The Master Electrician magazine Winter 2011

Registered by Australia Post Publications No. PP424022/2346

inside The true impact of carbon tax Electric dreams What the federal budget means for your business THE INTERVIEW: Andrew Ettinghausen

WINTER 11

themaster

table ofcontents renewable energy spotlight electric dreams ski season sparkies the buzz truly shocking experiments what the federal budget means for you meet a master electrician retailers offer “don’t diy” electrical advice regulator wrap-up letter of the law the interview gadget guide techno biz technical talk workplace relations grid gossip benefit spotlight test drive events calendar your best or worst story last word

04 08 10 12 16 18 22 24 34 39 40 43 44 46 50 52 54 58 60 61 62

General Enquiries

Editorial Contacts & Contributors

MASTER ELECTRICIANS AUSTRALIA 57 Berwick Street, Fortitude Valley PO Box 2438, Fortitude Valley BC Queensland 4006 PHONE 1300 889 198 FAX 07 3251 2400 EMAIL magazine@masterelectricians.com.au WEB www.masterelectricians.com.au ABN 31 145 178 203

EDITOR Malcolm Richards ASSOCIATE EDITOR Kylie Robinson ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Janelle MacDonald PHONE 07 3252 4860 EMAIL magazine@masterelectricians.com.au DESIGN AND PRINT POMO 07 3844 3873

www.masterelectricians.com.au or call 1300 889 198

Follow us @MasterElectAust on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook www.facebook.com/ masterelectricians

Average Net Distribution 30 000 CAB Audited as of March 2011

Welcome to the winter edition of The Master Electrician.

It’s time to tell us what you think. We want to know what you like, what you don’t like, and what you would like to see more of in The Master Electrician.

And, to reward you for your efforts, you will go into the draw to win a top of the range 64GB iPad2 with Wi-Fi and 3G capabilities worth $949.

To enter its simple, go to www.masterelectricians. com.au and follow the prompts to the readership survey.

The survey is open until 5pm (EST) Monday 15 August and will be drawn at 2pm (EST) Tuesday 16 August 2011. The lucky winner will be contacted by phone within 24 hours of the draw.

The survey is a quick, yet effective way of ensuring we continue to deliver a quality magazine with information that is relevant to you and your business.

Until next time...

Kylie Robinson Associate Editor

Disclaimer: The statements and opinions expressed in this publication are offered solely in pursuance of the objects of the Electrical and Communications Association and Master Electricians Australia to provide an informative service to contractors in the electrical industry on legal, commercial and other issues and problems related to the industry. The Electrical and Communications Association and Master Electricians Australia are not aware that any person intends to act or rely upon such statements and opinions contained in this publication or the manner in which it might be possible to do so. The Electrical and Communications Association and Master Electricians Australia issues no invitation to any member or other persons to act or rely upon such statements or opinions or any of them and it accepts no responsibility for any of them. It intends by this provision to exclude, to the extent permitted by law, all liability for any such statements and opinions. The Master Electrician Magazine can be viewed online at www.masterelectricians.com.au

the master electrician

WINTER 11

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feature

Renewable Energy Spotlight THE TRUE IMPACT OF CARBON TAX

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Sustainable energy seems to be the topic of the moment. The carbon tax has regularly been hitting the headlines as our politicians debate how to best handle pollution.

It’s been the topic of hot political debate for months, and all indications are that the carbon tax is only going to get hotter.

Following the long-awaited release of the details on 10 July 2011, the public now is beginning to understand how the tax will hit their hip pocket.

Savvy electrical contractors who take the time to understand the details of the carbon tax, particularly how it will impact on electricity prices, will have a golden opportunity to increase their service offerings by moving clients toward energy efficient solutions. Through using this knowledge, contractors can inform and advise customers on how to minimise power use in the home, thus avoiding the prospect of paying unnecessary extra tax. Even if there is an up-front cost for new equipment and installation, there may be opportunities for consumers to pay it off through savings on future bills.

After all, the whole idea behind pricing carbon is to make lowemissions and renewable energy goods more competitive and costeffective, leading to a change in household behaviour and spending.

At the announced carbon price of $23/tonne, electricity prices are calculated to rise $3.30 per week, or 10 per cent. The carbon price will rise at a rate of 2.5 per cent above inflation until July 2015, so power prices will also continue to increase. Of course, the carbon tax is not the only driver of power prices. The Climate Institute released a brief in April saying prices have gone up an average of 30 per cent in the past four years, and the Energy Management Institute (EMI) also released one last year saying prices went up more than 40 per cent in New South Wales in the three years to 2010 (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: Accumulative Residential Electricity Price (2007-08 to 2009-10) Annual increase (%)

SA 25.28 WA 26.50 NT 27.38 VIC 27.53

TAS 29.20

ACT 32.98

QLD 35.82

Energy Management Institute: Energy Efficiency Opportunities in the Residential Sector of Australia, 2010 – page 13 (Section 3)

NSW 40.23

So what can be done about it? The research that came out of energy audits done by EMI provides a useful tool for electrical contractors, showing how homes can reduce their energy consumption by using available technology opportunities. These reductions can be up to 47 per cent, in addition to the 20 per cent savings to be had by improving energy use practices. Halogen and CFL lighting, for example, can save $139 per year while Solar PV installation can save $414 and electric powered solar water heating can save $173 (Figure 2). By implementing these changes, a house in New South Wales could save $3892 and a house in Queensland could save $2311 (Figure 3).

Figure 2: Energy Improvements Priority Service Solution description

Annual kW Savings

Annual Cost Savings

Payback (years)

1 Behavioural

Behavioural-based energy savings

1481

$281

0.0

2 Standby energy

Standby energy management equipment

319

$54

1.8

3 Metering

Real time metering

2062

$343

1.9

4 Pool pump systems

Efficient 3-speed pool pump, 365-day seasonal timer

1665

$275

3.5

5 Lighting

Efficient halogen solutions and CFL lighting

828

$139

9.1

6 Climate control

Efficient model replacement, insulation and energy management

466

$79

10.1

7 Food storage

Door seal replacements, and efficient appliance replacements

306

$47

10.3

8 Water heating

Electric boosted solar water heating with one shot booster (where applicable)

2137

$173

11.7

9 Renewable energy

Solar PV Installation

2372

$414

16.1

10 Food preparation

Induction cooktop

77

$21

43.9

TOTAL

11,703 $1826 7.8

Energy Management Institute: Energy Efficiency Opportunities in the Residential Sector of Australia, 2010 – page 27 (Section 5.2)

the master electrician

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Renewable Energy Spotlight the true impact of carbon tax cont’d...

There are of course other useful tools for information on energy efficiency that are beneficial for both electrical contractors and consumers. Most of the major electricity providers have information about green alternatives, such as Origin Energy, Ergon Energy, Integral Energy and Energy Australia.

Another useful resource is Energy Matters, with offices throughout the country, they can provide you with up-to-date information about solar power, energy efficient appliances as well as current rebates for homes, schools and commercial buildings. You can also receive online quotes though www.energymatters.com.au.

All Safe Energy Efficient Products has similar services and is based in Queensland, visit their website www.all-safe.com.au for the latest product information. There is also a Victorian based company called simply Energy Efficient Products, that supplies heating and cooling products, as well as a range of lighting products including low voltage, garden and recess, exterior wall lights, indoor lighting and globes.

Carbon pricing appears to be inevitable, as Australia moves towards an energy-efficient future. What matters now is what we do with this transition so we can make a price on carbon work for us.

And remember information is power.

Figure 3: Australian Residential Expenditure on Household Electricity in 2014/15 with and without implementation of Energy Efficiency $ Millions p.a.

Energy Management Institute: Energy Efficiency Opportunities in the Residential Sector of Australia, 2010 – page 36 (Section 7)

$3851$3851 QLD QLD $

$6486$6486 NSW NSW $

SA SA$2002$2002

NT NT$196 $196

$1540 1540 $2311$2311

$801 $801 $1201$1201

$2595 2595 $3892$3892

$79 $79 $118 $118

VICVIC$4525$$4525

$1810 1810 $2715$2715

ACTACT $27

$27 $11 $11 $16 $16

WAWA$1697$1697

$679 $679 $1018$1018

$18,864 $18,864 TOTAL TOTAL

$7546$7546 $11,31$811,318

Total cost

After 60 per cent Energy Reduction Energy Savings from Energy Efficiency www.masterelectricians.com.au

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Figure 4: Key carbon tax figures Price of carbon emissions per tonne from July 1, 2012

$23

Extra weekly cost for the average household

$9.90

Average weekly assistance for households

$10.10

Origin Energy www.originenergy.com.au/1542/Green-energy

The annual income below which all tax payers will get tax cuts

$80,000

Ergon Energy www.ergon.com.au/energy-conservation/clean-energy

New tax-free threshold from July 2012

$18,200

Total compensation to households

$15 billion

Annual income at which compensation cuts off

$150,000

Information on energy efficient products

Integral Energy www.integral.com.au/wps/wcm/connect/IE/NSW/ NSW+Homepage/forHomesNav/Reducing+consumption/ Energy Australia www.energyaustralia.com.au/State/NSW/Residential/Productsand-services/Green-energy.aspx

Estimated reduction in carbon emissions by 2020, in tonnes

159 million

The proportion of households the Opposition says will be worse off or line-ball

60 per cent

Energy Matters www.energymatters.com.au

New target for carbon pollution reduction by 2050, from 2000 levels

80 per cent

AllSafe Energy Efficient Products www.all-safe.com.au

The number of big polluters who will pay the carbon price

500

Energy Efficient Products www.energyefficientproducts.com.au

The year Australia is due to move to a market-based emissions trading scheme

2015

ABC news http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/climate-change/key-figures.htm

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the master electrician

WINTER 11

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feature

Electric dreams Origin Energy to drive opportunities for Electric vehicle owners and manufacturers Imagine a future where your car will be charged overnight, like a mobile phone.

You will no longer need petrol. You’ll see charging stations in public car parks and office buildings. Well, this future is becoming much clearer, and Origin Energy are making the move towards electric vehicles to meet the increasing demand for a lower-cost, eco-friendly option through a new research project.

THE PROJECT Origin Energy has purchased four Mitsubishi i-MiEVs to test and further develop electric vehicle technology, and they’ve teamed up with charge station supplier ChargePoint Australia. ChargePoint focuses on residential and commercial charging solutions and currently have 31 stations in Australia. The project has two parts – further developing bollards to be used in public places such as carparks and in work places, and developing in-home domestic charging systems making it easier for electric vehicle owners to power their cars overnight.

Frank Calabria, Origin’s Executive General Manager, Energy Markets says “When you www.masterelectricians.com.au

think about the greenhouse gas emissions that arise from the transportation sector, the opportunity is absolutely significant for us to make a difference there.“ “We are the largest retailer of green energy across electricity and gas with over 500,000 customers. And now we’ve got a great opportunity to extend that journey further with the introduction of electric vehicles, and particularly, the i-MiEVs. “I think people have really resonated with their quirky personality when they’ve seen them on the road. The first decision we made which is really aligned with the values of Origin as a business is that we decided to only inject them with 100 per cent Government accredited GreenPower. “ Origin’s been across this opportunity, I think, from the outset. We installed the first charging station and we can see that as the awareness of the electric vehicle increases, the demand will continue to increase into the future.”

Master Electricians Australia Chief Executive Malcolm Richards said the Origin Energy project was an important step in changing the public’s perceptions about electric vehicles.

“Manufacturers expect that vehicle recharging stations will become commonplace in our cities in the future.

But at the moment it’s very much a case of chicken and egg – do we build the recharging stations first or buy the vehicles first.

Did you know…

In 1899 an electric vehicle held the world land speed record.

“As the leading national voice for the electrical industry, Master Electricians Australia has decided to take a proactive approach and support the rollout of charging stations by installing one in our own building.

“We look forward to the day when this is the common approach for building owners, rather than being out of the ordinary.”

THE HISTORY Electric vehicles were first developed in the 19th century before the internal combustion engine (ICE) that we’re all more familiar with today. However, after the turn of the century,

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the relatively low price of Texas crude oil and Henry Ford’s mass production of ICE vehicles, led to the popularity of petrol powered cars. Now, in the 21st century, we are facing new environmental and economic challenges, so electric vehicles are once again being looked upon as suitable for the future.

THE TECHNOLOGY An electric vehicle gets its power from a battery, or series of batteries, rather than an internal combustion engine. Most models introduced so far feature a lithium-ion battery, with the Mitsubishi i-MiEVs, the Nissan Leaf, the Blade Electric Vehicles and the Tesla EV models all featuring lithium-ion battery systems. The battery powers an electric motor, which in the case of the i-MiEVs can give 47kW of power, 180Nm of torque, and is capable of reaching speeds of 130km/h. In the case of the Nissan Leaf, the motor can give 80kW of power, 280Nm of torque and can reach speeds of 145km/h.

PROS AND CONS Cheaper running costs are a major pro for electric vehicles. No petrol is necessary and fewer parts means easier maintenance.

Blade Electric Vehicles, for example, are designed to be serviced by any qualified auto electrician. There are also several TAFEs in Australia working on improving the skills of automotive industry workers, offering courses in automotive electrical technology. Then there are, of course, the environmental benefits that come from lower emissions.

Two early challenges of widespread introduction of electric vehicles are range and recharge time. For example, the Mitsubishi and Nissan models feature a battery that ranges about 150km and takes around seven hours to recharge - depending upon the charging infrastructure used. At the moment, the introduction of electric vehicles is being considered for short trips around the city, rather than a car that could be taken on road trips. However, research is continuing to solve the problem which could make electric vehicles a viable alternative.

