# Interesting differences



## 12144 (Apr 3, 2010)

Hi guys, 

I'm a sparky from downunder, looking to return to the UK for..well...ever I guess.

Whilst many of our wiring rules are almost identical, I notice with interest that you still use ring circuits, a practice outlawed many editios of the wiring rules ago. Down here, we consider them dangerous, and now only use radial circuits ( originating at switchboard, non returning), and spurs (oh how many of those have I come accross so kindly added my mr and mrs householder).

I guess my comment here is, how do you guys find ring circuits work. not in the electrical sense, but in the physical, and how often has it been found that an active of a neutral on each end of the ring is connectersd someplace it shouldn't. I guess, my last comment would be relating to conductors in parallel. Parallel conductors are permitted in australia, however, depending on your inspector, they can be very fussy about lengths being almost identical. From my perspective as a humble aussie, is that ring circuits ARE effectively parallel circuits, yet the conductor lengths may differ, which may, I beleive, affect reliable operation of an RCD (Safety switch/RCCB by any other name)

I'm also interested to hear what this dreaded 2391 (is that right) exam is all about. I've been warned its a stinker...:blink:

And for that matter your hourly rate. It seems very small compared to our average (I currently charge $AUD60/hr, the average in Victoria is $67/hr). I see that in the UK, chargeout rates seem less that half of this, and even factoring in the exchange rate, I'll never survive there!! 

Apart from ECA, is there anywhere else that I might be able to source tutorials on 17th ED, and the two C&G exams.

Regards

Steve - aka downundersparky


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## colin2496 (Nov 6, 2009)

Hi Mate,

I took 2391 Inspection and Testing some ago and it is a closed book exam. Provided that you know your regs then it shouldn't be a problem. Ring final circuits are fine and should prove no problem provided that you carry out ALL the TESTING which is quite extensive in the UK. I am in Canada and here we wire it up and turn it on if the breaker holds in then that is the end of the job. Friends at home say you may be lucky to get £20 per hr right now.

RCD's will not be affected by what you call parallel circuits as they work on a balanced field so if say 32A goes out and back then there will be no problems.


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