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7 important questions to ask before hiring an electrician
One of the most important decisions you’ll ever make is choosing an electrician to install, repair or maintain your electrical wiring, lighting or data system, as getting it right the first time means less stress and financial cost down the track. Here are 7 questions you should ask an electrician before hiring them for the job. (more…)
Top 5 signs your building might need electrical rewiring
Under the NSW Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017, any person conducting a business in a commercial or industrial property has an obligation to ensure the safety of employees, customers and any other person visiting the property. This means you need to be rigorous in maintaining the condition of your electrical wiring and respond immediately to any signs the building might need to be rewired. Here are the top 5 signs to look out for.
- Flickering or dimming lights
While some flickering or dimming of lights is normal in situations where motor driven devices are being turned on (which pulls more amps from the circuit), they can also be a sign of an over-loaded circuit, faulty wiring or a faulty circuit breaker. If the lights in your industrial or commercial property are regularly dimming or flickering, you should have your wiring checked by a licensed electrician as soon as possible. - Frequent blown fuses or tripped circuit breakers
This is a significant sign that something is not right with your wiring, as it is an indication that your circuit is not handling the amount of electricity you need to run your business. It may very well be the case that your wiring is worn out and you need to rewire. If you are experiencing either of the above issues, your wiring needs urgent attention. - Buzzing, charred or dead power outlets or switches
All of the above are signs of something seriously wrong with either the switch or outlet in question, or with your wiring as a whole. As soon as you notice these warning signs, you need to contact an electrician and have the problem diagnosed and fixed. Failure to attend to these signs as soon as you notice them can potentially lead to a very dangerous situation. - Electric shocks from power outlets or switches
As above, if your outlets or switches are giving a shock when used, this is a sure sign things are not right with either the outlet or switch, or with your wiring. If you or any of your employees receive a shock from an outlet or switch, you must get an electrician to find out what’s going on as a matter of urgency. - Cracked, cut or broken insulation cable
Insulation cable prevents your wiring from coming into contact with other conductors, protects it from the elements and inhibits electrical leakage. For this reason, it is essential that the cable is in good condition throughout your entire electrical circuitry. To prevent more serious electrical issues, ask your electrician to carry out an inspection of your wiring and replace any damaged cable. If the damage is extensive, you may need to rewire the building.
While there are a number of other signs that point to faulty wiring, the above are the most common indicators and should never be taken lightly. Always ensure that the electrician diagnosing and fixing the issue is licensed and has experience in the relevant commercial or industrial context.
Under the Workplace Health & Safety Regulations, all businesses must maintain a regular Test Tagging schedule, to avoid damage to people or property from electrical equipment or circuitry.
At Caslec, our highly experienced commercial and industrial electricians provide Test Tagging services to businesses throughout the Greater Sydney region. Call us today on 1300 659 273 to discuss or visit our Service Areas page to find an electrician near you.
How to become a licensed commercial or industrial electrician
With skilled electricians very much in demand across all industries, pursuing a career in the trade offers scope for variety and progression, good remuneration and the opportunity to specialise in a range of areas. Below we set out the most straightforward pathway to becoming a commercial or industrial electrician, specifically referring to gaining your license in NSW.
Working as an electrician requires a high level of technical and mathematical skills alongside physical fitness and good eyesight (e.g. you cannot be colour blind as you need to be able to distinguish between colour coded wires). It is a job that demands a keen attention to detail and safety procedures and the ability to manage risk. You also need to be able to read and interpret complex electrical diagrams.
While there are a number of pathways to becoming a licensed electrician, according to the NSW Department of Fair Trading the most direct route is as follows:
- Completion of Certificate III in Electrotechnology Electrician AND all of the following:
- A Certificate of Proficiency as an Electrician or an Electrical Mechanic from the Department of Education and Communities (DEC) or the Vocational Training Tribunal (VTT).
- At least 12 months relevant electrical wiring work experience* utilising knowledge and understanding of the AS/NZS 3000:2007 in the residential, commercial and/or industrial areas required by NSW Fair Trading ‘Referee’s Statement Electrical Work’ form current at the date of the application.
*‘Experience’ means experience that is lawfully gained by the applicant (whether during or after completion of an apprenticeship) as a bona fide employee who has been paid during the relevant period of employment in accordance with an award or enterprise agreement.
Once you have been attained your electrician’s license, going on to specialise in commercial or industrial electrotechnology often means a combination of on-site training and further study.
Firstly, look for a role with a Level 2 Accredited Service Provider (ASP) that specialises in commercial and industrial services, giving you the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the field. Working alongside electricians who are highly skilled in the industrial and/or commercial sector is the best way to learn what’s required in the role and to discover where your strengths and interests lie.
You may also want to consider further study while you’re working, in order to enhance your skills in a particular area, such as photovoltaic systems, electrical machine repair or data & communications, to name just a few of the specialisations on offer.
Although becoming an electrician takes some time and commitment, it is one of the most secure trades on offer and is only going to become more crucial as electrical systems evolve. If you’re interested in applying for an apprenticeship or a role at Caslec, visit our Careers page.
The 6 types of fire extinguisher & when to use them
All Australian workplaces must comply with the fire safety standards set out in the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011, with many states having their own additional regulations around fire safety and emergency training. Yet, according to research, only 13% of people know what class of extinguisher to use on what kind of fire.
In the following we set out the 6 basic types of extinguisher installed in industrial and commercial premises in Australia and the class of fire they can be used on. It is important to understand that using the wrong type of extinguisher on a fire can be highly dangerous.
Class A extinguishers are used on fires that involve paper, fabrics and textiles, wood-based products, plastics and rubber-based products.
Class B extinguishers are used on fires that started as a result of flammable or combustible liquids, such as chemical-based cleaning products, electrical contact cleaner and lubricants.
Class C extinguishers are used on fires started by flammable gases and can potentially extinguish the fire before pressure builds.
Class D extinguishers are used for fires started by combustible metals, such as sodium, potassium, uranium, lithium, plutonium and calcium, and are often used in laboratories. The most common Class D fires involve magnesium and titanium.
Class E extinguishers are used to stop fires in electrically energised equipment, including fires in equipment that requires electricity or a circuit to operate.
Class F extinguishers (fire blankets) help to control fires caused by cooking oils and fat-based products, such as could occur in a commercial kitchen.
To meet Australian Standards and workplace OH&S regulations, you must have the correct portable extinguishers installed in your workplace and personnel who are trained in their use. This training must be refreshed every two years.
One way to protect your business and employees against the risk of electrical fire is to ensure you adhere to a regular test-tagging schedule, where the safety of any electrical equipment is assessed by qualified electricians. If you work in a ‘high-risk operating environment’, such as a kitchen, warehouse or factory, you need to have your equipment test-tagged every 12 months.
To book your electrical equipment safety test, call the experts at Caslec on 1300 659 273 today.
Cat 5e, Cat 6 & Cat 6A Cable: which is best for your network?
One of the most common questions asked when it comes to industrial and commercial network design and data cable installation is, which category of cable is best suited to my needs? In the following we describe the differences between Cat 5e, 6 and 6a cable, and why you might choose one over the other.
All three categories of cable look the same from the outside and they all have the same RJ-45 end, which can plug into the Ethernet jacks on your computers, routers and switches. This, however, is where the similarity ends, as each has distinct differences that can impact on which one you decide to install.
Firstly, there is a noticeable difference in price, with each category costing more per metre than the previous category. However, just because later categories are more advanced in terms of performance, doesn’t necessarily mean you have to install the more expensive cable; this very much depends on the current and future demands placed on your network.
Category 5e
About 15 years ago, when it was first released, Cat 5e cable (the ‘e’ stands for ‘enhanced’) was the first glimpse of the potential of a 1 Gigabit network, although at that time, the hardware required to support it was prohibitively expensive for the average user. Over time, as the cost of the hardware decreases, 5e has become the minimum standard in data cable, eventually rendering Cat 5 obsolete.
Made up of 24 gauge twisted pair wires, the 5e delivers 1 Gigabit network speed at distances up to 328 feet. While Cat 5 was potentially capable of 1 Gigabit speeds (dependent on the network connections), 5e incorporated improvements in isolation between the wires, reducing the level of ‘crosstalk’ — the interference between the wires — and increased the frequency of the cable up to 100MHz.
Category 6
Although Cat 6 cables have been around for just for a few years less than Cat 5, historically the 10 Gigabit cable has been used for the backbone of networks, with 5e being run to individual workstations. This is not only due to cost but also because the bandwidth of the Cat 6 can only run to 164 feet. Beyond this distance, the bandwidth can rapidly decrease to 1 Gigabit, the same as the 5e.
Physically, the Cat 6 is made up of either 23 or 24 gauge twisted pair wires, with 2 plus twists per centimetre (as compared to 1.5–2 in the 5e). The frequency in the Cat 6 has increased to 200MHz, which can also potentially increase crosstalk. For this reason, the Cat 6 cable has an internal nylon spline and is contained within a thick exterior sheath. In some cases, this can eliminate crosstalk completely.
Category 6a
The Cat 6a (‘a’ stands for ‘augmented’) is the most advanced version of data cable, anticipating a future where the 10G network is the standard. It not only has a bandwidth distance of the full 328 feet of Ethernet cable, but its frequency has doubled to 500MHz, which further improves its range. That said, Cat 6a is also the most expensive of the cable options.
Which cable should you choose?
Generally, the consensus seems to be that Cat 5e 1GB cable is currently adequate for a network where most servers are based in the Cloud, but may not support network demands in the future. Again, this is very much dependent on your business or industry’s needs in terms of network design and use.
Cats 6 and 6a clearly future-proof your network in terms of faster data speeds, greater range and reduced crosstalk, but gaining these benefits relies on your router being gigabit-compatible and your computers being gigabit-capable. It’s also important to point out that data speed is not the same as Internet speed. Upgrading your data cable to 6a is not going to have an impact on the speed of your internet; rather it will improve data transfer, upload and download times. Therefore, the choice of cable really boils down to what you’re using your network for, and how you think you’re going to use it in the future.
Before making any decisions about data cable installation or upgrade, talk to an expert Caslec electrician and we’ll help you find the right solution for your business or industry’s network needs. Call us on 1300 659 273 today.
Call us on (02) 9604 4488 for a free consultation.
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