Swimming Pool Electrics.

One luxury many Brits, who live here on the Costa Blanca, treat themselves too is a swimming pool. If you are one of the lucky people that have such an item, then there are some considerations that you should make, to ensure that your pool is safe. Now as we all know electricity and water don’t mix and of course in a swimming pool there is a considerable amount of water. Also connected to the pool there is a pump, to circulate the water through the filter system, often one or more lights and in some cases, a heating element all of which require electricity to work. There are some very strict rules and regulations regarding swimming pools, however, I have often found that many have not been adhered to. I will try and list few things that you should check for, in your pool.

Firstly the earth, the general construction of swimming pools here in Spain is to use lots of re-enforced concrete. This means that there is a lot of steel in the ground, which creates a good earth protection around the pool itself, however, if an electrical fault occurred inside the pool or inside the pump/heater then that fault could potentially make the water live. an example of this could be if the pump/ heater goes wrong or the casing of the pump breaks for any reason and the water makes contact with the electrical components inside of the heater/pump. So to try and protect against any potential fault we must ensure the pump/ heater is connected to earth separately, as this will help divert the fault to dissipate.

Another very important device that is vital, is a local Residual Current Device (RCD) or Diferencial (Spanish). I have often written about the need for an RCD in your electrical installation. In most cases the pool pump is located some distance from the main consumer unit/ fuse box located inside your home. An additional RCD which should be in a closer proximity to the pump/heater provides you with added protection, as any potential fault will be detected quicker due to the reduced amount of time that it takes for the fault to reach the closest RCD

Underwater lights must always be low voltage, in most cases this is 12 volts but can sometimes be as high as 24volts and of course the lights must be water tight. To enable the lights to work the mains voltage, which is normally 230volts, must be reduced to the required voltage via a transformer; in most cases you should have only one transformer per light. One of the contributing factors to bulbs blowing is due to the fact that the transformers are not designed to run more than one bulb. Another reason that bulbs blow is that the cable feeding the lights is too small. Although the bulbs can run on 12 volts they often require a current of 25 amps which equates to a 6mm2 copper cable (not considering volt drop).

Upgrading Your Electrics.

I, like most other people living here on the Costa Blanca, have in the past been frustrated by constant power cuts. Sometimes this is due to the weather and on other occasions it’s simply caused by the electrical installation in your house. If you find that your electrical system often trips when you turn too many things on at the same time, you may want to upgrade your supply. Here I will explain a few things that you will need to consider and how to go about it.

First you must contact your electricity supplier; they will instruct you if the cables supplying power to your street or apartment block are capable of taking increased power consumption.
It is possible, with the permission of Iberdrola, in some cases, to increase your power simply by changing your contract for the next level up and installing a higher rated ICP/ PCS (limit switch). For example if you have a contract for 3.3kW you can increase your supply to 4.4kW with a phone call and a change of limit switch.

If you require further power you may be asked by Iberdrola to produce a ‘Boletin’ this is a safety certificate issued by an authorised and registered, electrician. This would involve an inspection of the installation to ensure all the systems comply with current regulations and are safe for use. The inspection will identify if there are any underlying problems that you may have in your electrical system however, if you have an older property, it does not always mean you require a complete re-wire.

You would then be required to open a case file with Iberdrola and submit the relevant paperwork to them (this can be done by e-mail). You would also be required to adjust the new ICP (limit switch) to the relevant rating. It may also be a requirement by Iberdrola to sign a new contract or simply agree to one that is read out to you over the phone. A technician from the electricity supplier will then make an arrangement with you to come and inspect and seal, the ICP.

Now if this seems quite complicated, or you just don’t want all the hassle, but need to upgrade your supply, I can help. Electricity is an essential part of modern day life and ensuring it is installed safely, is part of my job.

Oh No my electric supply has been cut off!!!?.

As many of us are aware dealing with big companies such as Iberdrola can be quite challenging, I am often contacted by people that have, for one reason or another, had their electricity supply cut off by the supplier.

Most often the supply is cut due to a missed bill payment and this is not necessarily the last bill; I know of one situation where a supply was disconnected for owing as little as €0.79 on a bill from eleven months previous.

My best advice is to avoid getting your electricity cut off, ensure you check that the electricity supplier is taking the money monthly/ bi-monthly. If, unfortunately, you do have the electric supply disconnected it could cause you a lot of problems. I will try to explain what you may be required to do in order to get it turned back on again.

If you find that the power goes off due to Iberdrola disconnecting the supply then inside your home when you look at your consumer unit (fuse box) you will find that all of the circuit breakers are in the ‘on’ position. What has happened is the Iberdrola contractor has disconnected the power by pulling the main fuse that is located near the meter. Often they will leave the fuses in the box and put an orange sticker on the meter as a warning that you have missed a payment, be very careful at this stage as they often leave live parts exposed, if in doubt contact a professional electrician. If you are ‘lucky’ enough to have the ‘orange sticker’ warning, contact the supplier and they will instruct you what to do next, however, don’t wait too long as they will be back to remove the meter next.

