Sign up with Google@ KOPITE, Mine is also an old setup like that, but at least i know what's cooking on the inside ... I have no glue what's happening with your spaghetti
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Opinions on Mecer Inverter
- Thread starter recre8
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LOL
My DB looks very similar to that (looked similar to that when i started) - almost identical in fact. My breaker labelled 'Geyser' was actually the breaker for the pool. For a whole effin year I was dropping that breaker in vain, in an effort to save on electricity costs. Only way i found out is because i chose to do things MYSELF.Bought my house a year ago with the DB in the same state - it passed mandatory inspections and got COC .....says a whole lot about electricians and their shoddy work. Chances are that his (Kopites) DB was the same as it is now when he bought the place. Only person i trust with my safety....is me! COC means absolutely nothing - just some dumb clown that signed a piece of paper so he could make a quick buck. Ticks me off! I really dont give a crap what other people say or their opinions. Way too many silly opinions on this subject. You know what they say about opinions! Looking at the state of my DB before and now, solidifies my view that some pulling wire license or whatever means absolutely nothing in the context of it all. Especially seeing workmanship that I had going on in my DB and the stuff going on in Kopites DB. I bet Kopite can get a COC in a heartbeat just like i ALREADY DID when i bought my house in the state it WAS. Which just shows - quoting SANS rules or laws or BS or whatever, is totally ridiculous and redundant. My wiring was a bigger risk the second i got my COC for purchase till before I decided to take it on myself. Ironic!
PS: I only have 10A and 20A breakers in mine - I'm almost certain my stove at least should be on a dedicated and bigger breaker .I'm researching if this configuration is to standard.And i really dont care for anybodys input around this - especially from an electrician or wannabe electrician. After wiring my DB myself I have lost ALL respect for electricians and have realized how easily we, the uninformed, are swindled and scammed.
PS: I only have 10A and 20A breakers in mine - I'm almost certain my stove at least should be on a dedicated and bigger breaker .I'm researching if this configuration is to standard.And i really dont care for anybodys input around this - especially from an electrician or wannabe electrician. After wiring my DB myself I have lost ALL respect for electricians and have realized how easily we, the uninformed, are swindled and scammed.
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Well duh!
If you pay R450 for a COC, then get a REAL electrician. A proper inspection + certificate should be R1500+ easily (just the inspection, this does not include any repairs that may be required). Sure, you bought the house with the COC, so I'm not necessarily saying it YOUR fault. Estate agents are known for using the cheapest sparkie they can get to save money.
Just as you get proper mechanics and dodgy mechanics... You do unfortunately get dodgy electricians, and good electricians. You get what you pay for really. If you take your car to a backyard mechanic to fix a water pump, don't be surprised if the wheel fall off when you get your car back.
There is also a HUGE difference between a 'similar' board, and an identical board. I can see from those pictures (given how old the breakers are), that board was re-wired recently (not a spec of dust on any cable).
In terms of doing the electrical work yourself - that is all fine and dandy (although completely illegal) as I said. Best of luck when your house burns down or there's some kind of insurance claim. Best of luck to you as well, when the Chief Electrical Inspector rocks up at your door to inspect your installation and ask for your COC. Oh, and REALLY, best of luck to you one day when you want to sell your property. Be prepared to pay A LOT for electrical work...
A geyser can MAYBE sit on a 20A breaker (depending on the size of the element). A stove on a 20A Breaker.... Oh well, what do I know...
If you pay R450 for a COC, then get a REAL electrician. A proper inspection + certificate should be R1500+ easily (just the inspection, this does not include any repairs that may be required). Sure, you bought the house with the COC, so I'm not necessarily saying it YOUR fault. Estate agents are known for using the cheapest sparkie they can get to save money.
Just as you get proper mechanics and dodgy mechanics... You do unfortunately get dodgy electricians, and good electricians. You get what you pay for really. If you take your car to a backyard mechanic to fix a water pump, don't be surprised if the wheel fall off when you get your car back.
There is also a HUGE difference between a 'similar' board, and an identical board. I can see from those pictures (given how old the breakers are), that board was re-wired recently (not a spec of dust on any cable).
In terms of doing the electrical work yourself - that is all fine and dandy (although completely illegal) as I said. Best of luck when your house burns down or there's some kind of insurance claim. Best of luck to you as well, when the Chief Electrical Inspector rocks up at your door to inspect your installation and ask for your COC. Oh, and REALLY, best of luck to you one day when you want to sell your property. Be prepared to pay A LOT for electrical work...
A geyser can MAYBE sit on a 20A breaker (depending on the size of the element). A stove on a 20A Breaker....
Oh well, what do I know...BTW - I suggest you read the Occupational Health & Safety Act of 1993 (Act no 85 of 1993) - Schedule, Electrical Installation Regulations. This, is the LAW! This is not a SABS standard, or a matter than can be open to interpretation, or what ever - it is the LAW of this country, and you can be PROSECUTED.
Offences and penalties
16 (1) Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with the provision of
regulations 4,6,7,8,9,10,11, 13 (4) and 13 (6) shall be guilty of an offence and be liable on conviction to a fine or to imprisonment for maximum of 12 months and, in case of a continuous offence, to an additional fine not exceeding R200 for each day on which the offence continues: Provided that the period of such additional imprisonment shall not exceed 90 days.
