New LED Down Lights

New LED Down Lights

by | Jan 15, 2016 | Common Repairs, Keep Your Family Safe, Reduce Your Power Bill

Getting Cheaper And Better All The Time

 

  • Cheaper To Run
  • Cheaper To Maintain
  • Safer To Operate
  • Easy To Install

LED down lights have greatly improved over the last year or so.  There are many new brands on the market and prices have dropped by around 50%.

The new lights on offer are more compact, with the LED drivers built in to the light fitting instead of having a separate driver that plugs into the light.  This makes them easier to install, especially in confined spaces.

Some new LED downlights can even be completely covered by insulation without causing overheating problems.

Overheating is a big safety issue with the old style down lights.  The dichroic lamps burn at up to 300 degrees and there are restrictions on clearances to timber and flammable materials.

The safety regulations were often ignored and a large number of homes have been damaged by fire as a result.

Click Here to read our in-depth article on The Dangers Of Old Style Down Lights

LED down lights solve all the safety problems caused by old downlights as they run very cool in comparison.

LED down lights are also much cheaper to run and have much lower maintenance costs as well.

The quality of light output has improved dramatically, with fittings available from 8 watts to 15 watts, with a choice of warm white, neutral or cool white output, so it’s easy to find a suitable down light for your situation.

Many fittings are dimmable too, which gives you even more options.  The only proviso is you must match the correct dimmer to your light fitting to ensure the best result and avoid flickering or a limited dimming range.

 

There is also a choice in style and colour of the fittings themselves.  LED downlights are available in either white, brushed chrome or brass finish.  The diffuser on the front face can be slightly recessed or flush with the trim ring

LED down lights are available in sizes that will directly replace the common sizes of old style downlights so swapping over to new fittings is usually a straight forward job.

Switching to LED lights will save you at least 80% on running costs.  Depending on the amount you use the lights, the pay back time could be less than a year.  The more you use the lights, the more money you will save.

 

Replace your old unsafe down lights with new LEDs.  Save money and reduce the risk of fire in your home.  Phone Mance Electrical on 6331 4711.

Does Your Stove Have An Anti Tilt Bracket?

Does Your Stove Have An Anti Tilt Bracket?

by | Jan 12, 2016 | Common Repairs, Dodgy Installations, Keep Your Family Safe

Anti Tilt Brackets Are Required To Be Fitted To All New Freestanding Stoves

A modern stove without an anti tilt bracket can easily tip forward, causing serious injury – usually to young children.

The most common type of injury happens when the young child pulls down the oven door and stands on the door as a step to get higher up.  The stove tilts forward, spilling boiling liquid onto the child, often causing horrendous injuries.

In order to prevent these injuries, all new stoves are supplied with an anti tilt bracket.  These metal brackets are usually designed to be screwed to the floor.  When the stove is pushed back against the wall the bracket locks onto the stove feet or a into slot in the back of the stove.

When the anti tilt bracket is correctly installed and the stove is pushed back against the wall, the bracket prevents the stove from tipping forward.  To comply with Australian Standards an anti tilt bracket should be able to withstand up to 50kg of weight applied to the door.

New stoves are much lighter compared to the old stoves they replace and most of the weight is at the top.   This means it is usually easier to tip over a new stove than an old one.

Currently, there is no requirement to fit an anti tilt bracket to an existing stove if it doesn’t have one.  But if you remove your old stove and install a new one you must fit the anti tilt device supplied by the manufacturer and according to the manufacturers instructions.

Some cheaper stoves have chains designed to be fixed to the wall behind the stove.  The chain system will only be effective if the chain is kept quite short and the end of the chain is fixed to a wall stud, not just screwed into the plaster.  The floor mounted anti tilt brackets are usually a better solution.

We have carried out repairs on plenty of fairly new stoves that have been installed without an anti tilt bracket.   Some installers are ignoring the regulations and installing new stoves without the brackets that prevent the stove tipping forward.