As well as the Origin Energy project, Ergon Energy is also currently researching how electric vehicles will affect Queensland’s regional power network in a project that began in Townsville in March. Training

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A quick guide to electric vehicles How do they work?

Electric vehicles run on a battery-powered electric motor that is charged with a charging station at home and/or the workplace.

Who sells them in Australia?

Most major manufacturers are working on the technology and have announced electric models.

What are the pros and cons Pros: Cheaper to run since no petrol is required, fewer parts so easier to maintain, electric motors are quieter, and no emissions.

Cons: Long charging times, short range.

Who is working on making them viable?

The CSIRO researched the feasibility of the widespread introduction of EVs in Australia, Origin Energy, Ergon Energy, ChargePoint Australia and Better Place Australia are all working on how to make electric vehicles a feasible option.

and motoring organisations are also recognising that a new generation of cars will require a new range of servicing and repair skills, with a much heavier emphasis on electrical, rather than mechanical expertise.

A number of organisations are working on the issue of roadside assistance and crash repairs.

There is a while to go before every household has their own electric vehicles and there’s a charging station in every public carpark, but with all the research that is being undertaken, it certainly looks like the future will be electrical.

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the master electrician

WINTER 11

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feature Ski season sparkies

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www.masterelectricians.com.au

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Keeping the power on at the top of Australia presents a range of challenges to electrical contractors working in the ski fields, Ellen Burgess reports

Electrical safety probably isn’t one of the first things to spring to the average person’s mind when they think of a ski resort. However, in such a cold and wet environment, it should be. A massive amount of work goes into keeping our ski resorts safe, so for this winter issue of The Master Electrician, we thought we’d go behind the scenes and find out what exactly is involved in the operation of a ski resort. David Milford from Perisher Resort in New South Wales explained exactly what must be done.

Mr Milford said Perisher had about ten electrical staff and 48 full-time mechanical staff, and those numbers increased in winter. All of them needed a range of skills over and above their trade qualifications.

“Electrical staff need to be skilled and trained in PLC, VF drives, data and phone cabling, optic fibre, work at heights, confined space, use of snowmobile and ATV (quad bike),” he said.

Mr Milford went on to explain that Australia’s frantic winter period and extreme weather provide many challenges for Perisher workers.

“Australia has a short but very busy winter season,” he said.

“Perisher will normally clock up some 700,000 skier days (one skier day is one person skiing for one day), which is comparable with many big overseas resorts and this is done in a shorter season. The weather can bring about extremes with cold mornings, -10 is pretty normal in mid winter, snow, rain, and high winds. It is not unusual to get a fall of snow in summer so you have to have the gear for all conditions and be ready for it.”

The 47 ski lifts at Perisher are checked and maintained daily in the busy winter months, and regularly in summer according to set procedures, in compliance with Australian Standard As-4772 (2009) and the Canadian Standard CAN/CSA Z98 (2007). Electrical work also needs to comply with Australian wiring rules, and WorkCover NSW oversees that process. Having said that, Mr Milford added the industry, is in a way, self-regulated because the individual resorts appoint consultant engineers to inspect and sign off the electrical and mechanical operation annually.

“Perisher is a much more diverse operation than just ski lifts,” he said. Considering accommodation, food and beverage, the Skitube railway and vehicle workshops, the operations are extensive and there is a tremendous amount of work to do. Not to mention the electrical work required in summer civil works. All the lifts have set maintenance

requirements, that accord with the manufacturer’s recommendations, and Perisher uses a computerised maintenance system to allocate work orders and record completed tasks. There is regular summer maintenance, which can include non-destructive testing of the main components, stripping and rebuilding.

Recent electrical projects include a snowmaking expansion, updating of lift drive systems with VF Drives, RFID ticketing, and the rollout of an optic fibre network, in addition to normal maintenance and building works.

However, Mr Milford said these are the very challenges that bring people to work in the area, and they enjoy the lifestyle on the ski fields. the master electrician

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thebuzz Here’s the latest news from the electrotechnology industry across Australia.

Pool owners to save as part of new roadmap to better manage Queensland electricity demand and prices

A new Queensland Government energy strategy will help Queenslanders better manage peak electricity demand and ease pressure on prices.

Energy Minister Stephen Robertson said the Queensland Energy Management Plan contains 28 initiatives designed to manage electricity consumption and peak demand in a more cost-effective way.

“The Queensland Energy Management Plan is a roadmap for the future,” he said.

“This plan means Queenslanders will continue to enjoy a reliable supply of electricity when they need it, wherever they live.

“It will also help avoid the need for a new 1000 megawatt power station by 2020; saving more than $3.5 billion in avoided network and generation costs.”

One key initiative will help Queensland pool owners save up to 40 percent on their pool energy running costs by making it easier for them to access the cheaper Tariff 33 electricity supply.

“From 1 July 2011, pool owners will be able to connect pool pumps to off-peak Tariff 33 electricity via a standard power point.

“Until now, pool filtration systems have had to be permanently connected - that is hard wired to the home electricity system - to be eligible for Tariff 33.

“Tariff 33 costs 12.83 cents per kilowatt hour to use compared with the standard continuous supply Tariff 11 which is charged at 21.35 cents per kilowatt hour.

Further information about the Queensland Energy Management Plan is available at: www.cleanenergy.qld.gov.au

New solar panel installation checks commence Fair Trading Minister Anthony Roberts said NSW Fair Trading commenced the first of 500 checks on solar panel installations in Baulkham Hills, Blacktown, Kellyville and surrounding areas.

“These checks follow checks on 55 homes in Port Macquarie in February this year that revealed alarming defects and breaches of the Electricity (Consumer Safety) Act 2004 and the Home Building Act 1989,” he said.

The Minister said 4,000 letters had been sent to households with solar installations in the areas involved in the latest checks.

“Fair Trading has received an average www.masterelectricians.com.au

200 calls a day to a dedicated audit hotline and 165 emails so far to a dedicated email address,” he said.

“There is clearly a great degree of concern and a desire by many to be involved in the audit.”

Mr Roberts said officers would visually inspect parts of the solar panel systems to check key aspects of electricity safety including switches, wiring, cables, signage and markings.

Officers will leave stickers on the inverters of every home inspected: a white sticker means no issues were detected, an orange

sticker means minor issues were detected that pose no immediate safety risk and, a red sticker means a serious defect was detected.

Rectification work will be done by builders or electricians who did the original installation. That is their obligation under home building laws.

Major defects will attract fines and possible prosecution. Fair Trading will suspend or cancel licences of installers with significant numbers of defects. Public warnings could also be used.

For more information call Fair Trading on 13 32 20.

13 ME

18 000 products in the palm of your hands At 500 pages, Clipsal‘s Australian Trade Product Catalogue is commonly referred to by its many thousands of electrical contractor customers as “The Bible of the electrical industry.”

Each year, the company prints 55 000 copies for its customers. Clipsal has also developed a Clipsal eCatalogue available on CD Rom and online. These find their way to over 30 000 customers.

Clipsal’s customers can now go out on site with the iCat, and easily specify the required products by searching or browsing the app with just a touch of their finger. The products can be saved to different job lists, which can be used to develop quotes, orders which can then be emailed to customers, suppliers or back to the office.

The highly rated Clipsal iCat is available free for iPhone and iPad from iTunes.

ACT Solar Feed in Tariff Reopened to Small-scale systems Australian Capital Territory households and small businesses have been given another chance to tap into the territory government’s ACT Solar Feed-in Tariff scheme. The ACT small-scale (‘microgenerator’) Feed-in Tariff scheme, for systems 30kW or smaller, closed at the beginning of June 2011 after it hit its 15-megawatt cap.

However, small-scale systems will now be eligible for a 30.16c/kWh Feed-in Tariff (down from 45.7c under the former scheme), this time under the Territory’s medium-scale FiT scheme, which was formerly limited to systems between 30 and 200kW.

Legal solutions for ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS Advice on contracts Contractual and payment disputes Business structures Asset protection Buying and selling businesses Wills and Estates Leasing and commercial contracts Debt collection services Conveyancing Workplace Health & Safety Call Michael Cope today on (07) 3223 5939 or Ian Heathwood on (07) 3223 5942 or 0418 199 416

www.mckayslaw.com

Bizz Buzz launch group buying site for small businesses BizzBuzz.com.au is Australia’s only group buying site dedicated to small business deals.

BizzBuzz.com.au offers Australian small businesses unheard of deals on goods and services that will help them grow and prosper.

Serial entrepreneur and founder of Bizz Buzz, Marcus Layton, said that while the group buying and online coupon space is saturated, no one has addressed the needs of small businesses.

“We know there are a lot of copycat

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businesses out there trying to emulate Groupon’s success. We’re here to do something truly different.

“The growth and success of group buying online has been truly outstanding. It boils down to one thing: people want to save money.

“Bizz Buzz deals let business owners test out goods and services to see which will work for their business before they pay top dollar. We are all about providing incredible value.

“From printing, to advertising, marketing, business cards, stationery, and much more, we’ll feature great deals at least twice a week to help small businesses in Australia thrive. the master electrician

WINTER 11

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Structural reform of Australia’s telecommunications sector The draft regulatory instruments which create the framework for Telstra’s structural separation were released for public consultation by Senator Stephen Conroy, the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy.

“Telstra’s structural separation is a critical reform that will enable the telecommunications sector to provide competitive and innovative services to Australian consumers,” Senator Conroy said.

“These instruments will allow Telstra to achieve structural separation of its ubiquitous copper customer access network and broadband services on its hybrid fibre-coaxial network through the progressive migration of customer services to the NBN.” Senator Conroy said negotiations were continuing between Telstra and NBN Co on the commercial terms for the migration of Telstra’s customer services to the NBN and to enable NBN Co to gain access to Telstra’s infrastructure.

Let there be efficient light A new range of energy efficient streetlights has been launched after the completion of a successful two year trial to replace the old, 80W mercury vapour lamps.

The environmentally friendly, energy efficient streetlight range is now available to local governments.

Western Power, Synergy and the City of Armadale, completed a two year trial which assessed the performance of two new sustainable technologies.

Streetlights Manager, Wendy Barton, said the trial was an effective way of measuring whether the new globes would be viable and sustainable in the unique Western Australian environment.

“We looked at the possibility of implementing these technologies in response to feedback from local councils,” she said.

“Street lighting accounts for up to 50 per cent of local governments’ annual greenhouse gas emissions, so the introduction of energy efficient street lighting will be welcomed by all WA local governments as a means of slashing their carbon footprint.” www.masterelectricians.com.au

Grooming the next generation of systems integrators Clipsal is taking its market leading C-Bus technology back to grass roots. The SA based electrical company recently introduced its energy management and control technology to the next generation of electricians and systems integrators at the TAFE SA Regency Campus.

The trial programme was offered as an elective unit of competency as part of the students off-job training. This is the first time a C-Bus course has been offered in the School of Electrical Engineering Certificate III curriculum as part of the requirement for students to achieve their electrical licence.

Approximately 51 students enrolled in the course which commenced in April and concluded in May. The course was repeated for a second group of students in June.

“The course is designed to be practical and gives the students a hands on introduction to the technology, said Chris Nottle, Clipsal Australia C-Bus National Training Manager.

Students spend 36 contact hours over four days learning C-Bus. This includes installation and basic programming to form a solid introduction. Upon completion, students are assessed via a combination of written and practical assignments.

Pic: L-R - Rod Beames, Electrical Trainer at Regency Tafe, with Chris Nottle, Clipsal Australia C-Bus National Training Manager, explain some C-Bus programming to Matthew Tilbrook, an electrical apprentice from Clare, SA.

Energy Super invests in next generation of electricians Industry superannuation fund Energy Super will assist one of the energy industry’s most talented recruits in getting to London this month, as part of its commitment to the International Electrical Apprenticeship Exchange Program (IEAEP).

IEAEP is a joint initiative between Electro Group Queensland and the Joint Industry Board (JIB) in London, that provides a fourth year apprentice the opportunity to travel to and work in the host company’s country for up to six weeks each alternate year.

Energy Super’s sponsorship is part of an enhanced annual Energy Super sponsorship program to foster the next generation of the energy industry through various leadership, mentoring, career development, training and awards programs and events.

Energy Super CEO Robyn Petrou said the fund’s industry sponsorship program focussed on fostering the next generation of electrical and energy contractors.

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ME 16

feature Truly shocking experiments Our modern understanding of the effects of electricity on the human body has some unusual history behind it. Ellen Burgess reports

Imagine you are a scientist researching electricity in its early days. You want to know exactly what electricity does to us. Would you experiment on yourself? The quirky story of how we came to know about the effects of electricity is one of rats, dogs and human volunteers, but one man gave a new meaning to the term ‘mad scientist’. More about him later.

We now know that at 1mA, a 50Hz current can barely be felt. We know the “let-go threshold” is 16mA, breathing can stop at 20mA and 100mA can change the heartbeat, both of which can be fatal. These are defined in international and Australian standards, and have long been accepted wisdom in electrical safety. But how do we know this?

What exactly went into finding these precise measurements?

Let’s look at that so-called ‘mad’ scientist mentioned earlier. When Austrian Professor Gottfried Biegelmeier invented the residual current operated circuit-breaker, he used himself as a test subject to demonstrate that it worked. He went on to contribute to international electrotechnical standards, specifically to the development of the IEC 60479 (International Electrotechnical Commission) series on effects of current on www.masterelectricians.com.au

human beings and livestock.

Two other scientists who researched the effects of electricity on humans were Charles F Dalziel and William B. Kouwenhoven. Dalziel performed a wide range of tests on human volunteers. Hundreds of them. He became an expert on the psychological effects of electrical injury, and wrote a book on the subject: The Effects of Electric Shock on Man. He is also credited with inventing the RCD. William B. Kouwenhoven studied the effects of electric shock on rats and dogs in 1933. His research eventually led to the use of electrodes in surgery and it led to the development of a closed-chest defibrillator prototype in 1957.

Furthermore, Kouwenhoven’s research on dogs led to the development of CPR, with the help of a team consisting of G Kinckerbocker and James Jude.

So the research of these three scientists, and others, led to what we know today about the true impact of electricity on the human body.

Perhaps when we think about how far we’ve come in today’s tech savvy society, we should stop and thank a dog for CPR and ask yourself: would you have taken that dog’s place?

Quick reference on electrical injury • There are four main types of electrical injuries: electrocution (fatal), electric shock, burns and falls • Injury can occur when a current runs through the body, or through heat or fire generated by electricity • Contact with currents over 20 mA can be fatal, causing respiratory paralysis, ventricular fibrillation and other internal damage • Wet conditions can turn a 1 mA current (barely noticeable) into a 120 mA current (fatal) because of the body’s reduced resistance level • Burns caused by high-voltage currents (over 600V) usually leave marks on the body at the entry and exit points.

• A victim can have major internal damage, despite having burns that appear minor

17 ME

Estimated Effects of 50 Hz AC currents (taken from Worker Deaths by Electrocution: A Summary of Surveillance Findings and Investigative Case Reports, released by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in 1998).

1 mA 16 mA 20 mA 100 mA 2 Amps 15/20 Amps

Barely perceptible Maximum current an average man can grasp and “let go” Paralysis of respiratory muscles Ventricular fibrillation threshold Cardiac standstill and internal organ damage Common fuse or breaker opens circuit

* Contact with 20 milliamps of current can be fatal. As a frame of reference, a common household circuit breaker may be rated at 15, 20, or 30 amps.

How does electricity affect the mind? (taken from Long-term Sequelae of Low-Voltage Electrical Injury, released by the Journal of Burn Care and Research in 2008)

Psychological symptoms Anxiety, nightmares, insomnia and flashbacks to the injury.

Neurological symptoms Numbness, weakness, memory problems and chronic pain.

What are the standards?

In Australia AS/NZS60479: 2002

In the USA The National Electrical Code (NEC) and the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) address electrical safety regulations.

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the master electrician

WINTER 11

ME 18

feature

What the Federal Budget means for your business The Treasurer has promised to get the budget back in the black by 2012-2013. So what will this really mean for your business? According to the experts at Australian accounting advisory network BDO, there are several announcements that small businesses should pay attention to. www.masterelectricians.com.au

19 ME

Small business motor vehicle tax write-off It was announced before the budget that small businesses would be able to claim an immediate $5,000 write-off for the cost of any motor vehicle purchased by small business operators in the 2012-13 financial year, thus applying to motor vehicles purchased after 1 July 2012. The remainder of the purchase value can be transferred into the general small business depreciation pool, which is depreciated at 15 per cent in the first year and 30 per cent in later years. All small businesses can claim this write-off, including sole traders and businesses operating through trusts, partnerships and companies. An immediate write-off for other assets costing less than $5,000 was also announced, also applying from July 2012. This is an increase from the current level of $1,000.

BDO’s Assessment According to BDO, this assistance should be encouraged but this particular announcement has sometimes been reported wrongly in the media. It is important to clarify that this effectively accelerates the depreciation on motor vehicles purchased by a small business but it is a timing difference only, not a permanent difference. There is no change in the amount claimable, as shown by Table 1. Moreover, benefits won’t be seen until 28 October 2012 at the very earliest, as this is the due date for lodging the first quarter Business Activity Statement for 2012/13 when eligible businesses can factor this in to their quarterly Pay As You Go (PAYG) income tax instalments. For those who pay tax on the automatic GDP method, the benefit may not be seen for two years, when the 2012 income tax payment is due in March/April 2013.

Table 1 - Small business motor vehicle tax write off deductions Tax Impact Year Deduction Deduction @ 30% Current Rule New Rule (with pooling) 1 $5,000 $10,250 $1,575 2 $5,000 $6,252 $376 3 $5,000 $7,572 $772 4 $5,000 $5,421 $126 5 $5,000 $3,915 -$325 6 $5,000 $2,861 -$642 7 $5,000 $2,124 -$863 8 $5,000 $1,605 -$1,018 Total $40,000 $40,000 $0

Small business – lower PAYG instalments PAYG instalments for small businesses in the 2011-12 year will be set at four per cent above the business’ taxable income for the previous year. This amount is half the statutory rate that would otherwise apply under the GDP adjustment factor method. This does not apply to taxpayers calculating instalments using the instalment income method, and ceases to apply for the 2012-13 year.

BDO’s assessment This measure has an element of “smoke and mirrors”. It does not halve tax instalments for small businesses, as has sometimes been reported, but rather the GDP uplift factor has been halved from eight per cent, to four per cent. For example, if a business has a tax payable of $10,000 in 2011, under the GDP adjustment factor method, the calculation base will now be $10,400 instead of $10,800 - a minor reduction. Moreover, the small business still has to pay tax on its 2012 taxable income, with whatever instalments being deducted from that tax liability. So the measure is a temporary cash-flow benefit only. A small business with a rising taxable income would in fact be well advised to keep cash aside for the fourth instalment tax bill in July 2013. Small businesses can already reduce PAYG instalments voluntarily by using the instalment income method each quarter.

the master electrician

WINTER 11

ME 20 Car Fringe Benefits The statutory formula method for calculating fringe benefits tax (FBT) will be changed.

The current four tiered statutory rate is being replaced with a flat rate of 20 per cent. It applies to new contracts entered into after 7:30 pm (AEST) on 10 May 2011 and will be phased in over four years.

This change will: • Increase the tax concession provided for vehicles driven less than 15,000 km a year • Maintain the current tax concession provided for vehicles driven between 15,000 and 25,000 km a year • Decrease the tax concession provided for vehicles driven more than 25,000 km a year • Encourage the purchase of lower cost and fuel efficient cars and discourage use of cars to align the FBT rules with the long term climate change policy.

BDO’s assessment This change disadvantages small business employees who drive long distances for business purposes, while benefiting high paid executives who salary-sacrifice their car expenses and travel short distances to and from the office. An alternative is to convert to the operating cost method for calculating

www.masterelectricians.com.au

car benefits, however, ATO guidelines require that a log book be maintained which most employees will fail to do properly. It could be beneficial for small business employees to claim car expenses as work-related deductions in their own names. One reason for this is there are more formula-based options for calculating car deductions that way, including one-third of operating expenses, or the 12 per cent of cost method.

Removal of Eligibility for Low Income Tax Offset on Unearned Income of Minors The government will remove the ability of minors to access the low income tax offset (LITO) to reduce tax payable on their unearned income such as dividends, interest rent, royalties and most trust distributions, effective 1 July 2011.

BDO’s assessment This change is significant for the many small businesses operating under a trust structure, effectively reducing the amount of tax-free distributions which can be made to minors from $3,333 per annum to $416.

A small business owner with three children under 18, for example, will need to find an additional $2625 per annum in tax (assuming a 30 per cent marginal tax rate).

21 ME

Cut in company tax rate The previously-announced cut in the company tax rate for small businesses from 30 per cent to 29 per cent from 1 July 2012 was confirmed in the budget.

BDO’s assessment This measure has thankfully remained intact, but it will only benefit those businesses operating under a company structure, and even then only to the extent that company profits are not paid out to shareholders as dividends.

Removal of Entrepreneurs Tax Offset The Entrepreneurs’ Tax Offset (ETO) which gives small businesses in start-up phase a maximum rebate of up to $2,750 is to be abolished, effective 1 July 2012.

BDO’s assessment Although the budget papers described the ETO as being poorly understood and not well taken up by taxpayers, the ATO

says in 2008/09 the ETO was claimed by 402,485 microbusinesses. Perhaps removing the ETO will have more of an impact than the Treasury realises.

Requirement to Report Contractor Payments From July 2012, businesses in the building and construction industries will be required to report annually on payments to contractors, including the contractor’s ABN, a move aimed at addressing perceived mass tax avoidance.

BDO’s assessment This announcement has been seen by some as an attack on contractors generally, particularly those involved in the building and construction industry. It could mean a marked increase in paperwork for businesses using contractors, and businesses could be discouraged from using contractors in the future in favour of making them employees.

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the master electrician

WINTER 11

ME 22

meet a masterelectrician In this edition’s Meet a Master Electrician, we introduce you to Troy Lobegeiger, manager of Equipped Electrical.

A Rockhampton man through and through, Troy Lobegeiger loves nothing more than exploring the nearby islands and secluded beaches, four-wheel driving, or casting a line to catch the next big fish.

Having spent time travelling with his wife on a working holiday up to the Cape and across to Darwin, Troy has since established his contracting business in a town where he couldn’t ask for more.

“Rockhampton has a more relaxed feel to it than your more congested cities. It’s big enough for a business to grow and small enough not to struggle for work,” Troy said.

Troy has come a long way from his days as an apprentice with the local council. During his career he worked with a wide range of electrical apparatus and tasks ranging from pump controls to rewiring a pub.

“The electrical industry is diverse with many career paths even in the contracting business.”

“My company performs a range of industrial, residential and commercial work and we’re not restricted to one suburb. We can supply services to the whole community.”

With a keen interest in solar from early on, Troy’s company has been well placed to support growing demand in the community.

“The growth of renewable energy in our local area has been extraordinary to say the least.”

“As energy costs rise we see a real need for all electrical contractors to play an important part in advising and helping the community to manage their energy consumption, reducing their costs and helping the environment.”

Troy recently completed a 9kw system for the local Video Ezy store helping them to reduce their energy costs and carbon footprint.

Name: Troy Lobegeiger Company: Equipped Electrical State: Queensland Status: M aster Electrician

“Competition is high so we constantly strive to maintain the viability and integrity of our company by providing our customers with the best quality service with the latest technology and energy saving products.”

“We aim to be a leader in renewable energy and to empower our community to embrace the new challenges of sustainability and renewable energy.”

“We’ve endeavoured to lead by example and I’m proud to say our office is 100 per cent carbon neutral.”

It is clear Troy is passionate about his industry and enjoys making a difference in the community.

When we asked Troy what the highlight of his career had been so far, Master Electricians Accreditation was at the top of his list.

“Becoming a Master Electrician shows our customers we are committed to a safer, quality and reliable business especially in the renewable energy industry where uncertainty is high in this fast growing sector.”

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ME 24

feature Retailers to offer “Don’t DIY” electrical advice In a national first, Queensland’s Electrical Safety Office will require retailers and wholesalers of electrical equipment to warn unqualified personnel not to install it themselves.

www.masterelectricians.com.au

25 ME The rapid growth of warehouse-style hardware and renovation stores over the last decade has brought unprecedented access for home owners to purchase electrical parts and fixed-wire equipment.

Anecdotal evidence from contractors across the country, and data from the audit of the Federal Home Insulation Scheme, indicate that this increased access has brought with it a rise in the number of people performing unlicensed electrical work at home.

“Some people think they’re competent and can do it themselves without fully understanding the risks.”

In a national first, since 1 July 2011, retailers and wholesalers in Queensland have been required to display ‘Don’t DIY’ signs on non-plug-in electrical equipment, following updates to state regulations.

The signs have to include the words “Must be installed by a licensed electrician”, or “All electrical work must be performed by a licensed electrician”.

The state’s Electrical Safety Office said the amendments to the Electrical Safety Regulation 2002 were aimed at deterring people from undertaking dangerous do-

it-yourself electrical work which has long presented safety issues for the industry.

Products that need electrical work to be done for it to work properly, like a stove or a ceiling fan, will be required to have the sign displayed. Signs will also be necessary for electrical accessories and parts like power points and light switches.

Master Electricians Australia Chief Executive Malcolm Richards welcomed the changes, and called on other State Governments to follow Queensland’s lead.

“These amendments are happening for one key reason: safety,” Mr Richards said.

“We’ve known about the dangers of DIY for a long time and we’re very happy this is being reflected in regulation.

“People will see these signs every time they go to a store selling the relevant items, and hopefully it will make everyone think twice.

“Anyone who has been in the domestic electrical contracting industry for any period of time will have come across sloppy, dodgy or downright dangerous installations courtesy of DIY or backyard installers.

“Some people think they’re competent and can do it themselves without fully understanding the risks. Some people think it’s a cheaper option, but can you really put a price on your family’s safety?

“Of course, this is not just a problem in

Queensland, and Master Electricians would like to see other State Governments pick up this very welcome initiative.”

Under the new regulations, businesses can display the signs in several ways, including near where the item is displayed, on the price tag, as part of the packaging, or as a label on the packaging, and on a label attached to the item.

The changes apply to not just face-to-face sales, but also to online sales.

For more information, including the list of changes, sign templates and information about how to correctly display signs, go to www.electricalsafety.qld.gov.au or call 1300 650 662.

Signage will need to be displayed on: Fixed-wired electrical equipment: Split-system air conditioners, stoves ovens, electric hot water systems and ceiling fans Electrical accessories and electrical parts: Power points, light switches, re-wireable electrical plugs and sockets, motors and solenoids

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the master electrician

WINTER 11

ME 26

generalnews Occupational Health & Safety Harmonisation Update After a long gestation period, we are now only months away from the ‘go live’ date for OHS harmonisation – 1 January 2012. Here is everything you need to know to ensure your business is ready for the change.

What is the OHS Harmonisation all about?

The National Harmonisation of the OHS laws has been developed to bring all states into alignment, reduce red tape and make it easy for employers to comply with workplace health and safety laws.

Who does it affect?

