308R RESIDENTIAL sheetmetal licenses

hvactech83 · March 06, 2018, 12:31:56 AM

hello Guys

im looking forward to go for my 308R (low rise) residential sheet metal test .. any tips would be greatly appreciated ./ also if ther was any samples of the test or books i need to study ,review would be very helpful .

thanks in advance

Porcupinepuffer · March 06, 2018, 09:40:28 AM

Thanks for the reminder. I just uploaded what I wrote down from when I took the exam a while back. It is very particular to the scope of the trade and doesn't require much any overly technical sheet metal fabrication or advanced air flow sizing that you'd most certainly find on the bigger sheet metal exam.

If you have access to the contractor's private forum, it's now there.

walker · March 06, 2018, 12:52:24 PM

What is requried to get a 308R?

Porcupinepuffer · March 06, 2018, 02:11:35 PM

It's basically a carbon copy of doing the 313D, or 313A.

4500 hours for the 308R, or 9000 for the 308A.

The full title of the 308R is the dead giveaway for what it is. 308R is limited to installing sheet metal already designed for a job, and to a limited cfm/velocity and floor levels. The 308A is the full license for actually fabricating the sheet metal and installing in large commercial/industrial applications.

Personally, I could care less to install entire ductwork systems like a tin banger, but it's nice to have the right license to add return airs, change a plenum, or other sheet metal type jobs.

walker · March 06, 2018, 07:50:34 PM

I don't even know how a G2 would get 4500 hours working on sheet metal without quitting my job and becoming a tin knocker.

Porcupinepuffer · March 07, 2018, 05:53:09 AM

Quote from: walker on March 06, 2018, 07:50:34 PM
I don't even know how a G2 would get 4500 hours working on sheet metal without quitting my job and becoming a tin knocker.

A G2 who does service vs a G2 who does installs will make a pretty big difference.

walker · March 07, 2018, 06:59:05 AM

Is the 4500 as an apprentice? If so not many guys doing installs would be under a 308R, so how would you confirm hours? Hell I've been working on furnaces for about 8 years now, surely I could claim enough hours just not under a 308R.

Porcupinepuffer · March 07, 2018, 08:42:39 AM

Quote from: walker on March 07, 2018, 06:59:05 AM
Is the 4500 as an apprentice? If so not many guys doing installs would be under a 308R, so how would you confirm hours? Hell I've been working on furnaces for about 8 years now, surely I could claim enough hours just not under a 308R.

Yes. I worked with 308R's in past and present. Done full duct systems and have worn out many a pair of snips... There's also challenging it, which still requires a 308R to sign off.

Of course it's frustrating requiring that many hours when you consider how closely it's related to our trade, and the fact it's still pretty limited... The requirement makes perfect sense since a kid who knows nothing about holding a pair of snips with only a grade 10 education that can start the apprenticeship. But when guys who've been working in the trade for 20 years with over half the knowledge also require the same additional hours, it gets annoying. Just like with the 313D. The OCOT also allows for NO overlap of the hours either. So everyone who wants to be a fully licensed HVAC guy needs to have experience beyond a Doctor doing life saving surgeries.

I think there should be continual reductions of hours of requirements when there's clearly direct experience of closely related trades.

I think once I get the electricians license and plumbers license when I'm 80 years old, I'll be all set to do every type of water heater relocation and electric furnace installs

JordanL · February 23, 2019, 04:18:53 PM

can someone who holds a 308r do full duct installs on new home construction?

Admin · February 23, 2019, 04:24:26 PM

Both a 308A and 308R can. The 308R can only do low-rise residential.

JordanL · March 24, 2019, 08:47:48 PM

Who is it that actually designs the duct systems for a new home build? What sort of qualifications do they have?

Admin · March 25, 2019, 08:16:07 PM

There are a lot of aspects to an HVAC design depending on what your building and what appliances are being installed.

HRAI offers certification courses on duct design, ventilation design, heat loss etc...

https://www.hrai.ca/hrai-training

JordanL · March 26, 2019, 01:14:13 PM

Thank you. I am trying to change careers and get into the hvac industry. I am working on getting my G3 and have my practical exam next Wednesday. I was just looking for courses and so I can do to help me be more attractive to a potential employer. I will look into some courses from hrai.
Do you have any other suggestions?