogen boilers are quite possibly going to be more widespread than heat pumps.
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I do as well but market forces will dictate that. Im not a fan of heat pumps personally in a well insulated new build they do make sense tho.
 
Jokester said:
Gas hobs are likely to limit it to 10% is my understanding.
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My understanding is 23% max but 20% is the agreed figure, and as all gas appliances since 1996 have been made to accommodate this then I'm sure we will find out soon enough.

Why is the hydrogen level set at a maximum of 20%? - HyDeploy

The decision to restrict the potential blend to 20% is based on:- Earlier studies (e.g. HSE Research Report RR1047, 2015), indicate that the addition of up to 20% hydrogen by volume is unlikely to present significant changes to any risks already associated with natural gas delivery. 20% is the...
hydeploy.co.uk hydeploy.co.uk
www.britishgas.co.uk

Hydrogen boilers: everything you need to know - British Gas

In this article, we’ll bring you up to speed with the latest info and why it’s not really something to worry about.
www.britishgas.co.uk www.britishgas.co.uk
www.energylivenews.com

UK's gas grid ready for 20% hydrogen blend from next year - Energy Live News

The 20% blend is forecast to reduce the UK's carbon dioxide emissions, the equivalent of taking 2.5 million cars off roads
www.energylivenews.com www.energylivenews.com
 
At the end of the day, heat pump and hydrogen courses are nice and short, so there’s nothing stopping you from learning the lot.

My brothers doing his heat pump and hydrogen in the next month or so and he’s doing air con training soon as well so he’s got another string to his bow.
 
Spannerhead said:
Hi there you lovely lot.

Asking you lot for advise. I’m currently work for NatWest Bank as client manager. Been doing this for job for years but it’s one of jobs that you do with gritted teeth . Really starting to dislike this job as it is a high stress job and I have to work with the most narcissistic/ selfish people on the planet. .

Considering a career change ( mainly because I’m 37 and I am probably having a midlife crises )

I was thinking of getting out of banking and getting into a trade . Liked the idea of being a gas engineer/installer as my uncle was one . ( unfortunately I can’t ask him this question as the inconsiderate sod died on me years ago )

Does anyone here who work as a gas engineer think that this is a good idea to get into this sort of work later in life, how did you get into the job and how do find the job in general?

(loved the fact you can actually use this sort of work to get a job in Australia/canada/New Zealand )

Thank you
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Train as a heat pump central heating engineer as the environmental lobby want gas heating gone.
 
My oldest son is going into his 3rd year of a gas apprenticeship in a couple of months, decent money and a nice qualification at the end of it. He's also working on industrial sized equipment as well so should have a nice range of experience come the end of it. Expect there's a lot of life left in the industry yet as these green targets might get pushed out a bit but there's always the ability to learn how to do AC and Heat Pumps amongst anything else that comes along.
 
My brother was a gas engineer for British Gas. He got there via the apprenticeship route. The training was great. And at first he liked the job. The thing he disliked was slowly over time they were encouraged to sell stuff. Service plans, new boiler installs etc. he hated that part of it. But a large part of your performance was based on how much you sold.

There were engineers who did jobs poorly and so engineers would be called back to fix it. That should be the measure of performance. Doing a good job that doesn’t need callbacks. But sales became the top thing.

So he packed it in and now works for national grid on ‘big gas pipes’ as he calls it. Much happier.

Of course you don’t have to work for a ‘big company’. But if you do I just thought I’d make you aware.
 
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OldKitMan said:
My oldest son is going into his 3rd year of a gas apprenticeship in a couple of months, decent money and a nice qualification at the end of it. He's also working on industrial sized equipment as well so should have a nice range of experience come the end of it. Expect there's a lot of life left in the industry yet as these green targets might get pushed out a bit but there's always the ability to learn how to do AC and Heat Pumps amongst anything else that comes along.
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Was speaking to my brother about this recently, him and a lot of his friends in the trade are absolutely convinced the 2025 ban will be pushed back 10 years.
 
robfosters said:
That is true, but there won’t be a ban on installing gas boilers on properties built before 2025 until 2035.

