Parts excluded from the COC/test report

[Tradie]

This has become the most common challenge when dealing with property sales.

Option 1

Can I install a main DB or what is referred to as a ready board, which comes complete with a light and 3 socket outlets.

I run a cable from the meter to the ready board and issue a COC, The COC will include Annexure A and 1 test report name main DB. As the elctrical contractor, your job os done.

This is were this ruling, I believe created by certain people who were targetting low cost housing and being part of associations, managed to manipulate the regulation to suit there new paster depth style of wiring, The same era twin+e and plaster depth installations became the new way of wiring. This method of wiring was intended for low cost houses, however some people took adavantage and use this new method of wiring to target high end estates. People thought because they spent 5 million on a building it was wired old traditional style conduit and wiring, soon realised that they had spent top dollar on building that was wiried the same as the low cost housing projects.

This method of wiring I beleive was the first step of our journey to the bottom, I even use it to keep up with the low cost people expect when doing electrical installations.

Our teams could wire 6 low cost houses per day using this method compared to the old conduit and wiring, it was the best thing since sliced bread. No chasing and we could wire the entire house on our workshop floor, roll it up, take it to site and roll it out, drop the switch and plug points and nail everything to the wall, including the 4x2 plaster depth boxes. People got smart and realised they could use the same cheap method on high end estates and make a shyte load of money, charging the same per point price, but instead of using conduit and wire, reducing the time from 3 days per unit to 3 units per day, do the maths and you wil lsee why some contractors started driving 4x4 double cab bakkies and land cruises and why so many contractor who think getting large estate jobs are good for business, but dont know that if you use conduit and wiring you be just become part of the current 70-80 % business fail rate.

Anway enough electrical history lessons, yes I could write a book, considering I have been in this industry that long, did the steel threaded conduit trade test. I started my journey in this industry 43 years ago, when youngsters were proud to be electricians, and watched the industry fall year by year, to were it is today.

[Tradie]

Option 1... continued

The owner moves in, collects an electrican from their local building supplier and a few electrical supplies, like some wire and fews boxes, plugs and switches.

The "elelctrician" connects a light and plug point in every room in the house including a couple outside security lights, take his cash for a days work and eveyone is happy.

3 years later the property still hasnt burnt down, fortunatley, it is sold and because it is more than 2 years, the original COC is no longer valid. They call the local sparkie who is registered with the DOL who has a single phase test certificate, he tests the cable from the meter to the main DB and checks the DB and is in working order and labels are correct, does a loop impedance test at the main DB and issues a new COC.

The new COC issued, is made up of the COC (Annexure 1) and 1 test report page, lisitng 1 light circuit and 1 light point, 1 plug circuit and 3 plug points, this people is where this industry has failed.

If you read the post above, you going to ask why ... because the house has 10 light points and 15 plug points, which doesn't form part of the electrical installation, now Because the entire house in this case is wired from 2 of the socket outlets in twin flex. This is the loop hole we use in the electrical industry, just make sure nothing is secured to the building, because it is then regarded as an extension cord. The question you are going to ask, but surely the seller should responsible for the plug and lights, no becuae they are not fixtures.

[Tradie]

Now we move onto a simliar situation ... a person sells a house with a ready board, but in this case, the wiring is cabtyre which is secured to the rafters and clipped neatly down the wall, the plug and switches are secured to the wall and a plug top is fitted and the entire installation is fed from the 2 plug on the ready board, still only 1 light circuit and 1 plug cicuit.

This people is why I tell people to call someone who can check the elctrical installation "BEFORE" they sign the sale agreement, nobody does so now, instead of sitting sobing with the buyer, I take notes and submit a quote.

Some might say, but why even waste time submitting a quote, its worked fine for years and excuded from the COC/test report, just move on other wise you gonna end up wasting your time.

[Tradie]

By the way these are real life experiences...


So you buy a upmarket property in an estate, this is a situation we are currently facing, The property has a DB and pretty nuch a standard 3 bedroom layout, with a stove, geyser, a plug and light in each room, a pool DB and an outbuilding.

The COC issued is for all the electrical equipment that is chased into the walls, 2 plug circuits and 6 socket outlets, 1 light cuircuit and 6 light points, a geyser and a stove.

