Thread: Wiring after an outlet - legal?

Oh no not again

My understanding of the law is that I can't touch the powerpoints, but I can do my own wiring after a power point?

That's my understanding of the situation in NSW. Could be different in the ACT.

OK - found some more out, helps a little (this is for ACT):

http://www.actpla.act.gov.au/__data/...4/2039/en4.pdf

Quote:

When does electrical work not require an electrical licence?

A licence is not required for:

􀂃 Work on an electricity network
􀂃 Work on telecommunications cabling and equipment under 90 volts
􀂃 Work on extra low voltage electrical installations (installations up to 50 volts a.c. or up to 120 V ripple-free d.c.)
􀂃 Work on electrical equipment that has been disconnected from the electricity supply
􀂃 Connecting or disconnecting electrical equipment to an electricity supply with a plug and supply cord or cable and working on the cables or cords used to connect the equipment.

So it seems that all fixed wiring needs to be installed/inspeced by a licensed electrician, but maybe not stuff with a plug?

Ross.

There are a couple of issues - one is what you're allowed to do as a contractor, the other is what you are allowed to do in your own home. From what I have seen, other state's legislation seems to only cover the former, not the latter. That could be the case in ACT for all I know.

As far as I know from my reading of the legislation in NSW, you need a license to do any electrical work as a contractor. That would include wiring up an entertainment unit with lights as far as I can tell.

Although you're prohibited from touching any fixed wiring on the other side of the power point, I don't know of anything that prevents you doing what you want to do. If you were doing this in NSW, as far as I can tell, you're in the clear.

The other question is whether or not you would be better advised to get a sparky to wire it up, but that's more to do with whether or not you are competent to do it, rather than what you're allowed to do. Since I don't know you, all I can do is tell you what I think the law in NSW says and let you make up your own mind

That maybe ok but you definitely need to know what you are doing. Because it can still kill you. When I built my home made projector it was an electrical nightmare inside but fortunately I know what I am doing. It was a mixture of 240v AC and 12v DC.

I agree with Bazza you got to know what you are doing with electricity. I avoid playing around with mains power.

Thanks for the above comments. Competency isn't the issue, I've done plenty of low voltage wiring jobs and worked with electronics my whole life and I understand the principles well. It's more the legality for the purposes of insurance/reselling a home.

After thinking about it more, what I'm suggesting is no different really to building (for example) a power amplifier kit from jaycar. It still involves electrical work that gets plugged into 240v. With X10 control everything can be switched anyway so I can still install wireless wall switches etc, so hopefully everything will be above board this way without me laying out $$ for a sparky.