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Author Topic: Any Sparkies out there  (Read 21750 times)

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Offline BaseCamp

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Re: Any Sparkies out there
« Reply #50 on: July 16, 2018, 10:49:30 AM »
On that point - not competently able to turn my hand to DIY anything on my van; (ie: install a sky window over the bed; do a nice job installing 2 Saroco fans; install a TV bracket on the outside kitchen; run some 10mm from the A frame; etc) - I always pay LCT to do the work...

I remember 'almost apologising' sheepishly one time to them about my lack of ability...   

John said don't worry; unless you really know what you are doing - it's wiser to get it done professionally...

Then he added - he's seen a surprising number of DIYers bring their vans in for a fix up - after they have had a crack at something themselves...   and then when he sees the client's van - its got a gaping hole through the wall; or some other calamity....

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« Last Edit: July 16, 2018, 10:51:58 AM by BaseCamp »
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Offline Pottsy

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Re: Any Sparkies out there
« Reply #51 on: July 16, 2018, 11:22:14 AM »
Electricity bites, I lost a mate to electrocution whilst attempting a diy repair. Not for me I'm afraid, qualified electrician every time no matter how small the job.
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Offline hefty_merv

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Re: Any Sparkies out there
« Reply #52 on: July 16, 2018, 12:40:44 PM »
Most downlights all now come with a standard 240v plug attachment, can you just get the sparkie to run cable and you do the lights?

All you do then is plug in a 240v plug to a licensed installation.

This is how we had it done on the underside of our house.
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Offline GBC

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Re: Any Sparkies out there
« Reply #53 on: July 16, 2018, 01:13:10 PM »
Quote from: BaseCamp on July 16, 2018, 10:49:30 AM
On that point - not competently able to turn my hand to DIY anything on my van; (ie: install a sky window over the bed; do a nice job installing 2 Saroco fans; install a TV bracket on the outside kitchen; run some 10mm from the A frame; etc) - I always pay LCT to do the work...

I remember 'almost apologising' sheepishly one time to them about my lack of ability...   

John said don't worry; unless you really know what you are doing - it's wiser to get it done professionally...

Then he added - he's seen a surprising number of DIYers bring their vans in for a fix up - after they have had a crack at something themselves...   and then when he sees the client's van - its got a gaping hole through the wall; or some other calamity....

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There's a plumber's van getting around Brisbane with "We repair what your husband fixed on the weekend" on the side - so true.
I'll fess up, when I was younger and crazier I had a rental property we were doing up. The Mrs shows up with a couple of oyster lights from Bunnings to replace a couple of fluros - how hard could it possibly be? haha - the fluros had 4 holes for wires in the back and the oyster lights had three holes, so sh!t for brains twitches the two black wires together, shoves them in the corresponding black hole (red and green in the other two), fit the lights, cruise downstairs, flick the breaker and snap, crackle pop - half a house worth of wiring instantly melts, smokes up and needs rewiring. I could so easily have killed somebody or burned the house down. An expensive lesson learned cheap.
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Offline galah

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Re: Any Sparkies out there
« Reply #54 on: July 16, 2018, 05:15:25 PM »
How about doing all the lights at 12V, and fit an approved 12V plugpack to an inside power point somewhere.
Then you can run the wires yourself legally. Unlikely to be more than 1-2 hundred dollars for all the bits.
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Offline vern

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Re: Any Sparkies out there
« Reply #55 on: July 16, 2018, 07:24:05 PM »
Now I would have to find my reg book, it's been a while, but how are the cables going to be run in a 50mm cavity?

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Offline rags

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Re: Any Sparkies out there
« Reply #56 on: July 16, 2018, 07:44:17 PM »
Quote from: GBC on July 16, 2018, 07:06:49 AM
It’s not only the electrical aisle that’s a goldmine for proper tradesmen. I’ve lost count of the number of water damage claims I’ve been called to assess and at the source is a generic flick mixer with generic, recently split, flex lines, and the telltale Shitty tiling of a weekend warrior.


The " generic flick mixer and generic easy hooker hoses" are not limited to the weekend warrior.
Plumbers all over Australia are using by the bucket load. Plumbers long forgot how to pull a radius bend on a bit of chrome tube with the rigid benders.
In fact you can't hook a flick mixer tap without the use of a hose. The hoses fail for 3 reasons
1 twisted and kinked. 2 excess pressure and 3 because of the stainless braiding corroding because of the chemicals like spray n wipe stored in the same cupboard.
My recommendation is to ensure leak stop control valves are installed when using hoses.
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Offline JD-120

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Re: Any Sparkies out there
« Reply #57 on: July 16, 2018, 08:02:03 PM »
Quote from: vern on July 16, 2018, 07:24:05 PM
Now I would have to find my reg book, it's been a while, but how are the cables going to be run in a 50mm cavity?

