PSA: Please Don't Do Home Electrical Work

BensonP on 06/05/2017 - 12:18

Good morning everyone!

Firstly, the story I'm about to to tell begins at Bunnings on an overcast Saturday in Melbourne. I find myself telling it, as there have been a few threads about downlights, and whatnot.

I'm walking around picking up some gear to wire up some fluorescent light for my garage. I can see many people in the electrical aisle with no idea what they are doing. As I am wearing my high vis, I am stopped by about half a dozen people (in the space of an hour) asking electrical questions, in particular cable sizing for power-points. What am I supposed to do? I can't NOT tell them the correct size. In my eyes, the power-point is getting wired regardless of what I say. So I might as well give them the answers they want. No big deal.

Now the second part of my story relates to people not knowing what they are doing, when wiring. When changing light sockets and power-points, flicking off the switch IS NOT a suitable isolation for work.

So after isolating my lighting circuit, I continued to remove the light switch back-plate. The first thing that struck my eye, was that the it was wired in 2.5mm2 cable and not 1.5mm2 cable. Sure, sometimes this happens, when the sparky has no 1.5mm2 left. No big deal.

So I grab my multi-meter, and notice there is still 240 volts, on the switch. I connect my multi-meter and flick the switch. 240 volts at the light socket.

Next to the light switch there is a power-point, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out where the power is coming from. (Spoiler alert: the light was fed from the power circuit).

There is nothing wrong with this, as the bigger cable was chosen. Mixed power/lighting circuits exist, and people need to be aware of this, rather than assume, and end up dead, or worse.

Cheers and enjoy your weekend.

(And yes, I did buy a snag at 9am. You can judge all you want.)

Electrical & Electronics

Comments

    • [Deactivated] on 06/05/2017 - 13:31
      +6

      I love free zaps, they're so energising!

      • ronnknee on 08/05/2017 - 09:19
        +8

        You don't have to worry about dying for the rest of your life!

      • ruddiger7 on 08/05/2017 - 15:52
        +3

        Nothing like a stunner meal with a good old shockolate shake.

        • [Deactivated] on 09/05/2017 - 16:54

          Shockingly good value!

    • Toons on 06/05/2017 - 14:08
      +18

      i'll guarantee you wouldn't be smiling if you ever got hooked up for real.

      I've seen it happen and it's nothing to laugh about especially when you're cowardly company makes you call his next of kin

      That comment is just stupidity the zap you got didn't shock some sense into you obviously.

      • [Deactivated] on 06/05/2017 - 16:31
        +4

        Some people can't take a joke.

        • pinchies on 06/05/2017 - 17:43
          +3

          Some people make inappropriate jokes. I don't like the policy of requiring a sparky for everything, but I don't think electrical safety is really something to joke about either.

        • [Deactivated] on 06/05/2017 - 17:50
          +3

          @pinchies:
          It's not in anyway inappropriate.

        • Pinchie on 09/05/2017 - 11:18
          +1

          @pinchies: We gonna have a problem?

          EDIT: Shit, your account's older. Sorry sir, please forgive me. :P

        • pinchies on 09/05/2017 - 11:21
          +1

          @Pinchie: I thought you would have noticed me from here :) https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/4534742/redir

      • whooah1979 on 06/05/2017 - 17:26
        +1

        I've seen it happen

        it wasn't meant as a joke.

        i've been zapped by 240v more times than i have fingers, and i can still touch type.

        • jimmej on 08/05/2017 - 14:30
          +3

          Seriously doubt this. I have had 240V. I woke up on the other side of the room in the dark (it was night time). Safety switch probably saved my life.

          Please don't put peoples live at risk by playing down the danger.

        • whooah1979 on 08/05/2017 - 16:10
          -5

          @jimmej:

          Seriously doubt this.

          how so? 240v running over two fingers will give a person a jolt. it didn't even trip the safety switch in my cases.
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7Af7GuEl4c
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwnGapRyv9E
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uI0DbJq7eI
          it stings like a sob as you can see, but won't kill as long as you let go asap.

          I woke up on the other side of the room in the dark (it was night time).

          you're lucky to be here.

        • stumo on 08/05/2017 - 20:45
          +1

          @whooah1979:

          but won't kill as long as you let go asap.

          See thats the thing. You cant let go when your muscles contract due to the current surging through them.

