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20th March 2009, 10:10 PM
Hey all,
A few years ago we have 2 Daikin split systems installed, a small 2.5kw in the bedroom (opposite side of the house to the fuse box) and a 6kw right next to the fuse box.
The 6kw looks like it was installed on a seperate circuit, the 2.5kw in the bedroom was installed by plugging into an external powerpoint the electrician installed which sourced power from the main circuit (protected by an RCD).
Last week we turned the bedroom unit on, and after a few minutes it tripped the RCD. We tried again, same thing. I then turned outside powerpoint off, then all back on, it ran for an hour or so, but I wasn't confident there wasn't a problem. I rang an electrician (I wasn't a fan of the guy who installed it anyway so rang someone else) who advised that they shouldn't be installed on an RCD protected circuit due to possibility of false tripping, but to ring Daikin first for a service call in case there is a fault with the unit (still under warranty).
They came and were surprised to see it on an RCD circuit and said the same thing, that it shouldn't be. They tested the unit, did see it trip, but felt there wasn't a problem with the unit. In particular they said if the unit had a fault, it would most likely trip when turned on, not at varying times and that I needed to get it re-wired not on the RCD. When asked why after a few years he said that as components wear with age, whatever causes the false tripping can start. This is all exactly what was said by another independant electrician (so thats Daikin and 2 electricians so far) whom I rang before I rang the original guy with the 'evidence' as I didn't feel I should pay to have it re-wired when from what I was told should have been done seperately in the first place.
Based on this information I rang the initial electrician to get him to come and redo it, and his response was that it was fine to install the way he did, 'I do a lot of them that way with no problem' and that its fine to install it on an RCD circuit. He couldn't redo it anyway as he had moved out of Sydney to far northern NSW.
My question is this to all you electricians. Is it 'standards' not to put it on an RCD circuit, or is it just one of those things you don't do to minimise possible problems, or is it the type of thing that the manufacturers suggest not to and its up to the electrician. I'm just wondering what comeback I have towards the electrician since I'm likely to be up for a couple of hundred bucks probably to get a lecky out to get it rewired. I'd like to be able to send him the bill. :oo:
Would it be safe to say due to being on the opposite side of the house it was a 'lazy' install by the electrician? I wouldn't think it overly difficult at time of install to do it the other way, the house is hardiplank and there is fairly good access under the house between the unit and the fuse box - as a matter of fact I can clearly see all the way from the unit to the other unit next to the fuse box and I've installed some additional phone points under the house quite easily (yes, I'm ACA licenced) and I was a 116kg chubby guy then. :D
Sorry about the long and drawn out story but I think I needed to give you all the information I have and a better idea of the location etc.
Thanks.
Read the full thread at RenovateForum.com... (http://www.renovateforum.com/showthread.php?t=75645&goto=newpost)
A few years ago we have 2 Daikin split systems installed, a small 2.5kw in the bedroom (opposite side of the house to the fuse box) and a 6kw right next to the fuse box.
The 6kw looks like it was installed on a seperate circuit, the 2.5kw in the bedroom was installed by plugging into an external powerpoint the electrician installed which sourced power from the main circuit (protected by an RCD).
Last week we turned the bedroom unit on, and after a few minutes it tripped the RCD. We tried again, same thing. I then turned outside powerpoint off, then all back on, it ran for an hour or so, but I wasn't confident there wasn't a problem. I rang an electrician (I wasn't a fan of the guy who installed it anyway so rang someone else) who advised that they shouldn't be installed on an RCD protected circuit due to possibility of false tripping, but to ring Daikin first for a service call in case there is a fault with the unit (still under warranty).
They came and were surprised to see it on an RCD circuit and said the same thing, that it shouldn't be. They tested the unit, did see it trip, but felt there wasn't a problem with the unit. In particular they said if the unit had a fault, it would most likely trip when turned on, not at varying times and that I needed to get it re-wired not on the RCD. When asked why after a few years he said that as components wear with age, whatever causes the false tripping can start. This is all exactly what was said by another independant electrician (so thats Daikin and 2 electricians so far) whom I rang before I rang the original guy with the 'evidence' as I didn't feel I should pay to have it re-wired when from what I was told should have been done seperately in the first place.
Based on this information I rang the initial electrician to get him to come and redo it, and his response was that it was fine to install the way he did, 'I do a lot of them that way with no problem' and that its fine to install it on an RCD circuit. He couldn't redo it anyway as he had moved out of Sydney to far northern NSW.
My question is this to all you electricians. Is it 'standards' not to put it on an RCD circuit, or is it just one of those things you don't do to minimise possible problems, or is it the type of thing that the manufacturers suggest not to and its up to the electrician. I'm just wondering what comeback I have towards the electrician since I'm likely to be up for a couple of hundred bucks probably to get a lecky out to get it rewired. I'd like to be able to send him the bill. :oo:
Would it be safe to say due to being on the opposite side of the house it was a 'lazy' install by the electrician? I wouldn't think it overly difficult at time of install to do it the other way, the house is hardiplank and there is fairly good access under the house between the unit and the fuse box - as a matter of fact I can clearly see all the way from the unit to the other unit next to the fuse box and I've installed some additional phone points under the house quite easily (yes, I'm ACA licenced) and I was a 116kg chubby guy then. :D
Sorry about the long and drawn out story but I think I needed to give you all the information I have and a better idea of the location etc.
Thanks.
Read the full thread at RenovateForum.com... (http://www.renovateforum.com/showthread.php?t=75645&goto=newpost)