UK switches in Australia

[ronafios]

I have a friend in the UK who insists that many of the light switches his company stocks there will work in Australia, and that clipsal units etc are essentially the same. It's tempting to buy some from him because a) he's offering them to me at his price which is very cheap and b) they look very nice. The dimmers are specified at 220v to 250v range.

However, when a sparky arrives at my house and sees these switches and my installation plan, will they point out the error of my ways and force me to go with the uglier HPM superdimmer or equivalent? Better to know in advance.

[bitingmidge]

Just curious, why don't you ask the sparky you're going to get to price the job?

P
:?

[peter_sm]

I couldn't see an electrician signing off a certificate of electrical compliance when fitting items that may not be compliant to or have Australian Standards certification.

[ronafios]

Just curious, why don't you ask the sparky you're going to get to price the job?

P
:?

Well, sure - but not sure what that has to do with my query. I've got a sparky booked in 4 weeks to install 2 air con units and was going to add a couple of light switch replacments to the list. When I asked him about this question he said he would need to see the switches to see if 'they were the same', which is the question I'm preempting.

Although price is one of the issues, the 'look' issue is a bigger one - they UK units are better looking than the standard HPM/Clipsal units. At least to me.

[Tools]

Do you have a pic of these bad boys?

Tools

[bitingmidge]

When I asked him about this question he said he would need to see the switches to see if 'they were the same', which is the question I'm preempting.

You're a braver man than I.

When a sparky can't answer because he needs to see them, why do you trust a bunch of people you've never met to take a guess??

That's what my question was about.

P
:cool:

[ronafios]

You're a braver man than I.

When a sparky can't answer because he needs to see them, why do you trust a bunch of people you've never met to take a guess??

That's what my question was about.

P
:cool:

Yeah, maybe naieve, but was hoping maybe someone had already been down this road - surely I'm not the first guy to think of it! The electrician I use does great work but is in his late 50s and doesn't even have an email address (imagine!) so I don't assume he's up on the whole global village thing. I'm sure no-one has ever asked him the UK switch question before.

[ronafios]

Do you have a pic of these bad boys?

Tools

http://leisure.prior-it.co.uk/images/varilight.jpg

The reason I like this one in particular is because it is a touch dimmer, with blue LED for finding it at night, and can be operated by programming with any spare remote control button you have handy on any remote.

The problem clearly is that I'm approaching this one from a consumer perspective, which is reasonable becuase I'm a consumer. I don't know anything about licensing and certification. I just want a pretty switch with a blue light that I can control with my remote.

[ronafios]

Hi Tools - tried several times to post a pic but for some reason the post doesn't appear. This is a pictureless attempt.

If you images.google.com 'varilight dimmer remote' you'll see some pics. The reason I like this one in particular is because it has a blue LED for finding it at night, touch dimmer, and can be programmed to operate using any spare button on any remote control you might have lying around.

So yes, I'm thinking like a consumer which is to be expected because I am a consumer. I don't know anything about licensing or certification. I just want a pretty light switch that glows blue and works with my remote.

[Sturdee]

- surely I'm not the first guy to think of it!

Looks like you're the first to think about it as I can't remember ever seeing that question. So I suggest you get them, let your electrician decide if they're okay and let us now.


Peter.

[bitingmidge]

I just want a pretty light switch that glows blue and works with my remote.

Oh you should have said! I've got these (http://www.clipsal.com.au/consumer/products/clipsal_integrated_systems/c-bus_wireless/wireless_wall_switches_5850_and_5880_series)! (They can be programmed to be night lights too)

IMHO they are miles more elegant than the pommie ones, but that's a matter of taste I guess.

P
:D

[ronafios]

Hey bitingmidge - you're five kinds of champion! The clipsal wireless c-bus stuff is almost exactly the equivalent - and I didn't know it existed (c-bus yes, but not the mains equivalent stuff in your link).

Might save a bunch of problems to go that route I think. The only problems now for me - a) my electrician doesn't do c-bus and b) I'm sure the c-bus stuff costs more than the AU$50 that the varilights cost...

[nev25]

I'm sure the c-bus stuff costs more than the AU$50 that the varilights cost...

But the C-Bus stuff is approved in Australia
Your Product may not be
If your product isn't approve and something goes wrong (fire etc)
Best of luck with your insurance claim