It affects all employers, workers, volunteers, and anyone carrying out an undertaking for a business or charity. The acronym being used is PCBU which stands for “person conducting a business or undertaking”. This is a very broad term and effects more people than the current state legislations.

What has changed?

Essentially, workplace safety won’t be radically different. There are changes coming for high risk activities, such as working at heights, confined spaces etc and some states will have more changes than others.

OHS is changing to WHS WorkSafe Australia is changing the common term for Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) to Workplace Health and Safety (WHS).

What are the model work health and safety laws?

Safe Work Australia is developing model work health and safety laws as part of an initiative from the Council of Australian Governments. This initiative demonstrates the commitment of the Commonwealth, state and territory governments to improving work health and safety for all Australians.

Why do we need model work health and safety laws?

The Commonwealth, and each state and territory government have agreed to harmonise their work health and safety laws, including regulations and codes of practice, so they are similar in each jurisdiction.

The Commonwealth, states and territories are responsible for making and enforcing their own work health and safety laws.

Although there are many similarities between the laws, there are also some differences that can cause confusion. Australian workers should be entitled to the same work health and safety standards, regardless of the jurisdiction in which they operate.

This regulatory inconsistency is being addressed through an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) where, for the first time, each state and territory government and the Commonwealth have formally committed to the harmonisation of work health and safety laws. The intention is to harmonise these laws (including the regulations and codes of practice that underpin them) to deliver the same work health and safety protections to all Australians. www.masterelectricians.com.au

27 ME How will work health and safety laws be harmonised?

Each jurisdiction will go through the process of enacting legislation.

The intention is to have mirror laws enacted in each jurisdiction.

Minor, but necessary variations, may be made consistent with relevant drafting protocols to achieve consistency with other laws and processes operating within a jurisdiction.

When will the changes come into effect?

The Commonwealth and each state and territory will be required to enact laws that reflect the model work health and safety laws by the end of December 2011. It is expected that all laws will commence on 1 January 2012.

Model codes of practice will be developed and implemented at the same time as the model WHS regulations. However, development and implementation of further model codes of practice will continue beyond December 2011.

How was the model WHS Act developed?

The model WHS Act is the result of a comprehensive national review into work health and safety laws across Australia, which involved substantial public consultation.

The first draft of the model WHS Act was based on the decisions of the Workplace Relations Ministers’ Council (WRMC) in relation to the national review findings. The first draft of the model WHS Act was released for public comment for six weeks in September 2009. The 480 submissions received during this period informed many of the amendments to the first draft. The amended draft was endorsed by WRMC in December 2009.

Is the current version of the model WHS Act the final version?

WRMC authorised Safe Work Australia to make final technical and

drafting amendments to ensure the model WHS Act operates as intended. The final version of the model WHS Act was published by Safe Work Australia on 26 November 2010.

Model Work Health and Safety Act 26 November 2010.

What transitional arrangements will be put in place?

Appropriate transitional arrangements will be put in place in each jurisdiction.

All jurisdictions have agreed to a set of principles which will ensure that transitional arrangements are consistent across Australia, although some variations are inevitable as each jurisdiction will be transitioning from a different work health and safety system.

Will there be a national regulator?

No, the Commonwealth and each state and territory will continue to have its own regulator to administer the laws in their jurisdiction.

Will the model WHS regulations and model codes of practice also be harmonised?

Yes, the intention is for all work health and safety laws, regulations, codes of practice and guidance material to be harmonised across Australia.

Who is coordinating the project?

Safe Work Australia is an independent statutory body established on 1 November 2009, under the Safe Work Australia Act 2008. Its primary function is to progress the model work health and safety laws in partnership with state and territory governments, employers and workers, who are represented as Safe Work Australia members.

For more information visit the Safe Work Australia website www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au

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the master electrician

WINTER 11

ME 28

generalnews

The solar industry state of play With the amount of changes occurring in the solar industry there is some confusion as to what rebates apply. Here’s the current state of play

Solar Credits Changes to the payment of solar credits were announced by the Federal Government earlier in May 2011.

The solar credit mechanism, which credits eligible householders by multiplying the number of certificates these systems can produce, has now been reduced to a multiple of 3 rather than 4 effective 1 July 2011.

Information on the full extent of changes is available from the Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator at www.orer.gov.au Solar Bonus Scheme for New South Wales The NSW Government has announced there will be no change to payments for customers already receiving or about to receive tariff payments under the Solar www.masterelectricians.com.au

Bonus Scheme. This includes customers on the 60 cent or 20 cent tariff rate.

The Solar Bonus Scheme provides a feedin tariff for eligible customers with small solar or wind generators that are connected to the grid. The Scheme commenced on 1 January 2010 and operates until 31 December 2016.

Customers wishing to connect a renewable energy generator to the grid without participating in the Solar Bonus Scheme are able to do so.

Customers are advised to regularly check www.dtiris.nsw.gov.au for up-to-date information.

Western Australia The Western Australian Government has announced changes to the residential net

feed-in tariff scheme following a review by the Office of Energy.

A new rate of 20 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) now applies to all applications received from 1 July 2011. As with the original scheme, system owners will receive payments for ten years.

South Australia At this stage, changes to South Australia’s Solar Bonus Scheme have not been legislated. However, once passed the feedin tariff will actually increase from 44 cents to 54 cents per kilowatt hour. The bad news is the scheme will close to new applicants from 1 October 2011.

Master Electricians Australia will continue to monitor changes to the solar industry and alert members on important updates.

ME 30

news from thedistributors regulated rates cheaper.

Claim: Electricity networks are less efficient and cost more in NSW than in Victoria.

Fact: There are 700,000 more electricity customers in NSW than Victoria spread across an area that is three times the size. About 55 per cent more electricity is consumed in NSW than in Victoria, while the peak demand is 40 per cent higher. The network area is also bigger in NSW, requiring an extra one million electricity poles and 120,000 km of electricity wires.

Customer density is higher in Victoria than NSW or QLD ; this will always mean cheaper network costs.

About 34% of Ausgrid’s electricity assets are beyond their design life and so need to be replaced. Only three to five per cent of Victoria’s electricity network is in this category. Simply put, our network is older and therefore replacement costs come earlier.

That’s why $14.4billion is being invested in NSW distribution networks, compared to $4.7 billion in Victoria.

Mr Maltabarow said Ausgrid was focussing on efficiency in delivering its capital program. He said he had invited the EUAA to sit down and discuss a more meaningful comparison of network operations.

NSW: Ausgrid Findings flawed in state comparisons of electricity networks Ausgrid Managing Director George Maltabarow said a report comparing interstate electricity networks was misleading, inaccurate and incorrect.

The report was released in late May by the Energy Users Association of Australia – a group representing big businesses that consume the largest amount of electricity in Australia.

“It is misleading to simply compare electricity networks on a per customer basis,” Mr Maltabarow said.

“This is particularly the case, when you ignore significant factors like how much electricity is being used, differences in peak demand, the age of electricity networks and the size and density of the network areas.”

Claim: Victorian electricity networks are more reliable than NSW. Fact: The Australia Energy Regulator compared the reliability data in each state from 2000/01 to 2008/09 in its State of the Energy Market Report 2010. It shows that the average length of blackouts in Victoria has increased steadily since 2005/06. The same comparison shows that NSW is now performing better than Victoria – by about 10 per cent.

Claim: Network electricity prices are more expensive in NSW than Victoria.

Fact: A household electricity bill is made of generation, network and retail components. The different components have different costs in different states. A comparison of the final household bill shows that a typical household in the Ausgrid network area pays one of the lowest regulated rates in the country. Only in ACT are www.masterelectricians.com.au

VIC: CitiPower/Powercor REConnect Managing your customers’ connections just got easier – introducing REConnect.

CitiPower and Powercor Australia are ready to launch their electronic EWR self service website by the end of this month allowing you to lodge your EWR online.

REConnect is currently in its final testing phase, and was developed with the advice of RECs, to ensure it meets their needs, and those of retailers and distributors alike.

Some of the benefits that REConnect offers RECs include: • A simple registration process • An unique log on for security • The ability to create EWR templates • The ability to attach CES’s to EWR for submission • The ability to submit and view status 24hrs per day, 7 days per week • The ability to trace all jobs • You can receive an anticipated connection date • It reduces time chasing jobs with retailers and DBs • Offers a more streamlined EWR process • Reduces storage on your systems • You can receive sms or email updates on jobs There will be training sessions provided to all RECs in various locations.

If you would like to express an interest in the training, or have any questions in relation to REConnect, please email reconnect@powercor.com.au or reconnect@citipower.com.au.

31 ME

TAS: AURORA ENERGY Price minimisation the driver of Aurora’s regulatory proposal A proposal submitted by Aurora Energy to the Australian Energy Regulator for electricity distribution between 2012 and 2016 seeks to minimise price increases for Tasmanian customers from its “poles and wires’’ network.

The proposal, which makes customers and prices the focus, departs from a recent trend in other jurisdictions by virtue of its modest forecast impact on customer prices over the five-year regulatory period, subject to AER approval.

“Aurora’s regulatory proposal is based on real decreases in investment for the company’s future capital investment and operating programs for its distribution business,’’ Aurora Energy Network General Manager André Botha said.

While a transitional increase in network tariffs is likely in the first year of this regulatory period if this proposal is accepted, network revenue over the following four years is proposed to be negative in real terms, assuming no unforeseen external pricing pressures.

The price increase in the first year is largely driven by past investment in the network. Investment in both capital and operating expenditure for the forthcoming period will see real decreases over the following years as a result of Aurora’s efforts to increase efficiency, innovation and achieve greater utilisation of previous investments.

“The fundamental theme of this proposal is to minimise the impact of any further price increases on Tasmanian households and businesses, while continuing to provide a safe and reliable electricity supply,’’ Mr Botha said.

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the master electrician

AUTUMN 11

ME 32

WA: Horizon Power Extra funding approved for vital work The State Government recently approved an extra $45 million in funding to Western Power, including $29.94 million for reliability improvement projects and $15 million for the installation of automation equipment.

From this investment Western Power will deliver the following: • $430,000 on lightning mitigation in the Mid West • $370,000 on wildlife proofing of overhead lines in Canning and Gosnells • $260,000 on the installation of 270 distribution automation devices across the network Western Power will also install outdoor circuit breakers to 34 substations in the network and replace 405 pole top switch disconnectors.

QLD: Ergon Energy Installation of generator changeover switches There is still confusion amongst some electrical contractors relating to compliance with relevant Australian Standards when generator changeover switches are installed on a customer’s installation.

It is the electrical contractor’s responsibility to comply with the Wiring Rules with specific reference to AS 3010:2005.

When examining these switches, Ergon Energy officers will check to make sure the installation is “electrically safe” at the time of their inspection as well as compliant with the Queensland Electricity Connection and Metering Manual in relation to metering. Supply will be left connected if these conditions have been met.

Ergon Energy officers may note or point out a minor defect if they believe it is not compliant with the relevant Australian Standard.

However, the decision to rectify these minor defects lies solely with the electrical contractor.

www.masterelectricians.com.au

ACT: ACTEWAGL and Better Place sign landmark $60m deal on renewable energy ActewAGL and Better Place have signed a landmark deal for the supply of renewable energy to Better Place’s electric car charging network in Canberra.

This supply agreement is worth approximately $60 million over ten years, and is the largest renewable energy deal of its kind in Australia. The renewable energy will be drawn from generation sources such as wind, hydro and solar.

“The agreement is a significant milestone for Better Place as we move towards the deployment of our electric car charging infrastructure in Canberra later this year”, said Better Place Australia Chief Executive Officer Evan Thornley.

“This agreement is part of a high-value, long term relationship that demonstrates the willingness of industry participants such as ActewAGL to be at the leading edge of environmentally responsible solutions that support Australia’s transition to a low-carbon future.

“Better Place has always been committed to supplying our electric car network with renewable energy. When it’s done right, electric cars are the missing piece of the puzzle that can support renewables and help to de-carbonise the grid. The cars on our network will provide distributed storage, which is the key missing ingredient particularly for intermittent renewables like wind.

“This landmark deal demonstrates that renewable energy can and should play a leading role in integrating electric cars into Australia’s sustainable transport mix,” Mr Thornley said.

ActewAGL Chief Executive Officer Michael Costello said, “The deal with Better Place is significant, and not just for its size, or for its commitment to deliver renewable energy. More importantly, it demonstrates that innovative companies such as Better Place can help promote investment in renewable energy sources through agreements with suppliers such as ActewAGL.

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ME 34

regulatorwrap-up the latest state news from regulators

VIC

Energy Safe Victoria Smart meters – why are certificates not generated and who can install them?

During the recent frenzied media focus on smart meters, a couple of common questions have arisen - who can install them and why are certificates of electrical safety not required for each installation?

ESV prepared the following responses to assist the understanding of the issue.

Why does ESV not require the distribution businesses to generate a safety certificate for the installation of smart meters?

ESV has strict safety requirements for the installation of smart meters. It is compulsory for licensed electricians to obtain a certificate of electrical safety from ESV for all work they carry out.

The certificate regime is in place to ensure that the work done is safe and provides traceability of the work and electrician.

Work carried out by a distribution business is regulated by a different regime that is both rigorous and appropriate. This regulatory regime requires the business to develop and implement detailed electricity safety management schemes which must be approved by ESV. These schemes cover thousands of operations carried out by the business, including smart meter installation for which detailed records must be kept.

These safety schemes are subject to a robust audit regime. In relation to smart meters, random inspections are carried out based on smart meter performance data which must be supplied by the business to ESV. When is an ESV inspection required for a smart meter?