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Conduit has been run between the sheets during construction. ready for someone to come along and "Let there be light"
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Justin

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Re: Any Sparkies out there
« Reply #58 on: July 17, 2018, 11:36:27 AM »
Quote from: vern on July 16, 2018, 07:24:05 PM
Now I would have to find my reg book, it's been a while, but how are the cables going to be run in a 50mm cavity?

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That's why I extended the 24VDC cable (between LED driver and light)  on mine, to 2.5M and put the drivers in the house roof cavity. With low current, there's very little voltage drop, and lights are still very bright.
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Offline Rhojef

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Re: Any Sparkies out there
« Reply #59 on: July 17, 2018, 12:00:24 PM »
I'm a plumber by trade and had a lady knock on the door on a Sunday afternoon.  "Excuse me saw your ute and  would you happen to be a plumber ". Short answer yep.
My husband has had the water turned off all day to install a new vanity. I have no water to cook dinner or to wash the kids. Off I go  to check it out.
Husband had no idea about anything and this was before plumbquicks were around.
Told him I'd seal the connections today get the water on and be back tomorrow to finish the vanity install.
When I told them the price for a callout on a Sunday afternoon the husband started to arc up and the wife ripped shreds off him right into front of me.  It was worth the effort just to see his face.
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Offline Rumpig

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Re: Any Sparkies out there
« Reply #60 on: July 17, 2018, 05:05:07 PM »
Quote from: corndog on July 15, 2018, 01:12:08 PM
So should we de-regulate the electrical industry and open it up to every DIYer ?
no, but atleast teach them to stop drilling timber out like Swiss cheese.... many are clueless as to what a structural member is on a house, and think it’s ok to drill and cut out what ever they like to run some cable.
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Offline vern

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Re: Any Sparkies out there
« Reply #61 on: July 17, 2018, 06:02:19 PM »
Quote from: Rumpig on July 17, 2018, 05:05:07 PM
no, but atleast teach them to stop drilling timber out like Swiss cheese.... many are clueless as to what a structural member is on a house, and think it’s ok to drill and cut out what ever they like to run some cable.
Meh, the plaster will hold it up

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Offline Rumpig

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Re: Any Sparkies out there
« Reply #62 on: July 17, 2018, 06:06:14 PM »
Quote from: vern on July 17, 2018, 06:02:19 PM
Meh, the plaster will hold it up

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have done termite damage repair before where that pretty much was the case....not sure what was really holding the structural beam up on that place, all it's supports had been eaten out to about 1200mm high.
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Offline austastar

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Re: Any Sparkies out there
« Reply #63 on: July 17, 2018, 09:52:40 PM »
Hi,
   Plasterer ' s revenge.

1) Cut a length of cable that looks spare.
2) Nail it to a stud.
3) Pass it through a sheet of plaster.
4) Fasten and finish sheet
5) Deny every thing.

Cheers

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Offline JD-120

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Re: Any Sparkies out there
« Reply #64 on: July 23, 2018, 07:14:08 PM »
new quote, $550, suspicion confirmed.

nearly 1k savings, that just paid for part of my fuel for me Cape Trip!!!
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Justin

Offline vern

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Re: Any Sparkies out there
« Reply #65 on: July 23, 2018, 07:29:31 PM »
Quote from: JD-120 on July 23, 2018, 07:14:08 PM
new quote, $550, suspicion confirmed.

nearly 1k savings, that just paid for part of my fuel for me Cape Trip!!!
That's about what i priced it at for you.

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Offline prodigyrf

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Re: Any Sparkies out there
« Reply #66 on: July 24, 2018, 01:27:08 AM »
Quote from: rags on July 16, 2018, 07:44:17 PM
The " generic flick mixer and generic easy hooker hoses" are not limited to the weekend warrior.
Plumbers all over Australia are using by the bucket load. Plumbers long forgot how to pull a radius bend on a bit of chrome tube with the rigid benders.
In fact you can't hook a flick mixer tap without the use of a hose. The hoses fail for 3 reasons
1 twisted and kinked. 2 excess pressure and 3 because of the stainless braiding corroding because of the chemicals like spray n wipe stored in the same cupboard.
My recommendation is to ensure leak stop control valves are installed when using hoses.



Not quite rags- http://www.plumberschoice.com.au/Mixer-Tail-Pair-Pex-Lined-400mm

You buy some Chinese taps off fleabay and they have braided rubber hoses unlike some of the expensive Euro stuff with that and look out but I did notice the other day Bunnings Kinetic braided hose range are 5 year warranty and now recommend they be changed at 5 years and they have a date tag on them for you to fill in for the purpose  ;D
Sparky son was just doing some work for a couple who've been out of their home for 6 months after a hose burst while they were away on hols. Brick veneer so off with the skirts and aves and plasterboard cut 600mm off the floor all round and 3 months minimum while it dries out before any remediation works begin so they've been in a renter compliments of their insurer while it's all sorted  :'(
« Last Edit: July 24, 2018, 01:39:35 AM by prodigyrf »
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There's no Great Evil conspiracy against consumers within engineering, manufacturing and supply. Just the many tradeoffs incurred to satisfy diverse tastes, priorities and wallets. But first comes all the insatiable Gummint eggsperts, nanny-staters and usual suspects.