        • whooah1979 on 08/05/2017 - 20:50
          -6

          @stumo:

          You cant let go when your muscles contract due to the current surging through them.

          the vids clearly shows that it can be done.
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7Af7GuEl4c
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwnGapRyv9E
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uI0DbJq7eI

        • stumo on 08/05/2017 - 20:56
          +1

          @whooah1979:
          Don't automatically believe stuff thats on the internet.

          I have blown the top off a pair of side cutters just by trimming off a wire that had been hanging out of someones wall for 3 years waiting for the day I would come and install their alarm system.

        • whooah1979 on 08/05/2017 - 21:07
          -5

          @stumo:

          Don't automatically believe stuff thats on the internet.

          the vids doesn't look fake to me.

          I have blown the top off a pair of side cutters just by trimming off a wire

          yes, cutting a live lead with steel cutters would give you big bang and may also trip the safety switch. touching a live + neutral or live + earth wires with two fingers on the same hand won't.

          fyi fingers don't contain any muscles (not hair).

        • kev98 on 08/05/2017 - 21:37
          +1

          i've been zapped by 240v more times than i have fingers, and i can still touch type.

          Each time you get zapped you can get permanent scarring to your heart, which could mean one small 'zap' will be the one that kills you.

        • azz7 on 08/05/2017 - 22:09

          @kev98:

          Effects of Electric Current on the Human Body (low frequency AC):

          <1mA Generally not perceptible
          1mA Threshold of perception
          5mA Slight shock felt. Average individual can let go. Strong involuntary reactions can lead to other injuries.
          6-25mA Painful shocks. Loss of muscle control.
          9-30mA Individuals cannot let go. If extensor muscles are involved, the person may be thrown away from the power source.
          50-150mA Extreme pain, respiratory arrest, severe muscle reactions. Death is possible.
          1000-4300mA Rhythmic pumping action of the heart ceases. Muscular contraction and nerve damage occur, death is likely.
          10000mA Cardiac arrest, severe burns, death is probable

          If we apply ohms law and assume a body resistance of 1000 ohms (worst case scenario involving wet/broken skin) then we find that a voltage as low as 50VAC could be enough to deliver a fatal shock.

        • t25 on 08/05/2017 - 22:21

          @kev98: damn! that means i need to be careful, since I have been zapped by a camera capacitor and a 240v lighting circuit.

        • db87 on 09/05/2017 - 06:31
          +1

          @whooah1979:

          Watched video one…. You've got no idea mate. Heart goes into fibrillation? Then what?

          Natural selection I suppose. Enjoy life!

        • jacross on 09/05/2017 - 09:37
          +2

          @whooah1979:

          FYI there are muscles in your fingers (I think you were alluding to this with your vague 'not hair' comment) but Stumo never said anything about muscles in your fingers.

          Stumo said 'your muscles'. If you think your fingers don't move due to muscle contraction then you are woefully ignorant.

          Now there is nothing wrong with ignorance, except when the ignorant person tries to be a smart arse and fails so royally.

          The tendons in your fingers join up to muscles located in your palm and forearm. Hello current, hello contraction.

          Whether this causes a 'death grip' situation is more complicated but you didn't get that far.

        • raj76 on 02/03/2018 - 07:32

          @stumo: are you a licensed installer. Or were helping someone out.

        • Matt2024 on 03/03/2018 - 20:04

          @jimmej:

          Yeah I feel you there- I once cut through the extension cord when using my hedge trimmer …. blew out the main fusebox breaker (not the earth leakage) so very very lucky I didnt catch a massive jolt that day.

    • gimli on 07/05/2017 - 21:25
      +20

      I laughed and then negged to be politically correct.

    • mily on 10/05/2017 - 16:11

      Great! Learnt a new way to get something FREE ! Thanks OZB ~~~

  • DiscoJango on 06/05/2017 - 12:35
    +17

    9am snags, anyone who would down vote you on that, is just un-Australian. go to the airport and people are doing 8am hungry jacks whoppers!

    • BensonP on 06/05/2017 - 14:17
      +12

      I was at Laverton McDonalds and apparently they do all day lunch. The bloke in front orders a Double Quarter Pounder at 6am!

      • PVA on 08/05/2017 - 20:51
        +1

        but they may have been working since midnight. 6am is lunch time for him.