ESV takes an evidence-based approach to the inspection of smart meters and will carry out inspections based on performance data. Distribution businesses are required by law to supply this data to ESV. www.masterelectricians.com.au

How is work carried out by a licensed electrician different so that it requires a safety certificate to be issued?

Work carried out by a licensed electrician can require an inspection in order for a certificate of electrical safety to be obtained. If the work involves the wiring in switchboards, this is prescribed work and it must be inspected by an independent electrical inspector licensed

by ESV and a certificate showing the work is safe must be issued.

Non-prescribed work must be tested and certified by the electrician and a certificate provided. Up to 12 per cent of certificates are chosen at random for audit to verify compliance and integrity of the certificate system.

Who can install the smart meter and what qualifications do they have?

Electricity distributors arrange for a qualified meter installer to install smart meters. Meter installers have photo ID with their name and the name of the electricity distribution business they represent.

Concerned customers can call their electricity distribution business to check that the person has been contracted by them.

The meter installers are required by law to have: • A minimum of Certificate III level or equivalent qualification as a lineworker, meter technician or electrician • Received proper safety training • Undertaken testing of the smart meter in accordance with the requirements of the Victorian Electricity Supply Industry: Installation Supply Connection Tests & Procedures manual to ensure integrity of supply to the customer’s mains or occupancy switchboard or equipment to be supplied and the correct operation of metering equipment.

The meter installer is also required to do everything in their power to verify that the installation is safe before switching the electricity back on for the consumer. These requirements are designed to maintain the integrity and safety of a customer’s electrical installation.

35 ME

NSW

HIGH QUALITY, HIGH PERFORMANCE

Fair Trading Solar Installations Checklist In view of some concerns reported in the media regarding problems with the installation of solar panels on domestic properties, NSW Fair Trading has issued a check list to assist consumers and industry participants.

Home owners should not try to check on the solar panel installation themselves Get expert advice. If you have concerns your panels might not be properly installed, contact your installer in the first instance or engage a qualified electrician to inspect the work.

If you receive an unsatisfactory outcome, NSW Fair Trading can advise you on lodging a complaint.

Check your contractor was properly licensed to undertake the work Builders and electricians installing grid connected PV arrays must be licensed. If you used a builder to do the installation part of the work, they must subcontract the wiring part of the job to someone who holds an electrical contractor licence or an electrical qualified supervisor certificate. You can check trade licences online on the Fair Trading website or by calling 13 32 20.

Check you have a Certificate of Compliance The electrician should have provided you with a Certificate of Compliance for Electrical

Work, attesting that the work is compliant with Australian wiring rules. They are also required to provide a copy to the energy network operator.

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Check you have home warranty insurance If the value of the work, including labour and materials, exceeds $12,000, you should have been provided with a Home Warranty Insurance certificate. Any rebate you may claim for the installation of solar panels must not be deducted from the cost of the work to avoid the $12,000 threshold for home warranty insurance.

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Installations are covered by statutory warranty for a period of seven years from the date the work was completed.

NSW Fair Trading can help resolve disputes If you cannot resolve a problem you can make a complaint to Fair Trading if your work is within the statutory warranty period.

Fair Trading provides a free dispute resolution service for consumers and traders.

Helpful information The Fair Trading website has detailed information on solar panels, statutory warranties, home warranty insurance and building disputes. Call 13 32 20 or visit the Fair Trading website www.fairtrading.nsw. gov.au

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AUTUMN 11

ME 36

WA

Energy Safety August deadline for RCD installations

EnergySafety’s RCD campaign has been generating a great amount of exposure on television and newspapers with the catch phrase, “No RCD means no second chance. Install. Test. Survive” The figures for the number of deaths related to electrocutions for people who did not have RCDs installed are alarming - 29 people in 17 years, with eight of them being children.

The August 2011 deadline is looming for all residential rental properties to be fitted with two RCDs (protecting socket

outlets and lighting circuits) for continuing tenancies. In the lead up to this date, we are expecting an influx in the demand for electrical contractors to install the RCDs. We encourage all electricians to support our RCD campaign and let all your customers know of these requirements early, to avoid the last minute rush for RCD installations.

To make the installation of RCDs more attractive to your senior customers, you could inform them of the State Government’s Safety and Security Rebate.

If they are the owners of the house they live in, senior citizens are able to claim a government rebate of up to $200 per household, which can go towards buying or installing an RCD. This scheme started on 1 July 2009 and will run until 30 June 2012. To claim this rebate, your senior customers must firstly fill out a Safe Work Australia Senior Safety and Security Rebate claim form, (which they can obtain from any Australia Post outlet) and attach copies of dated receipts which show proof of purchase or installation.

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37 ME

LEC A Energy Saving Unit QLD

The Electrical Safety Office

LEC –Lighting Energy Controller Smart Electricity for Effective Lighting

New laws for electrical equipment Queensland recently passed new laws to help protect consumers from unsafe electrical equipment. These new laws will come into effect in 2012 once they have been passed by other states and territories.

The Electrical Safety Office (ESO) has taken the lead role by consulting with industry and other states and territories, to develop model laws which other states and territories have agreed to follow.

The new laws help to ensure that electrical equipment offered for sale complies with relevant safety standards, and any unsafe electrical equipment is removed from the market quickly and effectively.

The new laws place obligations for safety on a responsible supplier, who is the first point of sale in Australia and New Zealand (i.e. the importer or manufacturer).

Another key feature will be a national database where all suppliers and some higher risk equipment must be registered prior to being offered for sale. This database will allow equipment to be easily traced to its supplier, and act as a gateway to the legal supply of electrical equipment in Australia and New Zealand.

Electricians and retailers will also be able to use the database to check that the products they select for their customers are safe.

Under the new laws, the Regulatory Compliance Mark (or RCM) will be used to indicate electrical equipment safety. Once the new laws are fully implemented across Australia and New Zealand, electricians and retailers will be able to tell at a glance if equipment meets the new laws by looking for the RCM. While this will take several years to implement, the RCM is already in use by some suppliers of electrical equipment and will increasingly become the single mark to look for in determining safety.

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the master electrician

WINTER 11

ME 38

SA

Office of the Technical Regulator The Office of the Technical Regulator answers your frequently asked questions about protection by residual current devices.

Electrician adds an additional socket-outlet to an existing non-RCD protected circuit in a residential installation (eg connects new wiring to an existing circuit breaker at the switchboard or to an existing socket-outlet). Does the RCD have to go in the switchboard?

There are two options how to provide the RCD protection: 1. Install a combination socket-outlet RCD; or 2. Install an RCD at the switchboard (eg combination circuit breaker RCD) Note: Refer to clause 2.6.3.4 of AS/NZS 3000:2007 Wiring Rules Electrician installs a new socket-outlet final subcircuit in a residential installation which has 3 existing final subcircuits protected by one 80 amp RCD in the switchboard. Can the new final subcircuit be protected by the existing RCD? No, clause 2.6.2.4(b) of AZ/NZS 3000:2007 Wiring Rules requires that not more than three final subcircuits shall be protected by any one RCD. Electrician installs new submains and new distribution switchboard with 4 final subcircuits (eg 1 x light & 3 x power circuits) in a residential installation outbuilding (eg flat or garage). Can the new submains be treated as one circuit and therefore one RCD installed only at the origin of the submains?

No, clause 2.6.2.4(b) of AZ/NZS 3000:2007 Wiring Rules requires that not more than three final subcircuits shall be protected by any one RCD. Electrician installs a new submains and new distribution switchboard with 3 final subcircuits (eg 1 x light & 2 x power circuits) to a residential installation outbuilding (eg flat or toolshed) where the submains are fixed within 50mm to the surface of the wall beneath the distribution switchboard. Can the RCD be installed at the origin of the submains for both protection of the final subcircuits and for providing additional protection against mechanical damage for the submains as per clause 3.9.4.2 and 3.9.4.4(c) of AS/NZS 3000:2007 Wiring Rules?

Yes, however if the earthing arrangement to the outbuilding is arranged as a separate MEN installation (ie submains neutral conductor supplying the outbuilding is a combined protective earthing and neutral (PEN) conductor) – see clause 5.5.3.1(b) of AS/NZS 3000:2007 Wiring Rules, then this method would not be permitted. Clause 2.6.2.1 of AS/NZS 3000:2007 Wiring Rules states that no earthing or protective bonding conductor shall pass through the magnetic circuit of an RCD. www.masterelectricians.com.au

Electrician installs a new air-conditioning system in a residential installation, is RCD protection required for the circuit?

Yes, if any of the following is applicable: • A socket-outlet is installed – see clause 2.6.3.1 of AS/NZS 3000:2007 Wiring Rules • Additional protection against mechanical damage (ie 50mm rule) for the wiring system is required – see clause 3.9.4 and 3.9.4.4(c) of AS/NZS 3000:2007 Wiring Rules • Manufacturer of the air conditioning system requires RCD protection as per manufacturer’s instructions – see clause 1.7.1(c) of AS/NZS 3000:2007 Wiring Rules.

An existing 30 year old residential installation has no RCD protection on any of the existing 10 circuits (eg light and power circuits). The owner of the installation engages an electrician to install RCD protection only for the lights and socket-outlet circuits. How many RCDs must be installed?

The installation of an RCD to an existing electrical installation is a safety enhancement; therefore it is at the discretion of the electrician and owner how many RCDs are installed.

The RCD installation requirements in AS/NZS 3000:2007 Wiring Rules are technically not retrospective, however the owner should be made aware of the latest RCD requirements and the benefits of why more than one RCD is recommended (eg avoid excessive leakage current causing unwanted tripping and minimize inconvenience in the event of a fault).

39 ME

letter of thelaw

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The lesson?

Going “the right way about it”, in these matters is essential, especially when attempting to avoid an unhappy outcome.

There is a serious risk that an employee may challenge a dismissal on the basis that they have been unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of an impairment (mental illness). The actions Jennifer took might not apply in every situation. In other situations different steps might need to be taken to ensure that the employer’s action is not found to be harsh, unjust or unreasonable, and to ensure their actions comply with anti-discrimination law. We recommend that you take advice before dismissing an employee in a similar situation to develop a clear approach to maximise your protection against claims and to get the best possible outcome in the circumstances.

Give Dominique Lamb at McKays Solicitors a call and she can help you avoid being on the wrong end of a worrying employment problem or worse still, caught up in an expensive employment claim.

Dominique can be contacted on (07) 3223 5949 or dlamb@mckayslaw.com This article was provided by Dominique Lamb, Solicitor at McKays Solicitors.

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Recently a client called because she was concerned for the safety of her workers.

Jennifer (the client), explained that the behaviour of one of her employees, Steve, had really started to concern her. For some time, he had been flying into fits of rage at other employees, occasionally shook violently, and operated heavy machinery erratically. In addition, he crashed his work car and had “lost” his work camera.

Jennifer was worried that Steve was operating heavy machinery on site, where there were lots of people around, and that he could end up injuring people due to his erratic and dangerous conduct.

Steve had come to our client’s house on a Sunday afternoon and told her that he had three personalities, and told Jennifer the first and last names of his personalities.

Jennifer decided he was too dangerous to his fellow workers to have on site and operating machinery. However, she wanted to manage the situation in the right way so she did not end up on the wrong end of a law suit.

It was explained to Jennifer that, subject to a proper process which complied with anti-discrimination and fair dismissal law, she could terminate his employment for “serious misconduct” if he could not meet the requirements of the job. Serious misconduct includes conduct which causes serious and imminent risk to the health and safety of a person, or the reputation, viability or profitability of an employer’s business.

Jennifer gave him written notice of his termination, but before she did that, she took signed statements from all of her affected employees. She also undertook a communication and feedback process with the employee. This meant that when Steve brought an unfair dismissal claim against her, she was able to produce evidence which supported her legal right to terminate his employment on the grounds of protecting her employees and her business from Steve’s behaviour.

As a result, once Steve obtained advice from his solicitors, he withdrew the claim.

Ampere Electrical Manufacturing Co. Pty. Ltd. 168-176 High St Prahran Victoria, 3181.

Tel (03) 9510 4333, 9510 2428 Fax (03) 9510 5940 Toll Free: 1800 AMPERE (1800 267 373) www.ampere.com.au

the master electrician

AUTUMN 11

ME 40

theinterview Andrew Ettinghausen For years he was “the face” of Rugby League - the man who attracted more female fans to the Game than anyone before him. But Andrew Ettinghausen was not just a pretty face. One of the greatest try-scorers the game has known, “ET” was a fixture on the first-grade and representative scenes for years. And, after a successful transition from football, ET has built a multi-million dollar empire based around his love for fishing.

Throughout your amazingly successful football career you were a one club player for 18 years; do you think there is still loyalty in today’s game?

Loyalty only gets you so far these days. It’s more about the dollars for most players as they only get a limited time to play the game and have to sacrifice a lot to commit their lives to it. Once a player gets injured the club tends to have little loyalty to the player and will move them on ASAP. I spoke to Paul Gallon, the Sharks and NSW Captain before he signed his last club contract and he asked me should he stay or should he go. My answer was that he had spent his whole time at Cronulla and that there would be great long term gains by staying with the one club. I am hoping that the loyalty shown

by Gal provides him future employment when his footy days are over. The realistic chances of him being able to go to a club that will definitely win the premiership was too risky.

You were a prolific try-scorer, scoring a record 5 tries in not one, but two games, who would you rate as the best player in today’s NRL competition?

My favourite players are Billy Slater, and Brett Stewart they are freaks when it comes to scoring tries. In the forwards I think that Cameron Smith is awesome and probably the best player in the game today. www.masterelectricians.com.au

As the most capped New South Wales player, how do you rate the current NSW State of Origin team? Do you think Ricky Stuart can return the team to the former glory days of the 90s?

