Switchboards
AJ Electrical Adelaide are experts at fitting main household switchboards and can source,
supply and fit your new switchboard at a very competitive rate.
Main Household Switchboard
It is important to have an up to date, modern main switchboard, which complies with current legislation and safety standards.
AJ Electrical Adelaide are experts at fitting main household switchboards and can source, supply and fit your new switchboard at a very competitive rate, including the completion of all compliance paperwork and certifcates.
Trip Switches
Safety Trip Switches have replace fuses and are far more sensitive – in the event that there is an electrical short or an incident that could involve electrical shock – these sensitive circuit breakers, or trip switches are activated and the power goes off immediately.
There is also a mains isolator, which can be used to turn off all of the power to the house.
Modern switchboards
Modern switchboards are far more practical and provide a much greater level of safety than older versions. Zoning of circuits means you have separate circuits for sockets and lights, for the oven, laundry garage and outdoor sockets and lights, where in some cases a larger capacity is required. This means that if a safety trip switch is blown, only the area on that circuit is affected.
Switchboard Location
In the past, your meter and switchboard were traditionally situated together in a metal box on the outside of your home. You can now have your switchboard located and installed inside your home and your meter can remain outside. The usual location would be in a hall cupboard.
Locating your switchboard inside your home is far more convenient, particularly if a trip switch, trips during the night – you don’t have to go outside in the dark with a torch to find out what the issue is.
It does also mean that the switchboard is more secure.
Earth Wires
Earth wires in appliance cords and in your electrical installation are your life-lines. In the event of a fault occurring, power will flow to earth by the shortest and easiest path. If the appliance is not properly earthed, the power may flow through the body of the user, with possibly fatal results.
The earth wires from your power points join a main earth wire which in turn is attached to a metal stake driven into the ground and/or a metal water pipe. This connection should be checked from time to time to see that it is still connected and is not damaged.
If it is necessary to have the earth wire shifted for any reason, or any metal water pipe
altered or replaced by a plastic water pipe or fittings,
contact your licensed electrical contractor,
AJ Electrical
Government Regulations – switchboards
The following are excerpts from SA Power Networks “Service & Installation Rules”
For more information – click here.
Necessity for Employing a Licensed Person
The Plumbers, Gas Fitters and Electricians Act 1995 requires that all electrical work carried out on electrical installations connected to or intended to be connected to the SA Power Networks distribution network, subject to certain exemptions, will be performed by a registered Electrical Worker(s) who is suitably licensed for such work in South Australia
Compliance with Regulations, Codes of Practices and these Rules
Any connection or reconnection to SA Power Networks Distribution Network is required to comply with the current edition of the Electricity Act 1996 and the Electricity (General) Regulations 1997, all Codes and any other relevant legislation or guidelines
Electrical Installations
The above clause applies to the following electrical installations:
- New installations;
- Alteration to existing installations as prescribed in AS/NZS
Testing
The Electricity Act 1996 and the Electricity (General) Regulations 1997 require all electrical installation work to be tested in accordance with that Act and Regulations. All electrical work to be connected by SA Power Networks must be tested by the customer’s licensed electrical worker prior to a connection.
Compliance with SA Power Networks S&I Rules and AS/NZS 3000 – Wiring Rules
The “Electrical Certificate of Compliance” as applicable at the time of electrical installation works issued by the installing licensed electrical worker/registered electrical contractor is used to confirm that the electrical installation complies with AS/NZS 3000 and these Rules.
In order for SA Power Networks to make a connection, the certificate of compliance must be completed in accordance with the requirements of the Electricity (General) Regulations 1997.
If in the opinion of the Responsible Officer the certification of the electrical installation is incomplete, or invalid or the electrical installation is considered unsafe, then it will not be connected or remain connected to the SA Power Networks distribution.
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