IN about September 2009, I wrote about a Certificate of Compliance that was issued by a technical advisor from a well-known association.
Well, I've eventually returned after the installation has been re-inspected by the AIA, and declared reasonably safe.
My question is: Would you pass this installation?
One of the items was the isolation point for the gate motor. There is an isolator next to a socket-outlet in the main bedroom. Then there is another one on the external wall back-to-back with this isolator. The main bedroom is diagonally opposite the gate - about 25 paces away, as the crow flies.
There is the front lawn, plants and bushes in between, obscuring the view from the gate to the gate motor isolator.

What does SANS 10142-1 say about it?

Fundamentals
5.2.6. Emergency control
If, in a dangerous situation, it is necessary to immediately interrupt the power supply, the interrupting device shall be so installed that it
- is easily recognised, and
- can be effectively and quickly operated.
5.2.8. Positioning and accessibility of electrical equipment
Electrical equipment shall be so positioned that
- it does not...
- It is readily accessible for installation, replacement, operation, testing, inspection, maintenance and repair (see 6.6.19)

6.16 Fixed appliances
6.16.1.3 The power supply to every fixed appliance, except luminaires, shall be supplied through
- a disconnecting device that disconnects both live conductors in a single-phase supply and all phases in a multiphase supply, or
- a socket-outlet that is directly accessible at all times that any person is exposed to such appliance while the supply is on.
In the case of a remotely installed appliance, the position of the disconnecting device
shall be indicated by means of a notice in close proximity to or on the appliance.
6.16.1.5 The disconnecting device shall be positioned
- 1,5m from the appliance, or
- in a distribution board (if the switch-disconnecting device is capable of being locked in the open position).
Even where the disconnecting device is on the appliance, a separate disconnecting device shall be provided in the fixed installation to allow for the total removal of the appliance.
If they presumed it was a motor installation, then the following would apply:
6.16.5.1.1.4 Any manually operated device used for the control a motor shall be readily accessible to the person who operates it.
6.16.5.1.5 Each motor shall be supplied through a manually operated disconnector or any other manually operated disconnecting arrangement such as a withdrawable circuit-breaker, a removable link, a fuse or by the removal of a plug from a socket-outlet, which provides at least the same isolating distance, for the sake of safety, as a disconnector that is
- readily accessible and mounted on or next to the motor, or
- visible from the motor, or
- lockable in the open position,
- housed in a lockable enclosure other than a distribution board.

However this is the most appropriate regulation:
6.9.3 Disconnecting devices for equipment
6.9.3.1 An appliance or equipment that is not supplied from a socket-outlet, including equipment automatically or remote controlled, shall be capable of being disconnected from the supply by an easily accessible switch-disconnector.
The disconnector...
At the distribution board in the kitchen, the circuit-breaker is labelled ‘Plugs / gate motor'. Perfectly acceptable mixed circuit, only that there are also lights on this mixed circuit, which are not identified.
6.8 Circuit-breakers
6.8.2.2. - Except for a circuit-breaker that is mounted next to the appliance or socket-outlet that it controls, each circuit-breaker shall be labelled to show which circuit or appliance it controls.
Not only that, the circuit-breaker is rated at 20a, but not all the wiring is rated as such.
6.7.1 Overcurrent protection
6.7.1.1 Each phase conductor... shall be protected against overload or short-circuit currents...
Each protective device shall have a rated current that does not exceed the lowest of the current-carrying capacities of any of the conductors of the circuit...
6.7.2 Overload protection
6.7.2.1 The rated current of the overload protective device shall not exceed the current-carrying capacity of the conductor it protects...

Talking about labelling, there is a circuit-breaker labelled ‘Outbuilding'.
What is an outbuilding? It's not any sort of a circuit, but rather a location. The label should read ‘Sub-board 1'. Better still, ‘Sub-board 1 - outbuildings'.
None of these conditions are met.
There is more, but I want you to consider whether this installation is reasonably safe, and would you pass this installation?
Makes you think, doesn't it?
E-mail: theemptyspace@global.co.za