      • silverrat23 on 08/05/2017 - 22:12
        +2

        Woah, never thought I'd see Lavo mentioned here. Then again, it's Lavo. :P

    • Shwayne on 08/05/2017 - 14:33

      Just don't use a drone to fetch them whilst doing electrical work at home.

  • altomic on 06/05/2017 - 12:44
    +34

    If I'm doing anything electrical then the mains are turned off - i.e. no power to anything in the house. and then I test the power is off - flick switches/plug in lamps- i.e. double check that there is nothing dodgy about the wiring -i.e. lights powered by power circuit. and I have sign that I put in the fuse box (covering the fuse breakers) saying "do not touch -electrical working being done" - even though I'm the only one going near the fuse box.

    • t25 on 07/05/2017 - 13:39
      +6

      On top of that, I only have one key to the meter box. And it stays with the person who has switched off the mains power.

      Of course I have spare keys to the meter box but those spares are kept safely off site to eliminate anyone having a copy to open the meter box.

      • Moose-au on 08/05/2017 - 18:13

        Yep, exactly.

      • Scrooge McDuck on 09/05/2017 - 12:50
        +6

        On top of that, I cut down the power pole, bomb the power plant and flood the coal mine before I do any electrical work around the house.

        • Euphemistic on 09/05/2017 - 15:20
          +1

          Don't forget to go and throw a blanket over all your neighbours solar panels too.

        • Scrooge McDuck on 09/05/2017 - 23:10

          @Euphemistic:

          I find black paint and a high pressure hose works better.

    • stumo on 08/05/2017 - 20:51
      +8

      One thing I would add is… Treat all wires as live.

      This means even when you are actually working on the wiring, stripping, twisting, inserting, fastening terminals - never touch them with bare hands or un-insulated tools. Its saved me from a nasty shock at least once that I know of for sure. (happened when my workmate supposedly switched off the circuit at the mains, but turns out he didn't) First I knew of it was when I connected up the wires and things sprang into life.

      • Charity on 10/05/2017 - 22:29

        best advice on this thread so far.

    • cloudy on 09/05/2017 - 08:44

      It also doesn't hurt to wear rubber gloves whilst working if possible.

    • ProggerPete on 09/05/2017 - 10:52
      +1

      I'm amazed that everyone doesn't turn off the mains when doing just about anything with even a low risk in their house. I thought similar things with the pink batts scandal. People need to be told that crawling around in the roof cavity of old houses and drilling screws into things should be done with the mains turned off?

      It all seems like common sense to me.

      • altomic on 09/05/2017 - 11:02

        exactly - not to mention that the site managers/employers didn't seem to be held accountable but everything was lumped on to the PM.

    • jsediv on 08/05/2017 - 15:45
      +3

      Ouch.

  • ChrisLevo on 06/05/2017 - 12:56
    +16

    Sparkies spend 4 years learning how not kill people.

    I get paid to do what I do well, so I pay them to do what they do well - fair trade.

    • tap on 07/05/2017 - 22:28
      +27

      It's a shame some of them still don't do their job well.

      • khomeini on 08/05/2017 - 08:48
        +1

        Just like every other industry or trade.

        • johnno07 on 09/05/2017 - 17:50

          The difference being that not every other industry or trade has such a tight "incompetence-fatality/injury" coupling.

  • jaybmate on 06/05/2017 - 13:00
    +4

    Well it does say 'Light' on the main switch too..

    • BensonP on 06/05/2017 - 13:19

      Very true. But the main isolater being switched off is not practical most of the time. Would you switch of an entire hotel because of one powerpoint?

      Electricians can lock off a circuit with a 'lock dog'.

      • geoffellis on 08/05/2017 - 10:25
        +4

        Would you switch of an entire hotel because of one powerpoint?

        Probably not considered "Home Electrical Work" at that point… and you definitely shouldn't be doing it without a licensed electrician.

  • angryasian on 06/05/2017 - 13:12
    +2

    thanks for the story!

  • try2bhelpful on 06/05/2017 - 13:29
    +2

    Personally I wouldn't give out advice like that, purely as some bastard might try and sue you if they screw up because you are a professional giving advice. I would direct them to the Bunnings people who can give them the official line. However, I don't condemn your choice, it would just not be mine. As far as the snag goes, not much different to having bacon on something, and it is for charity, so go for it son.

    • [Deactivated] on 06/05/2017 - 17:51
      +1

      Thankfully we don't live in America, so no one can sue you.

