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Thread: Please Help - SANS code for electrical installation

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    Please Help - SANS code for electrical installation

    Good day to all
    I am new to the forum and don't know if Im in the right section.
    About a year ago I inherited a block of flats. The attorney that conveyd the transfer orginised a coc for each flat (4).
    I have had enless electrical problems and complaints from tenants. I have paid so many electricians so much money already.
    I have even gone as far as contacting the GEIA, but no luck. The origanal electrician who signed of the the COCs is not willing to take responsibility.
    To make a very long story short, I need to know if anyone can help me with information regarding the Sans regulations.
    I have downloaded bits and peices of it, but it's mosly ammenments and is greek to me. I need a complete copy, where can i buy a copy or download it. My aim is to educate myself in order to take on the fraudster electrician.
    The building is only 3 years old, the specific regulations I am after are single phase installation:
    The db boards are to small, everthing is cramped inside, some of the CB terminals and N busbars are not easily accesable.
    The dbs are not properly labled, some cbs have 3 cicuits joined to them.
    Some 2.5 mm cables are conected to 32a and 40a breakers.( I would imagine 25a would be the max alloud)
    220v downlights have been wired from light to light so exept for the last one in the circuit they all have 2 cables, so none of the downlights covers have been fitted, is this ok?, or is it considerd as open conection.
    The solar geyers have lead acid batteries just lieing on the ceiling insulation(I asume the bateries are for the geyser control panels)
    should these batteries not be in enclosures?
    Termination boxes have no lids and strip conectors have been used to join cables, is this acceptable?

    So these are mostly the irregularities I have been told about by all the electricians.
    Any advise or links would be greatly appreciated.
    Thanks
    Monika.

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    Diamond Member AndyD's Avatar
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    You can purchase it from SABS https://www.sabs.co.za/webstore/stan...hp?id=14019836. There are a few copies floating around on the net if you know where to find them.

    Have a look for some similar previous threads in the electrical area of this forum, the DOL might be able to assist you at least to a point.
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    what you need is an electrician/inspector who you can trust...who can give you sound advice without taking advantage of your situation...like it sounds the attorney has done...could they have used "their own" electrical contractors...tell us more about how the building was inspected and passed without the electrical installtion being tested...a 40 amp breaker protecting a 2.5 mm wire is a clear indictaion that there seems to be foul play.

    unfortunately as you will find out if you read more threads about "certificate of compliance"...this is the wild west...there is no control over the industry because the DOL dont know their ass from there elbow and personally dont believe they have the qualifications or man power to police the industry...so they are trying to palm off their responsibilities onto private companies...who are by reports that you read...are just as responsible as the leading party...handing out work to close friends and family.

    best you set aside a few thousand and find soemone you can trust to test and repair all the faults...unfortunately i cant say what i always say because you inherited the block of flats...i wish you luck.
    Last edited by murdock; 31-May-12 at 08:46 PM.

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    Thank you very much Gentleman
    I have managed to get hold of the SABS, and I will most certainly be purchasing a copy of the book. I don't quiet understand, but apparently once you have purchased a copy, all futre ammandments are free of charge.
    I also had a call back from the Gauteng Electrical Installation Authority today, they say they are booked up, however will attend to the complaint ASAP, so I'm holding thumbs. One of the electricians I had out told me the reason why the used a 40a cb, was because the db's are to small, so they had 3 circuits conected to it, and a 20a cb would have tripped out often. Apparantly sans stipulate that circuits must be seperated electricly (what ever that means) Another electrician told me that it is acceptable to have up to 3 circuits per cb, another told me a simular story, exept that it was only alloud on lights circuits.

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    I't's not good practice but you can run as many circuits as you want from a single circuit breaker....but...the current rating of the breaker must be sized to the smallest wiring connected to it. So if the circuit breaker was 20A you could run multiple socket circuits from it but the minute you put a lighting circuit on the same breaker it's illegal because the lighting circuit will be a smaller wire size and the 20A breaker won't offer it the protection it needs against overloading.

    And yes, if you purchase the regs from SABS all the updates are free. If you get the paper version you get instructions with each update on which pages to remove and replace with the updated versions.

    Once you have your copy of the regs, every time an electrician makes a statement about what's legal and what's not you'll be able to ask him to quote the chapter and verse of the regulation and check if he's feedng you bull$41t ...I love it, keep the bu99ers on their toes, a few more people like you and the electrical industry could be sorted out quicksticks and to hell with the ECA, ECB and the DOL.
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    as andy stated your circuit breaker must match your cable size. theres a rule about max of 3 live wires per terminal/circuit breaker.(1 neutral per terminal )
    if you mixed lights and plugs on 1 circuit you are allowed if its all wired in 2,5mm and labelled mixed circuit.(as in a garage/outhouse)

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    good morning To whom it may concern

    can any one assist me with past exam installation rules papers ,2011 paper1&2 aug,apr,november also 2009,2008 ,2007,2006,2005 i am currently writing this month end. you assitance regarding this matter will be highly appretiated, please thank you in advanced.what ever you may offer will be appretiated,any thing from notes or calculation work outs.my email is pvceba@mtnloaded.co.za.

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    Is this guy for real?

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    its a internet thing...mr...mrs...excuse me...just old fashion...

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    Quote Originally Posted by Monika View Post
    Is this guy for real?
    Ha ha, perhaps he'd like one of us to pitch up and write the exam for him.
    Vuvu, if you can do it yourself, if you can get the required marks to pass then you are welcome to join the industry but no one here is interested in helping anyone in through the "back-door", there is too much of that in the industry already and we are doing our best to get rid of it.
    Good luck.
    To make a mistake is human, to learn from that mistake is knowledge and knowledge is strength.

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