andym79

Hi to all electricians already here. We landed on the 18th. I had a look at the electrics in our rental. There is a meter an distribution board and thats it. There is no cut out fuse to isolate the supply is that normal? Where is the BS1361 60a or 100a fuse? No real HBC overload device. So do aussie sparks just do it all live and hope?

Also a lot of the distribution boards in the cupboard only had a single pole mcb as a main switch is that normal? It certianly isn't a good idea!

Any other major things I should know about?

The_Pom_From_Aus

Andy if there is no service fuse it will be on the facia board under the gutters you must have an over head supply thats all, the Main switches are Like a circuit breaker thats normal in australia, forget all about BS fuses they are not used here mate.if the supply cable overhead is a black 6mm then the cutout fuse is a 55A in the housing at the facia board there is always a main switch on the switchboard it may or may not be marked.


The aussie sparks are NOT allowed to work LIVE its as simple as that, they will receive severe fines for that practise of work.

There are also No dist boards here they are known as Main Switch Board or Sub Board thats actually a question on some exams get that wrong mate you loose points on the exam.


if you look at the meter panel look in the garden you will find a copper plated Rod thats the main earth bar you must run a earth cable to the earth rod for earth protection.

also look at the switchboard where the Neutral Bar is there will be a connection between neutral & the Earth Bar thats normal here its called MEN Earthing (Multiple Earthed Neutral)

Be very careful when touching any Neutrals or Neutral bars there is always current flowing in the Neutral, maybe a little but enough to do harm.????

May i ask what state are you residing in, if you need more infor on here Wendy is Fantastic also Stev'o from QLD is very switched on they are both decent people & of course if i can help more please do ask, you will need to do a course at the Tafe (College) in the evenings to show the difference between the UK & Australian standards Its well worth it.

regards

Arthur

Sparky wife

Andym79:

Hi, no its an underground supply! No fuse, just a supply from the meter. Into the distribution board where it goes firstly through a main switch (only an mcb) and then a 40A RCD. So if you ever need to change that first mcb, there is no way of isolating!

Are there cut out the chunky 60 - 100a ones we have or little fuse carriers like in the old wylex boards?

I am one confused sparky!

I am doing the PEER course for wiring rules in SA starting on the 5th of May. So they are banned from live work?

steve`o

the are fuses

two ways that are do around here

one
green box at the front of your house on the nature strip holds a fuse for each house ( sometimes several house fed from one green box )

two fuse holder ( about the size of a can of beans ) on overhead wiring in street ( thats how ours is done ) you need a special to remove the fuse
its a chuffin long fibre glass pole with a coarse anticlockwise screw on the end you expand the pole screww it in and pull out the base of the holder and which holds the fuse, putting it backs a mare especially if its windy


hope this helps

regards steve

steve`o

special tool ( which ones which )

steve`o

this is what the over head fuse carriers look like

jasonlec

Holy moly my tool is not that big!!

steve`o

its the warm climate

The_Pom_From_Aus

Sparky wife;

there must be somewhere on the property a cut out fuse its illegal NOT to have one, if your in S/A then ask wendy her hubby will know whats the crack, here in victoria you must have a cutout fuse, i have never heard of a property without one may i ask are you in a unit or a block of houses if so the cut out fuse may be at the end of the property servicing say 10 houses all having there own cutout fuse in the one location thats legal here, just different mate thats all.

you need to work on site get some experience working on switchboards doing both domestic & industrial most sparks here are Ok with UK people thats because we are better than most of them, have a look at stevo's work on here he is like the rest of us just a decent spark,,, mind you im better looking than he is.???? Ouch sorry Stevo'

regards

andym79

Thanks every one. No there is no cut-out on the property, just a fuse on the overhead line. That is a really great idea if you ever need to isolate in a hurry! Whats wrong with a fuse next to the distribution board?

That is a long pole stevo! How did you say its suppose to work? Where we are they look like rectangle cutout on the overhead line (bill with two screws holding front on) similar to in UK but 16 ft of the ground and in the horizontal not vertical plane. Wouldn't fancy removing them as to get at one you could easily come into contact with another phase! As its not a concentric cable but four uninsulated cables. Very close, would be safer to use 1000v gauntlets than get up there right next to 415v bare juice!

steve`o

your not allowed anywhere near the overhead wires hence the chuffin long pole

andym79

Sure, but unscrewing two screws when you are 16ft lower with a pole and then replacing the cut out must be half a days work instead of two minutes!

Also I was concerned that the main switch was only single pole! Is that normal? So you can't actual break the neutral easily then?

Why such problems with the neutral? Do they just have really high Ze's? Or are there lots of borrowed neutral between circuits?

Will be starting my peer course on May 5th so hopefully they can answer my hundred questions?

To be honest stevo and co it all look a bit "shit" standards here. In my bathroom the fan just run straight out the back of a socket outlet without being fused down, and there is no isolation of the fan without turning the sockets off "quality".

Anyway any other advise on cut-out fuses from anyone?

stu:0

Welcome to OZ mate! Enjoy the promised land and forget everything you were ever taught!

You dont see double pole here mate! Neutral straight onto the bar! What they call isolators here i would call a switch back home!

Main neutral comes in and a 6mm tail is solderd on and taken to the meter! Put a small switch in line and hey presto you could turn your meter on and off!

The_Pom_From_Aus

steve`o;

i see you have the large fuse puller, may i ask are you allowed to pull service fuses in your neck of the woods & i mean the fuses on the overhead supply at the pole.

In victoria only the line people are allowed anywhere near the fuses on the pole's.

regards

steve`o

to be honest arthur i didnt ask, i just did but,
i`m pretty sure we can otherwise the tool wouldnt be so readely available