Ricky Stuart has brought much needed passion and emotion back into the NSW team. More than anything else its the emotion that separates first grade matches from State of Origin games.

Your post football career has gone from strength to strength - how important was that for you?

My contract ran until the end of the 2000 season and I decided that this would be my last year. I then went about sending proposals to TV Networks about me hosting a fishing show. Fox 8 took me up and I then set up a small production company and filmed 22 shows that year. I would fly out after training on Tuesday night then use all of my day off filming before getting back for Thursday morning training. Now that was a busy year and after the series aired and was successful Channel 9 picked it up and it ran on air with them for the next five years before I moved to Network 10.

You laced up your first football boot at age 6. When did your love affair with fishing begin?

My love affair with fishing began as a young

4 year old. My grandparents lived on a tidal waterfront on the Brisbane Waters on the Central Coast of NSW. I caught crabs, prawns and fish with my relations on every school holidays which was great fun. I was hooked !

You are living a dream for many fishing and outdoors enthusiasts, how did you go about creating your multi-million dollar media empire centred around some of Australia’s favourite past times?

After kicking off the show I soon realised that making television was an expensive business. I was fortunate to have a great mentor in Shimano boss, John Dunphy and we worked out ways to advertise companies products on air for a fee and it has allowed the show to succeed.

Through your hit show Escape With ET, you take viewers fishing to some of the most exciting and exotic fishing destinations on the planet – where are your favourite fishing locations?

Australia has so many awesome species to catch and my favourite places to wet a line would be Weipa in Cape York, The Mary and Daly rivers in the NT, Dirk Hartog Island in WA , Coffs Harbour in NSW, and the Spencer Gulf in SA.

41 ME

What was your most memorable catch?

I love catching big Barramundi so all of my metre plus Barra are very memorable. I have caught around 20. A 40 lb Black Bass in PNG was also a great memory. Fortunately I have a lot of great fishing memories.

Your talents stretch much further than the art of talking hooks and sinkers, tides and depth. You double as an executive producer – how do you find sitting on the ‘other’ side of the show?

Being the Executive Producer allows me the flexibility to design the style of each segment and ensure that what you see is at a high standard. I have a great team of people around me and without them the show would not function as well.

Escape with ET E-Mag has already secured a readership of over 15,000 in just five issues - that speaks volumes for the quality of the magazine - so where was the inspiration to create the publication?

The inspiration to create an online magazine was to be able to extend the show and reach a bigger demographic.

We are restricted to 44 minutes in a 1 hour production of Escape with ET. The online magazine can be as long as I like and can carry as much footage as I want within it so the options are greater. the master electrician

WINTER 11

ME 42

The interview cont’d...

The magazine is free at www.escapewithet.com. So people are having a look then realising the quality and ease of access to it and signing up to be a member. We have just launched Issue 6 and we are well over 15,000 members. The fact that the quality is so high has loads of businesses wanting to advertise with us. By the end of this year we will have the biggest fishing outdoors magazine distribution in the marketplace.

There was talk last year that you would return to the Sharks in a coaching capacity, is this something you aspire to do?

I would love to have the time to be able to coach the Sharks in Defense. Defense for me is the base and cornerstone of any great side.

Through your business commitments, you must travel a lot.

How do you relax with your family away from work?

These days I am trying to keep my travel days down as much as possible. I have taken my wife on my last three trips so things are

getting better as my kids grow up and give us a bit more free time.

Each year we will go on a couple of overseas trips with my family and this is a great time to relax.

So where to now for ET? Is the international market on the cards?

I have been involved with Discovery Channel as their ambassador for the last 12 months and with this role we have been able to produce 3 new documentaries under our “Ultimate Fish” banner.

We were nominated last year for an Asian Pacific award for the first of our series on Barramundi. Currently we are finishing our second Episode on Murray Cod followed by a Snapper documentary that will air in December.

We will be looking to cover three more exciting fish species next year and then hopefully we will be able to take these 6 Ultimate Fish shows to the USA and European markets to sell.

I am hopeful that these shows will be successful and help us launch worldwide.

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43 ME

gadgetguide Featuring time saving devices for your business

vWork

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New iPhone app, vWork, increases bottom line results. vWork is a new web-based dispatching and scheduling application available on iPhone and Android phones. This application assists small to mediumsized businesses with mobile workforce management by making it easier for managers to track, schedule and balance jobs across field workers all in real-time.

Job stages are updated easily through vWork giving more control and scope to business owners and dispatchers. Jobs can be tracked easily with timeline and map views as well as simplified scheduling with drag and drop functionality. The fields to be completed by workers are customised and tailored to fit each individual business.

Information can be exported into Excel and easily integrated with accounting systems such as MYOB. vWork is all online which means no specialised hardware is required, just access to the internet. Day-to-day schedules, service checks and maintenance job templates become paperless.

Integration with Google Maps also enables route planning and directions, saving time on the road and better arrival time estimations.

Livescribe lets you connect paper to email and Facebook.

Still like scribbling your thoughts down on paper? Livescribe has now worked out how you can send your scratchings over the web.

With Livescribe Connect for your smartpen, you can easily send notes and audio as a pencast to people and destinations of your choice. Right from your paper or Livescribe Desktop.

Available for both the previously released Livescribe Pulse and Echo smartpens, the new “Livescribe Connect” update allows users to link words to actions and send your written pages to your computer in PDF format or over the web to services such as Facebook and Google Docs.

Livescribe is liberating notes and evolving human communication, collaboration, productivity, and learning.

With Livescribe Connect, it is easy to make your handwritten notes and spoken information digital, searchable, shareable and accessible anytime, anywhere with a simple tap of your smartpen.

This pen will save busy employees valuable time and making completing paperwork easier than ever before.

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Ion Copycat Scanner – managing your paperwork made easy Now we’ve seen some ingenious inventions before, but we think this is something that’s set to revolutionise the digital world. Portable, because it’s battery operated, the Ion Copycat Scanner allows you to scan books, magazine pages, photos, documents, in fact anything you can think of in seconds, wherever you may be.

Just sweep the hand held portable Ion Copycat scanner across the page and there you have it, a high resolution image stored on a micro SD card (32GB). It’s then just a case of connecting to your PC or MAC with the USB connector and transferring it.

Capable of storing more than 30,000 pages, the Ion CopyCat scanner, scans colour images at an impressive 600 dpi, and comes with brilliant OCR software that converts text images into editable text in Word, Clipboard or Excel.

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the master electrician

WINTER 11

ME 44

technobiz Master Electricians are giving you the good-oil on the best stuff!

DeWalt 10.8V Lithium Ion Drill/ Driver (DCD710S2) Lightweight but packing loads of power, the 10.8V Lithium Ion Drill/Driver (DCD710S2) combines comfort and control, ensuring optimal effectiveness on any electrician’s job.

Its two speed settings with variable speed and reverse switch boast versatility with 15 clutch settings to suit a host of tasks. The 10mm single sleeve keyless chuck allows for use with both round and hex shank accessories while the automatic spindle lock makes for a quick and easy bit change.

The all-metal gearing and high performance fan cooled motor ensures long tool life, while the electronic motor break provides added control with use.

DeWalt’s 10.8V Drill/Driver fits easily into tight areas, with LED lights, perfect for increased visibility to ensure accuracy for the task at hand.

RRP: $269 For more information visit www.dewalt.com.au

B&R’s National Broadband Network Fibre to the Home enclosures B&R has developed a comprehensive range of enclosures to meet the requirement for Fibre To The Home (FFTH) installations to suit each provider’s requirements under the National Broadband Network.

From single FTTH standalone enclosures, to combined units that contain both electrical and communications and more, B&R’s range offers a solution for almost any application.

B&R’s NBN enclosures are designed to simplify installation, meet local and national requirements of the optical network service providers and accommodate the latest fibre to the home equipment.

Whether it is integrated with a general utilities meterbox, or as a standalone unit for existing dwellings, B&R have the solution to suit all of your data needs.

All of these enclosures feature: • Separate power and ONT compartments • Knockouts for power and fibre entry • Communications panel • Designed for Australian conditions • Manufactured in Australia.

For more information visit www.hagerbr.com.au

www.masterelectricians.com.au

Legrand SCS control systems Visibility drives savings and that’s exactly what Legrand’s new SCS Control System provides.

An aware user is one that saves. With Legrand SCS control systems it’s now easy for homeowners to see how much gas and electricity their home is consuming, not only inside their home, but also the energy and hot water output obtained by solar panels.

Energy consumption is displayed in a user-friendly format on Legrand Arteor touchscreens and homeowners can choose from a myriad of display options.

The load control management system manages the maximum power used, by automatically disconnecting appliances in a prioritised order when a predetermined electrical consumption level is reached.

The system manages up to 63 loads and in addition, the actuator with sensor, enables measurement of the actual consumption of the controlled load.

For more information visit www.legrand.com.au

45 ME

a better alternative.

Melbourne Design Company invents First LED Downlight Bulb to Replace Halogen Thanks to Australian LED lighting company, Brightgreen Pty Ltd, halogen downlights can now be replaced with LEDs without electricians converting electronic transformers.

After three years of local R&D, Brightgreen have developed the DR700; the world’s first LED replacement bulb that is as bright as a halogen and compatible with all existing transformers.

Top 5 features and benefits: • Matches a halogen on brightness • 5 times more efficient then halogen • 3 year warranty • 0-100 per cent dimming range • 100 per cent transformer compatibility At 720.9 lumens and only 10.5 watts, the DR700 requires only a quarter of the power of halogen, without compromising on light output or brightness. The DR700 is long lasting (thirty years) and is dimmable, working with normal leading and trailing edge dimmers as well as home automated systems.

Like all Brightgreen products, the DR700 was developed in Australia and built for Australian conditions. The light is UV free and includes a temperature monitoring system, preventing any risk of fire. The light is guaranteed by a three year warranty.

For more information visit www.brightgreen.net.au

It’s relaxing to know you’ve made the right choice.

When quality, service and product availability are important factors in the success of your business it is comforting to know there is now a better alternative for your data cabinet and electrical enclosure requirements.

Jeff Dix and the team at TOTEN Australia have decades of experience in this market and are focused on ensuring premium products and reliable service are provided at a competitive price. Supported by a team of technically experienced sales people through a network of offices and distributors throughout Australia, TOTEN is quickly becoming a leading brand.

Discover a better alternative today by calling us on 02 8539 7333 or via email info@toten.com.au

www.toten.com.au NETWORK CABINETS | SERVER CABINETS | ELECTRICAL ENCLOSURES

the master electrician

WINTER 11

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technicaltalk

Generating thought.

Everything you need to know about generators.

Due to the abnormal weather conditions we have experienced over recent months across much of Australia, the requirement for an alternative electricity generator supply to domestic homes has become increasingly popular - but not without issue or concern.

It is estimated one in three homes in the North Queensland regions of Tully and Innisfail, as well as an extremely large number of homes across the flood affected areas throughout Australia, have been wired for the connection of standalone generated power.

As described in AS 3000:2007 Section 7.3 (Figure7.4), the most common method to obtain electrical supply, should mains supply fail, is through the use of an extension lead from the generator to the premises.

Although simple in design, there are special requirements to be aware of especially where a solar powered mains system is present.

It would be prudent to determine what safety precautions should be used in your wiring method to ensure both forms of supply are not used at the same time and subsequently no equipment is damaged. www.masterelectricians.com.au

The intent of this article is not to be a lesson on generators, rather it is to provide information about issues that consumers and trades people must be aware of to ensure safety.

In many cases, a consumer will purchase, hire or borrow a generator without the adequate knowledge as to whether they have selected the correct unit for the job at hand. This can be an extremely dangerous situation as choosing the wrong unit has the potential to cause harm through electrocution.

The Master Electricians technical team would like to provide clarification for the following definitions and terms, as well as answer some frequently asked questions.

What is ‘potential to earth’?

Potential to earth is the possible level of voltage / current that could pass to earth through any suitable source should a fault

Did you know‌ Electrical contractors have a duty of care to advise the home owner that their generation unit should be regularly tested and inspected before connection to either an appliance, or the residence?

condition be created.

What is a generating set?

A generating set is an alternator, d.c. generator, or combination thereof, this includes for any internal combustion engine with associated switch and control gear.

How do I select the right generator?

There are many different types of generators available some of which are designed to be single item use, along with others which can be either plugged in to or hardwired to a residence.

What happens if I want to run my electric drill?

If you are looking to use a single electrically operated device like an electric drill, you would select the portable generator with an RCD protected outlet. Generally, this type of generator will have an MEN connection behind the outlet to ensure successful

47 ME ADVERTISEMENT

operation of the RCD in a fault condition.

The MEN connection will incorporate a bonding conductor to the frame of the generator set.

NOTE - The connection of a generating set bonding system to the general mass of earth through an earth electrode is not required or recommended.

Refer Figure 4.2 & 4.3 of AS3010:2005 Can I power my residence?

When selecting a suitable generator to power a residence there are number of factors to be taken into consideration: • Locate a suitable position to place generation unit • Calculate the load of what you will require • Size the generator based on the calculated load + 10 per cent • Determine how you will connect it to the existing mains supply system.

Once this is completed you will the notice the need for a suitably qualified tradesperson to assist in the installation.

The one, and arguably, most important question is - What type of generator do I need?

As your residence will already have an earthing system and MEN link, you cannot use a generator with an MEN link installed, unless the MEN link can be simply switched out or removed.

There are generators designed to be used on these types of installations but your generator supplier or installer will be able to provide the most up-to-date advice.

Having two MEN links, one on the generator and one on the residence, will cause a number of issues including nuisance tripping and not tripping of safety devises located on the residence or generator.

