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PUBLISHER’S LETTER www.siliconchip.com.au Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Leo Simpson, B.Bus., FAICD Production Manager Greg Swain, B.Sc.(Hons.) Technical Staff John Clarke, B.E.(Elec.) Peter Smith Ross Tester Rick Walters Reader Services Ann Jenkinson Advertising Enquiries Rick Winkler Phone (02) 9979 5644 Fax (02) 9979 6503 Mobile: 0408 34 6669 Regular Contributors Brendan Akhurst Louis Challis Rodney Champness Garry Cratt, VK2YBX Julian Edgar, Dip.T.(Sec.), B.Ed Mike Sheriff, B.Sc, VK2YFK Philip Watson, MIREE, VK2ZPW Bob Young SILICON CHIP is published 12 times a year by Silicon Chip Publications Pty Ltd. ACN 003 205 490. ABN 49 003 205 490 All material copyright ©. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Printing: Hannanprint, Dubbo, NSW. Distribution: Network Distribution Company. Subscription rates: $69.50 per year in Australia. For overseas rates, see the subscription page in this issue. Editorial & advertising offices: Unit 8, 101 Darley St, Mona Vale, NSW 2103. Postal address: PO Box 139, Collaroy Beach, NSW 2097. Phone (02) 9979 5644. Fax (02) 9979 6503. E-mail: silchip<at>siliconchip.com.au ISSN 1030-2662 * Recommended and maximum price only. 2  Silicon Chip The electrical wiring debate – reform is needed This on-going debate about the whys and wherefores of people doing their own home wiring actually started in the June 2000 issue when a letter raised the concern that it was illegal for people to build or repair mains-operated kits unless licensed by the Queensland Electrical Licence Board. Since then the issue has developed to embrace the idea that anyone should be able to do electrical wiring in their own home, just as they in New Zealand. In the 13-plus years of SILICON CHIP’s history, no issue has ever generated as much correspondence and most of it, I have to say, has been well-considered: some for the status quo and some for the idea that homeowners should be allowed to do it. It has also become clear that one of the reasons why the Queensland Electrical Licensing Board is attempting to be so draconian is that they are concerned with the apparently high number of deaths by electrocution in that state. Whether or not a large proportion of these deaths have come about because of illegal home wiring is not clear However, it is now becoming apparent that in its on-going review of the situation, the Queensland ELB has the intention of instructing licensed electri­cians to look for and report any instances of “illegal” home wiring that they come upon. Supposedly, the perpetrators would then be fined or otherwise penalised. When I heard about this I was flabbergasted. Is this really happening in Australia? Surely not! If this is true, it will have exactly opposite the desired effect. Say you want some extra wiring done in your house but maybe you or someone else has added wiring in the past. Say it’s all done by the book but it’s really neat. Now, if you get an electrician in, will he identify the neat wiring as being illegal? Because it’s neat and obviously not done by any normal electrician? And what’s the likelihood of an electrician identifying any wiring as suspect? Even if it was done by another electrician? Even if you keep receipts, it would not identify particular wiring. And what if a previous electrician has made a mistake or taken a short-cut? How would any householder know if this has happened? No this whole idea of using licensed electricians to ferret out illegal wiring is crazy. It is more likely to force people to do their own wiring or have it done by someone (unlicensed) on the quiet. It will backfire on the Queensland Electrical Licens­ing Board. Their job should be to educate the public (and licensed electricians) and do everything possible to promote a safe elec­trical distribution system. You don’t achieve that by having electricians report on their own customers. It won’t take long for electricians to figure that out! The more we think about and discuss this issue, the more we think the regulations should change to allow homeowners to do their own wiring, subject to subsequent inspection (probably by licensed electricians). In fact, we plan to proceed down this path and hope to publish a petition next month to get the politi­cians moving. Watch for it next month. Leo Simpson