Beoz

Has anyone changed their electrical plugs to Aussie ones on their own without electrical qualifications. Still running the uk electrical through a UK patchboard with an adaptor into the wall. Just had some sparking going on with one of the adaptors, which is now fried, so safety first, need to get all the patchboards done. Is this a DIY task? Any pitfalls to watch out for?

Amazulu

Not a problem to change plugs - anything to the contrary is BE mumbo jumbo (if there is a law prohibiting this, then anyone who follows it is a f**king retard)

Although it is pretty straightforward to do, I find the Australian plugs a bit of a pain to wire (they have many design flaws but that's another topic). Although cheap (under $2), I don't like the ones they sell in Bunnings (HPE?). I prefer the Clipsal ones that you can get an electrical wholesaler. All come with instructions on how much insulation to strip etc

Remember:
A = Active = Live = Brown
N = Neutral = Blue
E = Earth = Green/Yellow

Nice and tight connections

Piece of piss to do

Beoz

Tried my first. Got it out of UK plug fine and dandy. Could I get it in the Aussie? Not a hope in hell. Craps plugs. Wish I'd seen you post before I got a couple of cheapies.

spuddyo

Get the ones with side cable entry where possible, not the ones where the cable sticks out of the back. Aussie plugs generally are a crap design though.

Beoz

Certainly are. After assembling it I was able to rip the whole cable out of the screwed in lugs and the whole plug.

Apparently in Queenslands its illegal. NSW were a bit up in the air whether or not it was illegal but gotta be safer than using travel adaptors for permant use.

Swerv-o

There have been many threads on this over the years - as I recall it is considered illegal in QLD, but can be done anywhere else.

In NSW it is illegal to do it in the workplace without having been on some short training course or other. But as Zulu says - these are stupid regulations, largely designed to send Aussies running to the nearest electrician so he can extort a call out fee for 5 minutes work.


S

KJCherokee

Also don't forget that if you have a fire and the fire service traces the cause to a plug you wired yourself you can say goodbye to any insurance payout.

Having said that, I have plenty of bits of electrical gear I've wired myself - after spending my early years working for English Electric (remember them?) and the Generating Board I reckon I know what's safe and what isn't!

Beoz

I spoke with someone who works in investigations in a well known insurance company. They said we'd probably try and make it very difficult for you to claim, we look for any excuse, but if push came to shove you've probably win as there is no law against it.

Swerv-o

Aussies make me laugh in this respect - they like to portray themselves as larrikins that are always out to try and get one over on 'the man', but as soon as you suggest something as outlandish as changing your own plugs, parking the car the wrong way of the traffic or crossing a deserted road while the red man is still on, they are like "You know you really shouldn't be doing that..."

It reminds me of the school yard - "Ummm... I'm telling on you..."


S

Beoz

No being in an establishment that serves booze and being boozed up - I mean - WTF is that all about. Isn't that the purpose of a boozer?

spuddyo

But don't change a plug when you come home drunk

BadgeIsBack

Bit of a generalisation, S. I find Australians can be conformist, but that doesn't stop them from trying things out - and I don't find that they will 'tell on you'.

Expats want to constantly 'tell on the locals', judging by this forum and the constant tale-tells. Some of the rules are actually quite sensible.

I find it depends on the person - I know plenty of locals who will ski down black runs and race their bikes around the paddock at breakneck speed and will only stop when they almost hurt themselves. Silly fools.

And expats are highly conformist when they think they are being better than the locals but get easily scared when they can't get their favourite soccer channel...or enough varieties in the local supermarket...then they will tell everyone about it!

Amazulu

I agree. For a country that likes to portray itself as laid back, it sure is a nanny state

You see it everywhere from drinking laws, road rules to planning regs

You even need a licence for an air rifle ffs

Beoz

The problem with being a nanny state, it encourages people to rebel against it. Human nature - the more rules, the more people will break them.

In the US, just because a state has the death penalty, does it mean less murders are performed? Well not according to this stat.

Murder Rates Nationally and By State | Death Penalty Information Center

Swerv-o

It's perhaps not so much the telling tales, but the strange sense of moral indignation because you aren't following the rules:

"You can't leave it parked like this!" or "The green man isn't on!" or "You can't wire your own plugs! They may catch on fire!"


S