RV electrical work – Victorian exception
A licence is required in Australia for electrical installations. Victoria claims for RV electrical work – a Victorian exemption. It states that RVs are not electrical installations and thus exempt. It accordingly classifies RVs (legally) as ‘plug-in appliances’. Energy Safe Victoria confirmed the above in writing. Furthermore, it stated that licensing is outside its jurisdiction.
Your RV must meet Australian Standards AS/NZS3000:2018 & AS/NZS3001:2007. In Victoria, however, it need not be inspected. Nor need a Certificate of Electrical Compliance be provided.
In Solar Books opinion, this is not satisfactory. In 2018 a brand new Victorian-made RV was found (by us) to have so many electrical issues (including reversed polarity of its 230 volt socket outlets) it needed total rewiring. Solar Books makes no suggestion, nor implies that others are similar. Nevertheless, insist on a Certificate of Electrical Compliance. Furthermore, you need this anyway if re-registering interstate. This is particularly so in Queensland.
Legally Do it Yourself
You can legally install 0your own solar system, however, as long as no part exceeds the prescribed voltage limits. These are (in 2020) under 35.4 volts ac – and/or 60 volts dc. RV solar arrays are usually a nominal 12, 24 or 48 volts. Battery voltage is typically 12 volts dc up to 1.5 kW, 24 volts up to.2.5 KW and 48 volts there-on.
You can legally install a ‘stand-alone’ inverter that have integral outlet sockets as shown below.
This Powertech inverter accepts a single power cord. It is legal to alternatively plug in a multi-socket power board if required. It may not be connected to any fixed wiring. Pic: Jaycar.
You may plug an appliance directly into a stand-alone inverter’s outlet socket (some have two) or several via a multi-output power board. You must not, however (in many countries) connect the inverter’s output into any fixed wiring.
Electricity is dangerous
Do not attempt any such work unless you truly know how.
For full details of how to do this work yourself, please buy our book Solar Success and/or Caravan & Motorhome Electrics. These books explain all.
