Legality of DIY repair of electronic goods

[eas]

So the "Electricity Police" will knock my door down, handcuff me and haul me off to jail, if I pull a receptacle from the wall and tighten up the the loose screws or dress up the shoddy wiring left behind by the contracted electrician that installed it in the first place?   It will be a cold day in hell when a bureaucrat comes to my place and tells me I can't touch my electrical wiring in my house or office which I bought and paid for with my hard earned cash!   

Don't worry. Last I checked, creating a strawman and then tearing it down is perfectly legal in the US. Or, at least, there are plenty of loopholes.

[Shock]

It should be legal if you prove you have sufficient skill, just the same as replacing a wheel on a car. That can be just as dangerous, but people manage to do it, even if it takes some people longer to work things out than others.

[Someone]

They've come up with a neat compromise that adds a new level of bureaucracy for those repairing or building low voltage plug in appliances, but at the same time grants access to a sensible restricted license for technical roles so they can do work on attached equipment. Compare that to other states in Australia where you require a full trade apprenticeship to get the license to work on directly attached equipment.

https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/licensing-and-registrations/electrical-licences/electrical-worker-licences/restricted-electrical-licence-system-information-guide/scope-of-the-licence-system

Top end employers were already putting these sorts of requirements in place through internal policies and procedures, which were never transferrable between organisations. Given the low costs this government run license seems like a good idea.

[vk6zgo]

WA has had an "R" licence for years.
It is mainly aimed at people who have to disconnect & connect things like hot water systems with electric boosters,& so on,but Electronics workers also could get them.

The licencing authorities suddenly realised back in the 1990s that Electronics workers didn't just work on battery operated "transistor radios",& had a bit of a panic.
My employer sent a few of us to get  "R" licences.

It was very easy,just a few days at TAFE ---mine allows me to "disconnect/reconnect fixed wired  to 1000v,limited to like-for-like replacement of motors rated at not greater than 22kW,solenoids,pressure switches and LV-ELV Isolating transformers"

Interestingly,my old card says I have a "Disconnect & Reconnect plus Appliances Licence"

The current one is just a "Disconnect & Reconnect Licence",so I've been shortchanged!

It is supposedly "for restricted electrical work in association with Communications/Computing Equipment"
I don't know of much Computer gear with 22kW motors!

There were mutterings about a Federally based licence a few years back,but I think that died!
Actually looking at your link that was probably "The national restricted electrical licence (NREL) system" which they were referring to.

[Deathwish]

The current one is just a "Disconnect & Reconnect Licence",so I've been shortchanged!

Not electronics related but I took my Motorcycle test donkeys years ago, passed and had the entitlement on my licence until i had to send it back to be replaced with the new style one. I then got pulled over by police for riding a yamaha fzr 600cc without a full licence, it took a fight to prove I had passed a test and only won when I found a copy of the pass certificate my old courier firm needed.

Never trust govt departments

[David_AVD]

So, do the workers who assemble mains operated equipment need a restricted electrical licence?  As far as I know they do not.

[ruffy91]

So, do the workers who assemble mains operated equipment need a restricted electrical licence?  As far as I know they do not.

No but the company has to have at least one worker wo has a license and who is responsible for the equipment.

[wagon]

There is a surprising amount of organisations around that should have a contractors license, but don't.  Their workers should have a restricted license too, but don't.  Have a look at all the guys around repairing office equipment, for a start.

Having said that.... I have a restricted license.  This enables me to do pretty much anything plug in, within the confines of my workshop.  I can't do ''electrical work" outside my workshop.  Now, this is where it gets stupid.

What I do isn't necessarily classed as electrical work.  So, what exactly is replacing a flexible cord, if it isn't electrical work?  (I've got the email from the ESO printed and on the whiteboard, at work.  I'll post up a link tomorrow.)

So, do I need a license or not?  I do have one, and the public liability insurance.  But do I *need* it? 

[David_AVD]

So, do the workers who assemble mains operated equipment need a restricted electrical licence?  As far as I know they do not.

No but the company has to have at least one worker wo has a license and who is responsible for the equipment.

My inquiries with the relevant authorities years ago led me to understand that as long as it's a "prescribed workshop" (their words) and you are doing things to the relevant standard(s) there is no licensing required.

[HackedFridgeMagnet]

Maybe you should approach the question of from the other side.
Am I totally sure it is illegal?  If not then just fix it.

Also remember most criminal law in Australia is State Law not Federal law, so every state is different although they tend to draft similar laws.

I think it is more a problem if you are selling equipment.
http://www.esv.vic.gov.au/Electricity-Professionals/Electrical-equipment-and-appliances/Sale-and-supply-of-second-hand-equipment

[smgvbest]

I would ask what is the definition of 'Electrical Equipment' this may not be the same definition of 'Electronic Equipment'   
My understand here in the USA you are required to have an License if you work on Electrical Equipment such as Power Panels, AC Wiring, HVAC and such not computers, radios, tv's as so forth.   I went to school and got my degree as a technician (boy am I so far removed from that though in where my career went) but even so I am not licensed to repair someone elses home electrical i can however do my own.   Like most here we probably no more about how AC / DC circuits work then some or many of the 'Licensed Professionals' (no intent to put them down) but Licensed usually means more of you know all the rules and regulations more than having in depth technical skills. 

Ask an Electrician how an OP Amp works for example they probably can not answer.  Likewise, Ask someone in Electronics work what the rules and regulations are for how a 12/3 wire should be routed through a rafter and how many of use know. 

So to me the term 'Electrical Equipment' has to be defined clearly someone for the law to be determined if it applies to the question asked here about repairing a monitor/tv or other such equipment.

I believe I kind of saw that brought up but in reality that is the question that has to be answered.

Also Licensed can have many connotations, such as, Licensed to do business.  Licensed to sell and so on.  so even the term Licensed need to be defined into the context of the question being asked.

Yes in the USA you must be Licensed to enter someones home and repair AC Mains themselves.   You have to have a licensed business to repair electronics but not a license for electronics,  it's the business license.   that will vary state to state, even country or townships may have different laws in place.

I installed a solar panel system for my observatory,   it is recommended to have a licensed professional do it but since I want not tied into the Main's I have not requirement that a Licensed Professional do so.   

So first find the definition of the terms to see if they even apply to the situation in question is ultimately what I am saying and I hope i've stated my thoughts clearly enough.

[mazurov]

As far as I understand US rules when you do everything by the code and use only what can be bought in a hardware store the insurance (or next owner's inspection) have no way to find out the work has been a DIY. The code itself is trivial; you don't have to be a HS grad to be an electrician in this country. I only hire professionals when job is dirty, like running cables through walls or install light fixtures. Even then I have to inspect what they are about to install and sometimes point out that "this fixture must have CuAl marking if you'are planning to mate it to this wire :-)".

What sucks though is that I can't fix ppls issues unless I'm 'bonded and insured', even for free. My poor neighbor will keep paying electricians until forced to sell her house - her husband has died couple years ago and she has no clue whatsoever.