[Rovers]

+1 Hedley

[mattn]

Electrical regulations do not require you to have an RCD installed when you are issued a new WoEF, so no one has done anything wrong. What has happened is times have changed, and the new way of doing things is much safer but incompatible with the old way of doing things.

Camp ground staff are talking though holes in their heads. The cannot be bothered with explain it all to unhappy customers, so the pin the blame on a faceless nameless person who has no right of reply. For obvious reasons they don't blame you, and certainly don't take responsibility for it themselves.

The WoEF is about safety. The fact your van trips the RCD on the caravan park and cannot get power is inconvenient, not unsafe. The simple 'Fix' or removing the E-N link is a convenient, illegal (As it prescribed electrical work) and very unsafe condition if you plug into the very common older supply pillars. If you want a convenient and safe installation, you can (emphasis on can) upgrade to van to have an RCD.

If you upgrade you van to have an RCD, its safer and will work on both old and new style caravan supply pillars.

Recommended option is ring an electrician and have the switch board upgraded with an RCD.

[RaymonD]

Old caravans without RCD’s or RCBO’s are still legal and can still be issued with a WOEF.
This is because they complied with the rules that applied at the time they were built and as long as they continue to comply and are not electrically unsafe they can remain in service unchanged.
Electrical Safety Regulation 113 allows this.

The relevant sections of AS/NZS3001:2008 (C6.9 Supply arrangements and C6.10 RCD’s) quite clearly allow all of the variations that have existed in the past to remain in service.

It amazes me how rules are changed on the grounds of safety, yet the old rules are allowed to remain in force (gas is another example) why were the rules changed ?

[Sarmajor]

NZECP1:1993 allowed the use of RCD’s in caravans but not caravan parks, this was because a MEN link was still required in the caravan.

There was a further change of rules when AS/NZS3001:2001 became the cited standard for connectable installations. This required protection by RCD for sockets on supply pillars except for the IEC60309 (Blue Sockets). Still due to the MEN link in the caravan. RCD protection was required for all sub circuits of the caravan installation.

AS/NZS3001:2008 moved things along again requiring RCD’s for all Supply pillar sockets and deleted the requirement for any MEN link in connectable installations that have a plug and socket connection to the supply.

The evolution has been a slow and steady one and has followed along with the development of the electrical industry’s equipment.

The rules are changed to allow the use of new equipment that enhances safety.

I have taken the liberty of posting the text of ESR113 which is the grandfather clause that allows existing electrical installations to remain in service.

113 Existing and in-process works, installations, fittings, and appliances
(1) This regulation applies to works, installations, fittings, and appliances that, on 1 April 2010, were—
(a) installed, for sale, or in use in New Zealand; or
(b) under construction or being installed in New Zealand; or
(c) in transit to New Zealand; or
(d) the subject of an irrevocable purchasing order by a person in New Zealand.
(2) Despite anything to the contrary in these regulations, the works, installations, fittings, and appliances—
(a) may continue to be constructed, installed, sold, or used provided that—
(i) they are not electrically unsafe; and
(ii) they complied immediately before 1 April 2010 with the require- ments of the Electricity Regulations 1997; and
(iii) they continue to comply, as a minimum, with the requirements of the Electricity Regulations 1997 as in force immediately before their revocation by these regulations; and
(b) may, until 1 April 2012, be tested, certified, or inspected in accordance with—
(i) the Electricity Regulations 1997 as in force immediately before 1 April 2010; or
(ii) these regulations.

The key words in there are “Electrically Unsafe”

If every change to the electrical rules mandated compliance with the latest rules you would need to have an electrician on speeded dial and it would be prohibitively expensive.

There has only ever been one change to the Electrical rules that was retrospective in that it banned the use of something that was established in common usage. This was the rule that banned the use of scraping earths and effectively outlawed the old style reyrolle plugs and sockets.

[idex]

Thanks for your explanations Hedley. They really help us "non-electricians" get a better understanding of the electrical regulations and why things need to be as they are. Your efforts are very much appreciated.

[Derb]

Further to my previous posting regarding Newer van switchboard and RCBO. The van manufacturer was able to furnish evidence that the switch was an RCBO devise (a matter which I was also able to confirm with J.A. Russell this morning - $156.75 inc to buy). As a result of this and my updating of the Zephette switchboard, both are now legit until 2022. I was more than happy to bring Zephette up to modern spec's so had no issue with the spend. all nice and safe.

[Sarmajor]

Strange (but good for you) that you were able to confirm that the correct device was fitted to your van by the manufacturer but the “Inspector” was unable to onfirm the same thing visually at the time of inspection.
As several very experienced Inspectors have commented on other forums, there are “inspectors”and there are “Inspectors”.

Your zephette was fully compliant with the inline RCD and would have been able to connect to any caravan park supply pillar regardless of whether it was RCD protected or not.

Your choice to upgrade to an internal RCD simply removes something from the supply lead that could be damaged in the future. The inline RCD’s can get a bit bashed about and will leak eventually.

One other thing that I saw in another conversation was someone mentioning testing and tagging of the supply lead.
The supply lead is tested as part of the WOEF and that is all that is required. No tag is required.
In fact the standards that are used for testing & tagging all use the words a tag MAY be fitted. The only equipment that SHALL have a tag fitted is that which fails testing.

[Derb]

My Inspector had an unusual take on the testing/tagging of the leads - He tested them both and declared them both safe and up to spec. He then said that they are both legit but if tagged, and the 6 month test period runs out, a C.P. owner could view the tag and declare it out of spec requiring it to be disconnected. However, the lead could be taken to be covered by the van Electrical Warrant therefore current for 4 years. (a view also confirmed by a senior electrician at work here at the mill who has a caravan). I have chosen to accept the latter reasoning.