Heat pump costs are prohibitive too. I think hydrogen boilers are quite possibly going to be more widespread than heat pumps.
Click to expand...

m4rmite said:
Hydrogen is the future.

Well at least if you read the nay sayers posts in the electric car thread:D
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No.
 
@Spannerhead I get emails from recruiters daily, here's today's for some inspiration:

Good Evening,



As you may know the FM market is extremely busy at the minute and I looking to speak to the following

  • HVAC Engineers – Static & Mobile Opportunities
  • Commercial Gas Engineers
  • Mechanical Technicians / Plumbers


I have interview slots available and clients which are crying out for strong building services engineers.



Read on to find out more…



HVAC Technicians – Get in touch regarding the below!!!!!



  1. Mobile AC Engineer – up to £55k - M4 Corridor, Van & fuel card included.
  • Area Covering – M4 Corridor (Including Newbury)
  • Service, repairs, 90% all commercial offices.
  • Fuel card, company van, 50-hour week with 1 hour and a half travel given per day.
  • Get in early & leave early.
  • Personal use on vehicle aloud.


  1. Mobile AC engineers – £46K – Covering M25, Van & fuel card included.
  • Monday-Friday from 8:00am-5:00pm
  • Travel after 1 hour each way.
  • Bonus of 3% on salary per year
  • Working across commercial offices, hotels and hospitals


  1. Static AC Engineer – Euston– £43k
  • Monday-Friday from 8:00am-5:00pm
  • General building maintenance across site etc
  • Great opportunities for both overtime & progression.


  1. Semi Static AC Engineer – The Strand – £43K
  • Monday-Friday from 8:00am-5:00pm
  • Comes with a van, covering 3 sites across a campus.
  • PPMs, General maintenance across site
  • Full UK drivers’ licence needed.


Commercial Gas Engineers – Get in touch regarding the below opportunities!!!!



  1. Commercial Gas Engineer – Covering ONLY Surrey – £45K - £50K (Negotiable for the right candidate)
  • Working on a commercial contract covering buildings across Surrey.
  • PPM’s & reactive maintenance.
  • Private use on vans – aloud
  • Travel paid after 30 minutes each way.
  • Van, fuel card all included.


  1. Commercial Gas Engineer – Covering ESSEX & London - £50K.
  • Working on a commercial contract covering buildings throughout Essex & London.
  • PPM’s & reactive maintenance.
  • Expenses paid once per week.
  • 1 in 4 call out
  • Van, fuel card all included.


Mechanical Engineers & Plumbers – Get in touch regarding the below!!!!

  1. Mobile Plumber – Covering ONLY Surrey - £39K (negotiable for the right candidate)
  • Working on a commercial contract covering buildings across Surrey.
  • PPM’s & reactive maintenance.
  • Private use on vans – aloud
  • Travel paid after 30 minutes each way.
  • Van, fuel card all included.
  1. Mobile Plumber – Covering ESSEX & London - £42K
  • Working on a commercial contract covering buildings throughout Essex & London.
  • PPM’s & reactive maintenance.
  • Expenses paid once per week.
  • 1 in 4 call out
  • Van, fuel card all included.


  1. FCU Service Engineer – £30K –London – Mobile, Van included.
  • 7-hour nights, from 21:00 onwards
  • Filter bashing
  • Ideal for a candidate looking to get into or gain more experience within the industry.
  • Must have FCU experience.


  1. Mobile Fire Damper Engineer - £30K-£35K- London & Southeast, Van & Fuel Card included.
  • Service and remedials works.
  • Van fuel card provided, predominantly out of hours work so you will get paid 0.5 x, most of time from 6pm to 12am
  • Personal use of vehicle given
 
Diddums said:
@Spannerhead I get emails from recruiters daily, here's today's for some inspiration:

Good Evening,



As you may know the FM market is extremely busy at the minute and I looking to speak to the following

  • HVAC Engineers – Static & Mobile Opportunities
  • Commercial Gas Engineers
  • Mechanical Technicians / Plumbers


I have interview slots available and clients which are crying out for strong building services engineers.



