Generator Inlets For Home Back Up Power

by | Mar 30, 2017 | Powerpoint & Switchboards

A Generator Inlet Makes Home Back Up Power Easy And Safe

Connecting a portable generator to power your home during a blackout requires some preparation.

You could just throw a cord in through a window and run more cords from a power board to your fridge and freezer and a couple of other appliances.

A far better way is to install a generator inlet.  A proper generator inlet enables you to plug your generator directly into some of the power circuits of your home.

This means you can run your appliances from their usual power points and can also allow you to run some lights, depending on how it is set up.

The size of your generator will determine how many appliances you can run. A small generator will probably only be able to run your fridge and a few lights.

You would require quite a large generator to completely replace mains power.  Appliances such as heaters, hot water cylinders and ovens draw large amounts of power.

A generator of around 6KVA size can be sourced for less than $2,000 and will have technology that provides clean filtered power suitable for running computers and other electronic equipment.

There are a few things to consider when choosing the location of your generator.  The generator inlet will need to be close to the switchboard, however you have some flexibility with the exact location of the generator, depending on the length of the power cord.

The generator needs to be in an area where exhaust fumes will not blow back into your home.  It should be located out of the weather if possible and you should also consider the security of the unit.

A large stationary generator will not be easy to move, but could be an attractive target if power cuts become common.

Click here for more information on generators.

Your investment for the installation of a generator inlet installation with an approved change-over switch would start at around $700.

Since everyone’s home is different it’s best to get a free fixed price quotation. The cost will vary depending on the configuration of your switchboard and some other variables.

The $800 Power Point Problem Solved

by | Aug 16, 2016 | Powerpoint & Switchboards

Add New Power Points Without Expensive Upgrades

The Problem
In our previous blog post we looked at the cascading series of events and spiralling costs that could result from a simple installation of new power points.

Click here to see our previous article “The $800 Power Point”

When changes are made to certain parts of your electrical installation it can trigger the requirement to upgrade other parts of the installation to comply with current regulations.

This can be a costly exercise for what started out as just a very minor job.

Regulations require that all new power points, all additions to existing circuits and all relocations of existing power points must be protected by an earth-leakage circuit breaker.

Jargon Explained
An earth-leakage circuit breaker, a safety switch and an RCD (residual current device) are all names for the same thing. They are devices that detect an imbalance in the electrical current flowing through a circuit and switch off the power within 30 milliseconds to hopefully prevent injury or death from electric shock.

The regulations around RCDs are designed to improve electrical safety and are a good idea, but there are additional costs involved.

Even if your switchboard is not suitable for the addition of a safety switch there is a way to comply with the regulations, improve electrical safety and keep the costs down.

Problem Solved
The solution is to install an earth-leakage protected power point.

This power point has a built-in safety switch which avoids the requirement to add a safety switch to the switchboard.

If the earth-leakage protected power is installed as the first power outlet on a circuit it also protects any other outlets downstream on the same circuit.

The RCD protected outlet alone will cost a little over $200, but installation is the same as a normal power point.
Despite the higher cost it is still far cheaper than replacing your switchboard and mains cables.

The $800 Power Point

by | Aug 11, 2016 | Powerpoint & Switchboards

How a simple job can turn into a major expense

A new client called us to get an extra power point installed in their garage.

On checking their switchboard we found they had an old fuse board in poor condition, with no circuit breakers or safety switches.

Regulations require that all new power points are protected by a safety switch. In this case there was just no way to fit a safety switch to the existing board.   Before any new power points could be installed the entire switchboard would need to be replaced.

Our quote to install a new circuit breaker switchboard with earth-leakage protection (safety switches) and to install the additional power point was around $800.

There are great benefits to getting rid of your old fuses and fitting safety switches, but obviously this was a much greater investment than the client was expecting.

There are other potential complications once you start altering major parts of your electrical installation.
Making changes to components such as switchboards triggers the requirement for other parts of the installation to comply with current standards.

For example if your existing switchboard and power meters are at the back of the house and you wish to make alterations, you will be required to relocate the meters to the front of the house. This is to ensure that meter readers have easy access to the meters.

Moving your meters will mean alterations to your sub-mains cables or mains cables.
Any alterations to your mains cables could trigger the requirement to relocate your point of attachment, and even replace the mains cables.

Relocating your switchboard also means having to extend all the existing circuits to the new switchboard position.
If the wiring in your home is not up to scratch then those existing circuits may need to be replaced as well.

