Results 1 to 17 of 17
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    110
    Rep Power
    14

    Upside down Australian Circuit Breakers



    I always thought that the story about things being upside down in Auz were simply that, a story. However I now have evidence that it really is so.

    Only kidding please take a look at the photo. See how the CB's are all upside down. And I have seen this on quite a few jobs here in Auz. Does anyone know why? I have asked various people the whipper snappers have no idea and just shrug their shoulders. "She'll be alright" as they always say down this side of the world.
    Attached Images Attached Images



  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Australia
    Age
    44
    Posts
    337
    Rep Power
    21

    Re: Upside down Australian Circuit Breakers

    Hi Mate,

    They sure went to some effort to put those circuit breakers that way.*

    The only reason I'd suggest that they would put them that way is so that the operation is similar to a household light switch here in Australia, up being off & down being on.

    One way or the other - at least they are all in the same orientation!*

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Australia
    Age
    44
    Posts
    337
    Rep Power
    21

    Re: Upside down Australian Circuit Breakers

    "She'll be alright" as they always say down this side of the world.
    Correction, it's more like one word "shellberight" but pronounced quicker or slower depending on where your from

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    scotland
    Age
    74
    Posts
    232
    Rep Power
    16

    Re: Upside down Australian Circuit Breakers

    I would have thought it would be more difficult to do it arse for tit than the right way up, some sod hung over perhaps
    Dev

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Bolivia
    Posts
    270
    Rep Power
    14

    Re: Upside down Australian Circuit Breakers

    Piewie you always have to see the glass half full. Its not the CB's its the UNIT!
    Well, did anybody ever dream of calling Aramis a coward? No, certainly not!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    telford
    Posts
    2,097
    Rep Power
    33

    Re: Upside down Australian Circuit Breakers

    mmm,if you keep going north do you end up in the south?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    NTH.QLD Australia
    Age
    62
    Posts
    1,762
    Rep Power
    32

    Re: Upside down Australian Circuit Breakers

    Turn the picture 90 degrees to the left, and you have a vertical switchboard that makes sense.
    To the optimist, the glass is half full. To the pessimist, the glass is half empty.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    manchester
    Age
    50
    Posts
    5,707
    Rep Power
    45

    Re: Upside down Australian Circuit Breakers

    prob coz its easier to lock the breakers onto the din rail if its adjacent the busbar- prob cables too short to feed the top of the breakers with the busbar underneath the breakers-ps acu1 3rd phase is red instead of blue and the red phase incomer is showing copper strands-req reterminating-also no sheild on the incoming

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    47
    Rep Power
    0

    Re: Upside down Australian Circuit Breakers

    Well I guess they really wanted the bus bar on top and circuit wiring underneath for some reason. Maybe to make it look neater ? An apprentice snipped the wires off to short to reach the top?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    manchester
    Age
    50
    Posts
    5,707
    Rep Power
    45

    Re: Upside down Australian Circuit Breakers

    or he wanted a good weigh in-but was unable to stretch the cables-or it was his last week on the production line and wanted to throw a few spanners in the works

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    110
    Rep Power
    14

    Re: Upside down Australian Circuit Breakers

    Quote Originally Posted by mikeref View Post
    Turn the picture 90 degrees to the left, and you have a vertical switchboard that makes sense.
    Hello Mikeref it is not a verticle board the orientation is exactly as shown no trickery. The closest answer is possibly the switch orientation with down being on. The whole 3 floors of the building are like this and the building is only around 10 years old. It must be an ACT thing.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    ISRAEL
    Age
    72
    Posts
    4,266
    Rep Power
    46

    Re: Upside down Australian Circuit Breakers

    there must be high blood pressure in the skull when you live upside down...:-)

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    NTH.QLD Australia
    Age
    62
    Posts
    1,762
    Rep Power
    32

    Re: Upside down Australian Circuit Breakers

    Quote Originally Posted by piewie View Post
    Hello Mikeref it is not a verticle board the orientation is exactly as shown no trickery. The closest answer is possibly the switch orientation with down being on. The whole 3 floors of the building are like this and the building is only around 10 years old. It must be an ACT thing.
    A.C.T. Australian Capital Territory, for those wondering what that meant. Small location in New South Wales where the country is supposed to be run from . Not seen circuit breakers installed upside down..Ever.Won't have anything to do with down means "On"
    To the optimist, the glass is half full. To the pessimist, the glass is half empty.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    New Zealand
    Age
    59
    Posts
    2,556
    Rep Power
    26

    Re: Upside down Australian Circuit Breakers

    Quote Originally Posted by mikeref View Post
    A.C.T. Australian Capital Territory, for those wondering what that meant. Small location in New South Wales where the country is supposed to be run from . Not seen circuit breakers installed upside down..Ever.Won't have anything to do with down means "On"
    Are you sure Mike.
    Attractive lady goes "down", for sure I would be turned "on". and not limited to A.C.T.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    geraldton western australia
    Age
    39
    Posts
    57
    Rep Power
    14

    Re: Upside down Australian Circuit Breakers

    im with mike on this..

    i cant recall ever seeing any breakers upside down (unless on a vertical din rail.. ive seen them mixed around in that instance) on a horizontal board.

    they should be mounted up the correct way so its easy to turn the breakers off - quickly pull them down to break the circuit. i cant see any advantage, even with busbar, to have them one way or the other - it shouldnt make a difference.

    ps. shielding? you pommy sparkies are odd, ive got one from birmingham and he is always banging on about steel conduit this, steel conduit that...

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Merate (LC) - Italy
    Age
    52
    Posts
    2,554
    Rep Power
    24

    Re: Upside down Australian Circuit Breakers

    Turning the picture 180° doesn't help unless p'shopping the stickers.
    Anyway, I don't think there's anything wrong with a breaker upside down. But the electric arc floats upward before extinguishing, so in this case it goes to output, which is dangerous for the load.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    manchester
    Age
    50
    Posts
    5,707
    Rep Power
    45

    Re: Upside down Australian Circuit Breakers

    the sheild i was refering to was the fact that you could get a belt off the screw terminals on the isolator- should have a plastic guard so when isolated there are no live components exposed - sod the steel conduit

    Quote Originally Posted by install monkey View Post
    prob coz its easier to lock the breakers onto the din rail if its adjacent the busbar- prob cables too short to feed the top of the breakers with the busbar underneath the breakers-ps acu1 3rd phase is red instead of blue and the red phase incomer is showing copper strands-req reterminating-also no sheild on the incoming
    Quote Originally Posted by assailant View Post
    im with mike on this..

    i cant recall ever seeing any breakers upside down (unless on a vertical din rail.. ive seen them mixed around in that instance) on a horizontal board.

    they should be mounted up the correct way so its easy to turn the breakers off - quickly pull them down to break the circuit. i cant see any advantage, even with busbar, to have them one way or the other - it shouldnt make a difference.

    ps. shielding? you pommy sparkies are odd, ive got one from birmingham and he is always banging on about steel conduit this, steel conduit that...

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •