Automation has made leaps and bounds in the past century. In the 1960s, the height of home automation was the digital alarm clock; today, we’ve got refrigerators that order more milk when you’re getting low!

Smart home solutions are the way of the future. They’re a convenient and value-adding feature of the home, freeing up your time to do more of the things you love.

Let’s discuss smart home solutions and how to integrate automation into your electrical system, thanks to the professionals at Spectra Electrical Sydney.

What are smart home solutions?

Smart home technology is the ability to control functions of your home, such as lighting, entertainment systems, thermostats and appliances, via your smartphone or tablet. For example, instead of having to go around at the end of the night and switch off every light or close every blind, smart home automation allows you to do this from the comfort of your bed.

Automation can connect to the internet to control your electrical appliances which are all hooked up to one central point – usually your smartphone or tablet.

Benefits of smart home solutions and integrating automation within your electrical system

While smart home systems may seem like a novelty, they’re actually a powerful tool that comes with a range of benefits. These include:

• Saved time
  Think about every wasted minute you’ve spent getting up to turn a light off, searching for a television remote, opening the garage door, closing the curtains, making your morning cup of coffee. Sure, they only take a few seconds or minutes to complete, but when you add it all up, it may add up to several hours per week. With electrical home automation, all of these things can be done automatically, saving you from thinking about them and adding time back to your day.

• Improved efficiency and cost reduction on electricity
  One of the best things about home automation is that smart homes can recognise the patterns of your home usage and self-learn how to best accommodate for them. For example, if your alarm is set to 7am, your smart home can have the coffee ready by 7.05am. On Wednesday nights, your smart home recognises that you leave the house for sports practice, so it switches off all the lights for you between 7-9pm. This results in massively improved efficiency and can reduce your power bills significantly. 

• Added home value
  And of course, added home value is another perk of smart home solutions. Investing in your home is a smart move if you’re planning to sell later down the track, and smart homes command higher prices than tech-deficient ones.

Interested in implementing automation in your electrical system? Spectra Electrical is your team of choice in Sydney. We help Sydney homes and businesses with a range of electrical work, including implementing automation via smart home technology. Get in touch with Spectra Electrical and organise a quote for your smart home tech today.

Safety is taken seriously in Australia. In any industry or workplace, you’ll have to complete regular modules about workplace safety – even if you’re simply working behind a desk in an office.

Even with this level of safety upheld in Australia, we still see electrical hazards from time to time. This needs to change, as no electrical hazard should be tolerated in the workplace.

In this article, Spectra Electrical outlines common electrical hazards and how to prevent them, creating a safer workplace for everyone.

Exposed electrical components

Temporary lighting, open power units or detached insulation parts on power cords – all of these are exposed electrical components which can result in electric shocks and burns. These items should be isolated or guarded off to prevent passers-by from being exposed to them, and a qualified electrician should be called immediately.

Damaged or worn equipment

Almost everything becomes worn after time, but when we’re dealing with electrical equipment, we need to be proactive in replacing it. Regularly checking for cracks and abrasions of wires, cords and cables is the best way to prevent the use of worn or damaged equipment. If a defect is found, replace the equipment straight away if safe to do so, or call a repairer to come and inspect it.

Wet environment

It’s a no-brainer that water and electricity do not mix. Sadly, wet environments are a common electrical problem, as water can affect any environment, from spilled drinking water on an electrical appliance to puddles on a construction site. When in doubt about water affecting your workplace, always call a qualified electrician to conduct a thorough inspection.

Lack of grounding

One of the most common electrical hazards is a lack of proper grounding/ Earthing.
Grounding / Earthing returns unwanted voltage to the ground, reducing the risk of electrocution. Regularly have your grounding checked by a specialist electrician who will implement correct grounding if a fault is found.

Damaged insulation

Insulation on equipment protects the user from being exposed to voltage. If the insulation is worn or in poor condition, this presents a major electrical hazard to the user of the equipment. We recommend regularly inspecting your equipment’s insulation and noticing any potential defects before they get out of hand. We recommend checking cords, leads and plugs prior to using them.

Overloading circuits

It’s easy to overload an electrical circuit. By adding more and more equipment to the same circuit, you slowly but surely increase the risk of electrical hazard. Distribute your equipment evenly across your outlets.

Need a high quality team of electricians in Sydney? Spectra Electrical is at your service. Our team of specialist electricians are qualified and ready for anything, making your home or workplace safer and more efficient. We’ve worked on everything from large commercial projects to home renovations and more, making us experienced in all areas of electrical work. Give us a call today and grab a quick quote from the team at Spectra Electrical.