      • try2bhelpful on 07/05/2017 - 09:56
        +2

        Doesn't mean they won't try.

        • abb on 08/05/2017 - 11:41
          +6

          My next witness will be "some guy I saw at Bunnings wearing high vis", your honour. No, I don't know his name or where to find him.

        • try2bhelpful on 08/05/2017 - 14:04

          @abb: Just saying, I wouldn't do it.

      • geoffellis on 08/05/2017 - 10:29
        +5

        so no one can sue you.

        You shouldn't be giving law advice out when you clearly don't know the law. You can absolutely be sued.

        • mooboy on 09/05/2017 - 15:33
          +1

          Can I sue him for the bad law advice?

    • ronnknee on 08/05/2017 - 09:20
      +2

      Exactly this. You are giving yourself unnecessary liability.

      • jno on 08/05/2017 - 16:23

        How would they find him

        • Speckled Jim on 08/05/2017 - 17:21

          Watch Hunted sometime.

          Every store has CCTV…if he bought something with a card - boom, all deets. Footage of carpark for plates less likely, but possible.

  • aboabo on 06/05/2017 - 13:45
    +8

    It doesn't take a socket scientist to work out where the power is coming from.

  • pinchies on 06/05/2017 - 14:19
    +9

    I wish there was a course that regular people could take to become qualified to do the basics - such as replace a light fitting or change a light switch. I'd even be happy if a sparky could sign off on my work before flicking the switch. It doesn't matter if I've done a electrical engineering uni course - I can't touch a thing unless I actually become a sparky.

    • Toons on 06/05/2017 - 14:25
      +1

      You can obtain restricted licences rules per state differ but are normally tied to another trade. i.e. Refrigeration Mechanic they need to isolate the Air con to service and fault find issues.

      • pinchies on 06/05/2017 - 14:28
        +5

        Thanks, but I'm specifically asking about options for regular people. I'm not about to start wiring up houses or touching the distribution box, but I'd like to be able to legally change a single socket powerpoint to a double (providing the wiring is up to scratch) for nothing more than the cost of the box and my time.

        • altomic on 06/05/2017 - 15:11
          +15

          changing a single socket powerpoint to double socket powerpoint requires a skilled trade electrician and rightly so!.

          removing 2 screws to access the back and then removing the 3 screws that hold the PNG cable in and then wiring the cable to the back of the new double powerpoint (which tells you which wire goes where) and reattaching the 3 screws to hold the cable in place and then placing the power point in place and inserting and tightening the 2 screws — is very very very technical /s

          laws that disallow people doing their own work are there to protect stupidest people.

        • BensonP on 06/05/2017 - 15:36
          +24

          @altomic:

          I understand from your current standpoint, that these simple jobs may not require 4 years on the job training.

          It's everything else that comes with it.

          How do you know that the double powerpoint you just upgraded to hasn't changed the maximum demand rating of the circuit?

          How do you know that maximum demand hasn't pushed you over the current rating of your main circuit breaker, and now you require an upgraded mains cable from the service fuse?

          How do you know that the cable you just connected is the right size, an isn't waiting to melt when you utilise the second socket?

          How do you know the resistance of the earth connection to the earth stake is low enough to permit fault current flow?

          How do you know the fault loop impedance is low enough on that circuit to trip the RCD if an appliance faults?

          How do you know there is even an RCD fitted to the circuit?

          How do you know the MCB is the correct rating for that cable?

          People need to understand that there are rules in place for a reason. Just because I reckon I could remove someone's lungs and stitch them up, does not make me a surgeon.

        • altomic on 06/05/2017 - 16:08
          +3

          @BensonP: don't many of the questions you ask refer to the load you place on the powerpoint? - i.e. the current draw of attached devices? while I can see what you are wanting to say isn't this more a case of already crappy quality wiring and shitty MCBs with additional load may cause massive failure?

          as for RCDs - I had my MCB replaced 5 years ago when I had air con installed - how do I know it can handle everything? to be honest I don't. but at the same time I do know what it can handle. and whilst the wiring of my house is falrly new I there fore know that it can withstand a "reasonable amount" of draw. I'm certainly not going to run a toaster, kettle, vacuum cleaner, bar heater, iron, etc off one single power point via a powerboard. I should expect something to happen.

