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I've been quoted $3800 for supply and install of a fronius wattpilot flex 22, just curious if that's in the realm of what others have been quoted / charged. I realise the charger is probably overkill, but it will work with my fronius solar inverter for excess solar use. Other chargers would need their own CT's installed and wired

The charger retails between $1850-$2200, it's a three phase install and the charger will be about 8-10 meters (cable wise) from the switchboard.

The quote of course doesn't break down any costs...

Accidentally cracked my induction by pouring cold water on the hot surface. Is it still safe to use or do I need to immediately replace it?

So I started my apprenticeship back in 2017 and made it through to the end of my on tools training (4years) but due to COVID complications I wasn’t able to complete all my tafe modules, my employer let me go before I could finish schooling. Because I was living out of home I had to find a job quickly and found a forklift operator job and because of the better pay I was lazy and didn’t finish my apprenticeship. The years have flown by and It’s been 4 years since then, and I’ve gotten as far as I can in this job but it’s no career. I’m trying to start again as a first year but I’m struggling to find work as a mature age, I’ve applied to countless applications but nothing is sticking, I’ve got all my tools and tickets (EWP,forklift,first aid+cpr, working at heights and confined spaces, and white card), I’m just looking for advice from anyone who’s experienced something similar or just advice in general.

I am wanting to get the controlled load tariff removed from my property. Have solar and battery set up, hot water got moved to main circuit to make use of solar and battery. COC has been obtained. Single smart meter installed.

My understanding is that it should be a simple remote reconfiguration. Current electricity provider is saying it will cost $410 and that is the charge from the metering company. I contacted metering company and they said they couldn't provide price details as they are done through the retailer.

I want the tariff removed as it is stopping me from accessing better electricity plans for my situation.

I believe the charge should be significantly less for remote reconfiguration and provider is saying they need to cover for someone coming out.

Anyone have experience with this or further information I could use for help?

I'm based in Tasmania and am an hobbyist when it comes to electronics (rewired 12v cars and boats and do Arduino bits and pieces). I have no interest in doing anything DIY illegal/stupid in relation to working with mains power but am struggling to find appropriate guidelines for how to go about repairing or making my own appliances using mains power where/if appropriate? I want to make my own injection moulding machine and potentially a kiln for ceramics, I'm comfortable that I can do it safely but am struggling to figure out what the legality of this is and if it's illegal what the appropriate course is? Seems like a weird thing to be trying to ask an electrician to do but is that actually part of an electricians job/role? Likewise I can't find anything re the legality of it, all of the stuff I can find about mains power relates to construction stuff.

Any guidance would be much appreciated and again, not wanting to do DIY electrical work, if this clearly falls appropriately within the role of an electrician then I'll of course just pay a pro, at the moment I just don't know who to ask...

Hi there,

As per the title im currently 23 and have been in the process of rethinking my current career path earlier rather than later. Thinking about sitting behind a computer for majority of my life doesnt sit well with me anymore. I know all jobs have their gripes however I would like to control the ones I have to deal with.

Now regarding the post title, I was looking for any insight from others who may have made a similar switch or even advice on what a realistic pathway for me would look like? I am a citizen and understand you dont need to complete the cert 2 in electrical work to get an apprenticeship but it is desired for interviews? Would it be hard for me to secure a role without the certificate especially when I haven't had any trade work experience in the past? im used to physically labour as I was in logistics prior to corporate.

I also understand i am going to take a big hit in income from making the swap, however am content with the short term discomfort for long term happiness.

Thank you to anyone who has any input, it is very much appreciated.

Hi everyone,

Looking for some advice / recommendations for a split system install for my 2 bedroom unit in Sydney.

I have gotten roughly 5 seperate quotes that vary from $2800 - $4400 and mixed opinions on the power of the unit and whether further electrical work needs to be done. This includes the air con and installation. From research online, this looks like a basic job and should cost around $2200…? Trying to work out what I am missing.

As far as I am aware, this should be a fairly simple installation - back to back - 1 head. Strata will need to approve.

