U.S. Water Heating Solutions Technicians Attend Raypak Boiler Training

Erin Trybulec • Aug 03, 2022

Summertime is Training Season for Water Heater and Boiler Service Professionals

At the end of June, four of our technicians traveled to Raypak’s Innovation Learning Center (ILC) in Oxnard, California for a three-day training seminar entitled "Product Family of Raypak Heaters" which covered MVB/XTherm, XVers (L, standard and KOR), Hi Delta and XFIIRE models. Raypak is a Rheem Company, well-established in the water heating industry as a leading and innovative manufacturer of water heaters, boilers, and pool/spa heaters.

With the pandemic having virtually eliminated all possibilities of hands-on training for nearly two years, many of our team members’ field experiences became limited to essential residential water heater repairs. As seasoned changed and businesses began to re-open, some team members were left with limited or no access to hands-on training, temporarily postponing expansion of boiler and commercial water heater services in some of our service areas.

From L to R: Seil, Lucas, Jack, and Jason during the Raypak factory tour

In an effort to bridge the information gaps and ensure essential water heater repair service providers were able to continue learning throughout the pandemic, many manufacturers developed or updated virtual training offerings; however, there are still certain skills that require in-person training and live feedback to ensure technicians’ full success. All of our team members were longing for an opportunity to learn with manufacturer’s representatives and product engineers in-person. When Raypak’s invitation arrived, our team members jumped at the chance to attend their first out-of-state hands-on training since the pandemic began. With hands-on training courses in high demand, there are often a limited number of seats for attendees from each company; for this first opportunity, we sent three technicians from the Chicagoland area: Jack (Senior Technician/Field Supervisor), Jason (Regional Service Technician), and Seil (Regional Service Technician), and one team member from the greater Columbia, Missouri area, Lucas (Regional Service Technician/Field Supervisor).

Raypak’s Innovation Learning Center provided an array of opportunities for our technicians, including: a tour of the factory and facilities, classroom learning, hands-on unit diagnostics, disassembly, and reassembly; and networking with individuals in the industry. The factory tour was a highlight for Senior Technician/Field Supervisor Jack S.; he enjoyed seeing the manufacturing process and learning that “how much they manufacture in-house because they build every bit of their boilers and pool heaters in-house, [with the exception of] the heat exchanger tubes [which are received] in 20 ft lengths and cut down to the correct size.” Similarly, Regional Service Technician Seil, appreciated the behind-the-scenes tour because it helped him better understand how these boilers are built. Our team members were also happy to learn that Raypak has an ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) inspector on-site stamping every weld on their unit!

Following the tour, attendees officially began their training. Missouri-based Field Supervisor Lucas, recounts: “We started out [our training] in a classroom setting, which was refreshing, reviewed manufacturers’ recommendations, as well as ICP venting codes, with boiler layouts.” As a seasoned service plumber and contractor, currently holding master plumber licenses and contractor licenses, upholding code is extremely important to Lucas; especially because of client and end-user safety.

After classroom training to re-familiarize attendees with Raypak’s diverse product offerings, technicians had their long-awaited opportunity for hands-on training with product engineers. Attendees learned about each product’s installation requirements, components, best diagnostic practices, and how to set combustion with a combustion analyzer. Illinois Plumber and Regional Service Technician, Jason S., enjoyed the hands on training the most; he learned the sequence of operation and knows how to approach the diagnostic process.

During the hands-on training, our team members also had a unique opportunity to dive deeper into the equipment. Attendees are typically subdivided into groups, then assigned to the different units on rotation, for lessons on diagnostics and tear-downs. Our team members were in the last group and one of the boilers intended for training was not functioning properly, so the other training groups were planning to accommodate for additional trainees. Upon hearing this status update, Senior Tech/Field Staff Supervisor Jack, volunteered to diagnose and repair the boiler. Once the unit was functioning properly, they then set the unit’s combustion. Post-boiler repair, Jack saw the perfect opportunity for our Regional Service Technicians to gain more in-depth experience with Raypak products: “After that, I asked the instructors if I could show my team members a few more things when we were working on the [units…]. The instructors let us open the burner compartment and we removed the gas train and burners,” enabling our technicians to demonstrate their growing skillsets.

Raypak's Hands-on Boiler Training

Overall, Raypak training was a huge success for our technicians! An opportunity to see how their products are made, then work with product engineers to learn how to install and repair these water heaters and boilers permits technicians to leave with more confidence and experience that benefit our clients across the Midwest. Lucas left us with this final comment: “Raypak is truly making an effort to teach, learn, and meet the needs of technicians and consumers.”

We have a selection of Raypak parts available and are ready to assist customers with their Raypak water heater and boiler needs! Contact us today to send your Raypak boiler repair or maintenance inquiry.

More from our Raypak Training Experience: