I had a case today where someone changed the battery in his van..
He said he carefully made a list if every wire that went to each terminal and thought he put them back the same way..
He mistakenly put one of the wires that should have gone to the Neg terminal to the Pos terminal resulting in a wiring melt down..
Now it isnt rocket science to change a battery ..
BUT PLEASE..
if you do just tie all the wires from each terminal together with a zip tie ..
or..
Spray them with a different coloured paint
Santa said
11:21 PM Jan 28, 2014
Makes you wonder.
Came across this the other day in Wikipedia, very apt.
The DunningKruger effect is a cognitive bias in which unskilled individuals suffer from illusory superiority, mistakenly rating their ability much higher than is accurate. This bias is attributed to a inability of the unskilled to recognize their ineptitude.
Bunkerbob said
12:32 AM Jan 29, 2014
Ohhh, I like that. How many people suffer from this and could we start something by accusing someone of suffering from it?
One thing funnier than watching some people back a boat or a caravan is giving them some advice. Boaties in particular suffer from The DunningKruger Effect.
Santa said
12:51 AM Jan 29, 2014
Ha, sometimes spend an entertaining hour or so on a long weekend at the Port Hughes boat ramp, unbelievably crowded, some of the launch/retrieval attempts are hilarious, talk about road rage, have even seen fisticuffs.
hako said
08:05 AM Jan 29, 2014
Bob - this sort of thing can also be avoided or at least not cause damage if all cables are fused at or as close as possible to the battery. Also if you always use red or brown for positive you can't go wrong...in theory at least!
Regards
oldbobsbus said
11:17 AM Jan 29, 2014
hako wrote:
Bob - this sort of thing can also be avoided or at least not cause damage if all cables are fused at or as close as possible to the battery. Also if you always use red or brown for positive you can't go wrong...in theory at least!
Regards
As some of you know I am away at a CM festival and word soon gets around that I am here and peeps come and ask me to have a look at whatever....
This morning I got asked to look at a solar set up that had been installed by a professional..
The first thing I noticed he had put the 1500/3000w PSW inverter on a shelf where it couldn't get any air circulation and I asked if it gave any problems...yep after it had been running for 10 mins it got hot and the fan cut in then the whole thing cut out and the buzzer went of..
Next he had put a fuse inline on the +ive lead from the regulator to the battery using BLACK wire without even putting a red marker on it..
So poor workmanship isn't limited to the unskilled..
Aus-Kiwi said
05:36 PM Jan 29, 2014
My field is open [bare] mains 415 .. We ALWAYS flash or touch wire even after lamping out !!!
On my old bus I have multy colour sprayed on cables and battery..
Red heat shrink on positive cables..
Mr B2 said
07:44 PM Jan 29, 2014
My Earth leads or negative leads are Red, Green, Black, White, Yellow, And this is all in the same length of wire,
So if I want to fix any thing, I have to trace the wire back to wherever it came from,
I am slowly converting it to Red is Positive and Black is Negative,
It can be difficult, as the wiring is built in and you cant get at it,
Aus-Kiwi said
11:41 PM Jan 30, 2014
Buy some RED heat shrink and put on end of cable..Cover the rest of cable so its not confusing ..
03_troopy said
05:32 PM Jan 31, 2014
And don't be like a particular "qualified" auto elec that i have worked with and automatically assume that the OEM installed black wire in a harness is negative. Some of the colour codes in modern vehicles is absolutely astounding, with a wide variety of shades and hues being used. It's very hard to tell the difference between some of them too, especially in poor light. Light blues and greens, pale browns, oranges and yellows. Also don't go probing around willy nilly with a test light because replacing a body control module on a modern vehicle can be very expensive if you probe the wrong ones (another "qualified" auto elec did this to the bosses car). Somedays at work can be very entertaining :)
Phil C said
10:32 AM Feb 1, 2014
As an electrician I have seen many people try to do their own electrical work, often resulting in disaster. A few weeks ago the coffee lady who visits our current caravan park asked me to fix her machine. The plug top on the machine had 15mm of bare wire (no insulation at all) within the plug, with the movement of connecting and disconnecting the active (which was on the neutral terminal) shorted to earth blowing the RCD and the circuit breaker to the parks sewage pump. Think of the consequences of that. To cut a long story short all the breakers were reset, plug replaced and all is sweet. LESSON 1... Please dont stuff around with electrical stuff, it is DEADLY and can cause fires, burns to humans and DEATH!!!! Get someone who knows what they are doing.
Aus-Kiwi said
11:20 AM Feb 1, 2014
The above seems NO maintenance.. Or wasn't aware how dangerous it was..
Back to connecting 12V at battery.. If EVERYTHING is turned off there should be NO load or or sparks when connecting or more the point no glow on test lamps..
johnnz said
02:17 PM Feb 3, 2014
Come on Phil, we all know that every Aussie, Kiwi or Brit is an expert electrician, plumber bricky chippy plasterer and anything else you can think of.
ex Firie
John
Diggings said
04:38 PM Feb 3, 2014
Too right John you don't know that you cant fix it till you try and it doesn't work, give everything a go, that's what Aussies do.
Aus-Kiwi said
10:05 PM Feb 3, 2014
Goes back to convict days... !! Lol...
hako said
11:13 PM Feb 3, 2014
New Zealand, which uses the exact same wiring standards as us, allows DIY wiring without the world coming to an end. The New Zealand government even publishes pamphlets providing help to home owners!
Here is an extract from one such pamphlet:
What are the main electrical repairs you can do yourself at your home?
For a full list of the electrical repairs you can do on your home, please refer to Regulation 64 of the Electricity Safety Regulations 2010.
The work you can do includes:
Replacing switches; socket outlets, lamp holders, ceiling roses, water heater switches, thermostats and elements.
Repairing light fittings.
Moving, repairing or replacing flexible cords that are permanently connected to outlets or ceiling roses.
Disconnecting and reconnecting permanently wired appliances.
Moving switches, sockets and lighting outlets, but only if they are wired with tough plastic-sheathed cables.
Installing, extending, or altering any cables, except the main cables that come from the street to your switchboard.
Fitting plugs, cord extension sockets or appliance connectors to a flexible cord.
Replacing fuse wires and fuse cartridges.
Regards
Mr B2 said
01:11 AM Feb 4, 2014
That dont apply in OZ, 240 volt is by all Qualified licenced Electricians,
brian said
08:57 AM Feb 4, 2014
Maybe that's why our population is larger than NZs
Ontos45 said
02:36 PM Feb 4, 2014
Mr B2 wrote:
That dont apply in OZ, 240 volt is by all Qualified licenced Electricians,
Are New Zealanders smarter than us Australians?
brian said
02:52 PM Feb 4, 2014
Ontos45 wrote:
Mr B2 wrote:
That dont apply in OZ, 240 volt is by all Qualified licenced Electricians,
Are New Zealanders smarter than us Australians?
Obviously, that's why more of them come here to live, than us going there.
Although I have heard that the average IQ of both countries decreases every time a Kiwi moves here.
SnowT said
05:36 PM Feb 4, 2014
hako wrote:
New Zealand, which uses the exact same wiring standards as us, allows DIY wiring without the world coming to an end. The New Zealand government even publishes pamphlets providing help to home owners! Here is an extract from one such pamphlet: What are the main electrical repairs you can do yourself at your home? For a full list of the electrical repairs you can do on your home, please refer to Regulation 64 of the Electricity Safety Regulations 2010.
The work you can do includes:
Replacing switches; socket outlets, lamp holders, ceiling roses, water heater switches, thermostats and elements. Repairing light fittings. Moving, repairing or replacing flexible cords that are permanently connected to outlets or ceiling roses. Disconnecting and reconnecting permanently wired appliances. Moving switches, sockets and lighting outlets, but only if they are wired with tough plastic-sheathed cables. Installing, extending, or altering any cables, except the main cables that come from the street to your switchboard. Fitting plugs, cord extension sockets or appliance connectors to a flexible cord. Replacing fuse wires and fuse cartridges.
Regards
Yep NZ's might be smarter than us[Aust] but Then I have to wonder what their Insurance Policy's are Like..
- I wonder if they have some form of Protection for any issue that cause a Fire after it has been worked on..
Here.. If you do any work on electrics of your own house[If your Not an electrician] I think Most insurance companies will null and void your insurance policy because the work was not done by an electrician..
NZ must have some regulations that covers the general population..
I know that we are not covered..
Juergen
Aus-Kiwi said
09:56 PM Feb 4, 2014
TMK the work still gets inspected before livening up ?
I wouldn't be too keen to suggest its better here.. Atleast once a week I would find a revers polarity on a NEW house..
Consumer mains wired the wrong way !!!
-- Edited by Aus-Kiwi on Tuesday 4th of February 2014 10:00:25 PM
oldbobsbus said
07:56 AM Feb 5, 2014
brian wrote:
Obviously, that's why more of them come here to live, than us going there.
Although I have heard that the average IQ of both countries decreases every time a Kiwi moves here.
Thats not nice Brian..
I have met one smart Kiwi just when he was on his way home..
Aus-Kiwi said
10:49 PM Feb 5, 2014
He's got it wrong Muldoon [Ex P.M] said way back for every Kiwi going to Aust the IQ goes up in both countries..
brian said
11:02 PM Feb 5, 2014
You have your version and I have mine. Lol
Aus-Kiwi said
11:33 PM Feb 6, 2014
Bloody convicts LOL..
oldbobsbus said
07:23 AM Feb 7, 2014
Aus-Kiwi wrote:
Bloody convicts LOL..
We even had our fares paid for us..
brian said
07:57 AM Feb 7, 2014
oldbobsbus wrote:
Aus-Kiwi wrote:
Bloody convicts LOL..
We even had our fares paid for us..
I would be happy to pay for you to go back again.
Reminds me of the story about the pom who wanted to go back.
The return fare was 200 quid but he found himself 1 quid short.
He approached an Aussie in the street and explained that he was homesick and wanted to go back to mother England but needed a quid for the fare.
The Aussie handed him a twenty and told him to take nineteen of his mates with him.
Aus-Kiwi said
03:58 PM Feb 7, 2014
We us to say the same .. Pom going back home but can you take two Dutchies with you..
In the dairy industry many Dutchies from Holland came over in the 60's / 70's..
We've done ok in both NZ and Aust..
The west island is bigger than the north island we came from..Lol..
learmo said
02:38 PM Feb 9, 2014
I had a sparky do some wiring on my coach. He went to replace a 240v power point with a standard house one. When I queried about double pole, he had never heard of it. Quickly got another electrician.
John
I had a case today where someone changed the battery in his van..
He said he carefully made a list if every wire that went to each terminal and thought he put them back the same way..
He mistakenly put one of the wires that should have gone to the Neg terminal to the Pos terminal resulting in a wiring melt down..
Now it isnt rocket science to change a battery ..
BUT PLEASE..
if you do just tie all the wires from each terminal together with a zip tie ..
or..
Spray them with a different coloured paint
Makes you wonder.
Came across this the other day in Wikipedia, very apt.
The DunningKruger effect is a cognitive bias in which unskilled individuals suffer from illusory superiority, mistakenly rating their ability much higher than is accurate. This bias is attributed to a inability of the unskilled to recognize their ineptitude.
One thing funnier than watching some people back a boat or a caravan is giving them some advice. Boaties in particular suffer from The DunningKruger Effect.
Ha, sometimes spend an entertaining hour or so on a long weekend at the Port Hughes boat ramp, unbelievably crowded, some of the launch/retrieval attempts are hilarious, talk about road rage, have even seen fisticuffs.
Regards
As some of you know I am away at a CM festival and word soon gets around that I am here and peeps come and ask me to have a look at whatever....
This morning I got asked to look at a solar set up that had been installed by a professional..
The first thing I noticed he had put the 1500/3000w PSW inverter on a shelf where it couldn't get any air circulation and I asked if it gave any problems...yep after it had been running for 10 mins it got hot and the fan cut in then the whole thing cut out and the buzzer went of..
Next he had put a fuse inline on the +ive lead from the regulator to the battery using BLACK wire without even putting a red marker on it..
So poor workmanship isn't limited to the unskilled..
On my old bus I have multy colour sprayed on cables and battery..
Red heat shrink on positive cables..
My Earth leads or negative leads are Red, Green, Black, White, Yellow, And this is all in the same length of wire,
So if I want to fix any thing, I have to trace the wire back to wherever it came from,
I am slowly converting it to Red is Positive and Black is Negative,
It can be difficult, as the wiring is built in and you cant get at it,
Back to connecting 12V at battery.. If EVERYTHING is turned off there should be NO load or or sparks when connecting or more the point no glow on test lamps..
Come on Phil, we all know that every Aussie, Kiwi or Brit is an expert electrician, plumber bricky chippy plasterer and anything else you can think of.
ex Firie
John
Here is an extract from one such pamphlet:
What are the main electrical repairs you can do yourself at your home?
For a full list of the electrical repairs you can do on your home, please refer to Regulation 64 of the Electricity Safety Regulations 2010.
The work you can do includes:
Replacing switches; socket outlets, lamp holders, ceiling roses, water heater switches, thermostats and elements.
Repairing light fittings.
Moving, repairing or replacing flexible cords that are permanently connected to outlets or ceiling roses.
Disconnecting and reconnecting permanently wired appliances.
Moving switches, sockets and lighting outlets, but only if they are wired with tough plastic-sheathed cables.
Installing, extending, or altering any cables, except the main cables that come from the street to your switchboard.
Fitting plugs, cord extension sockets or appliance connectors to a flexible cord.
Replacing fuse wires and fuse cartridges.
Regards
That dont apply in OZ, 240 volt is by all Qualified licenced Electricians,
Maybe that's why our population is larger than NZs
Are New Zealanders smarter than us Australians?
Obviously, that's why more of them come here to live, than us going there.
Although I have heard that the average IQ of both countries decreases every time a Kiwi moves here.
Yep NZ's might be smarter than us[Aust] but Then I have to wonder what their Insurance Policy's are Like..
- I wonder if they have some form of Protection for any issue that cause a Fire after it has been worked on..
Here.. If you do any work on electrics of your own house[If your Not an electrician] I think Most insurance companies will null and void your insurance policy because the work was not done by an electrician..
NZ must have some regulations that covers the general population..
I know that we are not covered..
Juergen
TMK the work still gets inspected before livening up ?
I wouldn't be too keen to suggest its better here.. Atleast once a week I would find a revers polarity on a NEW house..
Consumer mains wired the wrong way !!!
-- Edited by Aus-Kiwi on Tuesday 4th of February 2014 10:00:25 PM
Thats not nice Brian..

I have met one smart Kiwi just when he was on his way home..

We even had our fares paid for us..



I would be happy to pay for you to go back again.
Reminds me of the story about the pom who wanted to go back.
The return fare was 200 quid but he found himself 1 quid short.
He approached an Aussie in the street and explained that he was homesick and wanted to go back to mother England but needed a quid for the fare.
The Aussie handed him a twenty and told him to take nineteen of his mates with him.
In the dairy industry many Dutchies from Holland came over in the 60's / 70's..
We've done ok in both NZ and Aust..
The west island is bigger than the north island we came from..Lol..
John