"BLOCK" SYSTEM

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 17, 18 September 1930, Page 11

"BLOCK" SYSTEM

JSkECTRICAL CHANGES IN

HOUSES

At a recent meeting of the Hutt i^folley Power Board a discussion took place on the advisability or otherwise «f tfce Board instituting the "block" system for the purpose of attending to little electrical defects in the houses oi eoustuners, especially where certain fittings have to be replaced to conform ta naore recent regulations and it was decided that the Engineer: General Manager report on the matter.

Tlie Engineer-General Manager (Mr. E. F. Hollands) reported as follows: —

$• as to indicate our responsibility witfc regard to re-inspeefcion "of installati«&s connected to the Board's supply, I wail quote the Regulations.

ifi£amtenanee of Installation:—Clause MS (1) Every Consumer shall maintain ia a. safe condition and in all respects fit sf#r conveying and utilizing electrical energy all electric lines, wires, fitifaage, apparatus, and appliances belonging to him.

to maintain.—lf a consumer ..foils so" to maintain, his installatoin the licensee shall: (a) In the case where tke installation is in'a dangerous condition, forthwith discontinue to supply fir«m his electric lines; (b) In all eases discontinue to supply from Ms elcGtrie limes after a reasonable period has been allowed in which to effect repairs, and w&ak repairs have not been effected; (c) Not TMonunence supply from his eleetorie lines until the defects, on account *rf which supply was discontinued, have fcean remedied. Periodical Inspections.—Clause 214 (&}. Fox the purpose of ascertaining tfeat a consumer ;s installation is in a aafe condition and in all respects fit f»r conveying and utilizing electrical emergy, the licensee shall make periodical inspections and tests of such, instal: lataon at intervals of not more than live years. Tnspeetion on request. —"The licensee alkali, at any time on request by the • oansumer and on receipt of a guarantee to pay the cost thereof, inspect and test the consumer's installation. It will be gathered from the above clauses that the consumer has some reiponsibility in maintaining the installation of his premises in a safe condition, and the licensee's responsibility -j* definite. As the Board has been in iteration for well over five years, a was made on the re-inspection of. installations early this year. It was decided to commence the re-inspections ia the Eastbourne [District. In connection with the re-inspectioiv a»d testing of the installations at Eastoearne and Bays, the following is a gnmrnary of defects and their causes - found in 'installations:— "* (1) Bathrooms requiring Insulated Holders; Outbuildings requiring Insulated Holders. (2) 3 Pin Type Plugs required due to Ranges, Sinks, etc., being installed. (jd) Insulated Switches for same reason as No. 2 and filso due because of Telephones having been installed. (4> Broken Conduits and Earth Wires, due to structural alterations by Carpenters, etc. (5) Illegal wiring done by consumers *nd their friends. • .;■ The majority of faults dicQvcred are antixely due to the consumers. See <CBauses 4 and 5 of the Summary of defects. , In a report from the Inspector who is «arrying out the. inspection, he writes as follows:—"I have been well ToeeWed, and after stating the object •f my Tisit, have been told in most <msec by the eonsmneis that they were pleased that we were interested "in them, and having had the alterations accessary pointed out to them have expressed their thankfulness and stated that they would get the matters attended to at their earliest convenience. "I informed each consumer that - several consumers in each street were having alterations done and that it would pay them to engage a Contractor to make one trip from Petone, and 4o them all together. This has been dome in most eases with satisfactory msults, and in some cases the matter has been left in any hands to engage • Contractor chosen by them with the lesult 'that the woTk has been coped with and kept up to date so that there is no cause for any anxiety on the part of the Board in respect to the progress of the re-inspection work.

"I have had only.one complaint from a consumer kbout having to engage a

Contractor from Petone to make a special trip, but after a little reasoning the matter was left in my hands to engage a Petone Contractor to call when he was making a trip for others.

"I have made enquiries from Contractors who are doing this work as to the average cost per installation, same being about live or six shillings. In rare cases the cost-may run into about two or three pounds, while the lowest cost per installation is 3/6."

We have practically completed the Eastbourne and Bays District and, as this is the only district where there is aot a resident elee/trieal contractor, I do not anticipate any difficulty from the consumers' point of view in carrying out the re-inspection and having ike necessary work carried out by electriealVdntraetors at a reasonable cost.

After investigation, I cannot recommend any better system than the one now in force, nor do I consider it necessary for the Board to carry out installation work.

There are ample electrical contractors available in the Board's area of supply to cope with the work, and the keen competition by the contractors to secure business will exclude unfair prices being charged to our Consumers for installations or repairs. The Chief Inspector (Mr. A. Taylor) reports tnat any complaint made in connection with the above must be regarded as the smallest trifle: On looking back over the records of this Departmental find that a good many installations were wired as long ago as seven or eight years, principally at Eastbourne. Some installations were actually wired before the BoaTd came into being, and therefore were not subject to the Board's by-laws. Ever since the commencement of operations we have had more trouble with Eastbourne than any other district. The fact that we have had so much trouble with consumers in general, in the District, also being the first in which the Block wiring was commenced, it was decided after a conference to make Eastbourne the first District for . reinspection. It was expected that on •f account of the By-laws and the new Regulations, also with some of the job/} being fairly old, we would have a considerable amount, of trouble with the but contrary to expectations the installations have turned out very well indeed and in most cases the, alterations required are only minor af- . fairs. In one or two cases a low test is found which is usually not expensive to rectify. So far all requests have been complied with. Regarding the w,6rk being let in Blocks it is not considered of sufficient importance to warrant the organising of same. It was also considered that with the printing of the contractors' names and address on the back of the forms, each would get their share of the work when the Inspector was operating in their: respective districts. Of course, we will always get one or two consumers who are probably hit the least when it is all summed up, and this type of person usually tries to rouse his neighbours into the discussion to try and make it general.. In concluding, I do not consider it is possible to improve upon the system of re-in-spection work as being carried out at present. On the motion of Mr., McCurdy, seconded by Mr. Hobbs, the reports of the EngineeT-Gener&l Manager and Chief Inspector were received.