Dodgy wiring threatens thousands of homes

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Thu, 03 Dec 2009 4:59p.m.

By Dan Parker

There are serious concerns about the extent of faulty wiring being installed in homes by companies looking to cash in on the high demand for heat pumps, thanks to the Government's home insulation scheme.

Members of the refrigeration and air conditioning industry have written to Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee asking for action, as faulty work could end up costing lives.

Around 140,000 heat pumps were installed in New Zealand homes last year, and with subsidies offered, it is likely their popularity will continue to grow. But also increasing is the industry's concern about the amount of dodgy installation work turning up.

3 News was shown a number of examples, including Housing New Zealand properties, where recently installed heat pumps and ventilation systems were not hooked up to circuit breakers.

"If it's not installed properly it could cause a fire, it may malfunction, it could electrocute," says electrical inspector Garry House. "The danger is people are tagging on to existing wiring - the condition of that old wiring is unknown."

Mr House believes as many as 10 percent of heat pumps installed here don't comply with regulations - that's around 14,000 in the last year.

Mr House says Government subsides have opened the door for many looking to make a quick buck.

Because of such wide concerns, the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Companies Association (RACCA) has written to Mr Brownlee asking for a nationwide audit.

"From our members we are getting more and more concerns about heat pump installs," says Steve Coatham, RACCA general manager, "so our view and message to the minister was offering the association's assistance in identifying how big the actual issue with heat pumps is."

The Electrical Workers Licensing Group says it is also aware of a number of bad installations since 2007. John Sickels says people with concerns about work should make contact.

"We'd be more than comfortable with giving them advice. If they have any issues on it, in relation to safety, we will have that work looked at immediately."

The Insurance Council says another a major problem is that uncertified installation could void insurance policies. It is a costly mistake when all that's needed to be safe is a certificate of compliance.

3 News
 
If you have concerns about your heat pump wiring and want it checked out you can call 0800 661 000.
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Comments

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

04 Dec 2009 05:11p.m.

Chris wrote:

Ziffel, I think you are missing the point: RACCA aren't lecturing the electrical industry on electrical matters - they have always maintained that heat pumps SHOULD be wired up by qualified sparkies. Their specific concern in this instance is that heat pumps are being incorrectly wired (presumably by unqualified/incompetent electricians). The issue of whether the average electrician has sufficient refrigeration skills to install a heat pump is a different matter entirely, and hasn't even been raised.

04 Dec 2009 01:44p.m.

Ricardo wrote:

The article is a typical overeaction by all concerned. Most heat pumps drag less current than bar heaters, that is the point of buying them! Most could simply be plugged into the nearest 3 point plug.

04 Dec 2009 09:50a.m.

Ziffel wrote:

It appears RACCA tendered for the installer guide and lost the tender to a better proposal. Industry have lauded the resulting installer guide as best practice. Its interesting that a refrigeration association thinks they are qualified to make judgements on electrical matters. This issue is not black and white as each installation is unique to the house and different requirements can apply accordingly.

04 Dec 2009 06:53a.m.

registered sparky wrote:

this ladys sparky husband is way off,it is quite exceptable to hook into a existing circuit as long as that circuit can handle the load of the heat pump,probabbly about 10 amps for a dmomestic heatpump,most power circuits can take 20amps,hence people hook into them to save time and money,if the wiring is old and dodgy then the place is in trouble already and needs a rewire more than worring about hooking in heat pumps.i think he was talking more about old installs with rewirable fuses been hooked in without circuit breaker protection been added,the regs say if you hook into a existing circuit no rcd needs to be addede but will need a mcb if not present on circuit,good scare mongering nz ....as usual.

03 Dec 2009 10:58p.m.

heaterguy wrote:

1. I think the pump in question in the article was on a circuit that wasn't on the main RCD, when it really should have been. 2. Not all heat pumps need a dedicated circuit, only bigger models (over about 4kw), although it is only prudent to inspect existing wiring if tapping into an existing circuit. 3. Tapping into the existing circuit on modern wiring will never be the cause of a fire if the circuit breaker is correctly specc'd, as that is the circuit breakers job - to protect the wire if there is too much current draw. Every existing curcuit in your house should be on a circuit breaker, if not, the heat pump will be the least of your issues

03 Dec 2009 09:49p.m.

AndiNZ wrote:

Andrew, the article didn't say that heat pumps need to be connected to an RCD, and they don't, according to my (registered sparky) partner, because they are hard-wired. They DO however need to be connected to a circuit breaker on the switchboard - and it needs to be a dedicated heavy-duty breaker, because they draw a lot of power. Nearly as much as an oven when they are running on full power! So tapping in to an existing wiring circuit is also dodgy, as the wire is likely to be too small to safely handle the current draw, increasing the likelihood of a fire.

03 Dec 2009 09:45p.m.

Steve wrote:

Being a registered sparky I am not surprised. Joe Bloggs can do whatever they like and when it fails the Electrical Registration brings in a whole pile of new regulations to try and fix the problem. This penalises proper sparky's but doesn't stop Joe Bloggs carrying on as they please. Also training standards have slipped in the 25 years I've been in the trade - I have seen some pretty dodgy work. In this day an age "TIME IS MONEY"