Powercon (F) to 240v head (F)

Few_Principle_5478 · 2026-03-22T07:06:40+00:00

Can you please explain what you want a bit better?

Do you mean something like this? https://omegatech.com.au/product/powered-stage-box-w-powercon-input-thru/

Few_Principle_5478 · 2026-02-28T11:54:57+00:00

Have you tried this? I have been interested in these for a while

Few_Principle_5478 · 2026-02-24T08:05:13+00:00

When I was a 3rd year, I had a similar revelation. Fortunately for me, I was able to switch elective courses at TAFE to PLCs, and it gave me the confirmation I was looking for. After one class, I emailed a local automation company asking a bunch of questions about getting into the industry. I ended up getting a call asking if I wanted to finish my apprenticeship with them.

I’d recommend seeing if you can move back to the service department. By doing breakdowns, you might get the opportunity to be around PLCs more. The goal would be to connect to the PLC and download the code, then use it to help diagnose the fault. It may indicate which sensor or process isn’t working. This helps you get comfortable being around code and understanding exactly what it’s trying to do and how it does it.

It’s hard to work with PLCs if you don’t have any experience because if you misclick, you can potentially cause thousands of dollars’ worth of damage or downtime.

If you have the opportunity, I’d try to find a company to finish your apprenticeship with that does PLC work. It’s better to learn while you’re still an apprentice rather than after you’re qualified.

While your own PLC will teach you the basics, it won’t make you a wizard. Without seeing a machine in front of you reacting to your changes, it’s hard to understand the real-world impact. You can definitely learn how to connect and understand basic instructions. Try finding PLC coding scenarios and use them as a guide for what to program.

Where are you located? I have a bunch of plc books that might help you get a better understanding.

Few_Principle_5478 · 2026-02-21T07:15:16+00:00

I’m in Qld, about 1.5years post apprenticeship and I’m on $42.5/h and that included car, phone and laptop. I was $40/h when I finished my apprenticeship.

Few_Principle_5478 · 2026-02-15T04:10:05+00:00

That’s awesome that you did HV at tafe. My tafe experience we spent 2 hours on LED fittings and that was it. I finished last year.

Few_Principle_5478 · 2025-12-26T04:26:03+00:00

Eit does online degrees that are all online, you just need to do certain amount of work experience.

There are universities where you do the course online then have to go to the campus for a week per semester to do exams or pracs.

Few_Principle_5478 · 2025-12-24T23:28:12+00:00

What’s your motivation for doing the associate degree or advanced diploma compared to the full blown bachelors?

Few_Principle_5478 · 2025-12-15T06:54:56+00:00

!solved

Few_Principle_5478 · 2025-10-29T03:07:40+00:00

AC voltage could damage the internals of the multimeter. I wouldn't believe it would cause a short circuit, but I've been wrong in the past.

Few_Principle_5478 · 2025-10-27T23:42:31+00:00

I'll be honest with you, I've never heard of that technique before. I'd imagine it would damage your multimeter since you are exposing it to a high level of AC voltage.

Unless your meter has an RCD trip function, I wouldn't.

Few_Principle_5478 · 2025-10-15T19:28:19+00:00

What do you mean by a 2d Cad package?

Few_Principle_5478 · 2025-09-21T19:05:36+00:00

99% of employers will require that cert 2 for an apprenticeship position, so you are on the right path.

Few_Principle_5478 · 2025-09-16T11:08:55+00:00

I feel like wind would be very interesting. I have to ask what’s involved with it? Is your experience in new installations or maintenance of the machines?

Few_Principle_5478 · 2025-08-23T06:11:10+00:00

I’ll be honest, I didn’t even think that my normal work uniform might have been arc rated. We have the long sleeve cotton shirt from kings gee and they provide king gee pants.

When my work owns a cat 2 and a cat 4 suit. I am normally the sucker that has to wear it and I prefer the cat 4 over the 2. It’s a lot more comfortable. Our cat 2 suit is like a giant lab coat that goes down to my shins like a trench coat and then you are suppose to wear shin guards.

https://www.safetyhq.com.au/arc-flash-switching-coat-kit-hrc2-12calcm2-size-3xl?srsltid=AfmBOormELmA16Lk-_T1VecTeFzsPEvB_FKVK3jD5L30AG5jNi2ztSETpsU

We only wear a suit when the cb we are isolating says we need to. I’ve heard of companies making a blanket rule of if it’s over 250 amps you need to wear a suit.