          I can build a kite and the kite flies well. but i don't need to have a degree aeronautical engineering to build a kite.

          an understanding of how "stuff works" is the best way. If I looked at my houses wiring and it was really old and sh!tty then I wouldn't attempted any thing. if it was an old wire fuse MCB then that would also send major warning signals as well.

          certainly people need to understand how electricity works, how the quality of wiring systems can affect safety systems, etc

          I did complete a circuitry and electronics course at TAFE many years ago so I am not unappreciative of the dangers of electricity.

        • pinchies on 06/05/2017 - 17:31
          +9

          @BensonP:
          I'm not an electrician (sadly), but I imagine that if I can plug in a powerboard (which are all overload protected to 2400W) to that single socket without burning the place down, then I imagine that provided that the feed cable has sufficient gauge, and providing that the actual electrician did their job without cutting corners, its probably a low risk operation.

          We have nurses to do a large range of tasks, to take the load off doctors who are more highly trained. Lawyers have paralegals, etc.

        • dufflover on 08/05/2017 - 08:23
          +6

          @BensonP: > People need to understand that there are rules in place for a reason.

          Call me cynical but I bet a lot of local sparkies won't be asking themselves all those questions either. Especially as mentioned people plug in power boards willy nilly anyway. Assuming it's all in good nick they'd probably go do the same thing of just installing and testing the hardware.

        • OzzyOzbourne on 08/05/2017 - 10:27
          +2

          @altomic:

          And yet we seem to allow anyone to drive killing machines.

        • tryagain on 08/05/2017 - 11:29
          +1

          @OzzyOzbourne: I think the comparison that works well with very basic electrical work being illegal is that changing a car's brake pad's is legal and I think has a far greater potential to cause damage, yet people seem to know the limit of their abilities, are trusted to do the right thing and do so.

        • abb on 08/05/2017 - 11:43

          @altomic: and to protect the rest of us from the stupid people!

          (hotels, other people's houses, buying a used house, etc)

        • HoracePinker on 08/05/2017 - 12:51

          There is one slight problem to this double power point upgrade theory… powerboards. If the above doomsday scenario held true than a powerboard or a double adapter would kill your house wiring. You need to change a bit more than a power point to start stressing the system and what you have plugged in makes a difference too. Try running a kettle and microwave of the same circuit at same time and you will hear the circuitbreakers click in no time.

        • [Deactivated] on 08/05/2017 - 14:14
          +1

          @dufflover: I have a sparkies licence,and you are quite right. It really is very difficult to see what is going on from just installing a power point. A quick visual inspection to see if it is safe supported by following out compliance testing basically covers it. Usually the customer does not want to know or pay for out of scope items unless you threaten to disconnect. Which never goes down well.

        • Rizzy on 08/05/2017 - 17:49

          @BensonP:

          Mate, I need a sparky like you!

          If you're in NSW - please pm me. I'm in the middle of getting quotes for a new Resi Job. Need someone like you that isn't a cowboy!

        • khomeini on 08/05/2017 - 21:29

          Killing machines don't kill people. People riding killing machines kill people.

        • macrocephalic on 09/05/2017 - 16:09
          +3

          @pinchies: Or you could plug a double adaptor (which likely won't have an overload protector) into the single GPO - which puts all of the same strain on the cabling as replacing the point. One requires a 4 year trade qualification, the other requires you to have $1.65 of disposable income to buy the double adaptor.

      • vicosads on 08/05/2017 - 15:37

        restricted electrical is pretty much just being able to change a non-mains plug and test & tag

    • Boshait on 08/05/2017 - 08:20

      Of course you can. Just ignore the state, they will never know.

  • Toons on 06/05/2017 - 14:21

    Good Post BensonP,

    People will only listen to what they want

    I'm sure these people are the same ones who stick a nail in a fuse holder to stop it blowing, think that the only wire they don't have to touch is red………………

    Worst boots I've seen people take are from neutrals

    Atomic, sensible way but still no guarantee I've seen people bypass mains just as a caution if it's not been your house the whole time it's been established.

    • altomic on 06/05/2017 - 15:12
      +1

      that's true. still I test & test again before I work on something.

  • mskeggs on 06/05/2017 - 14:36
    +4

    The rule at our place growing up was to do all the wiring to the lights, power points etc except where they connected back to the house circuits. With all the fittings hanging off the wall so the connections could be inspected.
    Graham, our mate the sparky, would do a quick once over and do the final hook up.
    Saved him spending a whole day crawling in ceilings, and saved us paying tradesman's pay to run cable, cut gyprock holes and other basics.

