I FINALLY DID IT! I PASSED MY TRADE TEST!
So, after all of the hard work of doing all of the trade modules during the Learnership NQF2 and NQF3 years and then needing to go through the extra trouble of getting MERSETA to accept my Trade Test Application by doing some bridging work to qualify, I got my Trade test.
I must say... it scared me to death - this impending Trade Test...
I must say, my Trade test was being done at Techni-skills, which is well known to be one of the best training colleges to do your test at, because they have a very high standard.
When I did the Trade Test, every test and practical had a pass mark requirement of 80% and more. The Trade test was also done at a very high standard.
I have known many people who attempted this Trade test at this same location and have failed. That said, there were also people who passed...
The wild card in the mix when dealing with the Trade Test is that you get an envelope with a randomized set of Trade Test Tasks. Your Assembly and Commissioning stays the same. But Task 1, 2 and 3 each have 3 possible tasks.
I had to prepare to do all of them, because you do not know which ones you are going to get!
In the end of the day, I managed to practice and complete all of them to a high standard. I did not feel great about it anyway, arrogance will get you no-where but neither will panic. So I got some slow-release anti-stress pills (whatever they were) from my wife and got on with it.
In my mind I wanted to select the number 6 envelope. No reason. Just a haunch.
When the envelopes came, there were no numbers on them... so I just had to put my hand on one of the envelopes. I chose the closest one to me.
I got number six!
They don't tell you what all your tasks are right away. The Assessor and Moderator speak to one-another and plan how all the candidates will tackle the Trade test tasks and then give you your first task.
You read it. You sign it and write the time. I have 40mins to do this task, let's go.
Task 1: Test an electrical motor.
Right, so assess the physical properties of the motor and write my findings.
Then do a winding resistance check and write findings.
Then do the megger test on the motor winding to winding and from winding to earth. Write my findings.
In all of the tasks, you need to start with "Permission to Work" then "Risk Assessment" and then record absolutely everything you do.
You finish off every task with a recommendation.
That motor had not been sound electrically or mechanically. But my findings needed to be accurate.
Task 2 - Fault find a Refrigeration plant.
The task is that you have been called to go to a refrigeration plant by a client and that the plant was working the previous day and no longer works today. Assess the plant and find out why it is not working.
The issue can be electrical, mechanical or refrigerant.
I assessed the unit and found nothing physically wrong and asked the assessor permission to start the unit.
The unit ran and switched off almost immediately. I noticed a low suction pressure and saw the switch off as an LP cutout. But this was a pump-down unit.
So there was something up with the solenoid. I assessed the solenoid. It was installed correctly, I checked its wiring and found that fault - they had cut off the bare-metal part on one of the wires and terminated the wire again.
I reported my finding and concluded my report.
Task 3 - Commission panel and 3 phase motor.
Right, this means doing all the motor testing I had donw in Task 1 - only, I found a motor without faults of course.
I studied and assessed the panel thoroughly. I found the Earth Wire disconnected and a loose phase wire. I recorded and reported these.
They then give you a panel that you have to ring out and a motor with wierd color wires to ring out and check the windings and then to connect the motor in Star-Delta
RI-WO
WI-BO
BI-RO
E-E
And you need to calculate and set your overload and step-up delay.
Both the Assessor and Moderator come to witness the motor starting and all went well and my findings were accurate. Too accurate, they never loosened that phase wire. But it WAS loose and I did fasten it. Haha.
Task 4 - Assembly
Right, everyone gets this one. You get a system, there is a broken pipe - fix it. Pressure test the system, vacuum it and then leave it overnight and if the vacuum holds, you pass.
All procedures must be written and recorded.
I also found other problems with the unit which the facilitators no doubt set up for me to find and solve. This is because this is the same unit I will be starting in Task 5.
Task 5 - Commissioning
So, since my Vacuum held overnight, I can now charge my system with refrigerant and commission it.
I had drawn a Freezer so I needed to run the unit to -10C as well as set up the superheat and set up the LP and HP to cut in and out at specific pressures as directed by the Trade Test paper.
I managed to do all of it and the Assessor had to witness all the criteria for the commissioning... which he did...
And that is IT!
I did it all. The papers were signed and they shook my hand. You are now qualified!
You can see the pic above on the bottom of this page with all the other qualifieds: https://techni-skills.co.za/wp/index.php/leadership/learnership-success/
Thank you for reading this post!
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