Trying To Save Money Can Cost You A Fortune

by | Oct 17, 2016 | Common Repairs

Should you buy your own gear for an electrical job or let the electrician supply it?

Some people are very focused on minimising the costs of any home improvement project they undertake.

For electrical work, this shows up as the client purchasing and supplying their own materials.  They believe that they can save money by buying direct rather than having the electrician supply the gear.

Sometimes the client can save money this way, especially with they type of appliances typically available at major hardware chains.

The buying power of the major hardware chains can result in some very cheap prices, although the brands are usually not the same as those the contractor would source through a wholesaler.

Most contractors wouldn’t have a problem with their clients supplying some of the gear, provided it is properly approved and certified for use in Australia.

Although the client is trying to save money by supplying their own gear, in many cases the client ends up paying much more than if they just let the electrician take care of things.

For example, most electrical wholesalers have a “Cash Sale” price for walk-in customers that is considerably higher than the trade price they charge to electricians for the same item.

Just because a client purchases something from a wholesaler doesn’t mean they are getting a bargain.

We have seen plenty of examples where the client would have got their gear cheaper if we purchased it, added a margin and GST and sold it to the client, compared to the price the client had paid direct.

A client often can save some money by providing their own materials, but in doing so they also take on the risk associated with those materials.

If the contractor supplies gear that turns out to be faulty they will be able to supply replacement items under warranty and probably cover the labour cost of replacing the faulty parts as well.

If the client supplies an item that is faulty then the client has to deal with getting a replacement under warranty and also bear the full cost of labour to rectify the problem.

One of our clients arranged for us to install a new electronic timer they had purchased.  The timer turned out to be faulty and the client lived 45 minutes drive from our workshop.  If we had supplied the timer we would have borne the cost of rectifying the situation.

The client saved $15 on the cost of the timer, and got a free replacement, but paid an extra $200 for having it installed twice.

Another client purchased their own sensor light and saved a tiny amount of money and then wore the cost of an after hours callout when the light failed soon after being installed.

Yet another client purchased their own air-transfer fan and a separate speed controller, but the two items weren’t compatible.  The motor burnt out and the client ended up paying twice for both the fan and the installation.

So, yes sometimes it is possible to save money on buying your own materials, but you should probably get a quote from your contractor to make sure you aren’t unintentionally dudding yourself.

When you do provide your own gear you should be aware of the potential risk you assume and compare that risk to the small savings you are making on the purchase costs.

If you focus on cost alone, your job may actually cost you much more than you need to pay.

It’s better to focus on value and ensure you get a great result at a fair price and without taking on the hassles usually taken care of by the 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.

Loose Electrical Connections Are A Fire Hazard

by | Jul 27, 2015 | Common Repairs, Dodgy Installations, Keep Your Family Safe

Loose Electrical Connections Get Hot, And This Could Be The Result.

Electrical connections can become loose for a variety of reasons.   A tightly made connection can become loose over time due to the tiny expansion and contraction that occurs as the cable warms up during use and cools down when not energised.  Perhaps the last tradesman to work on the installation didn’t do them up tight enough, or maybe the connecting parts have worn out and don’t make good contact anymore.

Occasionally we find connections that have never been tightened up at all.  The wire has been pushed into the terminal and the screw never tightened.   This can happen even in new homes and installations.  It’s a sign that the tradesman didn’t do a final check by pulling on each wire to make sure it’s solidly connected.

Sometime the connectors or terminals are faulty so even though the screw is done up tight it’s not actually clamping the cable enough.  Once again, a simple check by tugging on the wire will alert the tradesman to that type of fault.

Every electrical connection has the potential to get hot.  With increased heat comes increased electrical resistance, which in turns causes things to get even hotter.   Depending on the location of the connection this heat could potentially start a fire.

Common Locations

Common locations for loose electrical connections include switchboard connections of fuses and circuit breakers, connections to stove elements and hotplates and connections to power points.

The more load being drawn through the loose connection the more likely it is to fail.  For example a loose connection to a power point is more likely to be a problem if a heater is plugged in to the heater as compared to a phone charger or some other low wattage device.

Signs To Watch For

Signs that could indicate a loose electrical connection include flickering lights, intermittent power fluctuations, buzzing noises and burning smells.  If you do find any of these problems you should have an electrician check it out as soon as possible.

Sparking Light Switch?

by | Jan 6, 2015 | Common Repairs, Keep Your Family Safe

Sometimes when you turn a light switch on or off you may hear a crackling, arcing sound and even see a small blue flash of light.

Is this a problem?  Could it be dangerous?

The spark is caused by an arc across the contacts as the switch is operated and could have a couple of different causes.

The contacts in the switch could just be worn out from repeated use.  In this case the switch should be replaced.

Another cause of a sparking light switch is excessive load, with the switch operating too many lights.  Normal light switch mechanisms are rated at 10 amps which is more than enough, even for a larger home.

Excessive load is more of a problem in commercial situations, particularly with large numbers of fluorescent lights.  Higher capacity switch mechanisms are available for these applications.

You may see and hear a spark from your light switch if you move the mechanism too slowly.  By operating the switch slowly you can hold the internal contacts just the right distance apart to cause an arc.  Be firm and direct when operating a switch, don’t hold it in a half way position.

When in doubt, the best idea is to get the switch checked, and replaced if necessary.

If you have a dodgy switch that you are worried about, just give us a call during business hours and we’ll be happy to help you resolve the problem.

Lost Power? Check Your Power Boards First

Lost Power? Check Your Power Boards First

by | Nov 16, 2014 | Common Repairs, Dodgy Installations, Keep Your Family Safe

Plug in power boards are a common source of electrical faults.

If you find that some of your power points or electronic equipment has stopped working, you should check any power boards that are in use.

They are commonly used behind TVs and computers, when there aren’t enough fixed power points available.

Power boards can cause a number of problems and in the worst cases can be a fire or electric shock hazard.

Simple problems like a plug top that is not plugged in correctly are easy to find and fix, however if the plug has fallen out because it is loose in the power board socket it’s time to replace the power board.

A loose connection can get hot enough to melt the plug top and maybe start a fire.

Some power boards have a safety cut out that will trip if the board is overloaded so check to see if your power board has some kind of reset button that can be pushed to restore power.

If the safety cut out has tripped you probably have too many appliances plugged into the power board and will need to find somewhere else to plug in one or two of those appliances.

If the cut out button won’t reset, even after you have unplugged all the appliances, then you will need to replace the power board.

The best solution to a lack of power points is to install more hard wired power points, or replace an existing double power point with a new 4-gang power point.  For more info on this topic see our blog post “The Cheapest Way To Install More Power Points.”

If you do have to use a power board here are a few things to keep in mind:

Make sure all plugs fit firmly into the sockets.
Keep the cords tidy, not in a tangled mess.
Locate the power board in a place where it cannot be disturbed.
Check the power board regularly for signs of damage, especially heat damage.
Never use double adapters in a power board and don’t plug one power board into another.

So, any time you experience a power problem, remember to check all power boards you are using and you might just save yourself the cost of having an electrician attend just to push a rest button or tell you to buy you a new power board.

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