The new owner moves in and as expected within 3 days, I get the call, with a list of issues, including a tripping ELU. I vist the property, request a copy of the COC.

This is where the fight starts and lots of confusing...

We have 2 issues,

1/ Is the COC valid and the electrical installation compliant?

2/ WHo is responsible for all the extra elctrical components?

The 15 extra socket outlets wired using 1.5 mm cabtyre, clipped to the skirting , 4x4 extension boxes with standard SANS approved double socket outlets, mounted to the wall plugged into the chased in wall socket,

Is it compliant ?

Is it a fixture because it is secured to the wall?

Should it be included in the test report.

Then we have all the twin flex wiring for the additonal lights not included in the test report

They are in plastic 4x2 ext box

Using plastic 4x2 switches

With a plastic lampholders

Glued neatly to the wall.

Compliant right ... so why wasnt it included in the test report?

[Tradie]

The way I see it, if we can exclude everything from the test report because it is plugged in, I dont see a problem with my current project.

I am busy installing a solar backup and generator on a site.

I am going to use a 32 amp industrial socket outlet for the generator, I am going to fit the socket below the main, so no indicator lights, no change over panel and the best part no SSEG registration, because it is going to be plugged into the elctrical installation, so an ELU for the socket.

The solar I am going to do the same, fit panles on the roof, install batteries, and an inverter, but exclude it all from the test report because I will fit a socket outlets below the main DB next to the generator socket.


Why because the customer said they are going to remove everything when they leave, as obsurd as that sounds it is a reality we deal with on a daily basis, but hey do as the greeks do in greece

It gets even better, I dont have to register the solar or generator (SSEG) , because they are plugged in and doesn't form par tof the electrical installtion

If anyone has aproblem with it, the customer can just disconnect all 3 plugs, so no test report will be required.

For the record, as I am sure many of you have picked up I am not a great fan of associations, but when it comes to non complaint crap that you have to deal with, I have to say using a company with the hand of safety, they have sorted out every single compalint that I have lodged againt their members.

If you are concerned about your family safety, and want to deal with people who will be accountable for non compliant workmanship, make sure you use a company which issues a COC that doesnt have NM on Annexure 1.

For the record I issues COC's with NM and I am part of the bakkie brigade, or sometime reffred to on certain groups and as a DIY solar installer

[Derlyn]

Nothing wrong with NM coc's. I've been issuing them ever since I started. I've also been in the industry for about 45 years.

I think I've earned the right to express one or two opinions.

1. Choose between integrity and money. I'm not in this game to see how much money I can make and believe me, I ain't going hungry.

2. Know when to cut the line and walk away. Don't take on the job just for the money.

3. If the customer feels good about paying you for your service, you've got a winning recipe. Don't change a thing.

4. Now, my flame suite is on for this one. If you do everything according to the book, why be a member of any organisation ? The main role of an organisation is to protect it's members, not the public. That's why they offer their members a certain amount of insurance to cover any problems they might encounter. I've never needed insurance. Anyway, like I said, flamesuite on.

Have a lekker weekend.

[Tradie]

Derlyn... this is why I take the time out of my extremely busy schedule to post stuff on this forum, we can share our opinions, just because we might no agree on everything doesnt make the other person good or bad.

With regards to the NM COC, I was a member of an association for many many years, I just find that it is more difficult to get non complaint NM COC's sorted out. When I get a memeber COC, the assocaition does take the meber to task and we do have a 100% positive result, compared to NM COC's, very few get sorted out and in most cases I end up doing the work to make it complaint, at the customers cost.

If I dont have someone to verify the property I am purchasing, has a compliant COC or to check the property before I sign the sale agreement, I would seriously consider usiing a member of an association, you have a bette rchance of gettting the property compliant. I am not saying the COC's are always compliant, trust ther eare many that are far from compliant, but at least you have a better chance of getting the property compliant, without having to pay someone else.

Something else to consider, if the NM COC is non compliant, you will have to contact the AIA, who will charge you to visit the site, create a report and all that stuff, then you have to get a company to quote to repair and then get them back again to check, which all cost a LOT of money.

IF you use an assocation member, you contac tthe assocaition and they send out a person at no cost to you, get the member to fix the stuff that is non complaint and they have insurance, which will definately motivate them to get the member to fix his compliance issues.