RGII 5-Year Competency Assessment study guide
RGII 5-Year Competency Assessment · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The RGII 5-Year Competency Assessment is the periodic reassessment that gas installers registered in Ireland complete to keep their registration and registration-linked gas work permissions current. It is aimed at experienced registered gas installers rather than newcomers: people who already hold a registration, have been working in the field, and now need to demonstrate that their knowledge has kept pace with current standards and safety practice. The RGII 5-Year Competency Assessment study guide has 7 sections and about 2,172 words.
01Safety and Regulatory Requirements
Regulatory questions test your grasp of the framework rather than memorised clause numbers: the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations duties (competent person, landlord annual check, warning notices, records), the role of the Gas Safe Register, the difference between a warning notice and an at-risk/ID notice , and the classes of unsafe situation (ID, AR, immediately dangerous to life). Know the duties around flue inspection, ventilation, and reporting.
326 words, about 2 min02Gas Characteristics
Natural gas (mainly methane) properties: relative density ~0.6 (lighter than air, rises and vents high), calorific value ~38–39 MJ/m³, Wobbe number, and the fact it is odourised with mercaptan so leaks are detectable. LPG (propane/butane) is heavier than air (propane RD ~1.5), pools low, and is stored as a liquid under pressure - hence different ventilation and leak-detection logic.
306 words, about 2 min03Combustion and Ventilation
The combustion equation and air requirement: methane needs roughly 2 volumes of oxygen (about 10 volumes of air) per volume of gas for complete combustion, plus excess air. Appliances need air for combustion and ventilation for the room (adventitious air is not reliable).
288 words, about 1 min04Pipework, Fittings, and Jointing
Materials and sizing: copper, steel, and approved flexible connectors; correct pipe sizing for pressure drop and appliance demand; support spacing; protection from corrosion and mechanical damage; sleeving through walls and cavities; and the rules on concealed pipework (no joints in inaccessible locations unless approved methods). Know jointing methods - compression, soldered (lead-free), press-fit - and where each is permitted.
277 words, about 1 min05Installation, Commissioning, and Testing
The commissioning sequence: visual inspection, tightness test, purge, operating pressure check, combustion analysis (where applicable), and recording results. Understand tightness testing methods (e.g.
243 words, about 1 min06Service, Maintenance, and Inspection
Routine servicing: isolate, inspect, clean, test, reassemble, and re-commission. Check burners, injectors, heat exchangers, flues, seals, ventilation, and safety devices.
246 words, about 1 min07Fault Diagnosis and Repair
A logical diagnostic process: gather symptoms, form hypotheses, test in a safe order, confirm the fault, repair, and re-commission. Common faults: no gas (supply, valve, meter), ignition faults (spark, flame supervision), poor combustion (air/flue), low pressure (undersized pipe, regulator), and control faults (thermostat, PCB).
486 words, about 2 min