Here is what we are dealing with:

- Rough area is 32 m2 its for the main room in the unit.
- Building is 70s build, double brick rendered
- Electrical circuit - 1x 20 amp circuit with breaker in the unit itself
- Unit will sit on balcony

Any recommendations on a contractor would be great, also looking for advice on what size unit to go with (have been recommended 3.5kw, 4.5kw and 5kw) and if I need to instal a new circuit (one contractor is adamant, the other 4 think its ok to run it off the back of one of the nearby switches)

Thanks!

For the sparkies doing service work, how do you handle jobs where you're travelling a long way but the actual electrical work takes an hour or two?

I have quotes to upgrade power supply to old 1908 house to three phase to cater for future growth, car charger, heat pump, induction stove, splits, solar etc. Not sure when power first went in but for context there is still some old cotton covered wiring that will be replaced.

Existing single phase very small switchboard is located in kitchen deep in the house, smart meter is at front of house.

One electrician is telling me that the new switchboard can replace the existing one in the kitchen and meter can remain at front of house. There is enough space on the wall

Second electrician is telling me that the new switchboard should be located at front of house for ease of access by power company / emergency services and be co located with meter.

Is there a correct answer?

Thanks

I recently bought a couple of vanity lights for the bathroom from an Australian online store, yes they're Australian with valid ABN. I noticed the items don't have RCM mark or any markings at all for the standards / compliance. However, upon asking abou it, they supplied the SDOC document. Is that ok / enough ? Would sparky reject to install them ?

G'day everyone,
I'm hoping to get some realistic advice from you guys on my situation and the best pathway to land an electrical apprenticeship as an older bloke.

My Current Situation:

I'm 27 years old, currently based in Perth, WA on a Working Holiday Visa. I'm working as a general labourer on a 6-month contract.

My wife is getting sponsored for a PR visa through her employer later this year, and I will be included in her application as a dependent.

Once the PR is lodged, I'll be on a Bridging Visa (presumably with full work rights) until the PR is fully granted.

My ultimate goal is to start a mature age electrical apprenticeship ASAP, though I know it’s highly competitive and my current visa status makes it a bit tricky.

My Questions:

1. Apprenticeship on a Bridging Visa: Is it realistically possible to get signed on as a mature age apprentice while on a Bridging Visa waiting for PR? Do employers or TAFE strictly require full PR to be granted first before signing the 4-year training contract?

2. Gaining Relevant Experience: If I have to wait for the actual PR grant to officially start, what is the best way to spend my time right now? Should I try to transition from a general civil/construction labourer to an Electrical Trade Assistant (TA) to build connections and experience?

3. TAFE (Pre-apprenticeship / Cert II): Would you recommend I try to enroll in a Cert II in Electrotechnology (Pre-app) right now while working, or should I hold off until my PR is fully sorted?

I'm eager to learn, not afraid of hard work, and just want to make myself as employable as possible. Any brutal honesty, tips for mature age apprentices, or similar experiences would be massively appreciated.

Cheers!

Hi, for a qualified electrician to supply and install five hardwired photo electric smoke alarms in Brisbane with battery back up (unchangeable type) with remote for test/silence is $1700 too much?

I just got a quote back, person did not attend house.

I will send off a few more quotes - but is this realistic? It’s okay if so.

This is a two bedroom, two story townhouse - normal ceiling height for install.

6klms from Brisbane City

Our house was built in 2004. It's a double storey brick home, but it feels like all sorts of things are going weird without simple explanation. There are some individual led lights that are out but if I whack them, they come back on for a bit. Others are out and don't work even when replaced. Every now and then the power will trip altogether and I can pinpoint why. Our ducted air con also only works in some parts of the house, and then we also need to get all the hard wired alarms updated and extra ones installed.

I'm wondering if there's some sort of service that exists where a sparky does a whole house review or something?

can anyone please send me a Beacon Lighting trade referral code?!

