Does the switchboard need updating or is it good to go?

[admacp]

This is the current switchboard in our unit in Chatswood (2067).  Any advice on how compliant it is with building codes.  Any recommendations for replacement products?   Finally, the wiring is a bit different from what I've seen before back in the UK.  Is the earth bundling of wires the standard approach?  how are the breakers impacted by the nice daisy chaining effect along the lower side.

(this is a 2 bedroom, duplex penthouse  unit near Chatswood station)

[EricL]

Hello @admacp 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's marvellous to have you join us, and thank you for sharing your question about your electrical switchboard. 

Looking at the photo you posted we can make a few deductions regarding its condition. The circuit breakers are neither ceramic, brown Bakelite or or old black plastic type breakers. These look fairly modern and don't show any cracking or breaking along its surface. Switchboards such as these can only be serviced or upgraded by registered electricians and as such, I don't recommend doing any D.I.Y. on them.

If you are after a bit of history regarding the switchboard, I propose speaking to the former owner or your real estate agent and asking them when the switchboard was last upgraded or serviced. If you wish to have your switchboard properly inspected, I suggest engaging the services of a registered electrician.   

There are quite a few choices when replacing your circuit breaker. The type and style to be used is usually dictated by what was originally installed. Your electrician will advise you which one to get.  

Let me call on our experienced members @MikeTNZ and @CSParnell and get their opinion regarding the wiring configuration.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[CSParnell]

@admacp @EricL 

This board is a sub board down stream from the main board.

I has 1 residual current device (RCD) of HPM brand connected to ???? Circuits and the rest are circuit breakers of a brand I have seen but can't remember the name or make out they are a Chinese brand. This board needs to be inspected by an electrical contractor for the following reasons, I'm not sure what the RCD is protecting and you want it protecting just about every circuit these days besides oven, air-conditioning, pumps. You can't tell condition of the board from a low res photo and honestly even if I could and another qualified sparky could it would be dangerous to give out information that may put yourself and others in harms way.

If you are not familiar with Australian electrical rules and regulations they are really tight and carrying out any DIY electrical work not only dangerous but can void any Insurance house, contents, 3rd party and life. For the $100 or so an hour it's just not worth the risk.

I hope that gives some insight and wisdom or grieve how ever you look at it 😉 

[admacp]

 

hi Eric,  thanks for the reply.  I have no intention of doing any work related to the electrics.  I am just trying to scope out the seriousness of any issue.  I have lived with the electrics in this state for 7 years and the real estate agent simply ignores any requests for maintenance.  The RCD seems to cover all the circuits including oven and AC, though the AC doesnt work.  I have included a slightly higher res photo.  

to share my personal opinion about the switchboard…. I would say that it is sub standard and could lead to serious criminal charges should anyone get injured due to the negligence of the real estate agent.  The switchboard is located directly below a fire sprinkler (water) and appears to be part of a sharing facility with my neighbour.  This arrangement leads to me paying the electric bill for both units.  My neighbour got quite upset when I turned off the power to his unit and left them with no electricity for the evening.  That was a bit of a warning shot across the bows.

i would appreciate an opinion on how compliant the wiring is with building standards.

again,  your expertise is much appreciated.

 

[MitchellMc]

Hi @admacp,

You would need to enlist the services of a qualified electrician for them to give their opinion on the compliance of the switchboard. If you have concerns then I would suggest that's money well spent.

Mitchell

[admacp]

@MitchellMc 

Hi Mitchell,  I have engaged the services of a qualified electrician.  They came to have a look and simply said that the board needed to be totally rewired to be compliant.  He wrote a short (2 lines) report stating those facts and then left again.  The inspection lasted about 2minutes because it transpires that the supply to that board cannot be turned off without turning the supply to the other units who share my electricity supply.  The arrangement is probably good value for them since it is me that has been paying the bill for 7 years.  My feeling is that this called electricity theft and like most theft is actually a criminal offence.. So that is now an avenue for me to explore in more detail.

Thanks for the suggestion

[MikeTNZ]

Hi @admacp,

If it were my call as an electrician, I would rip that out and put something bigger and better in its place.

A few things stand out in the pictures:

• This board is overloaded for it's purpose, reason I say that is because you're only allowed one neutral conductor in each "way" in the neutral busbar, not 2 or more, this is for testing and safety purposes.
• The first circuit breaker next to the RCD unit has far too many conductors connected to it, iregardless of what sort of current each of them is carrying, this is really bad practice.
• There is an Earth busbar provided in the top left side of the board, yet whoever wired this, chose to not use it at all, if I was an electrical inspector, I would fail this on this alone, that is not good enough.
• I'm not sure why there are orange wires in the tops of the circuit breakers, orange is not a normal colour for most compliant mains cables.
• I have certain misgivings about RCD's being used as board isolators/ feeding the whole board, my reasoning behind this is that if that RCD should trip at night, ALL of the circuits that that RCD feeds will be turned off and the whole place plunged into darkness, which is quite dangerous, especially if someone should be navigating things like stairs and the like, so there should always be at least 2 RCD's in a given switchboard, to my way of thinking and I believe that is now law when a switchboard is upgraded.

I hope this has been of some help.

Cheers,

Mike T.

[TedBear]

Hi @admacp , 

I would get in contact with Safework NSW about this. They are the authority and your landlord or agent would be foolish to go against any orders or recommendations that they may put in place.

https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/electrical-and-power/electrical-work

I had a difference of opinion about standards with the electrician who rewired our house some years ago, so I contacted our local authority who told me to tell him to fix what I'd described or else they would send an inspector out and if the work was found to be noncompliant they'd cancel his licence.  He came back immediately and did it properly. 

It would be worthwhile telling your agent in writing (email will do) that if anyone is hurt due to any electrical shortcomings that you would hold them responsible now that you've informed them of the risk.

Once something is in writing it could be used as damming  evidence in a Court, as the agent would know. The safety factor argument is usually one that any business can't really ignore, due to the risks if things get caught up in a legal process, whereas your inconvenience or preferences can be ignored.

[MikeTNZ]

Hi @TedBear,

Brilliant call there mate.

As a registered electrician, I totally understand that you need to bring your best game to a given job, no matter what that job is.

Near enough or sloppy work just doesn't cut it, especially with electrical work.

If I happened to do a sub-standard install or repair, I would EXPECT to be called out on that, the thing is these days, standards have slipped

some-what from what they were in the past, just because you have a "ticket" as a sparkie doesn't allow you to do whatever you like

and I suspect this is what is going on these days.