Do I need a sparky to change a light switch?

I need to change a light switch in my house to a dimmer switch. Do I need a sparky to do this? I mean legally do I need one, I'm more than able to do it myself, but don't want to break the law.

Incidentally I grew up in Ireland where you never get a tradie to do anything - plumbing, electricals, you name it, it's DIY. As a kid I'd help my dad do every bit of tradie work around the house and his business imaginable, so when I came to Australia it was culture shock to discover that I couldn't do what to me are fairly simple tasks like install a new electrical socket or plumb in a water tank from the guttering!

Cheers
Jonathon
 
Hi, I'm pretty sure that you will need a sparky for this - because you're fiddling with the wiring. In these litigous days, you even need a licensed tech to run a telephone wire.:rolleyes:
 
im pretty sure you need a registered electrician

my old boss was english and he said the same thing, over there he did all his own electrical work and was a shock when he came here
 
Being a sparky I can definitely tell you that you need to use sparky - its illegal otherwise, not to mention very very dangerous.
 
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Thanks guys, sparky it'll be then....but only when I've found a few other jobs for him to do - getting a tradie out for 5 mins work doesn't make much sense to me.
 
That's what we do Jonathan. Although sometimes Murphy's law prevails and a situation arises just after a tradesman has been called on another issue.

Unless the need of a dimmer switch is urgent, why not wait until you find a few more things that need doing - more power points?
Marg
 
I need to change a light switch in my house to a dimmer switch. Do I need a sparky to do this? I mean legally do I need one, I'm more than able to do it myself, but don't want to break the law.

Incidentally I grew up in Ireland where you never get a tradie to do anything - plumbing, electricals, you name it, it's DIY. As a kid I'd help my dad do every bit of tradie work around the house and his business imaginable, so when I came to Australia it was culture shock to discover that I couldn't do what to me are fairly simple tasks like install a new electrical socket or plumb in a water tank from the guttering!

Cheers
Jonathon

Australia is a bit of an over-regulated country unfortunately.

It's a bit of a shock for many foreigners coming here.

Cheers,
 
That's so true Rooster.

The reason why its regulated and licensed is because it connects to a public network. (The same reason phone wiring and plumbing are) and if the public network is compromised, it could be dangerous, break down etc..

You can build a whole house yourself except for the 3 above trades.
 
But how many times do you get a licensed tradie out to do a job so you don't break the law, and then see that the shoddy job they have done is worse than you could have done yourself?
 
Incidentally I grew up in Ireland where you never get a tradie to do anything - plumbing, electricals, you name it, it's DIY. As a kid I'd help my dad do every bit of tradie work around the house and his business imaginable, so when I came to Australia it was culture shock to discover that I couldn't do what to me are fairly simple tasks like install a new electrical socket or plumb in a water tank from the guttering!

Cheers
Jonathon
Maybe once you get thrown into a wall,or all the wires start smoking while running back to the main:eek: box because you mixed up the coloured wires,then you will understand why it takes 4plus years to become a trades-person in Australia,i know my life is worth more then the ca;ll out fee plus labour-materials,YOU NEED A LIC SPARKY,what price can anyone put on safety???..willair..
 
But how many times do you get a licensed tradie out to do a job so you don't break the law, and then see that the shoddy job they have done is worse than you could have done yourself?

How many times do you pay a licensed tradesman for a shoddy job???

I would have thought never.

Putting up with and paying for shoddy electrical wiring should not be tolerated.

If you think it is unsafe in anyway, you should be reporting it. It's your life at the end of the day.

Cheers

Rooster
 
But how many times do you get a licensed tradie out to do a job so you don't break the law, and then see that the shoddy job they have done is worse than you could have done yourself?

Then don't pay them,and complain to who ever you want they come down quite hard on dodgey sparkies,if a plumber stuffs up all that will happen is water damage,if a sparkie stuff up,the place either gets leveled through
Fire,or someone gets killed pure and simple..willair..
 
Does anyone have any stats about how much safer/better an over regulated Australia is than other less well regulated developed countries ?

I don't have any stats for you Keith.

My opinion is purely based on working in many different countries as a sparky and that includes Australia.

I wouldn't mind seeing if the statistics support my view as well.


Rooster
 
I've travelled through a lot of poor countries in Africa and South America and seem some shocking examples of electrical wiring. I have no doubt that lots of people die from shocks in those places, but unfortunately a much lower price is put on a person's life in some countries.

My favourites were the shower heads in South America - they pretty much ran the mains straight to a unit at the shower head itself, usually hanging by a thread, and I've had more than a few scary moments looking up at the wires wondering if I'm about to be fried alive!
 
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