NZ Electrics (off topic content removed )

[JohnW2]

On reflection, I suspect the DP switches have to have "OFF" marked on them, but SP switches don't.

Who knows?! Even most New Zealanders presumably don't understand the difference between SP and DP switches or the significance of the difference?

I also would suggest that (unless one "knows"), those rocker switches are somewhat potentially ambiguous. I imagine that if one pushes the bit labelled 'Off' that probably turns the switch off. However, others may think that it's off when the "off" side of the rocker is 'sticking out'.

 

[securespark]

Board in a hotel room with a SP main switch:

 

[FrodoOne]

Where's @FrodoOne when you need them?

I have been busy with other things !

Australia/New Zealand uses "Active" for "Line"/"Phase"

The Letters "A", "N" and "E" (Active, Neutral and Earth) are often molded into the plastic on the wiring side of rewireable Plugs.
"Active" is also used in AS/NZS 3000 - the "Wiring Rules".

If you look-up (download)
NEW ZEALAND ELECTRICAL CODE OF PRACTICE FOR HOMEOWNER/OCCUPIER’S ELECTRICAL WIRING WORK IN DOMESTIC INSTALLATIONS
you will find it used there, often coupled with "phase"
[e. g. Active (phase)]
Coupling Active/phase may be a New Zealand thing.

There is an interesting TABLE on page vii of the FOREWORD of the abovementioned document.

Electricity.........................Maori
Active (phase)........Spiritual element, active, tapu
Neutral.....................Physical element, neutral, noa
Earth.........................Mauri or life force derived from Papatuanuku or Earth Mother


I use the Name "FrodoOne" as a "Nom de NET", because I started "communicating" on a site such as this shortly after the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy came out
and
"Frodo" was already "taken", on that site.

 

[securespark]

Another shaver socket/ socket combo.

 

[securespark]

Another day, another CU.

An odd accessory. Don't know what this one controls:

 

[securespark]

Call point:

Interesting in that breaking the glass does not automatically operate the call point, you have to manually switch it.

 

[Why Not Indeed]

Presumably they have negative phone numbers there because it's on the other side of the world?

It would be pretty unlikely to accidentally break the glass and flip the switch down, so I guess that's why it's like that.

 

[SUNRAY]

Presumably they have negative phone numbers there because it's on the other side of the world?

It would be pretty unlikely to accidentally break the glass and flip the switch down, so I guess that's why it's like that.

In germany it used to be break glass and press button. I many still have an enammelled plate from a ripout.

 

[FrodoOne]

Call point:

Interesting in that breaking the glass does not automatically operate the call point, you have to manually switch it.

I think you fill find that the Switch is "Momentarily ON",
Hence, it acts like a Push-Button.

The ones that I have seen in Australia incorporate an actual "Push Button".

(I needed to operate one once!

In the office building, where I was working [late], with only one other person, the nearby "EXIT" sign caught fire !!!
Fortunately, there was a second exit about 20 metres away, so I went out of that and operated the Alarm - taking off my shoe to break the glass with its heel.

By this time, the EXIT sign had burned through whatever was holding it to the false ceiling and had fallen onto the carpeted floor.
Since it was now no longer an "Electrical" fire, I used a "Foam" extinguisher to put it out'.

The problem durned out to be a "failed capacitor" and the next day a campaign got under way to replace all the existing "EXIT" signs in the building.)

 

[JohnW2]

I think you fill find that the Switch is "Momentarily ON", ... Hence, it acts like a Push-Button. ... The ones that I have seen in Australia incorporate an actual "Push Button".

With the ones we are used to see here, the usual arrangement is that it is a non-latching 'push for off' button which is held in the 'pushed for off'position by the glass. Hence, immediately the glass is broken, the button 'springs out' into the 'on' position, without any 'switching' action required of the user.

That seems fairly sensible, the only downside really being that in the (very rare) event of the glass being broken accidentally, the alarm will be activated.

 

[SUNRAY]

With the ones we are used to see here, the usual arrangement is that it is a non-latching 'push for off' button which is held in the 'pushed for off'position by the glass. Hence, immediately the glass is broken, the button 'springs out' into the 'on' position, without any 'switching' action required of the user.

That seems fairly sensible, the only downside really being that in the (very rare) event of the glass being broken accidentally, the alarm will be activated.

The only break glass call points I had any dealings with have been a 4 position button (but I suspect an unusual arrangement) where out is the alarm, middle is normal and held by glass, in position (achievable by pushing the glass) is a test facility and a very long push further in like 20 sec or even more is that points alarm cancel, ie after being set off by breaking glass.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

With the ones we are used to see here, the usual arrangement is that it is a non-latching 'push for off' button which is held in the 'pushed for off'position by the glass. Hence, immediately the glass is broken, the button 'springs out' into the 'on' position, without any 'switching' action required of the user.

That seems fairly sensible, the only downside really being that in the (very rare) event of the glass being broken accidentally, the alarm will be activated.

It's been a while, but the last ones I investigated, had a second button, held closed by the access cover, itself kept shut by an allen screw. Undoing the screw/opening the call point, disabled alarm button. That allowed the alarm to be cancelled, panel reset, until the broken glass could be replaced.

The easy way to break the glass, in the event of a fire, is to hit it with your well clothed elbow.

 

[JohnW2]

The only break glass call points I had any dealings with have been a 4 position button (but I suspect an unusual arrangement) where out is the alarm, middle is normal and held by glass, in position (achievable by pushing the glass) is a test facility and a very long push further in like 20 sec or even more is that points alarm cancel, ie after being set off by breaking glass.

Fair enough, but that';s still consistent with what I said (with additional functionality to test and cancel) - namely that the button is held in an 'off position' by the glass, and 'springs out' to activate the alarm if the glass is broken.

 

[JohnW2]

It's been a while, but the last ones I investigated, had a second button, held closed by the access cover, itself kept shut by an allen screw. Undoing the screw/opening the call point, disabled alarm button. That allowed the alarm to be cancelled, panel reset, until the broken glass could be replaced.

Fair enough, but, again, that's still consistent with what I said (with additional functionality for cancelling) - namely that the button is held in an 'off position' by the glass, and 'springs out' to activate the alarm if the glass is broken. ... what you call the 'second button' being what I would call the 'main button' (the other button/switch being for resetting/cancelling)

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

what you call the 'second button' being what I would call the 'main button' (the other button/switch being for resetting/cancelling)

No, you misunderstood. One button pressing against the glass, the other button presses against the frame/cover, which is held in place by the frame/cover.

Upon releasing the frame/cover, the button upon which it presses (call it the 'test' button), opens the circuit, before the break glass button closes to sound the alarm. Hence, the alarm does not sound. Once the cover is released, the alarm point can be tested, by now briefly pressing the test button.

If a glass has been broken, then the alarm could be stopped, by undoing the cover with an allen key.

A later system I came across, included a tamper circuit. From memory, something like - ac injected at the panel, and a diode at the final call point of the circuit, several call points located together, in one area.