Does this rusted light housing need to be replaced?

[miss green eyes]

An electrician is coming out to take a look.
However, the replacement may be vetoed by a member of the exec, who thinks it doesn't need replacement. The electrician may provide his objective opinion, or he may say what he thinks will mollify the exec member.
If it really needs to be replaced and I need to fight for it, I will have to take it to the Department of Fair Trading.
It's an external light mounted on a wall ie exposed to rain.
Any advice?

 

[marg4000]

Ask for his opinion in writing if he certifies the fitting as safe. This puts responsibility back on to him.
Marg

 

[battler]

It's an external light mounted on a wall ie exposed to rain.
Any advice?

It's hard to be sure from the pic but unless it's in a weatherproof housing it shouldn't even be there.

The Sparky will confirm if it's weatherproof or not (which it could be, as the rusty stuff could be condensation inside the housing.

 

[miss green eyes]

Thanks Marg!
I was thinking of asking him to allow me to video him saying so, your idea is better.
If I were him, I'd insist on changing that housing. From his perspective, I wouldn't want to be liable.
But who knows.

 

[miss green eyes]

Thanks Battler.
The housing should be weatherproof. Logically anything mounted on an external wall must be.
But it's old.
Could even be 10-15 years old.

 

[Scott No Mates]

That's not an outdoor/weatherproof fitting - there is no cover and the tombstones are exposed ie water can get into the fitting.

A suitable fitting would be like this one:

 

[miss green eyes]

Thanks Scott,



I took the cover off to take a photo

It normally has a cover on.

 

[Scott No Mates]

It won't be until the sparky has a look but the earth link may have rusted off or be severely corroded making the fitting live & dangerous.

 

[Bhp19]

This fitting definitely doesn't have the correct IP rating for the location you have described and any electrician worth his salt will be happy to tell you that, they would probably be happy to write it on the invoice for the call out too.
This puts no responsibility on the electrician to repair it though, if that's what you meant Marg or did you mean on the member of the exec?

 

[miss green eyes]

what's an IP rating?
The electrician will likely install a replacement that looks like the one in Scott's photo.
Is that OK?

 

[Bhp19]

IP rating is ingress protection, it is used to specify the environmental protection of enclosures around electronic equipment, which means it specifies how much dust and/or water can find it's way into said enclosures, such as light fittings.
In this circumstance the light, if installed on an external wall with no protection such as an awning or roof should have a minimum IP rating of IP54 which the one in Scott's photo would be.

Hope this helps.

 

[miss green eyes]

Thanks BHP.
I went to a light shop and told them my specs and they recommended a light.
But since I started fighting with the exec, I have washed my hands of the affair and will leave it to the sparkie.
He said he's got the correct housing.
Anyway, I will get it from him in writing if he decides it's not worth changing.

Nope, no awning, no roof. just buckets and buckets of rain, straight down onto the light.

 

[marg4000]

This fitting definitely doesn't have the correct IP rating for the location you have described and any electrician worth his salt will be happy to tell you that, they would probably be happy to write it on the invoice for the call out too.
This puts no responsibility on the electrician to repair it though, if that's what you meant Marg or did you mean on the member of the exec?

The writer of the original post was concerned that the exec would bully the electrician into saying it was safe when it really wasn't.

I was simply suggesting a written confirmation to ensure the electrician was not influenced unduly.
Marg

 

[miss green eyes]

Good idea.
How's this for my argument:
Body corp is legally bound to keep building in safe state.
If sparkie deems light safe and not needing to be replaced, I want written undertaking of that, and for how many years.
If sparkie will not sign off on this, this means the light is not safe, so must be replaced.
Sound good?
thanks

 

[miss green eyes]

The writer of the original post was concerned that the exec would bully the electrician into saying it was safe when it really wasn't.

Marg

Haha!!! Yes, that's exactly what I meant!!!!!!

 

[Bhp19]

Ok, got it, that sounds perfectly reasonable but I think you'll find the it would be in the electrician's interest (and everybody else's) to replace the light, otherwise he'd be doing himself out of business.

 

[miss green eyes]

Ok, got it, that sounds perfectly reasonable but I think you'll find the it would be in the electrician's interest (and everybody else's) to replace the light, otherwise he'd be doing himself out of business.

Thanks BHP.
At the moment I am caught in a tussle between strata and exec.
I can only hope the sparkie will replace it.
If he doesn't and he doesn't sign off on it, I will take it to the department of fair trading on those grounds.

 

[miss green eyes]

Just an update:
Electrician has been in attendance. He took the cover off the light and the rusted piece of steel fell off.
Housing was changed.
I won't have to worry about it again until it rusts again someday.
One of the exec tried to ask the sparkie not to replace the light, but I requested that it be done as the garden is dark without it and a safety hazard.
Also, if the sparkie had disconnected the light he would have left the housing on anyway, without a light, so it would have looked like a badly-maintained property.
Thanks everyone for your support!

 

[Perp]

One of the exec tried to ask the sparkie not to replace the light

I can't believe people have the energy for such pettiness. Absurd.

 

[Bhp19]

How tight are these people? A fluro fitting like that might cost $50 at the most and less than an hour for a sparky to change out!
How many dwellings in this complex?