The new electrical certificate of compliance

[Dave A]

OK. Which bright spark is responsible for designing the new electrical certificate of compliance?

Getting an A3 copier, printer or scanner is no big deal. Even dealing with the old one on an A4 machine wasn't that bad. This new amalgamated 3xA4 page deal is the pits.

Have you any idea what it costs for a machine that can handle these new ones? Assuming there might be such a beast

[Jacques#1]

Get yourself an A1 copier (like the architects use), and cut it in half since you only need the one side.

[123]

OK. Which bright spark is responsible for designing the new electrical certificate of compliance?

Getting an A3 copier, printer or scanner is no big deal. Even dealing with the old one on an A4 machine wasn't that bad. This new amalgamated 3xA4 page deal is the pits.

Have you any idea what it costs for a machine that can handle these new ones? Assuming there might be such a beast

I just neatly cut the thing in 3 pieces and make my copies for future references. The originals I staple together and hand it to the client.

Who knows if there is a law against that too.

[Jacques#1]

I've got a test sheet that I use to do my COC. This stays with me. The COC I give away, as the info is the same. On the COC I do a computer diagram of the house and the layout of all the electrical equipment. I print this on an A4 white label, cut out the diagram and paste it in the new "sketches" block on the coc. Then I sign it across the edge to make damn sure no one can ever remove it. I scratch every open block, and fill in all the blocks required.....

my test sheet is available on request, for a moderate fee

[Dave A]

I'm just not comfortable with the idea of not having a copy of the COC on file. Maybe cutting it into three pages is the answer - certainly a lot easier than cutting an A1 machine in half

It took me 10 minutes to figure out how the problem could have been solved at the design stage - have a COC for new installations and extensions, and a "test and repair only" certificate.

And there's a bonus going this route. I've raised the problem before of new connections being made based on a test only certificate - this way with a little education suppliers would know to look for a new installation certificate. It would help identify where new installations are being put in without the general supervision of an accredited person.

[murdock]

paper paper paper paper....more trees and more trees and more trees not that that anyone really gives a sh#t about green house effects etc...but there is a thing called a computer with emails and printers and pdf printer for emailing etc etc

why on earth doesnt someone sit and computerise the coc so that we can use our cellpnones or laptops or like fluke and megger have done bought out software which collects all the data from the mutlifunction installation tester and transfers it to the computer.

[Dave A]

paper paper paper paper....more trees and more trees and more trees

That's what bugs me the most. This new format makes scanning to keep an electronic record a real problem.

[murdock]

i suppose when you call 031 3111 111 and ask basic questions...not technical questions and you first have to listen to hello in 9 official langauges
then get sent from person to person...and when you do get thru to the person who thinks they are the correct person to help you...you can understand why we are where we are in the electrical field...this being the supplier of electricty in durban...you can also understand why we have serious load shedding issues and power shortages.

i dont believe these people are as dumb as they make out to be...i think it is just to get you worked up.

the other day i got to a point where i decided to rather drive there and sort out the problem...while waiting the telephone just rang and rang...nobody answered it...so i got up and asked the 2 women who where sitting next to the telphone why they didnt answer the phone...their reply "we are busy with customers at the counter so we cant answer the telephone"... no comment

today again i had to deal with these people...i decided not to get worked up and gave all the details to the customer and told them to sort out their own problems with the durban electricity department 2 hours later i got a call back from the customer who apologised they didnt realise what i have to go thru every time have to deal with these people.

i believe this is management issue.

[Sparks]

It all boils down to people who cannot think further than their noses...

*Balance removed as needlessly offensive*

[mikilianis]

Now you are getting personal

[Sparks]

It is personal. I am an Accredited Electrician and look what has been done to my industry. I go to bed knowing someone and their family are safe because of my effort. Look at what I must do to be legal, yet, the government makes matters worse rather than better. If that is not shortsited it must be stupidity. My COC is issued free of charge, the time spent inspecting premises is paid for whereafter a quote is submitted for the repairs required to bring the installation up to standard. The COC is certification that everything is compliant(broadly a gaurantee) how can this be charged for. Look how long it takes to complete the COC, not to mention entering all the data on the PC for record keeping. Why can we not get a editable printable document and do everything on the PC once and then just have a template for the installation details. We all have registration numbers. Why not use our registration numbers and add 6 digits which we can then consequently allocate to each COC we issue. I better stop now there is too much that is wrong.

[bret owen beets]

u do realise each one has a serial no. which the e.c.b. keeps on reckord

[Sparks]

You must be joking!

[Dave A]

We all have registration numbers. Why not use our registration numbers and add 6 digits which we can then consequently allocate to each COC we issue.

u do realise each one has a serial no. which the e.c.b. keeps on reckord

I've got to say with Spark's idea the origon of the COC would still be traceable. The downside is it would also be more vulnerable to fraud.

Why can we not get a editable printable document and do everything on the PC once and then just have a template for the installation details.

This really would be pretty cool

Yeah, I know the idea poses some challenges, but I'm sure with some careful thought they could be overcome.

[bothajj2]

Murdock, I've created an electronic CoC which is approved by the ECA and now they are using it to develop an online electronic CoC system.