Offline prodigyrf

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Re: Any Sparkies out there
« Reply #67 on: July 24, 2018, 01:33:40 AM »
And the word is insurers are beginning to ask the hard questions when things go wrong like that so be warned girls and boys as you or a tradey get it wrong and they go looking for who's responsible for that to keep all our premiums lower  :-*
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There's no Great Evil conspiracy against consumers within engineering, manufacturing and supply. Just the many tradeoffs incurred to satisfy diverse tastes, priorities and wallets. But first comes all the insatiable Gummint eggsperts, nanny-staters and usual suspects.

Offline prodigyrf

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Re: Any Sparkies out there
« Reply #68 on: July 24, 2018, 01:50:21 AM »
You want my sparky son to hitch up your cheap cables and lights rather than the ones he gets guaranteed by his electrical wholesaler then you're dreaming buster-
https://www.accc.gov.au/update/infinity-cable-recall-act-now-before-its-too-late
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There's no Great Evil conspiracy against consumers within engineering, manufacturing and supply. Just the many tradeoffs incurred to satisfy diverse tastes, priorities and wallets. But first comes all the insatiable Gummint eggsperts, nanny-staters and usual suspects.

Online Troopy_03

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Re: Any Sparkies out there
« Reply #69 on: July 24, 2018, 09:55:52 AM »
Quote from: prodigyrf on July 24, 2018, 01:50:21 AM
You want my sparky son to hitch up your cheap cables and lights rather than the ones he gets guaranteed by his electrical wholesaler then you're dreaming buster-
https://www.accc.gov.au/update/infinity-cable-recall-act-now-before-its-too-late

The thing is, some of that cable was also supplied by wholesalers. So even tradies installed it, before the recall. Tradies were also responsible for replacing the installed dodgy cable. I wonder if they all did?
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Offline tryagain

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Re: Any Sparkies out there
« Reply #70 on: July 24, 2018, 12:25:34 PM »
Quote from: Troopy_03 on July 24, 2018, 09:55:52 AM
The thing is, some of that cable was also supplied by wholesalers. So even tradies installed it, before the recall. Tradies were also responsible for replacing the installed dodgy cable. I wonder if they all did?

This, but I would say the vast majority of it was installed by licenced Sparky's, not really a DIY vs trade issue at all.
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Offline rags

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Re: Any Sparkies out there
« Reply #71 on: July 24, 2018, 07:06:39 PM »
Quote from: prodigyrf on July 24, 2018, 01:27:08 AM

Not quite rags- http://www.plumberschoice.com.au/Mixer-Tail-Pair-Pex-Lined-400mm

You buy some Chinese taps off fleabay and they have braided rubber hoses unlike some of the expensive Euro stuff with that and look out but I did notice the other day Bunnings Kinetic braided hose range are 5 year warranty and now recommend they be changed at 5 years and they have a date tag on them for you to fill in for the purpose  ;D
  :'(


Yes I'm aware of the version that plumbers choice sell but without a plumbers licence then that merchant won't sell them to you. They are one of the only merchants to restrict their product sales to trade only.
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Offline gronk

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Re: Any Sparkies out there
« Reply #72 on: July 24, 2018, 08:21:55 PM »
Quote from: rags on July 24, 2018, 07:06:39 PM
Yes I'm aware of the version that plumbers choice sell but without a plumbers licence then that merchant won't sell them to you. They are one of the only merchants to restrict their product sales to trade only.

They won't sell some braided hoses that need a shifter to undo and do up ??
Next they'll be saying you can't change a light bulb unless you're licensed !!
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Offline rags

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Re: Any Sparkies out there
« Reply #73 on: July 24, 2018, 09:03:23 PM »
Quote from: gronk on July 24, 2018, 08:21:55 PM
They won't sell some braided hoses that need a shifter to undo and do up ??
Next they'll be saying you can't change a light bulb unless you're licensed !!

How do you expect plumbers to be able to afford a 4wd and caravan, a house at the beach and another on a river somewhere if we allow anyone to do plumbing work.😃
That's why it is considered a specialist trade and regulated as such.
Like a lightbulb we will let the homeowner change a tap washer though no problems.
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Offline pjmowens

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Re: Any Sparkies out there
« Reply #74 on: July 24, 2018, 09:31:13 PM »
Just a word of warning for any of you who have fitted or supplied your own lights, not all leds are the same.
To place directly in and surrounded by building structure/ insulation you would need lights rated to a minimum of “IC-F”. Insulated roofing panel is generally EPS (not fire retardant).Not many off the shelf’s are IC-F.

I’m not saying that this would justify such a high price of the initial quote but it would justify using a licensed electrician...
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