What's different about commercial work in Adelaide
Two layers of licence in SA
The business that contracts for the work needs an electrical contractor's licence from Consumer and Business Services (CBS). The people who physically do it must be registered electrical workers. Check both on the CBS Occupational Public Register before you sign.
New connections take time
For a small business connection under 100 amps, SA Power Networks recommends an electrician or electrical consultant completes the application. It takes up to 10 business days to respond, then about six weeks to build after its technical assessment, depending on location and complexity. Build that into the opening date.
No certificate on site, no connection
SA Power Networks lists a missing Electrical Certificate of Compliance on site as one reason a connection can fail on the day. Make sure your electrician has it there before the crew arrives.
Bigger supply is a modification
On its residential connections, SA Power Networks treats a move to three-phase or more supply as a modification: a technical assessment, maybe a site inspection, then the electrician books the work. Ask your electrician what applies to your business connection. Meter changes go through your electricity retailer.
Summer is when the board shows its limits
Adelaide reached 46.6 °C in January 2019. Cool rooms, fridges and air conditioning all work hardest on those days, which is when an undersized board or a tired circuit starts tripping. Mention every heat-sensitive load in the brief.
Statewide outages happen
In September 2016 the whole state lost power, about 850,000 customers. For anything that can't go down, from a server to a vaccine fridge, ask the electrician about backup supply when you plan the fit-out.
The eCoC on a business site
Whoever does electrical work in South Australia must issue an electronic certificate of compliance (eCoC), and the customer gets it within 30 days. On a fit-out with more than one contractor, the person who did the work and any other contractor involved both sign it off.
The eCoC system is run by the Office of the Technical Regulator, and only licensed workers and contractors can use it. If you lease the premises, pass a copy to the landlord or agent and keep yours with the lease.
What an Adelaide commercial quote should cover
- The CBS licence number of the contracting business, and who'll be on site.
- The scope area by area, with the equipment each new circuit serves.
- Any SA Power Networks application, who lodges it, and the lead time it allows for.
- Whether the meter is involved, and that your retailer arranges that part.
- When the power will be off, and whether work happens outside trading hours.
- The eCoC, and who it goes to if there's a landlord.
What your team can do, and what's licensed
You can
- Keep the area in front of the main switchboard clear.
- Log what trips, when, and what was running at the time.
- Pull damaged leads and power boards out of use straight away.
- Book test and tag in Adelaide for portable gear.
Leave to a licensed electrician
- New circuits, breakers and anything inside the switchboard.
- Adding or moving power points and lights in a fit-out.
- The connection application and the work SA Power Networks books.
- Finding the cause of tripping on hot afternoons.
What we'd do before signing a lease
We'd get an electrician to look at the board and the supply before signing a lease, not after. If the business needs more power than the site has, the SA Power Networks process alone can run past a month, so we'd start it as soon as the layout is settled and keep the certificate on site for connection day.
Want a specialist to sort it?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match the licence-checked local electrician who does this kind of work, and they call you. No ring-around, and your number goes to them alone.