In Australia, there are three different levels of accreditation for electricians. It might stand to reason that an electrician rated at level 3 would be the most competent for all types of jobs but in reality level three are a specialised type of electrician that doesn't focus on residential problems. That leaves level 1 and 2 electricians, who both primarily work in residential and small commercial projects. Based on your projects, which level electrician should you hire? Here, you can learn how a level 2 electrician can assist you.
What Is Wrong with a Level 1 Electrician?
There is nothing inherently wrong with a level 1 accredited electrician and for many tasks, they will suit you just fine. There is a crucial difference between a level 1 and level 2 electrician: only a level 2 electrician can install new electrical systems on a site. Level 1 electricians can repair and tweak existing systems, extend them and work on projects like installing electrical poles but they cannot lay out a new system. Many level 1 rated electricians eventually go on to get their level 2 accreditation for this reason.
The Benefits of a Level 2 Electrician
There are many advantages to hiring a level 2 electrician over a level 1, including:
- Disconnect and reconnect power to your property. This is helpful for families moving out or into a new home.
- Connection and installation of a new power supply for brand new homes.
- Install meters that are required by law to measure your electrical usage for billing.
The reason a level 2 electrician can do this extra work is that they have additional safety training to understand how to deal with a live power situation. After all, this would be an extremely dangerous profession if there was not the level of regulations currently in place.
Can a Level 2 Electrician Carry Out Regular Electrical Repairs?
Repair work, troubleshooting and replacing already installed components is bread and butter to any electrician. A level 2 electrician has more experience than a level 1 meaning they are less likely to make a mistake, which is another benefit to selectively searching for them over a level 1. Also sometimes a small problem turns out to be the symptom of a much larger electrical problem. If that happens then you want a level 2 electrician to be the one on the case from the beginning to streamline the process and get you back on track faster.