    Sadly, Graham is no longer with us, and I don't have a replacement willing to step in, but I'm not building extensions on the house either, so the need isn't as great.

    • aboabo on 06/05/2017 - 14:52
      +1

      Thanks for the story anyhow.

  • jeeg on 06/05/2017 - 15:04
    +1

    Thanks Op. I wish there are more sparky like yourself. I have seen plenty of shoddy works (by licensed electrician) and even some of these in my current house.

    • OzzyOzbourne on 08/05/2017 - 10:24
      +4

      I wish there were more people telling us not to do dangerous stuff we know nothing about. How would we know otherwise?

      Just the other day, I started to build a particle accelerator, fortunately a guy on a forum stopped me, otherwise I could have got hurt.

      • skullster704 on 09/05/2017 - 19:15

        Thank goodness for that- we don't need amateur Large Hadron Colliders building in folks back yards, creating black holes all over the place (though the billions spent would do wonders for the county's GDP…)

  • [Deactivated] on 06/05/2017 - 15:22

    TL;DR

    • BensonP on 06/05/2017 - 15:26
      +1

      TL;DR - Don't touch unless tested :)

    • eskylidder on 09/05/2017 - 18:26
      +1

      TL;DR - spend a few dollars and get an electrician that wont void your home insurance or kill you

  • sane on 06/05/2017 - 17:03
    +17

    I actually tend to think that australia's over the top attempt to say 'pay a sparkie for everything' makes things worse rather than better. People get used to ignoring those rules (because they are over the top) that they then don't know where to stop, and where they might not have the capability.

    FFS they try to say stupid things like putting in network cables requires a sparkie.

    They need reform, with an emphasis towards a sensible level of regulation, and of making it easy for the DIY individual to do things well. In particular they need to stop assuming that the sparkie will do a good job (because they so often don't).

    Other countries can manage it, there is no excuse for the over regulation here.

    • bdubba on 07/05/2017 - 21:27
      +7

      Oh god yes.
      Law/House Insurance dictates that you have to get a sparkie to run network cable.

      So I pay $600 for 4 of the worst cable runs I have seen in my life, and the guy forgets to move one of the tiles back into place on the roof so a heap of water gets in and would have caused major damage if I didn't realise the issue straight away.

      These were for security cameras, so not like he had to terminate them within rooms or anything, they were just sitting in the ceiling.

      To top it all off, this was from a reputable company.

      Such bullsh*t laws.

      • abb on 08/05/2017 - 11:46
        +1

        You don't need an electrical license for data cables (it's a much easier to get license). Obviously the system is still pretty shit though with work like that going on. Hope you gave them a negative review somewhere.

    • xuqi on 07/05/2017 - 22:04
      +7

      The number of times over the years that I've been screwed over by dumb-ass sparkies is beyond belief.

      It doesn't really matter what country either (Australia, Germany, Israel, UAE, UK) as quite a few have no idea how to correctly run / patch network cables.

      • Wrong type of cable (shielded vs un-shielded)
      • Incorrect placement, or number of points
      • Whilst running new cabling, they cut other cables in their way. When asked why?, their response was 'It didn't look used'!
      • Ran cables, but didn't patch as 'IT people should do it'
      • Ran cables, but somehow forgot to actually test what they bloody terminated..
      • Ran cables, but didn't think to label any of the ends!
      • Ran cables, but only labelled the wall socket, leaving the patch panel end clean or vice-versa.

      I don't really have the time & inclination to write more, but the list idiotic action I've witnessed / experienced by so-called professional, certified electricians is quite long.

      None these were some cheap cash jobs, but all were highly certified companies who carry out commercial work in their respective cities.

      • sane on 08/05/2017 - 12:46
        +1

        Where I am at the moment has "structured wiring" for some rooms in the house.

        I've eventually worked out the reason I can't reliably get 100Mbits on the NBN is because that wiring can't reliably do gigabit speeds. Haven't worked out what the hell they have done, whether it's low quality cable, or low quality connection, but my guess is someone did it with next to no understanding of what's needed, and no intention of properly testing it.

        • zathras on 08/05/2017 - 23:33

          If it was done a few years back they probably ran Cat5 cable rather than Cat6, to save a few dollars. If you upgrade it it to Cat6 or Cat5e you should see your speeds improve. Or it just could be the dodgy MTM NBN.

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