C-5.2 Describe Information Contained in Manufacturer and Supplier Documentation
Installation Instructions and Requirements
An installation instruction manual is an instructional booklet that is supplied with almost all technologically advanced products such as gas-fired appliances, control modules and fluid-handling equipment. Information contained in the instruction manual typically includes:
- Safety instructions: For liability reasons, these can be extensive, often including warnings against doing things that no intelligent person would consider doing.
- Assembly instructions: For products that arrive in pieces for easier shipping.
- Installation instructions: For field installation of the equipment
- Set-up instructions: For devices that keep track of time or temperature and maintain user-accessible state.
- Normal usage instructions.
- Programming instructions: For microprocessor-controlled products such as boiler control, programmable thermostats, and building automation controllers.
- Maintenance instructions.
- Troubleshooting instructions: For when the product does not work as expected.
- Service locations: For when the product requires repair by a factory-authorized technician.
- Regulatory code compliance information: For example, with respect to safety or electromagnetic interference.
- Product technical specifications.
- Warranty information: Sometimes provided as a separate sheet
With the increasing complexity of modern devices, many installation manuals have become so large that separate multi-language booklets are provided. Many manufacturers offer PDF copies of manuals that can be accessed or downloaded free of charge from their websites.
Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Manuals
An essential part of any mechanical services contract is the provision of a professional operation and maintenance manual and a set of as-built drawings delivered to the client or end user upon completion of the installation.
O&M manuals should contain references to specific equipment used in the project for which they are compiled. They must be compiled properly as they are important for the client and/or end-user as an instruction manual for the safe operation and maintenance of their systems.
These documents should form part of the effective operation of the systems and, as such, should be carefully prepared to include a comprehensive source of reference for the installed equipment.
Each O&M manual is tailored to a specific project, but the following would be a basic outline:
- Preface: Lists the contents of the manual’s sections and subsections.
- Section 1: Description of Systems—Contains a description of each system, how it is controlled, and how it interrelates with other systems.
- Section 2: Operating Instruction & Control—Contains a description of how each system or type of system is controlled (listing any relevant set points or parameters), and the use of any user controls. This supplements the instructions contained in the manufacturer’s data.
- Section 3: Equipment Schedule—Lists the items of plant installed under this contract, giving basic quick reference for model numbers, manufacture and design flows, etc., to be read in conjunction with the as-built drawings so plant designation can be understood.
- Section 4: Supplier’s/Manufacturer’s Details—To be read in conjunction with Section 3: Equipment Schedule, this section contains copies of the relevant manufacturer’s literature/ brochures for the equipment installed under this contract.
- Section 5: Routine Maintenance—Provides information pertaining to the maintenance that must be carried out to ensure trouble-free operation at the lowest possible cost. This includes sample maintenance schedules and sample service sheets for equipment used in plant operation.
- Section 6: Recommended Spares—A list of items recommended to be held by the building operator for the purposes of routine maintenance and addressing emergency breakdowns.
- Section 7: Commissioning Test Results—A full and comprehensive record of system performance at the time of commissioning is shown, giving a picture of how the system was performing at the time it was commissioned; lists actual airflows and temperature splits, etc.
- Section 8: As-Built Drawings—Details on how the various systems have been installed. Please note that as with any section of an O&M manual, to retain its effectiveness as a reference document, it is imperative that any changes be noted on these drawings.
- Section 9: Warranties & Certificates—A record of equipment warranties and compliance certificates.
Product Specifications
A datasheet or spec sheet is a document summarizing the performance and other technical characteristics of a product in sufficient detail to enable a tradesperson to integrate the component into a system. Typically, a datasheet is created by the product manufacturer and begins with an introductory page describing the rest of the document, followed by listings of specific characteristics.
Warranty Information
The standard equipment warranty is a commitment from a manufacturer that a product has no defects and that services such as repairs and partial or complete exchange of defective parts are guaranteed for a particular period of time without the customer being billed.
An extended warranty—sometimes called a service agreement, a service contract or a maintenance agreement—is a prolonged warranty offered to consumers in addition to the standard warranty on a new item. Extended warranties cost extra, usually a percentage of the item’s retail price.
Self-Test C-5.2: Describe Information Contained in Manufacturer and Supplier Documentation
Complete Self-Test C-5.2 and check your answers.
If you are using a printed copy, please find Self-Test C-5.2 and Answer Key at the end of this section. If you prefer, you can scan the QR code with your digital device to go directly to the interactive Self-Test.
References
BC Industry Training Authority. (2019). Piping trades apprenticeship program: Use Tools and Equipment—Level 1 harmonized [Binder]. Crown Publications, Queen’s Printer for British Columbia. https://www.crownpub.bc.ca/Product/Details/7960000261_S
- Plumber: Level 2 Competency C-4 Use Manufacturer and Supplier Documentation
- Steamfitter: Level 2 Competency C-4 Use Manufacturer and Supplier Documentation
- Sprinkler Fitter: Level 1 Competency C-4 Use Manufacturer and Supplier Documentation
Camosun College. (2019). Line D: Organizational Skills —Competency D-5: Use Manufacturer and Supplier Documentation (Rev. ed.) [Learning guide]. BCcampus. https://collection.bccampus.ca/textbook/9MgG7bwy/
Camosun College. (2015). Trades Access Common Core Competency D-5: Use Manufacturer and Supplier Documentation. Victoria, B.C.: Crown Publications. Download for free from the B.C. Open Textbook Collection (https://open.bccampus.ca/browse-ourcollection/find-open-textbooks/).
Media Attributions
All figures are sourced from Industry Training Authority (2019) and/or Camosun College (2019) and are used under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) licence unless otherwise noted. Images copyrighted by the BC Industry Training Authority are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) licence.
A booklet that explains how to install and set up a product. (Section C-5.2)
Machines or tools that move or control liquids or gases, like pumps, pipes, and valves. (Section C-5.2)
Taking care of equipment to keep it working properly. (Section C-5.1)
Steps used to find and fix problems with equipment. (Section C-5.2)
Drawings that show how a system was actually built or installed. (Section C-5.2)
A document that explains how to use and take care of a system. (Section C-5.2)
Values set on a device to control how it operates, like temperature. (Section C-5.2)
All the equipment and systems that have been set up and put in place as part of a project, such as pumps, boilers, pipes, and control systems. (Section C-5.2)
A document that lists important details about a product’s performance and features. (Section C-5.2)
A promise from a company to repair or replace a product if it has problems. (Section C-5.2)
Extra coverage you can buy to protect a product for a longer time. (Section C-5.2)