Read on to find out more…



HVAC Technicians – Get in touch regarding the below!!!!!



  1. Mobile AC Engineer – up to £55k - M4 Corridor, Van & fuel card included.
  • Area Covering – M4 Corridor (Including Newbury)
  • Service, repairs, 90% all commercial offices.
  • Fuel card, company van, 50-hour week with 1 hour and a half travel given per day.
  • Get in early & leave early.
  • Personal use on vehicle aloud.


  1. Mobile AC engineers – £46K – Covering M25, Van & fuel card included.
  • Monday-Friday from 8:00am-5:00pm
  • Travel after 1 hour each way.
  • Bonus of 3% on salary per year
  • Working across commercial offices, hotels and hospitals


  1. Static AC Engineer – Euston– £43k
  • Monday-Friday from 8:00am-5:00pm
  • General building maintenance across site etc
  • Great opportunities for both overtime & progression.


  1. Semi Static AC Engineer – The Strand – £43K
  • Monday-Friday from 8:00am-5:00pm
  • Comes with a van, covering 3 sites across a campus.
  • PPMs, General maintenance across site
  • Full UK drivers’ licence needed.


Commercial Gas Engineers – Get in touch regarding the below opportunities!!!!



  1. Commercial Gas Engineer – Covering ONLY Surrey – £45K - £50K (Negotiable for the right candidate)
  • Working on a commercial contract covering buildings across Surrey.
  • PPM’s & reactive maintenance.
  • Private use on vans – aloud
  • Travel paid after 30 minutes each way.
  • Van, fuel card all included.


  1. Commercial Gas Engineer – Covering ESSEX & London - £50K.
  • Working on a commercial contract covering buildings throughout Essex & London.
  • PPM’s & reactive maintenance.
  • Expenses paid once per week.
  • 1 in 4 call out
  • Van, fuel card all included.


Mechanical Engineers & Plumbers – Get in touch regarding the below!!!!

  1. Mobile Plumber – Covering ONLY Surrey - £39K (negotiable for the right candidate)
  • Working on a commercial contract covering buildings across Surrey.
  • PPM’s & reactive maintenance.
  • Private use on vans – aloud
  • Travel paid after 30 minutes each way.
  • Van, fuel card all included.
  1. Mobile Plumber – Covering ESSEX & London - £42K
  • Working on a commercial contract covering buildings throughout Essex & London.
  • PPM’s & reactive maintenance.
  • Expenses paid once per week.
  • 1 in 4 call out
  • Van, fuel card all included.


  1. FCU Service Engineer – £30K –London – Mobile, Van included.
  • 7-hour nights, from 21:00 onwards
  • Filter bashing
  • Ideal for a candidate looking to get into or gain more experience within the industry.
  • Must have FCU experience.


  1. Mobile Fire Damper Engineer - £30K-£35K- London & Southeast, Van & Fuel Card included.
  • Service and remedials works.
  • Van fuel card provided, predominantly out of hours work so you will get paid 0.5 x, most of time from 6pm to 12am
  • Personal use of vehicle given
Click to expand...
Who wrote that? They can't spell "allowed". hehehe
 
Jokester said:
It's unlikely there'll ever be the infrastructure in place for hydrogen boilers, beyond a replacement for LPG, the current plan is to spike the domestic gas supply with upto 10% H2 as part of the transistion, but they'll always be limited by installed gas boilers ability to burn higher levels of H2.
Click to expand...

I have worked on Hydeploy (and Hydeploy2). Pretty sure Hynet (north west hydrogen network around Stanlow) has been given the go ahead. Also if you want to get into gas... get into "big boy gas". High pressure >100bar not the domestic side.
 
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