Basic home wiring

[bennylaird]

Thanks Felixe, good advice, just need to know if the I have to have the tongs the right way round as I would hate to reverse my polarity?

[Cliff Rogers]

I think Benny has lost his marbles.... or is about to.

[Bleedin Thumb]

I've decided it's time to sort out birthcontrol but I understand it's just a simple snip so might have a go at it myself. I have seen similar work done but just uncertain about the knot to use. I'll do the right thing and have it checked out by a licenced surgeon but as I have the tools then I can save a few dollars. After all it's not brain surgury?

Can anyone help with this? Perhaps a simple drawing? I assume it's all on the same circuit but is this the case? Thanks in anticipation.

Benny, I was going to post a similar thtread about bomb defusing.
I wanted to attach a Michael Leunig cartoon Bomb Defusing 101- Prac Exam but couldn't find the cartoon.

Anyone got a copy?.

[Cliff Rogers]

...bomb defusing.
...couldn't find the cartoon.
Anyone got a copy?.

How about this one.

[bennylaird]

Benny, I was going to post a similar thtread about bomb defusing.
I wanted to attach a Michael Leunig cartoon Bomb Defusing 101- Prac Exam but couldn't find the cartoon.

Anyone got a copy?.

Both are fairly similar as they deal with defusing, and why not have a go at doing it yourself, can't hurt?

[MurrayD99]

Is this, yet, a Forum Hall of Fame thread? For diversity, angst, sarcasm, participation, international input, needling, casual concern for safety, bitterness, locked, unlocked, officially and unofficially, long life, humour and technical education of the unwashed. Got to be a 9! It might have been a 10 but nobody, so far, excusez-moi if I missed it, has mentioned taking supply off the overhead lines with alligator clips in a rainstorm....

[bennylaird]

Can you do that?:confused: :confused: What size clips work best and should I wear rubber shoes?:confused: :confused:

[MurrayD99]

Well, this'd get us the 10 wouldn't it? Those little guys you get from DSE would be hard to solder onto a decent cable. I guess the simplest way would be to get some of those jump leads, get a few pairs and link'em up, should be OK. If it'll start a tractor engine it should take 11KVA. Being as how it is raining, you probably already wearing gumboots - perfectly safe. Tape them down where they go under the front door so you don't trip over them. Oh, you could always padlock (hint) the front door.

[bennylaird]

I think the Clint Eastwood line suits this thread nicely.

"A mans gotta know his limitations".

Use common sense and don't let it bite you.

[LeftyJim]

I'm a bit late in responding to this thread, but anyway...

An interesting statistic that is apparent in the electrical accident numbers posted earlier is the small number of electrocutions in New Zealand compared to Australia. This in itself doesn't mean much, except when you know that New Zealand permits householders to perform their own wiring with limitations, and that they share our wiring rules: AS/NZS 3000

My understanding (jump in if I get this wrong) is that Kiwis can install new main runs as long as they don't connect it up at the fusepanel end. Additional power points and lights and switches can be added to existing circuits, observing power limits.

After doing any of these tasks, a licenced sparky is called in to check/hook up at the fusepanel. Wiring information is freely available, and I think you can even take courses in household wiring.

This really knocks the teeth out of the argument that there would be chaos if householders were allowed to perform home wiring. It's all in the information and advice that is available.

If you could obtain good guides on how home wiring should be done, and then have a licenced sparky check it over afterwards at a nominal fee, I think there would be a lot less dodgy home wiring going on.

[chrisp]

Hallelujah - At least someone has seen the light!

[bennylaird]

Most agree that the most important bit is the inspection by a qualified sparkie.

[MurrayD99]

Please Sir, can we go now?

[Felder]

CLASS DISMISSED!

[chrisp]

This really knocks the teeth out of the argument that there would be chaos if householders were allowed to perform home wiring. It's all in the information and advice that is available.

Most agree that the most important bit is the inspection by a qualified sparkie.

Benny,

You can read it that way if you wish, but I think BigJim pointed out it is the availability of information and courses. Other countries allow wiring without checking (NZ for extra GPOs on an existing circuit?) by a qualified electrician and they seem to be electrocuting less people than we do. They have the information available - for example Americans can buy books and DVDs that show how to wire safely. [The Australian standards and techniques are different so this information is not applicable here.]

Here we seem to go all wobbly at the knees when it comes to electrical wiring and our overly restrictive regulations. I think it is about time we joined the rest of the world - the Australian way isn't always the best way