What started out as a job to install one new power point has suddenly snowballed into a full-blown rewire with new mains cables and switchboard. The cost has ballooned from maybe $200 to over $7,000!

This is why you should talk to an electrical contractor while you are still in the planning stages of any building or renovation project.

What’s the difference between and electrician and an electrical contractor?

When you make alterations to your electrical installation, one thing can lead to another and you can find yourself on the slippery slope to major electrical costs.  Proper advice and planning before any work commences will prevent unexpected surprises.

If all you really want is that one extra power point in your garage and you aren’t currently ready for a rewire or new switchboard, there is a much cheaper alternative that could get you out of trouble.

It may be possible to install an RCD protected power point and bypass the requirements to make other upgrades.  It’s a slightly higher investment than a standard power point but it could be a way to get what you want without spending thousands.

Click here to see our article on RCD protected power points.

Turn Any Broken Power Point Into A USB Power Point

by | Feb 9, 2016 | Powerpoint & Switchboards

Got a faulty power point somewhere in your home?
Would you like to turn that faulty power point in the laundry, garage or anywhere in your home into a USB charging point in your kitchen?

Would you like the convenience of charging your phone, tablet or mobile device while still being able to use the power point?  Would you like to get rid of that jumble of cords and charger power packs that clutter the bench, getting tangled and lost and generally looking untidy?

It’s easy to do and won’t cost much more than just replacing the faulty power point.

If you have a faulty power point anywhere in your home, here’s how you can turn it into a new double power point with twin USB charging sockets, anywhere you need one.

For example, instead of replacing the faulty power point in your laundry with a new power point fitting, we can remove a working power point from your kitchen and install that fitting in the laundry, then install a new USB power point in your kitchen.

It doesn’t matter where your faulty power point is, or where you would like the new USB power point.  You could choose to put you new USB power point in a kitchen, bedroom, rumpus room, home office or anywhere it will be most convenient.

So any time you find a faulty power point don’t just get it replaced.

Turn it into a USB power point anywhere you need it.

Broken Power Point Is Electric Shock Hazard

by | Feb 9, 2015 | Powerpoint & Switchboards

One of our clients had this dangerous power point in their garage.

The switch mechanism was knocked with a piece of steel pipe and had fallen out, exposing live parts.

Anyone touching the power point could have received an electric shock.

We have seen power points where the switch mechanism has cracked down the middle and half fallen out.   We have seen switches where the switch rocker has been pushed back inside the switch, or popped out completely.

Sometimes it is caused by physical damage, sometimes the parts are just worn out.

Broken switches can be especially dangerous because you are often entering a dark room, feeling around for the switch and not able to see what you are about to touch.

In this case the home’s switchboard had an earth-leakage circuit breaker (safety switch)  fitted which should cut the power in less than 30 milliseconds if someone had accidentally touched the contacts inside.

Safety switches are great and have saved many people from injury and death, but just like any electrical or mechanical device, they do have a failure rate.

You should not be relying on a safety switch to protect you from dodgy electrical equipment.  If your switch or power point is damaged, you should get it replaced immediately.

While waiting for your electrician to attend you can cut power to the damaged item by pulling out the appropriate fuse or turning off the appropriate circuit breaker.

It may be a small job, but ignoring it could have serious consequences.

Power Reconnection – The 6 Month Rule

by | Feb 3, 2015 | Powerpoint & Switchboards

If a property has had the power disconnected for more than 6 months, TasNetworks require a safety inspection to be carried out before they will reconnect.

This little known requirement often comes as a surprise to the new occupants moving into a property that has been vacant for a while.

Everything is arranged, keys handed over, furniture moved.  And then they phone TasNetworks to get the power on.

The rule is strictly enforced.  No power reconnection after 6 months without a safety inspection by a licenced electrical contractor.

The reasoning is, if a property has been disconnected for so long, a safety check is required to make sure someone hasn’t pulled down a couple of light fittings and left bare wires hanging out of the ceiling.

Or maybe the installation has deteriorated with no one to keep an eye on it.

Most of the safety checks we do are emergency jobs done at short notice as nobody realised a check would be required.

Occasionally a client will spend a night or two in their new home without power.  If the check was done on a Friday afternoon, maybe their power won’t be connected until the next Monday.

The required safety checks are quite comprehensive. They  ensure that the electrical system is safe to be energised.  Any faults found during the testing must be fixed before power can be restored.

If you are moving into a property that has been disconnected for more than 6 months, be aware that a safety check will be required and make sure you allow for that in your plans.

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