Electrical Wiring For Noob's...

[Trough Lolly]

I'm thinking of doing a bit of DIY wiring for my future HERMS system and before I get fried, I wanted to know if there's a good online reference to wiring standards for Australia. I know that there's a wiring standard (3000) but I don't have the finances for it and besides, I just wanna read about wiring off mains and not have to go through the entire standard.

Oh, sure, I'll get an electrician to have a look over my work before it goes online, but I'd really appreciate it if somebody could point me to a good reference article or two on wiring safety, etc for a keen but unqualified tinkerer!!

Cheers,
TL

 

[berazafi]

TL

The actual standard for each component would be AS60335 and the relevent part 2s. AS3100 is only for wiring fixed insulations, and does not take into account all the saftey requirements when actully desighing a product from scratch eg adding elements and temp controllers to a metal or plastic item, eg distances between live parts and earth, distances between live parts and accessable parts (probes) etc. There are no real good online guides to electical saftey besides very basic wiring guides

Also electicians are not the most suitable people to be looking over your work, i would be looking for a consultant that deals with product saftey they will understand more about product design.

Electricians dont realy (generalisation) get training in designing products, they generally learn how to install approved products in an appropriate manner (AS3100).

There was a post i wrote awhile back that talked about saftey and electrical items, try a search on AHB

I can imagine i may now get abused by every electrican on this board.

EDIT: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Anything that is not fixed wired eg this side of the powerpoint (eg a pc) can be made/constructed by anybody, i dont belive there are any laws inplace stopping you from making things that plug into the wall

However, if you sell, hire a product then you must ensure its compliance, (anyone can build it) as long as it complies to the relevent standards.

It my personal opinion that i wont build something that would not be suitable for sale

So if anyone on here does build something at a minimum please get it checked by the most suitable person you can find.

Just because you know what the wire colors mean and you can wire up a plug does not mean you should be adding elements to plastic buckets etc etc

 

[roger mellie]

I'm thinking of doing a bit of DIY wiring for my future HERMS system and before I get fried, I wanted to know if there's a good online reference to wiring standards for Australia. I know that there's a wiring standard (3000) but I don't have the finances for it and besides, I just wanna read about wiring off mains and not have to go through the entire standard.

Oh, sure, I'll get an electrician to have a look over my work before it goes online, but I'd really appreciate it if somebody could point me to a good reference article or two on wiring safety, etc for a keen but unqualified tinkerer!!

Cheers,
TL

Father Jack

Is this a one off project or something you are looking to build several of?

If you were to split your design into 2 parts - Extra Low Voltage (24VDC usually) for the instrument side of things - (Valve Solenoids, Relays/Contactors, Switches, Indicators, Timers, Controllers etc...) and segregate that completely from the 240VAC side of things for Pumps and maybe Elements - then you would greatly reduce the scope of the installation that needs to comply with the relevant AS.

The ELV side of things has no regulation - tinker away - supposedly you cant fry yourself. I think there is a regulation that states you must provide segregation between voltage systems. This would not be difficult and is usually done by using different colured wires for each voltage.

I agree with Berafazi that whilst some electricians (Housebashers generally) would not be the right folk to advise you on design issues - OTOH a good industrial electrician/instro would be helpful to you.

As far as installation standards go - no matter what voltage you use you should make the entire thing as water proof as you can - use flexible conduits, silicon sealant and common sense - (like dont mount your control panel under a HLT)

I would have to plead ignorance as to what degree of control is required for a HERMS unit - but would be happy to help further if you could provide more info.

Nuns!!! Reverse, Reverse

RM

 

[Pumpy]

One pair of thick gum boots

One pair Rubber gloves

One screwdriver insulated down the shaft

Residual current device RCD

a wooden stick for your rescuer

Would you bequeath me your recipe book just in case the above dont work :blink:


Pumpy

 

[Linz]

TL !!!!


You've got the country's BEST HERMS wirer in your state!!!!(and qualified too)

T I M M Y !!!!!


but shhhh....I didnt say that OK!?!..but my HERMS ROCKS!!!!