Swapping out existing light fitting myself without resorting to electrician?

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Swapping out existing light fitting myself without resorting to electrician?

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#243237 2-Dec-2018 21:16

I still have a kids ceiling light in my study and want to get rid of it. All the lights in Mitre 10 I was looking at insist on the box that they are “fitted by a licensed electrician”.

Can I not legally do this work myself? Seems pretty simple to clip a wire and refit a new unit? Are there implications for insurance etc if I were to just do it anyway?

scuwp

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#2138258 2-Dec-2018 21:43

https://www.tradehq.co.nz/what-electrical-work-are-you-legally-allowed-to-diy-in-new-zealand/

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

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#2138282 2-Dec-2018 22:44

scuwp:
https://www.tradehq.co.nz/what-electrical-work-are-you-legally-allowed-to-diy-in-new-zealand/

So “yes” then.

I wonder why they are so insistent on the box then?

hio77

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#2138284 2-Dec-2018 22:51

Item:

I wonder why they are so insistent on the box then?

protection from stupidity?

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#2138287 2-Dec-2018 23:08

hio77:
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I wonder why they are so insistent on the box then?

protection from stupidity?

I may be in trouble then...

kiwigander

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#2138289 2-Dec-2018 23:44

I imagine the instructions insist on installation by a licenced electrician because the distributor or wholesaler considers Australia and NZ as a single market, and over on the West Island it seems you can't do much more than replace a burnt-out globe without being a licenced electrician.

Wellingtondave

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#2138290 2-Dec-2018 23:53

https://worksafe.govt.nz/managing-health-and-safety/consumers/safe-living-with-electricity/getting-electrical-work-done/doing-your-own-electrical-work/

A simple like for like replacement is probably low risk, far dodgier things exist in houses that have been renovated and 'flipped' in the last decade. I prefer to queue / 'save up' non urgent jobs on properties and have a licenced sparky do the work, at the very least they're able to give you a C.O.C as required, which will satisfy insurance purposes.

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vexxxboy

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#2138296 3-Dec-2018 07:00

i do them all the time , never had a problem but i do make sure i take pictures of the old fittings and where the wires go before starting , then it is pretty straight forward.

Common sense is not as common as you think.

nickb800

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#2138297 3-Dec-2018 07:10

Probably a good idea to read through ecp51 - it covers a lot more than changing a light fitting, but it's a good introduction to doing your own electrical work

FineWine

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Nurse (R)

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#2138501 3-Dec-2018 12:22

I remember my first house in Sydney in the mid 80's which was a 1920's single storey Italianate style terraced house. Poked my head up into the ceiling space and discovered that it had partially been rewired everywhere except in the walls where someone had left the old fabric covered 2 core wire which was fed through old iron conduit. They had twist joined the old to new 2 core 2.5mm (power & light) and covered the twist joins with a clean margarine container. The only plug that was earthed was the one that the fridge was on and that ran separately behind the titled sink splash back to under the house and attached to a steel pipe hammered into the soil.

Oh what fun and games.

Whilst the difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a bit longer. However, miracles you will have to wait for.

Goosey

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#2138584 3-Dec-2018 14:10

Whatever you do, make sure its correct !

Mr Insurance company wont like it....rather will use it against you if you make a claim and if they say it was caused by the light fitting.