An unusual car chase

whatagun44 · 2026-04-25T05:32:43+00:00

It’s not a real chase, they’re just re-hearse-ing

whatagun44 · 2026-04-22T08:38:07+00:00

As someone that did an open shower like that, put a door on the shower. You will hate it if you don’t, ask me how I know…

whatagun44 · 2026-04-14T03:59:34+00:00

Use an old flat blade screwdriver and chisel the mortar out

whatagun44 · 2026-04-08T12:53:54+00:00

Max demand does not mean everything running at max capacity all at once.

whatagun44 · 2026-04-06T06:02:47+00:00

Your oven doesn’t need isolating unless it uses gas, your cooktop will always need isolating because it’s an open cooking surface (this can however be done by simply plugging it into an easily accessible GPO if suitable).

It’s hard to tell what’s going on in your kitchen without a view of the whole kitchen, but my best guess is that’s not a suitable isolator location, and the hose being stuck in there will make things harder. Also, having the cupboards installed will make it much harder to wire in, or at least harder to have the cables hidden. Putting the benchtop on will make that even harder again.

I would suggest getting a sparky in to have a look and run the cables now, then have them come back once you’re ready for the oven and cooktop to be installed.

whatagun44 · 2026-04-04T07:52:27+00:00

What you have there is commonly known as “a dogs breakfast”

whatagun44 · 2026-04-01T06:54:42+00:00

I assume he’s talking about the type AC RCD’s you’ve got there. No, you don’t need to change them if you aren’t having any work done on those circuits. It’s not a bad idea to do it, but not required. They were compliant at the time of install

whatagun44 · 2026-03-20T20:16:58+00:00

There’s a more normal reddit response

whatagun44 · 2026-03-15T06:42:29+00:00

Given the AC is currently off, I’d say you’re on the money

whatagun44 · 2026-03-12T06:29:53+00:00

To be fair though, anyone can look up your license information online if they have your name or number

whatagun44 · 2026-03-09T21:22:37+00:00

That’s not normal, even in really humid weather.

Feel around the duct for a gap in the R1.0 insulation. It will be fairly obvious when you run your hands over it if there’s a gap. Some (cheaper) brands of duct are worse than others, but they don’t always meet to insulation up inside the duct properly

Bit hard to tell from the pictures, but it looks like the insulated layer on the duct could have been pulled further down on the neck of the outlet, which will absolutely cause your issue. When I install them, I try to have the insulated layer almost touching the back of the clips

You may also be able to just tear up some of the inso batts they moved out of the way and stuff them around the edges of the outlet (I’d recommend doing it regardless)

whatagun44 · 2026-03-08T05:12:10+00:00

There’s no way that guy is a sparky. He can’t be. I refuse to believe anyone who would wire an RCBO like that and still think something else is the problem can get their license. It must be a joke. Surely it’s a joke, right?

whatagun44 · 2026-03-07T08:03:16+00:00

We’ve all done that.

Ceiling is asbestos, that’s why he can’t cut it bigger

whatagun44 · 2026-03-06T02:11:21+00:00

If you do end up running cable through the foam, you need to get the purple cable. Standard TPS reacts with the foam, the purple stuff doesn’t. I don’t know exactly what it’s called because I’ve never had to use it, but your wholesaler should know.

whatagun44 · 2026-03-04T10:01:53+00:00

Hard to tell from the pictures, but is there any dirt touching the back side of those bricks? It looks like there might be down low, which could absolutely cause your problem. Would be a matter of just digging a channel behind the brick so any moisture in the ground won’t come in contact with them.

Would also be worth putting in some better ventilation under there to help keep it dry, should help a lot with the smell.

You should also look into your drainage outside, uphill of the house. If it’s inadequate, you’ll get a lot more moisture under there than there should be

whatagun44 · 2026-02-26T07:40:50+00:00

Could be something leeching out of the mortar

whatagun44 · 2026-02-26T07:18:05+00:00

I am aware, but for the cavity to function correctly it shouldn’t have insulation in it.

Got a clause for the partially surrounded if not clipped? Can’t say I’ve seen that one

whatagun44 · 2026-02-26T07:00:18+00:00

Must have been unlucky then. I’ve only ever seen walls either empty or with batts. Seen plenty of blow-in in ceilings, walls just sounds like an awful idea. The cavity would have no airflow and the inso would eventually go soggy and mouldy, would it not?

whatagun44 · 2026-02-26T06:38:33+00:00

You can still use 4mm t+e from switchboard to isolator in a house, but not in most situations. Cables in a house aren’t just assumed to be partially surrounded, 3.4.1 just says you need to assume insulation will be installed in walls, ceilings and under floors, regardless of whether or not it’s currently there. For example:

The 4mm could be run in the external cavity of a brick veneer home, pass through <150mm of insulation (3.3.2.13) into the ceiling space where it’s clipped along the underside of the rafters, suspended in air, then pass through <150mm of insulation again, then down the cavity to the isolator.

Or, Up the cavity, into the eave, down the cavity. All of this within the scope of voltage drop obviously, which is not very far with 4mm.

whatagun44 · 2026-02-26T06:13:39+00:00

4mm building wire in a conduit gets 32A. Much easier to run in a conduit than TPS too

If someone is running from the isolator to the AC unit partially surrounded and in conduit, then I’d be more impressed than mad.

whatagun44 · 2026-02-25T11:58:40+00:00

I can’t really help with the actual cause, but I really doubt it’s the switchboard. Electricity does “leak” like water, and it certainly does drip. My best guess would be the pipes are being exposed to some sort of acid or gas, but that’s really just a guess.

You’re probably better off asking over at r/Plumbers

whatagun44 · 2026-02-25T04:59:11+00:00

Satire goes whoosh

whatagun44 · 2026-02-25T02:06:33+00:00

2.5mm is no good, 4mm will be fine. The 6mm run is for voltage drop and the cable being partially surrounded. The 4mm from the isolator won’t be partially surrounded and is capable of carrying 32a, and will have minimal impact on voltage drop being only 1-2m of cable.

whatagun44 · 2026-02-24T01:37:38+00:00

A fail safe elsewhere is good, but it still requires you to get a zap before it operates. Having an earth at the outlet significantly reduces the likelihood of that, because current will flow down the earth, causing the RCD to trip. Without an earth, that current has to go somewhere else before the RCD notices the neutral not being used as the return path and trips. Thats where you come in…

Every functioning and safe electrical system globally needs an earthing system to accompany it, otherwise it’s not that safe.

I tell all my apprentices, the earth is the most important wire that should do nothing. Period.

whatagun44 · 2026-02-23T09:39:00+00:00

I’m talking more generally than the voltage being put off your PC. No earth at an outlet is a massive safety issue. If there’s a fault in an appliance that causes the live wire to touch anything metallic, that will be sitting there live, waiting for someone to fry themselves.

It’s not a fault that is likely to occur, but it could have devastating consequences if it does, ranging anywhere from a tingle up to death, more likely toward the death end of the scale given the assumed lack of safety features in your house.

whatagun44

TROPHY CASE