It is quicker and easier to toss the anti tilt bracket out with the stove packaging and pretend there is no such thing. However, any installer who does this is ignoring the manufacturers installation instructions and the Australian Standards and placing children’s lives at risk in order to save a few dollars.

When you get a new freestanding stove make sure your installer fits the correct anti tilt bracket to prevent the stove tipping, including the pin that prevents the stove sliding forward away from the anti tilt bracket.

When you book your job, make sure the installer you choose will remove your old stove and dispose of it free of charge!

And once your anti tilt bracket is securely fixed in place make sure you don’t leave pot handles hanging over the front of the stove where young children could reach up and grab them.

For Stove Change Overs In Launceston And Surrounding Areas Phone Mance Electrical on 63331 4711

The Difference Between An Electrician And An Electrical Contractor

The Difference Between An Electrician And An Electrical Contractor

by | Jan 6, 2016 | Dodgy Installations, Keep Your Family Safe

There is an important distinction between an electrician and an electrical contractor.

An electrician is a person who has completed a 4 year apprenticeship, training alongside qualified tradespeople and regularly attending TAFE classes.  In order to become qualified, an apprentice must pass all their TAFE subjects and also the final exam, which is called the Capstone Test.

Once the apprenticeship is completed, the apprentice applies to the local regulator for an electrical practitioners licence.

When the license is granted the tradesperson is authorised to carry out electrical work in accordance with the AS/NZ3000 wiring rules.

Even though they are fully qualified and licenced there is one important restriction for a qualified tradesperson.

A tradesperson is not allowed to carry out electrical work on their own behalf, and charge clients for that work.  In order to conduct an electrical business the practitioner must obtain an electrical contractors license.

Gaining a contractors license requires further study, passing more exams and other requirements such as insurance cover and reporting obligations.

So your average tradesperson cannot set up in business for themselves.  They can only work for a licensed electrical contractor, unless they go through the process of obtaining a contractors license themselves.

Electrical contractors are required to submit paperwork to TasNetworks and the Electrical Inspectors for all but minor electrical works.  This results in their work being regularly inspected to ensure they are complying with the wiring rules and safety regulations.

Back-yarders who work without a contractors license do not advise the regulators of the work they do and subsequently that work is never inspected to make sure it has been done safely and correctly.

Back-yarders also won’t have the required insurance cover which means you could be left holding the bag if something goes wrong.  How do you think your insurance company would react if your home was damaged or destroyed as a result of unlicensed electrical work?

Always use a licensed electrical contractor for any electrical work, no matter how small, to ensure the safety of your family and your  property.

 

Mance Electrical, your licensed and experienced Electrical Contractor in Launceston, since 1920.

Phone us on 6331 4711.

Christmas Lights Survival Guide

Christmas Lights Survival Guide

by | Dec 3, 2015 | Fun Ideas For Your Home, Keep Your Family Safe

The Unexpected Dangers Of Christmas Lights

It seems that every year the bar is raised higher and higher in the neighbourhood Christmas lights competition.

Displays are bigger and brighter, with more and more lights added each successive year. Home owners go to a lot of trouble and some of the displays look quite impressive, but did you know there is a dark side to those festive lights?

There are a number of injuries and even deaths each year directly attributed to Christmas lights.  Electrocution, fire and falling off roofs can make the quest for festive lighting a hazardous endeavour.

The major source of problems are old and poorly maintained light strings.

That old set of Christmas tree lights you’ve been dragging out every December for a couple of decades should probably be replaced.  Any lights that operate with 240 volts at the lamp have the potential to cause electric shock or start a fire.

Old Christmas lights can also cause overloaded circuits, a problem that has been solved by new LED lights.

LEDs are ideal for Christmas lights due to their low power consumption, low voltage power supplies and the range of colours that can be produced.  Even with new LED lights there are safety issues you need to to be aware of.

You should only buy your Christmas lights from a reputable local retailer to ensure they are safe and approved for use in Australia.

If you buy online make sure your lights are sent from an Australian based distributor and not sent direct to you from overseas.  It doesn’t guarantee the safety of the lights but it does give you an opportunity to seek redress in the event of a problem.