Generating set complying w ith Generating set complying w ith the principles of AS 2790 the principles of AS 2790

G

Sw itching of all live (active Sw itching of all live (active and neutral) conducto rs and neutral) conducto rs required required

G

Equipotential bond Equipotential bond

FIGURE 4.2 STAND ALONE ISOLATED WINDING SINGLE-PHASE FIGURE 4.2 STAND ALONE ISOLATED WINDING SINGLE-PHASE GENERATING SET WITH INTEGRAL SOCKET-OUTLETS GENERATING SET WITH INTEGRAL SOCKET-OUTLETS

Generating set complying w ith Generating set complying w ith the principles of AS 2790 the principles of AS 2790 RCD RCD G

G

NE bond, upstream of RC D, NE bond, upstream of RC D, to equipotential bond to equipotential bond Equipotential bond Equipotential bond

See Note See Note

NOTE: Switching of active conductor(s) only of socket-outlets is permitted because of the upstream RCD. NOTE: Switching of active conductor(s) only of socket-outlets is permitted because of the upstream RCD.

FIGURE 4.3 STAND ALONE SINGLE-PHASE GENERATING SET WITH FIGURE 4.3 STAND ALONE SINGLE-PHASE GENERATING SET WITH INTEGRAL SOCKET-OUTLETS PROTECTED BY A FIXED INTEGRAL SOCKET-OUTLETS PROTECTED BY A FIXED RESIDUAL CURRENT DEVICE RESIDUAL CURRENT DEVICE

the master electrician

WINTER 11

ME 48 NOTE: The connection of a generating set bonding system to the general mass of earth through an earth electrode is not required or recommended.(see AS 3010:2005 Clause 2.5.6.3.1) Refer to Fig 2.5 & 4.1 of AS3010:2005 Confused about which electrical standard to use?

Some electrical contractors are confusing the information contained in the two standards AS3012 Construction Wiring and AS3010 Generating Sets. You must be aware they both have different applications: • AS3012 Generating sets on construction sites • AS3010 Generating sets in general installations I want to connect my generator to my residence but have solar. What should I do?

This difficult question is being asked more and more. After much investigation our technical department has received the following advice: • Where there are multiple forms of supply, ie mains supply and solar, you will be required to isolate all supplies through a common change-over switch or similar device Not doing this may cause damage to the generator windings and control equipment.

Generally when the mains power is lost, the solar inverter will cease operation creating a safe environment. When a generator is installed the inverter senses the 240v supply and starts full operation feeding back into the generator which may cause damage to the generator unit.

Before an electrical installation is commissioned, a simple safety switch test of any switchboard circuits may prove the earthing system is safe to use.

Be aware that there are special requirements for the right type of safety switch to be fitted (see AS 3000:2007, Clause 2.6.2.2).

Not all safety switches can work correctly when connected to voltages that are not mains supplied.

PV solar generation and generating sets can have additional D.C or non sinusoidal waveforms that the typical type AC safety switch is not designed to operate.

If ever in doubt, read the manufacturers documentation or contact the local distributor for confirmation of the products ability to function to the standard.

NORMAL SUPPLY N

L

Changeover Device

Generator Overcurrent Protection (where installed)

GENERATING SET

G N -BAR MEN E -BAR

EE E

N

L

To load

FIGURE 2.5 ONE POLE/ONE POLE CHANGEOVER ARRANGEMENT FOR A SINGLE-PHASE GENERATING SET INSTALLED ON A SWITCHBOARD WITH AN MEN LINK

NORM AL SUPPLY N

L

GENER AT ING SET

Changeover Device

G

N -B AR M EN

3-PIN APPLIANCE INLET

E -B AR

3-PIN SOC KET OUTLET

EE E

N

L

T o load

FIGURE 4.1 CONNECTION OF TRANSPORTABLE GENERATING SET TO AN ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION USING A 3-PIN APPLIANCE INLET AND SOCKET-OUTLET ARRANGEMENT

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Call EMONA on tel: 1 800 632 953, email: testinst@emona.com.au or www.instaltest.com.au www.masterelectricians.com.au

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workplacerelations Federal Government’s paid parental leave scheme You will now, as of 1 July 2011, be required to provide paid parental leave to your eligible long-term employees.

So what are your obligations as an employer?

You are now responsible for providing paid parental leave to your eligible employees who are due to give birth to, or are adopting a child, from 1 July 2011 and have worked in your business for 12 months or more.

Who is defined as an eligible employee?

Employees will need to meet the work test to be eligible for the Scheme. The work test compares the income and residency requirements of the claimant to determine eligibility.

What is the length and entitlements of the Scheme?

The existing minimum entitlement to 12 months unpaid parental leave for long-term employees, in the National Employment Standards under the Fair Work Act 2009, is unchanged.

The maximum Paid Parental Scheme entitlement is 18 weeks paid at the current national minimum wage of $589.40 a week, before tax.

Who pays for the entitlement?

Once the employee is deemed to be eligible to receive paid leave under the Scheme, Centrelink will nominate whether the employee www.masterelectricians.com.au

receives payment from the employer or the Family Assistance Office.

Family Assistance Office If the Family Assistance Office is responsible for the payment, the employee will receive the payment directly.

The Employer If the employer is deemed responsible, the funds will be provided to employers before they are required to pay their employees. There will be no obligation on the employer to pay until sufficient funding is provided from the Family Assistance Office. However you may start making payments prior to receiving the funding.

The employer must pay the eligible employee the current national minimum weekly wage of $589.40. To work out the hourly rate, this amount will need to be divided by the normal hours the employee works, for example divide the weekly amount by 38 hours for a full time employee.

Employers will still need to supply the employee with a pay slip.

Employers do not need to pay super on these payments, but should withhold PAYG amounts.

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So how can you make sure you meet your obligations to your eligible employees?

1. Provide your bank account details, employee’s usual pay cycle and pay cut off details to Centrelink to ensure you receive Paid Parental Leave funds.

2. Provide Parental Leave Pay to your employee for their Paid Parental Leave period (if applicable).

3. Provide Parental Leave Pay as part of your employee’s usual pay cycle.

4. Withhold tax from Parental Leave Pay under the usual PAYG withholding arrangements. You will need to include Parental Leave Pay in the total amounts on the employee’s annual or part-year payment summary.

5. Provide a record of Parental Leave Pay for your employee (usually a payslip).

6. Keep written financial records of receipt of Paid Parental Leave funds received from us and of the parental leave pay provided

to your employee.

7. Notify Centrelink: • I f and when your employee returns to work before or during their paid parental leave period • If and when your employee resigns from your business • If you change your bank account details or your employee’s pay cycle, or • If you receive an incorrect amount of paid parental leave funds, or if you are unable to provide parental leave pay to your employee.

8. Return any unpaid paid parental leave funds to Centrelink.

9. Notify Centrelink in advance if you are: • Ceasing to trade • Selling your business, or • Transferring ownership or merging with another business.

For further information, contact the Workplace Relations team on 1300 889 198.

Sensible lighting control Safety, comfort and sustainability Sensible lighting control devices such as presence detectors, can save up to 25% of energy consumption. Hager’s eco-ficient® presence detectors are an investment that pays off over time - watt by watt, cent by cent, day after day.

All the while significantly increasing the comfort and safety of the building.

For more information, contact Hager B&R on 1300 850 253.

www.hagerbr.com.au/eco-ficient

the master electrician

WINTER 11

ME 52

gridgossip simPRO/Master Electricians racers find Townsville tough miles RACING’S MOSTERT & WALSH HOLD THEIR OWN IN TOWNSVILLE STREET FIGHT After enduring a hard fought third race on the streets of Townsville, the MILES Racing duo, Chaz Mostert and Ash Walsh, can hold their heads high after another great performance.

Starting from 10th place on the grid, Mostert in the #10 simPRO/ Master Electricians Racing Falcon kept a level head during the 15-lap race, surviving a few violent skirmishes with drivers who seemed to have left their brains on the bedside table before leaving for the circuit.

“Once again it was pretty rough out there,” Mostert said.

“There was some good racing going on but also a few ragged moves too – but it was all good fun.

“We were probably lacking a bit of rear grip and power down to be any more competitive than we were but the car improved over the weekend and I’m still inside the top ten on point so I’m pretty happy,” Mostert added.

Mostert’s 13th placing in race three sees him slip one place on the Driver’s Points ladder to eighth.

Across the MILES racing garage in #90 simPRO/Master Electricians Racing Falcon, Ash Walsh again battled adversity in

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race three but this time in the form of a bleeding nose. Brought on by the extreme heat in the cockpit, Walsh emerged from his Falcon looking like he’d just been 14 rounds with Mike Tyson.

“Yeah it wasn’t too comfortable in there, but with my helmet on and a race to be run there wasn’t much I could do about it!” Walsh said.

Knocked out of contention in the two earlier races through no fault of his own, Walsh was keen to make amends on the Sunday afternoon and finish his trip to Townsville on a high note.

“Overall it was a tough weekend for me but the positive is that in the final race I was able to make up a few places and actually finish the day without someone punting me off.

Walsh started the third race from 22nd and although battling the above affliction managed to wring some fast laps out of his car to carve his way through the back markers to finish a respectable 15th – the same position also held by him on the Driver’s points table.

MILES Racing’s simPRO/Master Electricians Racing Falcons will now head home to their Yatala base in preparation for the next round of the Series at Queensland Raceway on August 19.

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ME 54

Benefit spotlight - Training and Education Are you setting your business up for success?

There is much talk about ensuring you have a ‘sustainable’ business, but what does that actually mean?

Being sustainable in this industry can mean a range of different things, however, keeping you and your employees current is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways of keeping your business truly sustainable.

A successful business is one that not only survives through the transient nature of the contracting industry, but one who has the ability to grow and branch into new areas.

Completing trade training is not only a mandatory component for maintaining your electrical licence, but a vital element in keeping your business alive.

Customers are savvier than ever before and they demand quality, reliability and safety from contractors who understand their requirements.

MEA through its training partner, ECA, can offer specialised and targeted trade and business training across a range of areas.

ECA is a registered training organisation that offers nationally recognised training through a combination of in-house and online training.

So what’s on offer?

Electrical training – electrical installation and testing, CPR, skills maintenance, working safely at heights and online white cards.

Data and communications – digital reception technology, open telecommunications, registration endorsements, restricted telecommunications cabling, telecommunication cabling dual program and Telstra lead-in.

Renewable energies – electrical energy efficiency, electrical photovoltaic systems and energy auditing.

Business - training and assessment, project management, electrical estimating, management and qualified business and technical person training.

Start planning for your business’s future today.

For more information about training opportunities for your business, contact the training team at Master Electricians on 1300 889 198.

New ProTag Optima System Australia’s Most Compact Appliance Testing and Tag Printing System.

The new ProTag Optima System tests portable appliances and RCDs, and prints test tags in a compact system weighing only around 2kg.

No interface cables between the tester, printer and scanner provide maximum mobility on construction sites, factories and workshops.

Light weight, wireless, battery powered and with logging of visual inspections and risk assessments, the Optima System guarantees greater efficiency, huge time savings and a lower cost per tag.

Call EMONA Instruments on tel: 1 800 632 953 email: testinst@emona.com.au or www.protag.com.au www.masterelectricians.com.au

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all aboutME Master Electricians partnership with bpworking capital delivering cash flow relief for members MEA joined forces with bpworkingcapital, Australia’s leading provider of best practice working capital management, to offer members the opportunity to receive short-term cash flow relief.

In today’s ‘post-global financial crisis’ environment many members have identified they experience cash flow pressure from slow paying customers. To hinder that process, banks have also become even stricter in their lending criteria to small to medium business owners.

In order to assist our members to overcome these obstacles, we have signed an exclusive industry agreement with bpworkingcapital so that members can now raise short term cash using InvoiceSelect, a “selective” invoice finance product.

Members who have issued invoices for goods and services, but have not yet been paid by their customer, can sell them to InvoiceSelect to finance their immediate short term cash requirements. The application process is quick and easy, and once the arrangement is set up, can be used as and when required with no obligation to use continuously.

ECA and Master Electricians Annual Excellence Awards Nominations Open Soon The electrical industry’s night of nights is now only four months away. This prestigious gala dinner will once again be held at the Sebel Citigate Hotel in Brisbane on Friday 4 November.

The night is a time for industry to come together to celebrate the great achievements contractors, suppliers, apprentices and wholesalers accomplish throughout the year.

Nominees will be awarded prestigious accolades in categories such as Apprentice of the Year, Innovative Product of the Year, Commercial and Green Projects of the Year, Master Electrician of the Year and Business Woman of the Year.

Past Apprentice of the Year

winners have won a trip for two to Milan to tour the HPM legrand factory.

Previous award winning contractors and wholesalers have used their awards to catapult their businesses to new heights with the distinct marketing advantage the titles provide.

So look out for the nomination form this month, and then get your table of ten together for a fantastic night of food, wine, entertainment and dancing as the industry lets its hair down and celebrates.

For further information on the Awards night and categories to nominate in, please contact Master Electricians Australia on 1300 889 198.

So how does it work?

1. Your business provides goods and services to your customers 2. Your business issues an invoice(s) to your customers 3. Your business sells invoice(s) to InvoiceSelect 4. I nvoiceSelect funds up to 80 per cent of your invoice to your business 5. Your customer pays invoice on due date to InvoiceSelect 6. I nvoiceSelect sends remaining 20 per cent less fees to your business bpworkingcapital have a commitment to assist members to improve and manage their cash flow and working capital requirements so they can in turn run their businesses more efficiently and effectively.

