Why did I not die??

[FrodoOne]

Do you not run earth wires to light switches then? Are there no metal switches?

Up to about 40 years ago, Earths were not required to ceiling light fittings, since they were then considered not to be in an "Earth situation".

An Earth connection is now required to be "available" at all light fittings, even if there is nowhere to connect it on a plastic fitting - since such a fitting may later be replaced by a metal fitting requiring an Earth.
(Also, a RCD or RCBO is now required on all new/upgraded lighting circuits.)

If the Active/Line, Neutral and Earth are run to the light fitting, there is no requirement (at present) to provide an Earth (or Neutral) at the Switch.

If the Active/Line, Neutral and Earth is first run to the switch positions, the Neutral and Earth is (of course) available at the switches.

https://www.energysafety.govt.nz/documents/legislation-policy/electricity-act-regulations-codes/standards-and-codes-of-practice/NZECP 51 2004 New Zealand Electrical Code of Practice for Homeowner Occupiers Electrical Wiring Work in Domestic Installations - Published 27 July 2004 .pdf tells New Zealand homeowners what electrical wiring work they may legally do (and what they may not) - none of which is now allowed to homeowners in any Australian State. (However, Bunnings and the electrical wholesalers sell the things that are required. (To stop them would be "restraint of trade".)

All light switches (and socket outlets) are actually plastic with no touchable metal parts which require Earthing. The metal securing screws are deeply recessed and can be accessed only with a “tool” – which is the requirement, at least since about 1945. There is also a requirement that they be “covered” and plastic inserts (and two spares) are supplied with all wall-plates which do not have separate covers - as most do today. (See https://www.bunnings.com.au/hpm-10a-white-double-powerpoint_p7053733 for an old style plate with plastic inserts.)

However, while these inserts often get left off after the plate is removed and replaced, the tightened screws cannot be touched by the finger of an adult or child without using a tool.

Even with wall-plates which have “metal” finishes, the metal is a thin layer on top of the plastic cover-plate and is actually “double insulated” by the plastic switch body and the cover-plate from any Earth (or Line) connection.
Some of these DO have metal screws which are touchable, but these are NOT the screws which secure the switch plate to the wall - which are towards the extreme ends of the wall-plate. These are the screws which secure the cover-plate to the plastic body of the switch and are somewhat closer to the centre.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Typical_Australian_Rocker_Switch.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Australian_Light_Switch.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Australian_four_gang_wall_plate.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Australian_four_gang_wall_plate.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Australian_Architrave_2_Gang_Switch_Plate.jpg

may be of interest.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:AS/NZS_3112_sockets also may be of interest.

 

[FrodoOne]

Indeed, an no longer an Australian 'shed' with which we are unfamiliar in the UK. As you may know, Bunnings (or whoever owns them) has bought all the previous "Homebase" stores in the UK, and is gradually re-branding them as Bunnings. I think there are about 10 which have been re-branded so far, with the remainder due to be re-branded gradually over the coming 5 years or so.

KInd Regards, John

Bunnings is owned by Wesfarmers, which also owns Coles (almost half the Supermarkets in Australia), Kmart, Target, Officeworks and other companies.

 

[JohnW2]

Up to about 40 years ago, Earths were not required to ceiling light fittings, since they were then considered not to be in an "Earth situation". ... An Earth connection is now required to be "available" at all light fittings, even if there is nowhere to connect it on a plastic fitting - since such a fitting may later be replaced by a metal fitting requiring an Earth.

Pretty similar to the situation here - and there are still plenty of 'legacy' installations that have no earths in their lighting cicuits.

The main difference is that, in the UK, the current requirement is to have a CPC ('earth') run to 'every point' in an electrical installation (even if it is not currently needed at that 'point'), and that includes light switches as well as everything else.

(Also, a RCD or RCBO is now required on all new/upgraded lighting circuits.)

That is not currently a requirement in the UK, other than in bathrooms. All new sockets (not necessarily new sockets circuits), most new buried cables and any circuit servicing a bathroom have to be RCD protected.

All light switches (and socket outlets) are actually plastic with no touchable metal parts which require Earthing. ...

That's interesting (certainly very different from here) - and the absence of a requirement for an earth at a light switch position presumably implies that there is no expectation of that changing in the foreseeable future.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

What a backward country.

 

[JohnW2]

What a backward country.

What aspects do you regard as "backward"?

In terms of what we've been told, the main difference seems to be the absence of metal (other than Class II) accessories - and I'm not sure that one can be too critical of that ... and the degree of (I believe fairly well implemented/policed) regulation of electrical work is certainly not inferior to ours.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

What aspects do you regard as "backward"?

How long have you got?

 

[JohnW2]

How long have you got?

I'm sure that it would take me less time to read than it would take you to type - but please restrict yourself to matters electrical.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Ah - I wasn't when I made my comment.

The electrical aspects of non-evidential based restrictions on personal freedom and now (it seems) a regulatory assumption that nobody wants metal accessories are just two more facets of a backward, uncivilised country.

 

[FrodoOne]

The electrical aspects of non-evidential based restrictions on personal freedom and now (it seems) a regulatory assumption that nobody wants metal accessories are just two more facets of a backward, uncivilised country.

You are, of course, entitled to your opinion.

However, "metal accessories" (and other "heritage" items) are available, at a price. It is just that the ones available today are made to a higher standard than those of yore. ("Double Insulated", so earthing of the touchable metal hardware is unnecessary. (See http://classicelectric.com.au/)

I should point out that, up to the 1937, Australia used the British designed (and largely British sourced) electrical products of the day and adopted British wiring practices.

The story of the development of the Australian Socket Outlet is briefly told in
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AS/NZS_3112.

“Australia's standard plug/socket system was originally codified as standard C112 (floated provisionally in 1937, and adopted as a formal standard in 1938), which was superseded by AS 3112 in 1990.

While in 1937 there was no "Standards Australia" in existence, it was then that the design was adopted as a result of a "Gentlemen's Agreement" between manufacturers Fred Cook of Ring-Grip, Geoffrey Gerard of Gerard Industries and Brian Harper Miller of the State Electricity Commission of Victoria (SECV).

(BS1363, although designed after 1944, was not introduced until 1947.)

The design was based on an American plug and socket-outlet intended for use at 120 V which was patented in 1916 under US patent 1,179,728. Australian plugs will fit these obsolete American outlets perfectly.

Argentina, Uruguay and China based their plugs and sockets on the same design. New Zealand also adopted the Australian design, since Australian equipment and many electrical appliances were exported to that country.

One of the reasons behind the adoption of that particular design was that it was cheap to make; the flat pins could be easily stamped out of sheet brass, in contrast to round pins or thicker rectangular ones used in other countries. This was also a consideration when the Chinese authorities officially adopted the design in relatively recent times, despite the considerable inroads the British plug had made, due to its use in Hong Kong. The Chinese socket is normally mounted with the earth pin at the top. This is considered to offer some protection should a conductive object fall between the plug and the socket.

However, a major update AS/NZS 3112:2000 was released in 2000. This mandated active and neutral insulated pins on the plugs sold for use with these socket-outlets as from 3 April 2005, which somewhat negates any 'advantage' of having the earth pin uppermost.

(Of course, sleeved pins became required under BS1363 in 1984.)

(http://members.iinet.net.au/~cool386/plug/plug.html may also be of interest.)

The North American style of switches and wall-plates was also adopted, as was the dimensions of the wall-plate and its mountings. However, since 1945, while the mounting dimensions have been maintained the switches and outlets have been improved in design and safety.

While North American electrical products fit physically in Australian mounting hardware (and vice versa), the exposed side terminals used in such equipment would not be permitted in Australia/NZ. As in the UK, the terminals used in Australian Socket Outlets and Switches use hollow metal ferrules with a set-screw to secure the conductors.

As in many other things, Australians are cognisant of practices in other countries and (hopefully) try to adopt “world’s best practice”.

 

[stuartR1963]

245v hurts!

It can do a lot more than that, it kills!. you should count yourself lucky and not get complacent.