If you import any electrical product direct from overseas you assume all the responsibilities of an importer and will be personally liable for any problems the lights cause.

If some one is injured by non-compliant lights you will be responsible.  If you home is damaged by fire due to faulty Christmas lights your insurance company may not pay if the lights that caused the damage were not approved for use in Australia.

The usual commonsense safety measures still apply to low voltage or LED lights.

Don’t use lights that have damaged cords, broken lamps or damaged power supplies.

Don’t mix old and new light strings, they are probably not compatible.

Do keep power packs and extension cord connections out of the weather.

Do use a proper ladder for accessing your roof and make sure it is footed correctly and secured at the top if possible.

Do ensure that any lights you buy are approved for use in Australia.

While a good display of Christmas lights can look amazing, some people go just a little too far.

Last year a Townsville man disconnected the street light outside his home in order to make his lighting display stand out more effectively. He removed the cover from the base of the pole and pulled apart the live wiring connections, which disabled the  street light but created a very dangerous situation.

Enjoy your festive lighting display but make sure you keep your family safe as well.

For advice and help with all lighting issues phone us on 6331 4711.  Mance Electrical Launceston

Your NBN Connection – What To Expect

Your NBN Connection – What To Expect

by | Nov 29, 2015 | Fun Ideas For Your Home, Our Projects

NBN Questions Answered

Many homes in Launceston have already been connected to the NBN and are now enjoying the benefits of broadband internet.  If you haven’t been connected yet, what should you expect?

Your NBN connection can happen in up to 3 separate stages, and possibly be carried out by 3 different crews.

The First Stage is the installation of the fibre optic cable from the pit in the footpath outside, usually through an existing undergound conduit, to your home.  Depending on the construction of your home the cable may end up underneath your house or against the wall of your house if it is built on a concrete slab.

If the fibre optic cable can’t be installed through the existing conduit the contractor may have to dig up some of your lawn or even cut a concrete path in order to put the new cable through.  Any disturbance caused by this work will be rectified by the contractor.

The Second Stage is the installation and connection of the outside connection box.  The connection box is installed on an outside wall of the house.  If there is access under the house there is some flexibility as to where the box will be located but it must be easily accessible for maintenance.

If your home is built on a slab the box will be placed close to where the conduit finishes at the wall of the house.

The Third Stage is the installation of the indoor equipment.  This is the stage that causes the most conflict between the contractor and home owner.

The contractor is paid a fixed rate and wants the job completed as quickly as possible.  The home owner wants their indoor connection point in a convenient and central location.

For example the underground conduit probably ends at the wall nearest the street and the contractor would like to just drill a hole in the wall and put the indoor equipment connection directly on the other side of the wall.  The homeowner would prefer to have their connection point somewhere central in the house, not inside the wardrobe of the furthest bedroom.

The contractor is required to negotiate with the home owner over this matter and must reach agreement over the location.  Contractors prefer to do the quickest and easiest job, but can be they can claim for the additional cost of the extra work involved in moving the gear to a more convenient location.

There is scope for flexibility in all parts of the installation process so if you are not happy with what is being proposed there is room for negotiation.

If there is easy access under your house you can probably get the indoor connection gear installed close to your existing phone point.

Wherever your connection box goes, you will need a double power point available.  One power socket is required for the NBN box and one for your wireless modem if you have one.

To connect to the NBN you need to sign up with an internet provider.  There are many retail offerings for this service and some vendors offer deals if you combine your mobile and home services as well.

Important Note – If you have a monitored alarm system that uses your existing copper phone line then you will need to contact you alarm monitoring service before changing to the NBN.  Alarm systems don’t work well on the NBN and you will need some new equipment in order to guarantee your alarm will dial out correctly.

If you have any questions regarding your NBN installation please give us a call.   If you need a new power point or phone extension points as a result of your NBN connection phone us on 6331 47114.

Phone Mance Electrical Launceston on 6331 4711

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