Dodgy wiring threatens thousands of homes

13 Dec 2009 10:55p.m.

Bill Parkinson wrote:

In my experience in a broad range of electrical safety problems, including Aviation,if Garry House homes in on
safety that is his main and formost concern.
I learnt to value his input, that may have made the bean counters unhappy at first but proved itself in the long term
complience can be achieved by various means but safety must be priority. It worked for me, trust me Garry knows his job.
Bill

09 Dec 2009 07:49a.m.

Graeme wrote:

I'm a Sparky doing this type of work.
Older heatpumps tripped some RCD's so have not usually been connected to them, nor are they required to be(fixed heating appliance), however we have been installing main brand heatpumps on rcd protected circuits now for a number of years without this issue.

We do not recommend installing them on older(cloth or TRS- rubber) insulated circuits though, cloth usually means metal conduit, which usually means suspect earthing(through rusty joints) and rubber is almost always in suspect condition from previous overloading and should really be replaced ASAP anyway.

As stated by others ALL circuits units connected to must be fitted with a circuit breaker of the correct size for cable, NOTE - always check both ends(sw/b) of circuit for cable size as your connection point may be at a newer circuit addition and that addition may have been done in larger cable!

NO household rewireable fuse protected circuit has ever been allowed to have more than 2 outlets connected anyway, unless replaced with a circuit breaker.

04 Dec 2009 10:50p.m.

Jeremy Registered Electrician wrote:

As the person that brought this to the attention of the public of NZ,breaches of the electricity legislation concerning the wiring of new circuits is not fully understood by even experienced electrical workers let alone
other subtrades
Bringing this to the publics attention has cost me my job and income.

Legislation brought about before 2000 was initiated because people were dying.
A small boy died on the roof of a house when it became live when his mother turned the light switch on in the back bedroom and this had been happening for some 8 years

The legislation was introduced because electricians couldnt be trusted to personally test which would have averted this tragic situation and many more like it

I read all of this uninformed comment and it makes me cringe to think that such people are still trying to find ways to get around the law which is very clear

That we have a disciplinary authority the EWRB who isnt working hard enough to make us safe and is more concerned about its own commercial relationships is a sad day for the NZ electrical Industry and the NZ pUBLIC

I was in a home this evening that had a heatpump installed
without adequate protection
this is obviously a national problem and also a costly one as installers of heatpumps and ventilation systems could easily identify the circuit and make the necessary changes
to protect in the main switchboard and still make a profit

Government agencies and coorperations like HNZ obviously dont have the auditing systems in place to ensure that the law is adhered to.

Jeremy Penrice



Systemically the problem arises from those administering the law

The EWRB has wide ranging powers of investigation access and prosecution
It has more powers than the police but has never exercised those powers

Conversly it has wide resourses of government and information but has failed to inform the public of NZ about anything to do with safety or compliance



large Government coorperation