So you can face a year in jail, or an approximate fine of R6,000 per month (R72,000 per year) for as long as your illegal electrical installation, remains illegal (the Schedule defines what is / is not legal rather clearly). You will more than likely have your supply disconnect as well, until such time that it is certified safe.
Section 4 states the USER is responsible for the electrical installation (not the electrician - this is why SO many electricians are SO eager to hand out a COC - quick money and no responsibility)
Section 7 states that only qualified (registered) persons shall exercise control over any electrical installation.
Section 9 deals with the requirements of a valid COC
Again - I'm just trying to save all of you, a lot of troubles in the future. You WILL get caught, even if that only happens the day that you sell your property.
I am not joking, if you're not certified, and you mess about doing illegal things with your electrical installation, you are breaking the law. Finish, and klaar.
http://www.ecbsa.co.za/site/Electrical Installation regulations 2009.pdf
Offences and penalties
16 (1) Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with the provision of
regulations 4,6,7,8,9,10,11, 13 (4) and 13 (6) shall be guilty of an offence and be liable on conviction to a fine or to imprisonment for maximum of 12 months and, in case of a continuous offence, to an additional fine not exceeding R200 for each day on which the offence continues: Provided that the period of such additional imprisonment shall not exceed 90 days.
So you can face a year in jail, or an approximate fine of R6,000 per month (R72,000 per year) for as long as your illegal electrical installation, remains illegal (the Schedule defines what is / is not legal rather clearly). You will more than likely have your supply disconnect as well, until such time that it is certified safe.
Section 4 states the USER is responsible for the electrical installation (not the electrician - this is why SO many electricians are SO eager to hand out a COC - quick money and no responsibility)
Section 7 states that only qualified (registered) persons shall exercise control over any electrical installation.
Section 9 deals with the requirements of a valid COC
Again - I'm just trying to save all of you, a lot of troubles in the future. You WILL get caught, even if that only happens the day that you sell your property.
I am not joking, if you're not certified, and you mess about doing illegal things with your electrical installation, you are breaking the law. Finish, and klaar.
http://www.ecbsa.co.za/site/Electrical Installation regulations 2009.pdf
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Dimpie (COMPUTEK)
Honorary Master
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- Apr 7, 2009
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so I take it the pictures are still out of the question?
As if price is somehow a magic indicator of how good someone is, in reality I've often found the opposite, the dodgy guys usually have no ethics and therefore like to rip people off as well.
Sounds like a lot of you on here know what you're talking about.
What battery setup for you think I'll need for a 47" LED TV, PS4 and ADSL Router?
I've ordered a Mecer 2400VA 1440W 24V Inverter.
Our load shedding is usually for 4h30m in Potchefstroom. So I need it to be able to last for about that length of time.
Will I need to get 2x 102Ah batteries, or will I be able to get away with 2x 45Ah batteries?
What battery setup for you think I'll need for a 47" LED TV, PS4 and ADSL Router?
I've ordered a Mecer 2400VA 1440W 24V Inverter.
Our load shedding is usually for 4h30m in Potchefstroom. So I need it to be able to last for about that length of time.
Will I need to get 2x 102Ah batteries, or will I be able to get away with 2x 45Ah batteries?
Ideally you should either meter them, or at least look at the labels at the back and give an amp or watt rating for better calculation...
Does the LED TV have an external 'power brick', if so and it is really just those 3 things you wanted to power (They are all DC loads) you may have been better off skipping the inverter entirely.
Dan C
Honorary Master
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2005
- Messages
- 36,651
If you know the total watts, use this calculator. Keep in mind you don't want to drain your batteries more than 50%
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/697932-Load-shedding-speadsheet-calculator
They came back to me now to say stock only arriving in end July. So that didn't work.
My TV doesn't have external PSU.
I think I'm just going to get one of those smaller inverters with a charger just to power the TV, Home Theater and ADSL Router. The PS4 seems too go up to 180W.
Thanks! This really helped me a lot. Used that formula in Excel now and if I get a 102Ah battery, and use about 100Watts I'll make it through the 4.5 hours and still not drop below 50%.
Puvesh.Naidoo
New Member
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2015
- Messages
- 3
Hi guys..
Could you post some pictures of your setups, currently in the process of installing my mecer 1200va Inverter,with two 12v 180ah batteries.Would like some examples before I go ahead.
Could you post some pictures of your setups, currently in the process of installing my mecer 1200va Inverter,with two 12v 180ah batteries.Would like some examples before I go ahead.
Dan C
Honorary Master
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- Nov 21, 2005
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- 36,651
Puvesh.Naidoo
New Member
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- Jul 2, 2015
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Cool setup, did you install the breaker on the positive battery lead?do you leave your system constantly running?
Dan C
Honorary Master
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- Nov 21, 2005
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I didn't install any breaker. Also I don't run mine constantly, that fan is way too loud
If you are connecting a breaker/fuse on the battery side it will need to be on the positive lead (Electrons move from negative to positive), as close as possible to the terminal.