30-12-2023, 09:27 AM
As of November 2023 all new or substantially altered electrical installations in vehicles and campers must comply with the revised Australian Standard AS3001 part 1 and 2. Part 2 is for vehicle installs and includes ALL electrical installs not just the 240V install, Batteries of ALL types and Solar. All of the requirements are pretty straight forward and make sense, and have been brought in to improve the safety of the installs as batteries can be extremely dangerous if incorrectly installed or mistreated.
Amongst the new changes is there is NO battery type that can be installed in the habitable area of the vehicle/caravan and they need to have venting to the outside air, so no under seat or in the cupboard AGM installs any more. All Lead Acid (including Gel and AGM)require a spill tray of 20% of the volume of the battery, the enclosure has to be acid resistant and ventilation to the outside air. They also have to be easily accessible and removable. Not too bad in a Bay as you can still use the engine bay left hand side as many do and that will comply with the requirements. The engine bay has a large air flow through it and there is surprisingly little heat in there unless idling on a hot day.
There are a few requirements on Solar, amongst those being the panels must securely fastened and the cabling must be double insulated and able to withstand UV. All fuses/circuit breakers are to be rated for DC and placed as close to the point of supply as possible and cables should be sized to allow for no more that 10% voltage drop at the load end.
While the new standard is not aimed directly at DIY people, it is likely that this will eventually go the way of gas installations and insurance companies may require a certification that the install is compliant with the regulations as a requirement of insurance. Now for the gotcha, you have to pay for a copy of the Standard at $133! I am sure there will be copies floating around before long.
If you already have a system in place it doesn't come under the new rules, but if you are working towards installing new equipment it would pay to find out some of the new rules before you go too far down the track in your design.
Adrian
Amongst the new changes is there is NO battery type that can be installed in the habitable area of the vehicle/caravan and they need to have venting to the outside air, so no under seat or in the cupboard AGM installs any more. All Lead Acid (including Gel and AGM)require a spill tray of 20% of the volume of the battery, the enclosure has to be acid resistant and ventilation to the outside air. They also have to be easily accessible and removable. Not too bad in a Bay as you can still use the engine bay left hand side as many do and that will comply with the requirements. The engine bay has a large air flow through it and there is surprisingly little heat in there unless idling on a hot day.
There are a few requirements on Solar, amongst those being the panels must securely fastened and the cabling must be double insulated and able to withstand UV. All fuses/circuit breakers are to be rated for DC and placed as close to the point of supply as possible and cables should be sized to allow for no more that 10% voltage drop at the load end.
While the new standard is not aimed directly at DIY people, it is likely that this will eventually go the way of gas installations and insurance companies may require a certification that the install is compliant with the regulations as a requirement of insurance. Now for the gotcha, you have to pay for a copy of the Standard at $133! I am sure there will be copies floating around before long.
If you already have a system in place it doesn't come under the new rules, but if you are working towards installing new equipment it would pay to find out some of the new rules before you go too far down the track in your design.
Adrian
A new beginning. 
+
1975 Kombi The Doctor
1976 Dual Cab Bumble Bee
1974 Microbus Matilda (parts bus)
+1975 Kombi The Doctor
1976 Dual Cab Bumble Bee
1974 Microbus Matilda (parts bus)