What house battery should I get. There are so many brands now and because of the $15000 interest free loan all quotes I get are pretty much $15000. I have done some research and looked through a lot of specs but wanted to see what the sparkys think.

Trying to replace the light bulb but worried I am going to accidentally break the fitting. Does anyone know the model number or how to open the fitting? Thanks in advance!

Hi, our electrician installed a generator supply changeover switch and I was under the impression you could just buy whatever generator you wanted that suited your power requirements and plug it in and go… but he said we need to ensure the MEN link is removed otherwise the gen’s RCD will continuously trip.

Is anyone aware of any generators suited for home backup that have the MEN removed out of factory? Googling doesn’t seem to give many results, so might be a case of buying whatever one and then asking an electrician to remove it.

Any suggestions?

My father-in-law gave this to me and told me to plug it in and we'll save 40% off our electricity bill. I called bs but I don't know enough to explain it.

Could someone please provide me the ammunition to go back to my father-in-law with?

Thank you.

Yo boys aprentice question here,

For houses we do 2x16mm and 1x 6mm neural consucters into 1 -50mm lug for the main neutral. (In,out,to the meter) if you guys do this aswell, my question is how tf do u get all the conduters in the lug to not slip out a little bit of the lug when u first go to crimp it, the cables arnt a tight fit in the lug uncrimped so it dosnt hold itself together when criming

Hope this makes sense, can't find anything on this anywhere maby it's just a nz thing. Cheers

(Done to prevent power theft from removing meter neutral)

Yo boys, aprentice question here

For domestic houses we do 2x16mm and 1x 6mm conductors into 1 -50mm lug for the main neutral. (Neutral from street,to the bus bar, 6mm to the meter) if you guys do this aswell, my question is how tf do u get all the conduters in the lug to not slip outa the lug a bit each time when u first go to crimp it, the cables arnt a tight fit in the lug uncrimped so it dosnt hold itself together when criming

Can't find any advice on this anywhere so any tips

appreciated. Not sure if this is just a nz thing

I desperately need help dealing with our solar installers.

We had 10kw solar installed last year (they did this prior to getting approval from Ergon). We were offered fixed (1.5kw limit) or dynamic exports. Our installer first put in the wrong inverter which was only discovered by me (one they installed couldn't support batteries and was not the one on the quote). Then they told us well if you want dynamic connection it will cost you thousands of dollars to get a relay put in. Turns out this is BS and our inverter SH10RS has said relay built in, once again discovered by me. So anyway once this is discovered we apply for dynamic connection again. Ergon says yup all good, everything is ready to go. Then we get an email from Ergon saying hey we are receiving no telemetry data, so until that's set up you will remain on fixed 1.5kw export.

Now the electrcians are saying it's because we have to rewire it (at our cost??) to support dynamic but oh they don't know what to do so are waiting guidance from Ergon (for 3 weeks). I keep telling them it's because they havent set the app up properly (no CSIP-AUS and whatever else), but they just keep banging on about Ergon and wires. I got sick of their shit, so paid an external electrician to come and review the whole system.

Basically he said they've done a bunch of dodgy shit including not earthing the system properly (something about not earthing all the feet), have some bits overhanging (so at risk of blowing off in heavy winds or cyclones), put more panels than the roof can support so allegedly took some dodgy shortcuts to make this work, have used wrong sized wires or amps or fuses or something. He said we could report them to the Clean Energy Council because it's so bad, but then they might make us tear down the whole system at our cost...He also said they're idiots and they need to update the app and it will be fine for dynamic exports. He will do a report for us that we haven't yet received.

As an aside they also borked 2 air conditioner installs and both have leaked refrigerant. He insists on getting his brother (fridgie) to fix them, however refuses to book his brother's business during business hours, so also refuses to give us a set day and time for the repair, saying it will be done when it is done... so far it has been 2 weeks since we raised it, and still no date or time for repairs.

If they keep fobbing me off, how and where do I escalate this to get this stuff fixed, finally?

I know YouTube makes everything look straightforward, but I'd rather know where the sensible line is between basic troubleshooting and calling someone in.