ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade Non-US Electrical Systems & Trades Down Under Installations

Does anyone have any questions about how we do things(electrically) over here in New Zealand and Australia, if so, write away!.
And no comments about us and sheep, please.

I can't remember if we may have already touched on this subject. If so, please forgive the repetition.

I know the standard Aussie/NZ outlets are rated 10A, but what OCPD ratings are usually used with these sockets? Are there are any specific rules about the maximum number of outlets per branch circuit or the maximum floor area served by each circuit? Do you require (NEC-style) specific small-appliance circuits for kitchen/diner areas?

ah... Nope you can have as many as you like,
as long as it works, Not an ideal situation but thats the rules.

Trumpy — Are you familiar with this url? More utility-oriented electrical, but still interesting: Aussie Road And Pole Freak http://www.ozpoles.0catch.com/

“ Insulator overload, late 50's shot ”




[This message has been edited by Bjarney (edited 09-25-2002).]

Hi Trumpy,

Just got back from a couple of weeks in Oz. I like the Antipodean system - neat, polarised and with a sturdy earthing pin that is not easily broken off.

Couple of questions, I noticed some very neat setups in hotel bathrooms with GFCI duplex sockets and built in 2-pin shaver sockets offering 115V and 240V I presume fed with an isolation xfmr. The 115V was useful for charging my US cell phone but I did wonder what the point was having a seperate 240V shaver outlet in the unit unless it is simply to accomodate foreign as well as Ozi plugs.

The cover plate on this and many other sockets and switches appeared to clip on as there were no obvious mounting screws - I presume they just pull on and off - I didn't try it!

Hotels and offices tended to have what I assume is the circuit number printed on a small coloured disc attached to the top right of the face plate - is this a regulation or just convenience.

I noticed that the plugs are rated at 10A which seems conservative as the pins are larger than US 20A ones. The maximum power rated I observed on a kettle was thus 2400W - somewhat smaller than the 3kW UK grunter I have. Why is this standard plug rated at only 10A?

I saw mention somewhere that there are higher rated plugs - what do these look like and are they downward compatable like the US ones?

I seem to remember that you have a whole range of 3 phase couplings etc like the US NEMA types. Do you have any pictures of these or know of a web site where I could look at them?

Thanks in anticipation.

Well, I've got a few questions about AUS/NZ. I've read somewhere that the colour coding of the flexible cords is the standard brown- blue-g/y, but that the rest is some "native" code. Considering the fact that you have a new electrical code and even adjusted the voltage from 240 to 230V, have you "harmonised" the colour coding as well?

I've also read somewhere that the voltage sometimes exceed the upper limit (253V) considerably, resulting in fried 230V equipment. Any truth in this?

[This message has been edited by C-H (edited 09-29-2002).]

C-H,
Australia and New Zealand inherited the British red/black/green color code, and to the best of my knowledge they still use red and black (L,N) for fixed cables. I think they may have followed England in switching to green/yellow instead of plain green in the last few years. (I'm looking at pictures in the Jaycar catalog.) I don't know exactly when they adopted the Euro colors for flexible cords.

Trumpy, Old Appy, help us out here please!

P.S. Just remembered: Trumpy, didn't you say that N.Z. only switched to brown/blue cords comparatively recently? I've seen references in Electronics Australia which suggest that in Aussie-Land it was earlier (maybe 1970s?).



[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 09-30-2002).]

Hello, well let's open the floodgates.
Let me say first off, over here our 10A socket outlet circuits are protected in accordance with the size of the cable that feeds it, for a 1.5mm2 circuit, it is protected at 16A max, if it is wired in 2.5mm2, the maximum size of MCB that may protect this is a 20A, by regulation, you are not allowed to more than double the size of the outlet, with the protection.
With respect to smaller appliances in kitchen areas, they are normally fed through the normal socket-outlet circuits, as the MCB protection is the same for all appliance circuits, apart from Cookers,etc.
Hutch-All of the new types of accessories over here are like this,it is what we call a clean look, however with respect to the ID plates, these are more convenience than anything, it makes life a lot easier in a large installation working out which board and CB feeds which socket/light switch.
(Check out hpm.com.au or pdl.co.nz)
Our electrical equipment over here, must be able to withstand a continuous voltage of 245VAC,it is only in rural areas that the voltages, vary a wee bit, as we have ATC units(Auto-Tap-Changers),to set our voltage within 2.5% of the nominal voltage(230V).
With respect to colour codes in our flexes,
the colour code was changed some years ago, to combat the problem with DIYers with colour-blindness, getting the Phase and Earth wires around the wrong way, this has killed a few people over here.
We now use Brown-Blue-Green/Yellow, as a colour-blind person cannot distinguish between Red and Green.

Wow! Within 2.5%? Then you must have adjusted the voltage downwards for real, not just on the paper.


I had never thought of the problem with colour blindness until a guy came into the shop and wanted instructions on how to add or replace a socket. "I'm colour-blind, you see. But I've figured out that black is earth, right?" I convinced him to get an electrician to do this otherwise rather simple task. Black is live here!

Wow,
Sorry about that, the new Voltage Drop percentages are as follows:
1 circuit @ 230V fed from a 11kV/400/230
Xformer, is 5.5%
1 circuit @ 400V fed from a 11kV/400/230
Xformer, is 10%