Electrical Certificate Question

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The world really needs to end and start over. Human beings are scum.

Anyway, I am selling my old home. Just paid R1200 for a inspection to get an electrical certificate. Guy refused to give it due to 2 reasons:

1. 3x9000BTU aircons in the bedrooms are connected via a wall plug. He says they must all be in isolators to the DB. I asked him why not a single aircon install place including the one that installed mine told me of this? In fact, they said only the big 18000BTU must be and is on an isolator as per the installation people's instruction. I also mentioned if they were on plugs, are they not considered appliances, thus none of his business? He responded by saying that if the cord was longer than 3 metres it had to be on an isolator. Only when he left did I physically go an measure the lengths of the cords and not is longer than 2.5 metres. In fact, I never saw him measure a thing.

I know my current new home has a electrical certificate, and it has an aircon that is on a plug with a cord longer than 3M? WTF?

2. There is a security light mounted to the outside wall. It is connected to a wall plug in the kitchen. This is apparently also not right. It must be connected to a light switch. What bothers me about this is that this light has been there when I bought the place. And the place got a electrical certificate with it like it is. I mentioned this to the electrical guy and he just insisted it was wrong. I then showed him the electrical certificate with his bosses name on that issued the previous electrical certificate. This got many a "um um um um" response. He eventually insisted it is still not right and said he would discuss it with his boss.

Does anybody know what the official regulations say about the two issues above? If you could like me to the regulations somewhere on the web, I would appreciate that too.
 
ambroseg1 said:
The world really needs to end and start over. Human beings are scum.

Anyway, I am selling my old home. Just paid R1200 for a inspection to get an electrical certificate. Guy refused to give it due to 2 reasons:

1. 3x9000BTU aircons in the bedrooms are connected via a wall plug. He says they must all be in isolators to the DB. I asked him why not a single aircon install place including the one that installed mine told me of this? In fact, they said only the big 18000BTU must be and is on an isolator as per the installation people's instruction. I also mentioned if they were on plugs, are they not considered appliances, thus none of his business? He responded by saying that if the cord was longer than 3 metres it had to be on an isolator. Only when he left did I physically go an measure the lengths of the cords and not is longer than 2.5 metres. In fact, I never saw him measure a thing.

I know my current new home has a electrical certificate, and it has an aircon that is on a plug with a cord longer than 3M? WTF?

2. There is a security light mounted to the outside wall. It is connected to a wall plug in the kitchen. This is apparently also not right. It must be connected to a light switch. What bothers me about this is that this light has been there when I bought the place. And the place got a electrical certificate with it like it is. I mentioned this to the electrical guy and he just insisted it was wrong. I then showed him the electrical certificate with his bosses name on that issued the previous electrical certificate. This got many a "um um um um" response. He eventually insisted it is still not right and said he would discuss it with his boss.

Does anybody know what the official regulations say about the two issues above? If you could like me to the regulations somewhere on the web, I would appreciate that too.
Click to expand...

Just do what the owner of your new place did... he bought the COC...
 
He is definitely correct about the light needing to be off a wall switch and connected to the lights circuit on the DB.

As far as the aircon goes, my understanding is also that a 9000Btu unit does not require a separate isolator. But I havent seen the actual regulations so I cant be 100% certain.
 
Crush said:
He is definitely correct about the light needing to be off a wall switch and connected to the lights circuit on the DB.

As far as the aircon goes, my understanding is also that a 9000Btu unit does not require a separate isolator. But I havent seen the actual regulations so I cant be 100% certain.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input. If you are correct about the light switch, he needs to explain why he issued the first certificate. I am going to report him to the ECBSA (not that they do anything).
 
Crush said:
He is definitely correct about the light needing to be off a wall switch and connected to the lights circuit on the DB.

As far as the aircon goes, my understanding is also that a 9000Btu unit does not require a separate isolator. But I havent seen the actual regulations so I cant be 100% certain.
Click to expand...

Why can't a light be plugged in?
 
Sinbad said:
Why can't a light be plugged in?
Click to expand...

This was my thinking also. If its a problem, then simply unplug it and now it isn't part of the house's electronics anymore. In fact, it wasn't plugged in when the guy did the inspection. He saw the security light outside and asked where it switches on. I showed him the disconnected plug. "not allowed"?
 
ambroseg1 said:
This was my thinking also. If its a problem, then simply unplug it and now it isn't part of the house's electronics anymore. In fact, it wasn't plugged in when the guy did the inspection. He saw the security light outside and asked where it switches on. I showed him the disconnected plug. "not allowed"?
Click to expand...
My understanding was also that the certificate ends at the plug
 
Isn't the isolator for air cons only relevant to commercial buildings?

Especially at 9000BTU which is a small unit.

That being said, these regulations change all the time so it may very well be valid.

Like for instance no longer being allowed to have 12v down lights with transformers.

*****

My house in Cape Town was cleared over a year ago with 3 x Aircons all running off plugs like this. One being 18000BTU and the others 12000 BTU.

However, all the downlights had to be replaced and the lights in the bathroom that were open.
 
Last edited:
SauRoNZA said:
Isn't the isolator for air cons only relevant to commercial buildings?

Especially at 9000BTU which is a small unit.
Click to expand...

Just called a local install place (first one I could find via a google search) to hear what they have to say. Guy told me this ^. He says only when they do buildings and commercial places do they have to put isolators on ANY aircons. He agreed that many of their installs with small aircons go directly to the wall plug. He was however not willing to say it was or was not allowed as a rule as he is not an electrician. He did however say this is the first time he hears that a electrical certificate is being refused because of it. He said I should just insist they issue the certificate and state on the certificate the aircons are excluded.
 
Pitbull said:
The Electrician/Electrical engineer told you it is didn't he?

/facepalm
Click to expand...

Are you trying to be obtuse on purpose or is this by accident? If you don't want to help with useful info, then cool. Jog on.
 
I can understand why there should be an isolator near the aircon install if the plug is a bit far away, but I don't see why it needs to be on a dedicated circuit.
My 12000 BTUs pull max 5 amps.
 
Sinbad said:
Why can't a light be plugged in?
Click to expand...

Not 100% sure. But when the inspection was done at my brother's place recently, the guy mentioned that the regs say that all lights need to run through the lights circuit of the DB. Also, i think it has to do with exposed wires vs. Those sitting safely in the wall. Makes sense to me if the main concern is a short that could lead to a fire on a ceiling board. Just an assumption though.
 
Crush said:
Not 100% sure. But when the inspection was done at my brother's place recently, the guy mentioned that the regs say that all lights need to run through the lights circuit of the DB. Also, i think it has to do with exposed wires vs. Those sitting safely in the wall. Makes sense to me if the main concern is a short that could lead to a fire on a ceiling board. Just an assumption though.
Click to expand...

Oh **** what about my bedside lamp?! :p
 
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