The Copper Connection Podcast – Season 2, Episode 74, Phase 3 — The Final Core Phase: From Commissioning to Completion.

Phase 3 is the final core phase of the 9289 — and it's where the qualification asks the most of you. Not just in terms of content, but in terms of professional thinking. This is the phase that separates fitters from technicians.

In Episode 4 of The Copper Connection Podcast, host Chris Bailey walks through every unit assessed in Phase 3 of the 9289 — including the shorter but entirely new exam, the substantial 15-hour practical assignment, and the all-important Phases 1–3 Work Log submission that many learners underestimate until it's almost too late.

Chris covers:

✅ The Phase 3 assessments — 9289-031 MCQ (30 minutes, 20 questions) and 9289-032 practical (15 hours), plus the 9289-002 Work Log submission

✅ Unit 314 Environmental Technology Systems — the unit that accounts for 40% of the Phase 3 exam, covering renewable and non-renewable energy sources, heat pump principles, micro-CHP, permitted development, and Building Regulations Part L

✅ Unit 315 Domestic Fuel Systems — combustion processes, complete vs incomplete combustion, CO poisoning and CO detectors, ventilation requirements, and chimney and flue system principles

✅ Unit 316 Electrical Work and Control Systems — your responsibilities and limitations as a plumber, BS 7671, Building Regulations Part P, and control system components

✅ The Phase 3 practical in full — commissioning and handover (Unit 310), fault diagnosis (Unit 311), service and maintenance (Unit 312), sizing and selection (Unit 313), and the electrical practical from Unit 316

✅ How to approach sizing — from cold water pipe sizing to central heating heat loss calculations

✅ The Unit 317 Work Log — what your five areas of evidence need to include, and why you can't afford to leave it incomplete

✅ An honest word about what it takes to get to Phase 3 — and why it matters

This is essential listening for anyone approaching their final core phase assessments.

🔗 Show notes, portfolio tips, and revision resources at thecopperconnectionpodcast.co.uk

Coming next on The Copper Connection — Phase 4 specialist pathways, EPA preparation, and life after qualification.

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The Copper Connection Podcast – Season 2, Episode 73, Phase 2 — Systems, Science, and Getting It Installed Right

Phase 2 is where the 9289 gets serious. This is the phase where you stop learning about systems and start actually installing them — and the assessments reflect that. With 50 exam questions, a practical assignment of up to 19 hours, and an ongoing work log to maintain, Phase 2 is the most demanding phase of the core qualification.

But it's also where things start to click.

In Episode 3 of The Copper Connection Podcast, host Chris Bailey walks you through every unit assessed in Phase 2 — breaking down the content, the exam weighting, and the key points you absolutely need to know going in.

Chris covers:

✅ The Phase 2 assessments — 9289-021 MCQ (75 minutes, 50 questions) and 9289-022 practical (14–19 hours)

✅ Unit 303 Scientific Principles Phase 2 — Boyle's Law, Charles' Law, latent and sensible heat, heat transfer, force and pressure, and the basics of electricity

✅ Unit 307 in full — the unit that accounts for 86% of the Phase 2 exam:

→ Cold water installation: fluid categories, backflow prevention, storage cisterns, Legionella

→ Hot water installation: vented and unvented systems, the four safety devices you must know

→ Central heating installation: open-vented vs sealed, pump positioning, zoning, controls, and Building Regs Part L

→ Sanitary appliances and pipework: trap seal loss, above-ground drainage, accessible design

→ Rainwater systems: gutters, downpipes, expansion, and sizing

✅ Unit 308 — decommissioning cold water, hot water, and sanitary systems

✅ Unit 309 — soundness testing for Phase 2 systems

✅ What the Phase 2 practical assignment actually tests — and how to prepare

✅ How to build meaningful portfolio evidence for Unit 317 while on site

Whether you're about to sit your Phase 2 assessments or you're working through the content now, this episode gives you the roadmap.

🔗 Show notes, revision resources, and study materials at thecopperconnectionpodcast.co.uk

Next episode: Phase 3 — Commissioning, Fault Diagnosis, Service & Maintenance, Fuel Systems, Environmental Technology, and Electrical Controls.

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Phase 1 — Foundations First: Health & Safety, Pipework, Scientific Principles & System Layouts

Episode Subtitle / Short Description (max 100 characters):

Everything you need to know to pass your Phase 1 exams and practical — broken down in plain English.

Full Episode Description (Acast — approx 300–400 words):

Phase 1 is where your journey as a qualified plumber actually begins. And if you get the foundations right here, everything that follows — Phase 2, Phase 3, your specialist pathway, your EPA — becomes significantly easier.

In this episode, host Chris Bailey walks you through every element of the 9289 Phase 1 assessments, breaking down what you need to know, how the exams are structured, and how to approach your revision with clarity and confidence.

Chris covers:

✅ The standalone Health and Safety exam (9289-001) — 20 questions, 30 minutes, and why it stands alone

✅ Unit 301 in full — all 8 Learning Outcomes, from legislation and COSHH to asbestos, fire triangle, working at height, and confined spaces

✅ Unit 302 — pipe materials, jointing methods, site preparation, clips and brackets

✅ Unit 303 Scientific Principles (Phase 1) — SI units, properties of materials, and mechanical principles

✅ Unit 304 — the construction team, information sources, communication, and responsibilities

✅ Unit 305 — cold water treatment, fluid categories, and the Water Regulations requirement you should know word for word

✅ Unit 306 System Layouts — why this unit is 30% of the Phase 1 exam and how to revise it properly

✅ The Phase 1 practical assignment (9289-012) — what to expect and how to prepare

✅ How to build your Unit 317 work log from day one — not day ninety

This episode is essential listening for:

— Plumbing apprentices beginning Phase 1

— Level 2 students stepping up to Level 3

— T-Level Building Services Engineering learners

— Anyone who has already sat Phase 1 and wants to revise or revisit the content

Practical, honest, trade-focused revision — that's what The Copper Connection is all about.

🔗 Show notes, revision resources, and downloadable study guides at thecopperconnectionpodcast.co.uk

Next episode: Phase 2 — Systems, Science, and Getting It Installed Right.

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