CoC requirements for Solar Water Heating installations

[AndyD]

Ive just done the course with the ECA and they say if you touch anything on the installation you need to issue a COC that means if you do a repair and change a light switch you need to issue a COC

Yes, this was mentioned above;

The COC extends to the terminals of the geyser. Whatever is installed between the CB in the DB and those terminals is part of the circuit and must comply with the standards applicable thereto and be certified by way of the COC that it has been installed in compliance with the installation standards too.

The gray area lies in what is considered part of the circuit and what is considered as part of the geyser itself as an appliance. If the controller is installed as an integral part of the geyser then under certain circumstances it wouldn't need a COC.

[Sparks]

The ECA have got it wrong! Replacing a faulty socket outlet, circuitbreaker or lightswitch does not require certification. That is routine maintenance. It would be difficult to do it without "touching" the installation. Certification is required when an installation is altered or upgraded. Upgading a DB or installing (not replacing) points of consumption are required to be certified.

How many ECA staff does it take to change a light bulb?

[AndyD]

How many ECA staff does it take to change a light bulb?

Two....One to change it and one to write out the unnecessary COC :-)

[Jacechop]

I just finished the course with the ECA, and I disagree with some of the comments made above. Routine maintenance so long as the design, construction and safety is not affected then there does not need to be a reissued C.O.C. So Sparks I'm sure u are right. The ECA are doing an amazing job here in KZN..

[Jacques#1]

Just got an extremely dumb.....very retorical question/comment here:

I've been doing this for a while, and I would love to see even one electrician who does a COC for every job .

Firstly: If you add the COC price to the installation the cost is higher than your competition, and you loose the job. If you keep the cost the same and do a proper COC than you shouldn't be in business, you will in the long run close down.

You can do a crappy COC.....superman test and issue it, but that doesn't count, so do not even go there.

I am yet to see an electrician who does this for a living, not talking about an after work or weekend pocket money guy, who issues a COC for EVERY SINGLE JOB he does (disregarding maintenance). Just after you do the courses you are realllllllly positivive, saying to yourself that you will be different and do this thing exactly right every time!!! Also keep in mind that if you are a maintenance electrician working for a company, doing installations for the company weekly, you should be issuing COC's for every installation as well Now, add that to the time you have available since the very large corporation can't afford to hire another electrician

How about this.......everyone rather start working to the standards that they are capable of working, specify and do an installation perfectly every time, test it and know it is safe. Perhaps that way we'll actually have safer houses COC or no COC, since I've come across idiots lately who issue a 20 minute COC.....P.S.I would love to know how they do it, it takes me at least 30 minutes to write the COC out? Another 20 minutes to do a computer generated 2D image of the installation in question with the entire electrical layout. I guess they could leave that out?

Just a comment.

[Sparks]

I do not recall the exact cost of a COC, but I think it is about R2.00. My rates are more than R2.00 less than my competitors. I do not have a "cost" of a COC. I consider it as physical proof of Compliance as required. I feel obligated to and issue the COC free of charge. For a single socket outlet added to an installation I have made out a COC for that specific socket outlet only. The whole installation was neither inspected, tested nor certified. I was not commisioned for that, yet. I am frequently asked by potential clients what I charge for a COC. After the explanation most are so surprised that they do not even look further. The public need to know that a COC does not have a fixed price of R2000 per room of the house. I also provide propery sellers advice when I am approached before the propery is actually sold. Temporary items which are plugged in I recommend be removed before the time so as not to create the impression that they are fixed, as soon as I give a cost of making such items permanent they quickly dissappear. So do disputes at a later stage. It sounds a bit like cutting my own throat, but my upfront honesty has given me a number of regular customers who would rather wait for me to be available than get someone else.