For further information please call Stephen Hilton on 0412 475 931, or email shilton@bpworkingcapital.com

MASTER ELECTRICIANS AUSTRALIA APPLAUD NEW ENERGY MANAGEMENT PLAN Master Electricians Australia has voiced its support for the Queensland Energy Management Plan, which will see cheaper running costs for pool owners and a new information portal for consumers.

Malcolm Richards, Master Electricians Australia’s Chief Executive, said with electricity prices approved to rise by 6.6 per cent, the announcement was a step in the right direction for energy efficiency and would be welcomed by householders feeling cost of living pressures.

“This initiative will be of great benefit to people living in the 300,000 homes in Queensland with a swimming pool, and in the 10,000 homes where new pools are built every year,” Mr Richards said.

“We believe Queenslanders, and all Australians, should be getting value for their money so anything aimed at doing that should be supported.

“Efficiency means less money being spent on unnecessary infrastructure, which means cheaper bills for consumers.

“Managing electricity usage in the face of a growing population is an issue currently at the core of our industry, and I encourage the Queensland Government to continue to improve on ways of dealing with that.”

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2011 ECA and Master Electricians Annual Conference line-up announced 23 – 27 September 2011 – Sofitel Resort & Spa – Denarau, Fiji Are you dreaming of a blue sky getaway?

Are you looking for some inspiration to reignite your business and your bottom line? Can you see yourself spending an afternoon deep-sea fishing, snorkelling, glass-bottom boating or golfing on one of the South Pacific’s finest courses? Then this is a must do conference for you and your family.

This year’s stellar speaker line-up includes comedian Mikey Robins, AFL personality Sam Kekovich, Beaconsfield Mine Rescuer, Darren Flanagan and Michael Pascoe, one of Australia’s most

respected and experienced finance commentators.

You will also receive the most up-todate information about electricity industry regulators, smart metering, apprenticeships, marketing and branding, information about protecting your business assets and advice on how to increase your cash flow.

Due to the popularity of this year’s Conference there are now only limited spots available. If you would like to secure one of the remaining few places, please visit www.masterelectricians.com.au or contact 1300 889 198 today.

Is your business ready for digital TV? As the full switchover to digital television continues across Australia, the government is working hard to help households get ready.

So is your business ready to be part of this revolution?

MEA and ECA are working with Matchmaster to provide nationally recognised training in the competencies required by the government for Digital Reception Technology.

ECA and Matchmaster are offering two qualifications: 1. Certificate II in Telecommunications Digital Reception Technology This is an entry level qualification where you will learn skills that allow for the installation of a limited range of digital reception equipment for either customer, or an enterprise, and limited fault finding.

This course includes 12 units www.masterelectricians.com.au

of competency.

2. Certificate III in Telecommunications Digital Reception Technology This qualification has been developed to afford you the skills to install a wide range of digital reception equipment and products - across both the business and residential sectors. You will learn how to assess installation requirements, plan and perform installations, test installed equipment and complete fault finding.

A pre-requisite to undertaking this course is the completion of Certificate II in Telecommunications Digital Reception Technology.

To be successful in this assessment you must complete nine units, comprising three core units and six electives.

For more detailed information, please contact Master Electricians on 1300 889 198.

2011 Readership Survey – tell us what you think.

Interested in winning a top of the range 64GB iPad 2 with Wi-Fi and 3G capabilities worth $949?

It’s simple, just head to www.masterelectricians.com.au and follow the links to the readership survey.

We would like to know what you think about the magazine, what you would be interested in reading more about and any suggestions that would make this magazine better for you.

The survey will only take a few minutes to complete online but will have a long-lasting impact on the magazine and the information we provide.

If you’re interested in telling us what you think to win a prize then visit www.masterelectricians.com.au today. Terms and conditions apply.

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MEA takes the stress out of managing your apprentices Managing an apprentice can be a daunting task for any contractor. At ApprenticeConnect we understand the pressure you face with all of your legal requirements and obligations.

Below are our top five tips for successfully managing your apprentice.

1. Provide your apprentice with an appropriate induction into your business and its policies and procedures – this will ensure they are aware of your expectations and values from the start.

2. Utilise the three month probationary period – this is an important time to assess whether the apprentice is right for your business.

3. Complete an Australian Apprenticeship Centre training contract within two weeks of your apprentice commencing as it protects both you, and your employee’s interests and outlines your obligations.

4. Select a mode of training that suits both parties – this will guarantee you and your apprentice are getting the most out of the apprenticeship 5. Teach your apprentice to fill out a diary / eProfiling sheet weekly, this is a contractual requirement that is vital in your apprentice’s progression For more information about how to manage your apprentices, contact MEA’s ApprenticeConnect team on 1300 889 198.

Master Electricians announces new Westpac partnership Master Electricians Australia knows that cash is king. So we’ve joined forces with one of Australia’s most trusted names – Westpac, to help you achieve your financial freedom.

This partnership will provide you access to a financial package that has been exclusively designed for electrical contractors which guarantees you savings.

Westpac have appointed Mat Crossley, a One Point of Call Manager to be your trusted representative.

Mat’s desire is to provide all ECA members and Master Electricians with an opportunity to review your current banking situation, regardless where it is

currently.

Westpac’s aim is to ensure your banking continues to meet all your financial and personal needs with Mat providing you with specific knowledge and advice to enhance your personal, business and family financial situation.

If time and cost savings are important to you, then Mat is the banker for you: Home Loan discounts Nil establishment fees Free savings account Free credit card Home and Contents Insurance discounts Like to know more? Contact Mat on 0409 605 850 or mcrossley@westpac.com.au

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the master electrician

SUMMER 11

ME 58

testdrive

Mitsubishi i-MiEV In this issue, our resident test drive expert, Andre Borell, puts the Mitshubishi i MiEV through its paces.

First things first – it is important to realise that the i-MiEV is not a hybrid vehicle like the Toyota Prius, which has both an internal combustion (petrol) engine as well as an electric motor to help it along. The i-MiEV is an electric only vehicle, a real electric car, which means zero emissions. The ‘EV’ in the title stands for electric vehicle, with the ‘M’ presumably standing for Mitsubishi, and the ‘i’ is there to insinuate that you are intelligent if you drive one.

Where one would normally release the flap to find the fuel tank, you’ll find yourself instead with an electric socket. There has been no agreement between electric vehicle manufacturers on a standard socket, so each brand will have a different one, meaning chargers aren’t interchangeable. This is something that will need to be sorted out, and quickly, if they want adoption rates for these green-machines to improve. You can charge your i-MiEV from a normal socket via the charging cable, and it will take around 10-12 hours. Not exactly the same as filling up at a servo, and clearly an overnight job. The plus side is it will cost you only $4.50 for a www.masterelectricians.com.au

full ‘fill’. This socket charging is referred to as ‘Level 1’ charging in electric vehicle lingo. There are plans for ‘charge stations’ in the pipeline from Origin Energy, who will be offering Level 2 and 3 chargers. Level 2 will take four hours, and Level 3 only 20-30mins.

Being such a new technology, no data exists on whether this ‘supercharging’ lessens battery life... time will tell.

Mileage from a full battery is around 150km of highway driving or 110km of city driving. This is lessened significantly by carrying passengers or even luggage. Weight is a huge killer of efficiency.

With a range of just over 100km, you won’t be driving interstate to visit the rellies this Christmas in an i-MiEV, but it would make a brilliant city run about.

Under the bonnet is the relatively small electric motor, and very little else. It’s rather different from what you are used to seeing in an engine bay. The most noteworthy feature of the electric motor, other than it being electric, is that there is little to no engine noise.

You hear absolutely nothing from the cabin – the car sounds out a

59 ME

chime from the stereo when you start the engine so you know it is running, otherwise you wouldn’t be able to tell. The engine motor is equally as stealthy from the exterior, which can be quite dangerous for pedestrians who don’t hear you coming. Master Electricians General Manager of Marketing, David Melloy, will vouch for that, as he almost became the i-MiEV’s first victim in the Master Electricians car park.

The i-MiEV is an automatic, with the usual Park ‘P’, Neutral ‘N’, Reverse ‘ R’ and Drive ‘D’ settings. Rather than ‘1’ and ‘2’ however, it offers ECO and BRAKE ‘gears’ or ‘modes’ if you will. In both of these settings, when you back off the gas (if I can call it that) the car brakes slightly, by kicking in its onboard charger, which uses the momentum to regenerate power. The feel is very similar to normal engine braking in a car. If you don’t know what I mean, drive your car up to 60kph in first gear then back off... just don’t call me if it breaks. ECO mode does this little trick the most, therefore it regenerates the most power and is the most economical mode to drive in.

How quick is it you ask? As quick, or quicker, than most other

cars of comparable size is the somewhat surprising answer. The power is also very constant; as electric vehicles do not have torque and power curves like petrol engines. You have access to maximum power and torque at almost any revs.

The dash shows your speed on a LCD display, and uses the needle that is generally used to show speed, to show how economically you are driving (and how much charge you are using).

This is extremely educational and very quickly teaches you to become smarter about how you drive – a great tool. You can even see the needle move back into the charge zone when you back off the electric pedal (not sure if that sounds right) in ECO and BRAKE modes.

All in all, the i-MiEV was a very interesting car to learn about and drive. It teaches you a lot, and while the technology has a long way to go before it becomes mainstream, it does show promise.

If you want one, too bad – you can’t have one. They aren’t readily available and are quite overpriced compared to other micro-hatches anyway. Patience is a virtue...

Vehicle provided by Origin Energy.

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AUTUMN 11

ME 60

eventscalendar what’s on AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

5 – 7 August 2011 Home Buyer and Property Investor Show Sydney www.biztradeshows.com

6 – 16 September 2011 2011 World Waterski and Wakeboard Racing Championships www.iwwfed.com

7 – 9 October 2011 Home Buyer and Property Investor Show Melbourne www.biztradeshows.com

7 – 9 August 2011 National Construction Expo Sydney www.nce.reedexhibitions.com.au

8 – 11 September 2011 FIA World Rally Championship: Rally of Australia Coffs Harbour www.rallyaustralia.com

12 – 13 October 2011 All-Energy Australia Melbourne www.biztradeshows.com

14 August 2011 The Sun Herald City2Surf www.city2surf.com.au Sydney 23 – 24 August 2011 A new era in Collaborative Contracting Melbourne www.neweraincontracting.com 30 August – 1 September 2011 Integrate 2011 Sydney www.tradechakra.com

14 – 15 September 2011 Electronex 2011 Melbourne www.tradechakra.com 14 – 16 September 2011 Occupational Health and Safety Conference Cairns www.visions.org.au 23 – 27 September 2011 2011 ECA/Master Electricians Annual Conference Fiji www.masterelectricians.com.au

25 - 27 October 2011 The Safety Show Sydney www.thesafetyshow.com.au 27 – 28 October 2011 Social Media World Sydney www.biztradeshows.com 31 October – 2 November 2011 Australian Gas Conference 2011 Sydney www.cwcaustraliagas.com

RUGBY WORLD CUP 9 September – 23 October 2011 Rugby World Cup 2011 New Zealand www.rugbyworldcup.com Australia’s scheduled matches: 11 September 2011 Australia vs. Italy Auckland 17 September 2011 Australia vs. Ireland Auckland 23 September 2011 Australia vs. USA Wellington 1 October 2011 Australia vs. Russia Nelson

www.masterelectricians.com.au

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your best or worststory It’s easy, send us your favourite story or picture and if we publish it, we’ll send you $50.

WHS disasters waiting to happen These death-defying images have hit inboxes all over the world showcasing some of the most extreme unsafe work practices of all time.

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the master electrician

WINTER 11

ME 62

lastword Upgraded Master Electrician Requirements Accredited Master Electricians recently voted overwhelmingly to support increasing the requirements to qualify or maintain their accreditation. This is a very positive reflection on the understanding of the program and the leadership of the accredited companies.

The additional criteria will see a nationally consistent approach to insurance for electrical contractors and a positive approach to the ever-increasing issue of worker competence in testing installations.

But what are the industry-wide implications of such a move?

Firstly, with a large and growing group of contractors demonstrating what can be achieved, regulators are watching closely to measure the impact on introducing similar initiatives to general industry. With this approach comes a new form of lobbying

for a better industry. By leading the way we can show what can be achieved and tip the balance on improving key standards across the board.

Secondly, by leading a consistent national push for uniformity, we are surpassing national licensing and workplace health and safety in providing the only true nationally consistent scheme. This will increasingly lower the barriers to transitioning from one state to another, and in turn reduce the cost of doing business.

Finally, these additional criteria will mitigate significant risk from Master Electricians’ individual businesses. As we research and respond to industry concerns and risks we can share the learnings and benefits with all our contractors.

I would encourage existing Master Electricians to upgrade to the new

requirements as soon as possible and non Master Electricians to consider these elements as essential requirements for a quality business of the future.

Follow Master Electricians Australia on Twitter: @MasterElecAust Facebook: www.facebook.com/ masterelectricians

MALCOLM RICHARDS Chief Executive Officer

The next generation of sensors Smart Sensing

The sensor that triggers on presence detection which then activates the acoustic operation to hear you when you are not in sight ensuring lights stay on !

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www.volkswagen-commercial.com.au

New Volkswagen Amarok.

Tested by Dakar.

The New Volkswagen Amarok has arrived in Australia following its successful initiation onto the world stage as official support vehicle for the ASO – the event organiser of the famous Dakar Rally. It passed this tough challenge with flying colours – a triumph of smart technology, and outstanding Volkswagen design, engineering and build quality.

Amarok is destined to become one of the most sought after utes in this country, particularly since earning a 5-star ANCAP safety rating – the first four wheel drive dual cab ute to receive this honour in Australia. Test drive the Über Ute tested by Dakar today at your nearest Volkswagen Commercial Vehicle dealer.