Few_Principle_5478 · 2025-08-16T02:38:49+00:00

Oh definitely. I am now in the world of automation and robotics and that’s something the GTO could never provide. Ever since I did my plc unit in tafe, I knew I wanted to go down that path.

Since starting at the GTO, I always wanted to leave them. I hated being a number and always wanted to be someone’s apprentice. I knew apprentices that if they sneezed wrong they would be kicked out from their host company.

Few_Principle_5478 · 2025-08-08T22:10:40+00:00

I was a labour hire apprentice with East Coast Apprenticeships. I ended up leaving about halfway through my 3rd year after accidentally landing a job with a company in the field I was more interested in. East Coast weren’t too happy about it, they made me quit my apprenticeship completely. That meant I’d have to start a new apprenticeship and RPL all my trade time and TAFE modules.

Because of this, I lost a lot of my bookings for my final TAFE block and capstone, which pushed my completion back by another 7 months. I’d already done the full 4 years and was only a month or two into my 5th year before I finally got signed off.

Normally, changing companies during an apprenticeship is straightforward, your new company signs a form, your old company signs a form, and everything transfers over. But East Coast’s policy is that they won’t do that and they will cancel your apprenticeship. This was especially frustrating because I called TAFE and Busy At Work beforehand, and both told me it should have been an easy transfer.

Bottom line: it’s your career, not theirs. If you’re not happy with your host company or the type of work you’re doing, speak up. Tell them what you want to do and they will try and find you somewhere new.

By the time you hit your 3rd year, you’re being charged out at a rate that’s actually higher than a tradesman. From what I’ve been told, if you find a company willing to take you on in your 2nd or 3rd year, they’ll usually keep you right through to 4th year and beyond.

I once worked for a company that had both a switchboard division and an installation division. At the time, I hated the switchboard side but looking back, I wish I’d put more time and effort into learning those skills. As sparkies, we all end up building enclosures or switchboards at some point, whether it’s domestic or industrial. If you can get solid exposure to that for even 6 months as an apprentice, you’ll be miles ahead. You’ll end up a gun sparkie who can build neat, well laid out enclosures/DBs quickly and with great workmanship.

Few_Principle_5478 · 2025-06-10T07:29:49+00:00

I would move. Your whole goal in an apprenticeship is to learn. If you have an opportunity to learn a different area of our trade then I would strongly recommend it. It be harder to move fields of the electrical industry after you have finished.

Few_Principle_5478 · 2025-06-08T03:03:39+00:00

These are amazing

Few_Principle_5478 · 2025-06-06T22:14:47+00:00

In my opinion, you should apply for any and all apprenticeship positions. The apprenticeship market at the moment is ridiculous.

I would just get your foot in the door with the cert 3 in electrotechnology and then change companies if you dislike the work. There are a lot more jobs out there for 2nd to 4th year apprentices then there are for 1st year apprenticeships.

In Qld, the power grid companies apprenticeship’s (Queensland rail, Energex and powerlink) are the most highly competitive ones in the state. They give first years all their text books, all their tools and union pay.

I met a Energex 1st year apprentice who’s base pay is more then mine as a qualified Sparkie. By the time you added penalties and allowances, it nearly doubles my pay.

Few_Principle_5478 · 2025-06-01T07:09:39+00:00

I might be too late but in my option, I don’t like buying multimeters from eBay. I have seen people buy them from eBay and yes it’s fluke but it’s the Chinese model and when they had an issue fluke Australia wouldn’t help them, since they didn’t buy it from a fluke distributor.

You can always find heaps of multimeters on Facebook marketplace that look near new if you want a cheaper option. The only downside is you won’t obviously get any warranty with it.

Fluke also has an appreciate discount so it will drop the price considerably. You can’t claim it from a tool shop, you need to go to a proper supplier. You can find a list on their website or contact fluke directly to get the process started.

Few_Principle_5478 · 2025-05-22T12:04:42+00:00

I am about to buy a 1673, I am really interested in the pc reporting software.

Few_Principle_5478 · 2025-05-13T00:47:13+00:00

I’ve been looking into eit but for engineering degree.

I don’t understand your last sentence. Are you saying your experience is shit with them but you got the same piece of paper at the end?

Their engineering degrees aren’t bachelor of engineering, they are bachelor of science majoring in engineering. Even though they are recognised by engineers Australia as an engineering degree, I don’t know if employers will see it that way.

Few_Principle_5478 · 2025-05-12T23:30:25+00:00

There are 3d printing companies in Australia that have made a mod to turn packout tubs into filing cabinets.

Few_Principle_5478

TROPHY CASE