andym79

Hi I am an approved electrician here in the UK and I like to know the differences between OZ methods and ours, does anyone know the differences when wiring a house?
Do they three plate?
Do they have ring mains?
What size cable do they tend to run?
Do they have decent switchgear?
Do they have electric showers?
Do they tend to run T+E in stud wall voids?
Earting systems?

I really would like a book on this sort of thing, does anyone know of one?

I take its as DIY electrics isn't allowed out there these sort of books are rare!

Tell me fellow sparks how different is the OZ method?

Because in Spain it was all 1.5 singles in plastic conduit, double pole MCBs and a lot of 16A circuits!

Is it right that they don't bother armouring the incoming supply?

andicee

No three plate All wiring for lights done at switches 1.5mm cable
No ring main. radials run in 2.5mm on 16 or 20A MCBs
The switchgear works Mainly Clipsal for domestic use
Haven't come across and electric shower yet and the biggest cable I've run to date is 4mm for an oven. All electric water provide by a large immersion type cylinder outside the house.
Yes, all cable run in stud wall voids at each and every angle possible. Rare you'll see anyone drill a joist to feed a cable thru. They'll just poke it in between whatever
Platic plumbing means little or no bonding. MEN earthing system means that the consumers earth is provide by an earth stake and linking across to the neutral. Bit like TNC-S but if that link is removed, for example, for testing, and it isn't replaced...things can get interesting.

Andy

andym79

So crap switch gear!
Crap earthing thats a mix of TT and TNC-S?

I am not a fan of three plate anyway, in larger houses I have been wiring to the switch for a while, when you have chandeliers you only want a one T+E up there anyway!

But they do have a proper neutral right?

So in general its a bit rougher than here?

Saying that the ring main has had a major flaw since they down graded from imperial to 2.5mm!

jamiefrod

hey don't knock three plate lol!!! Easier for pinching neutrals

andym79

Don't get me wrong, three plate can be very good, in traditional Brit houses when you got to chase bloody bricks the less you need to get to the switch the better, but with modern stud walls wht not run to the switch?

Its a lot easier to connect at four foot thatn up a step ladder!
Yere the neutral up there can be very useful but they invite the possiblity of a borrowed neutral (though wiring to the switch don't stop that).

Anyway does anyone know about books on OZ wiring or more info about OZ methos earthing etc

I am interested in this MEN!

Wendy

All the wiring books can be bought for here:

http://www.saiglobal.com/shop/Script/search.asp

You will need the following books when you get here (we bought the PDF ones so that we could bring them over on a disc instead of using up our baggage allowance ):

AS NZS 3012-2003 Electrical installations - Construction and demolition sites

Code of Practice Safe Electrical Work

AS NZS 3008[1].1.1-1998 Electrical installations - Selection of cables

AS NZS 3017-2001 Electrical installations - Testing and inspection guidelines

AUS/NZ 3001: Wiring Regulations

andym79

SO if the earthing is PME with an earth rod thats better than plain PME!

Why cant everybody just use TNS?

andicee

Cos that would be way too easy old chap

andicee

Hiya Wend,

just be careful when buying AUS/NZ 3001. There's a new version coming out soon. They're currently arguing about the release date. Looks like they're gonna release it in June then issue 2 or 3 ammendments straight away...at cost of course!!!

Andy

Wendy

Yeah! Forgot about that. Hubby did mention it but I've slept since then

andym79

I want to know about this MEN earthing is it PME with an earth rod as extra?

The_Pom_From_Aus

andym79, the PME is NOT an extra its the MAIN earth of the house every house & business single phase or 3 phase MUST have an earth rod driven into the ground and i can tell you mate its no fun driving a 12mm copper plated bar down to 1.2meters through solid clay, what ive done is made a Sd drill 1.00meter long x 12mm diam i use a 500mm drill to get half way them change to the 1 meter for the rest it makes like a lot easier.

the books you need just ask wendy she will tell you exactly what you require, may i ask which state do you intend to live in.

arthur

andym79

Probably SA, am still considering TAS.

So MEN is like PEM but instead of the earth and neutral being linked in the cut out they are linked in the distribution board. Then you also add an earth rod outside! I take it its 10mm like here? Is the ZE of this MEN system around the .30 or do they allow for a higher impedance?

I am looking for a book that actually talks you through wiring a house in AUS but then if DIY is band I guess they won't have them!

The_Pom_From_Aus

Andy, if you measure the resistance of the earth bar to earth rod you should get a reading of zero ohms anything else its a fail, its as simple as that.

Now remember in the UK the neutral & earth are connected at the transformer not so over in australia the connection is made at the switboard, also the main problem ive come across here using the MEN you can get faults coming from the peoples houses surrounding your property, from there electrical supply if they dont have an earth rod in the ground thats happened on a no of occasions.

arthur

andym79

Right, so does the neutral rely on being earthed at everybodies house rather than the star point of the transformer?

Now I understand why you have to be scared of the neutral in OZ!