The Electrical Certificate of Compliance explained

[Sparks]

Are the lights "fixed" or "secured"?

[W-TDMI]

Good Morning

What is the next step after i have completed installation rules paper 1 and 2 and i am a qualified electrician??

Hi Mabheka

Just confirm following.
1. Have you completed N3 or Technical Matric with subjects (Maths, Science, Trade Theory)
2. UStandards on Test and Inspect, Issue of COC.

If not those are the outstanding requiremants for yoy to become Registered.

Regards
TDMI

[dav]

Hi all,

I have been doing my nut to find out some of the information regarding a CoC. I line in a complex and got an electrical to do the CoC. I was not expecting anything untowards as there had been no changes to the installation since buying the place (and getting a CoC). However I received a bill of over 5K to fix stuff.

Unfortunately it is very easy for an electrician to pull one over on the unsuspecting consumer, so I hope someone can answer some questions I have.

1. DSTV dish - does this have to be earthed even if it is on the side of a building? To explainn further, there is a normal aerial on the roof which is earthed. The dish is below the roof line.
2. I have a small extractor fan above the oven. The extractor wire is neatly installed to the nearest plug point and uses a normal 3 point plug (about 2m). I am told the plug top needs to be extended into the cupboard so that the extractor lead is within 1m?
3. Roof wiring. I was told that the flex use in the ceiling for the lights, which is in every single unit in the complex needs to be replaced with twin + earth. The existing wiring is two wires wrapped in an earth mesh. Is this true? Does this eman that every single unit needs to have it's wiring replaced? What are the standards?

Many thanks in advance. I dont mind getting the setup legal, but I hate being ripped off.

Cheers,

[AndyD]

The regs are constantly changing and the earthing of DSTV dishes was introduced in one of the ammendments, also there was also a requirement introduced for an earth bar to be installed in the ceiling space.

The flex for the lighting may or may not be illegal but can't say for sure without a photo. The extractor would be classed as a fixed appliance and again may or may not require alterations.

[Dave A]

also there was also a requirement introduced for an earth bar to be installed in the ceiling space.

At the risk of barking up the wrong tree - If that is a reference to the "readily accessible earthing terminal" for the bonding of other services, I had better point out there's a change between edition 1.8 and 2.0.

In 2.0, 6.11.5 is amended to read:

A readily accessible earthing terminal may be provided for the bonding of other services such as a telephone, an audio or a video system, and the like, to a building.

In essence, the provision of a readily accessible earthing terminal has now become optional.

2. I have a small extractor fan above the oven. The extractor wire is neatly installed to the nearest plug point and uses a normal 3 point plug (about 2m). I am told the plug top needs to be extended into the cupboard so that the extractor lead is within 1m?

In trying to consider all possibilities -

The "default" requirement for fixed appliances supplied through a socket-outlet is -

6.16.1.5 A socket-outlet shall supply only one fixed appliance. The use of flexible cords of length exceeding 3 m is not recommended.

However, this applies "except where otherwise required for specific cases."

Nothing struck me as a specific case that warranted an exception, but there might be something applicable...

If there was a disconnecting device (essentially an isolator) rather than a socket outlet in play, it would have had to have been within 1.5 meters of the fixed appliance by default. (6.16.1.4).

[Sparks]

Good answers as usual from both Andy and Dave. The reason Andy would like to see a photo of the "flex" is to positively identify the type of wire Dav. Flex is ripcord which does not have an earth mesh. I suspect it could be flame retardant cable in which case it would be overkill but acceptable. Other than that I agree that only the dish must be earthed.

[dav]

Thanks all for your answers,

I asked an electrician who lives in the complex about the cabling we had in our roof and he said it was twin with an earth mesh. Before posting this topic, I did send an email to the GEIA and they responded quite quickly. Their answer was "this type of cable is referred to as “copper braided cable” and is not regarded as “flexible cable” . This type of cable has obviously not been used for many years in electrical installations but was an approved type of cable at the time it was installed.

The cable is still referred to in the Wiring Code and would be allowed to remain in such older existing installations provided that the earthing sheath was still electrically continuous and that all joints on the cable are done in an approved manner."

Regarding the dish, they also confirmed "The earthing of the satellite dish can be dispensed with as the Wiring Code has recently been amended to no longer make this earthing arrangement compulsory."

I have what is probably a dumb question, but what is the difference between an isolator and a disconnecting device?

[AndyD]

I have what is probably a dumb question, but what is the difference between an isolator and a disconnecting device?

Not a dumb question, in laymans terms a disconnecting device is just a broader term that would include isolator switch, circuit breaker, earth leakage breaker, DOL starter etc

[Dave A]

Regarding the dish, they also confirmed "The earthing of the satellite dish can be dispensed with as the Wiring Code has recently been amended to no longer make this earthing arrangement compulsory."

6.13.2.3 - Indeed, for edition 2.0 shall has been changed to may.

It's now optional.

[Wasfie@sparky]

Hi. Can a COC be issued for a specific job portion done on an installation?

[Sparks]

Yes it may. Any new installation, alteration, extension or repair to an existing installation in some cases must be certified. Provided the rest of the installation is already covered by a valid COC.

[W-TDMI]

Hi. Can a COC be issued for a specific job portion done on an installation?

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND ASFETY ACT, 1993 (ACT NO. 85 OF 1993)
ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION REGULATIONS

Issuing of certificate of compliance
(3) Any person who undertakes to do electrical installation work shall ensure that a valid certificate of compliance is issued for that work.

[ians]

I have another interesting COC...issued in Feb 2017...by an ECA member.

The question...i have just installed 4 plug sockets and issued a COC with the original attached as i belong to the CYA club.
I dont believe the original COC is valid...the reasons...firstly it is not filled in corrected...the numbers are the general ones
0.2 ...
224 volts
.36 loop impedance.(none of these numbers tie up with my readings...but who knows maybe they used a different meter or things have changed since feb this year.)
the DB and main switch is in a restricted space in a cupboard which is very difficult to access.
there is a granny flat attached to the main house which is fed from the main DB in the house so if someone gets shocked in the granny flat they have to go out the granny flat and into the main house hopefully someone is home to open up so that they can switch off the power.
just to mention a few of the issues i found.

Is my COC valid for the additional plugs i installed...i have made a note on my COC of the issued i noticed.

the owner of the building is not my customer...so it is a difficult one.

[ians]

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND ASFETY ACT, 1993 (ACT NO. 85 OF 1993)
ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION REGULATIONS

Issuing of certificate of compliance
(3) Any person who undertakes to do electrical installation work shall ensure that a valid certificate of compliance is issued for that work.

just imagine if we could get to the point where this statement was valid.

[ians]

Installing socket outlets in a bathroom.

I have had a request to install plug points in a shower/bathroom...zone 3 within 2 m of the basin taps... for a hair dryer and electric toothbrush chargers.

i am not a big fan of fitting a socket outlet in a bathroom no matter how big it is...according to the black book page 207 normal provision are applicable.

light fittings are always the challenge...especially when the customer wants to install a wrought iron chandelier handing from the 1.5 m from the roof.