Your energy meter is one of the most important functions in your home. It helps to accurately show your energy consumption, allowing you to pay an accurate energy bill each quarter and even observe the best ways to reduce your total consumption.

If you have an energy meter which isn’t performing the way it should, call up the team at Spectra Electrical for energy meter testing, service and repairs.

We’re Sydney’s professionals in energy meter work, including testing, servicing and repairs. We cater for all Sydney residents and business owners, and are equipped and qualified to conduct work on all types of energy meter.

Received a stonker of an energy bill but can’t figure out why? It could be a problem with your energy meter. Spectra Electrical can diagnose the issue, giving you the support you need to refute the erroneous bill.

• Crackling sounds
  If you hear some unusual sounds coming from your energy meter, like crackling, humming or vibrating, then it’s another sure sign that it needs a service. An electrician from Spectra electrical will address the issue and make your energy meter as good as new.

• Broken meters
  Energy meters are generally hardy and well-built, but there comes a time when they may indeed break. If this is the case, Spectra Electrical can repair or replace your broken energy meter.

Energy meter replacements

Got an energy meter that still isn’t fixed after testing, servicing or repairs? Spectra Electrical offer energy meter replacements, too. We’re qualified to conduct replacements for all types of energy meter, including accumulation meters, interval meters, smart meters and solar meters.

Why choose Spectra Electrical for energy meter testing, service and repairs:

Spectra Electrical is a top-performing team in electrical services across the board. We guarantee:

• Qualified, experienced electricians
• Variety of electrical services
• High attention to detail
• Excellent rates
• Efficient service
• Customer service next to none

Spectra Electrical and Communications are Sydney’s professional team of electricians for energy meter repairs and service. We cater for homes, offices, warehouses, workshops, industrial businesses and many other organisations who need diagnostics on their energy meters. Offering quality, friendly and affordable service, call Spectra Electrical to arrange an energy meter testing and service today.

As a home or business owner, we understand why you put safety above everything else. Whether you’re looking out for your family, your tenants or your employees, you can never be too safe when it comes to electrical appliances and equipment.

That’s where Spectra Electrical can help. We offer our highly reputable electrical safety inspections and testing to homes and business in the Sydney region.

This test and tag procedure is carried out with the utmost meticulousness and accuracy, ensuring that all your electrical equipment is 100% safe to use.

What is an electrical safety inspection?

An electrical safety inspection and test, commonly known as a ‘test and tag’, is exactly what it sounds like. When you have electrical work, or an appliance or piece of equipment, and want to be sure it’s fully safe to use, a qualified electrician from Spectra Electrical will carry out an inspection and a series of tests.

By testing the electrical equipment, we’re able to identify potential damage and electrical faults, which mitigates the amount of risk in your workplace.

In Australia, it’s mandatory for certain appliances and equipment to undergo electrical safety inspections and testing in the workplace every so often. Spectra Electrical is a qualified provider of test and tag procedures, ensuring your workplace is hazard-free.

How often does my workplace need to have an electrical safety test?

The ideal frequency of electrical safety inspections and testing depends on the type of business you’re running. At Spectra Electrical, we run our test and tag process by the book – we follow Australian Standard AS/NZS 3760:2022 which outlines the necessary guidelines for testing and tagging electrical equipment in specific environments.

Spectra Electrical’s inspection and testing service

All electrical inspections are carried out by experienced and qualified electricians using state-of-the-art testing technology. During the inspection and testing process, every appliance is rigorously tested and given a clear tag which indicates a Pass or a DANGER sign, in which the equipment must be repaired before it’s allowed to return to the workplace.

Why Spectra Electrical is Sydney’s favourite electrical testing team

Spectra Electrical is the first-choice team for test and tag for many businesses across Sydney. Here’s why:

• Expert staff
  Our electricians are some of Australia’s finest. Experience, work ethic and attention to detail is guaranteed.

• Competitive rates
  As a small business, we understand your need to keep a solid budget, which is why we offer competitive rates on test and tags.

• Efficient, fast service
  We’re proud to deliver a fast, efficient inspection and testing service.

Spectra Electrical and Communications are Sydney’s professional team of electricians for electrical testing and inspections. We cater for homes, offices, warehouses, workshops, industrial businesses and many other organisations who need testing and tagging services. Offering quality, friendly and affordable service, call Spectra Electrical to arrange an electrical inspection and testing service today.

Need a new energy meter in your home or business? Spectra Electrical are Sydney’s professionals in energy meter servicing, repairs and installation. We handle all types of energy meter work, from accumulation meters to interval meters and solar meters.

Right across Sydney, we’re known for our high quality work, experienced staff and unmatched level of customer service. Our friendly team of qualified electricians are here to help you install that new energy meter in your home or business.

Types of energy meters we install

We often get asked which type of energy meters we’re able to install. Rest assured, we’re qualified to install all types of energy meter, including:

• Accumulation meters:accumulation meters, or flat rate meters, record the total amount of electricity your home has used, meaning they don’t show the difference in energy usage in peak and off-peak times.
• Interval meters: interval meters record electricity usage every 30 minutes, providing a more in-depth analysis of household energy usage. Part of the attraction of interval meters is the possibility of your electricity provider charging you different rates depending on the electricity usage patterns shown by your interval meter data. For example, some providers charge lower rates for off-peak periods and higher for peak times.
• Smart meters:Spectra Electrical is also able to install smart energy meters. Smart meters measure your electricity consumption and send the data directly to your energy provider, meaning that estimated bills become more accurate and that there’s no need for physical meter readings.
• Solar meters:got some solar panels up there? We can install solar energy meters, too. They display the amount of energy generated by your solar panel system, as well as solar electricity fed back into the electricity supply.

Choose Spectra Electrical for your energy meter installation

For any of these energy meters, call the team at Spectra Electrical. Our high-quality electrical work is known across the Sydney region, having worked on countless electrical projects, from residential work to civil construction and more. Our energy meter installation services are characterised by:

• Experienced staff
  Our electricians are some of the best in the country. Experience, work ethic and attention to detail is guaranteed.
• Competitive rates
  As a small business, we understand your need to keep a solid budget, which is why we offer competitive rates on energy meter installations.
• Efficient, fast service
  We’re proud to deliver a fast, efficient service, helping to get your energy meter up and running as soon as possible.

Spectra Electrical and Communications are Sydney’s professional team of electricians for energy meter installations. We cater for homes, offices, warehouses, workshops, industrial businesses and many other organisations who need new energy meters. Offering quality, friendly and affordable service, call Spectra Electrical to arrange an energy meter installation today.

When you need a consistent, reliable source of energy to power your business or organisation, 3-phase power is most likely what you’re in need of. Spectra Electrical is Sydney’s expert team of contractors for all electrical needs, including 3-phase power installation.

Our team of qualified electricians have installed 3-phase power for hundreds of businesses across Sydney. Highly experienced, meticulous electricians are what we bring to the table, offering quality electrical services that you can count on.

Read on to learn more about 3-phase power, and how Spectra Electrical can help your business gain it.

Single-phase power

Before we explain 3-phase power, we should explain single-phase AC power first. Single-phase AC power uses three distinct wires to deliver power, consisting of an active wire, a neutral wire, and an earth wire. As you already know, AC power involves power recycles, rapidly alternating from the active wire to the neutral wire and back again. This power cycle takes place during a 360-degree phase change, and the voltage reverses itself 50 to 60 times per second.

Why single-phase power isn’t enough for commercial applications

These power cycles are, essentially, tiny interruptions. Now, they’re not enough to have an effect on normal residential applications, and single-phase power can be sufficient for most homes, but can also require 3 phase power to operate air conditioning, heaters, pumps etc.

But for commercial and industrial uses, where power-hungry equipment is involved, the interruptions of single-phase power prevent your equipment from receiving enough supply.

3-phase power

3-phase power, on the other hand, provides three separate currents. This means that there’s a constant supply of electricity, with no point at which no power is being delivered to the load. No interruptions – just a smooth, efficient supply of electricity, making 3-phase power ideal for commercial appliances.

3-phase power installation by Spectra Electrical

At Spectra Electrical, we have a reputation for quality commercial electrical work. If your business needs 3-phase power installation, give our team a call. We exhibit high-quality work wherever we go, in whatever we do. Here’s why we’re Sydney’s first-choice electrical team for 3-phase power installation:

• Experienced staff
  Our electricians are some of the best in the country. Experience, work ethic and attention to detail is guaranteed.
• Competitive rates
  As a small business, we understand your need to keep a solid budget, which is why we offer competitive rates on 3-phase power installation.
• Efficient, fast service
  We’re proud to deliver a fast, efficient service, helping to get your business up and running as soon as possible.

Spectra Electrical and Communications are Sydney’s professional team of electricians for 3-phase power installations. We cater for offices, warehouses, workshops, industrial businesses and many other organisations who need 3-phase power. Offering quality, friendly and affordable service, call Spectra Electrical to arrange a 3-phase power installation today.