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Free Perth Electrical Glossary

Every electrical term explained in plain English, no jargon

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30 electrical terms, plain English

Use Ctrl+F to search this page. If you find a term, that probably affects your job, the form below gets you a free phone explanation.

RCD
Residual Current Device. The safety switch that trips power within 30 milliseconds if it detects current leaking to earth. Required on all circuits under AS/NZS 3000:2018.
MCB
Miniature Circuit Breaker. The device that trips when a circuit draws too much current. Resettable, replaces old screw-in fuses.
MEN
Multiple Earthed Neutral. The Australian earthing system where the neutral conductor is connected to earth at the switchboard.
AS/NZS 3000
The Australian + New Zealand wiring rules. Currently the 2018 edition. All electrical work in WA must comply.
STC
Small-scale Technology Certificate. The federal solar rebate. Lodged on your behalf at install. Reduces upfront solar cost.
DEBS
Distributed Energy Buyback Scheme. The WA solar feed-in tariff. Paid by Synergy for exported solar energy.
Three-phase
Power supply with three separate phases instead of one. Required for heavy equipment, EV chargers above 7kW, ducted AC.
Switchboard
The metal box containing your main switch, RCDs, MCBs, and circuit labels. Modernised every 25-30 years.
Sub-board
A secondary switchboard in a granny flat, shed, or extension. Fed from the main switchboard.
Earth leakage
Current leaking from a live conductor to earth through faulty insulation, water ingress, or a faulty appliance.
Hard-wired smoke alarm
A smoke alarm wired into mains power with a battery backup. Required in all WA homes built or substantially renovated after 1 July 1997.
Interconnected smoke alarms
Smoke alarms wired or RF-linked so when one triggers, all trigger. Recommended for multi-level homes.
EV charger
Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE). Home chargers are typically 7kW (single phase) or 22kW (three-phase).
Type 2 connector
The standard EV charging plug in Australia. Most home chargers use this. Adapters bridge to other connectors.
Inverter
The device converting solar DC into AC for your home + the grid. Sized in kW. Brands include Sungrow, Fronius, SMA, Enphase.
Battery
Stores excess solar for night/cloudy-day use. Common brands: Tesla Powerwall, BYD, Selectronic, Sungrow.
Inrush current
The brief surge of current when motors (AC, pumps, compressors) start up. Sized for in switchboard design.
Voltage drop
The reduction in voltage along long cable runs. Must stay under 5% of nominal under AS/NZS 3000.
Conduit
The plastic or metal tube protecting electrical cables in walls or underground.
Cable rating
The maximum continuous current a cable can carry. Sized to the circuit load + length.
Two-way switch
A switch arrangement controlling one light from two locations. Common at stairwell tops/bottoms.
Down-light transformer
The driver converting mains AC to low-voltage DC for halogen or LED downlights.
Power factor
Ratio of working power to apparent power. Below 0.9 attracts a Synergy surcharge for commercial sites.
Insulation resistance test
A test measuring cable insulation health. Required after most repairs + at periodic compliance inspections.
Compliance report
Written certificate confirming work meets AS/NZS 3000:2018. Notified to EnergySafety WA at completion.
Phase imbalance
Unequal load distribution across the three phases. Causes equipment damage on three-phase sites.
Surge protector
Device protecting equipment from voltage spikes (storms, grid faults). Whole-house units install in the switchboard.
Solar feed-in
Energy you export back to the grid. Paid at WA DEBS rate (peak vs off-peak).
Net metering
Single bi-directional meter measuring import + export separately. Standard since 2020.
Western Power notification
Formal application to your grid operator before solar or major switchboard work. Handled by your electrician.

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