If the meter is removed, you will again be required to contact the supplier (remember deep breaths, as upsetting them will make things a lot worse), they may, depending on the age of the electrical installation within your home, ask for a ‘Boletin’. This may entail having a full re-wire costing €1000’s if not they may ask for a ‘Certificate of second occupation’ which will also put you back €300 - €500, not forgetting a long period without electricity. In other cases I know of, they have insisted the meter cupboard be moved to the boundary of the plot, before the supply is turned back on and sometimes they have even required the installation of a new Pylon.

I have used the worst case scenario whilst writing this article, as every situation is different and every installation is different. If you do find yourself in the unfortunate situation of being cut off, we can help, but the best solutions is pay your bills and don’t give the electricity company any reason to cut off your supply in the first place.

What is an electrical bulletin ‘boletín’ and do I need one?.

 As you may notice on my adverts I offer the service of issuing an electrical Boletín, I often get phone calls asking for a boletín however many people are unsure as to what it actually is. More often these days when people contact Iberdrola they are being told to obtain a boletín, but are unsure as to why, in this article I will try and explain

The official description of a boletín is: It is the low-voltage “Electrical Installation Certificate”, an official document issued by an authorised electrician certifying that the electrical system meets the requirements established for the contracted power supply. It shows the main characteristics of your electrics, such as the installed power and the maximum admissible power, and also guarantees the quality of the electrical system.

When should it be obtained?
Whenever required by the distribution company, which has a register with all the certificates for installations connected to its grid. For example, when the requested power exceeds the allowed power or the electrical system is more than 20 years old. The distribution company may require that the customer adapts to the current legislation by submitting a new Certificate (boletin).

How can an electrical installation certificate be obtained?
This can be done by contacting an authorised electrician; an authorised electrician here in Spain holds a ‘Carné de instalador’ (installer license). The installer must be registered with the ‘Ministry of Industria’ in order to obtain the required certificate. It is possible to check the validity of your installer online by visiting the web address link and by pressing the button ‘Seleccionar Municipio’ and simply type in your town name (Busot) and select from the list. Then at the bottom of the page press the button ‘Buscar’ the results will show all of the registered installers in that town, and their qualifications.

The electrical systems in our homes are essential, we rely on them operating correctly everyday and a boletin will confirm that yours is safe and functioning properly 

Electricity is an essential part of modern day life and ensuring it is installed safely, is part of my job.

In Spain, What does reverse polarity mean, and how does it affect me?

Reverse polarity is basically when the live and neutral cables are the wrong way around, in Spain this is something that can occur regularly. I have found that very often, the supply cables from the electrical company are often the wrong way around. Most electrical items will work normally, no matter what polarity you have, and the 2 pin plug that we have here proves that fact as you can plug an appliance in any way you like, but certain items, for example extractor fans, may blow instead of suck. It is also important should you be working on the electrics in your house or even changing a light bulb. In a lot of cases by switching off the light switch you would assume that the lamp holder at the light fitting was dead, however if the polarity is reversed this may not be the case.

Many electronic items such as computers, have small fuses at the point where the electricity enters the appliance, this is to protect against an increased power supply (power surge), . It is at the point of entry into the unit to protect the circuit board, in the event of a fault the fuse will blow protecting the important stuff inside, . If however you have reverse polarity the circuit board may get fried before the fuse blows, as the electricity passes through the circuit board first.

It can also mean that certain appliances are not earthed correctly,. In some systems the earth is connected to the neutral and if the polarity is reversed then the earth could become live, although these types of appliances are rare in the home.

You can test for reverse polarity using an electrician’s neon screw-driver; at a light pendant type fitting, the centre pin should be live. If you are unsure of how to check any electrical circuits or systems seek help from a professional electrician. 

Electricity is an essential part of modern day life and ensuring it is installed safely, is part of the job.

Costa Blanca, The age of the Smart Grid has arrived

The future of electrical distribution in the Costa Blanca is changing. Since the start of 2012 Iberdrola have begun the implementation of ‘Proyecto Star’ a new electrical grid system designed to reduce emissions, generate power using renewable sources and the improvement of energetic efficiency. This comes after the European Union stipulated that certain objectives were to be instigated within the energy sector by the year 2020 and it was made law in Spain by the Ministerial Order ITC/3860/2007, dated 28 December.

1 Who is affected?

Everyone, Communities, small businesses and individuals with contracts up to 15kW either single or three phase.

2 What are the benefits?

The main advantages are bringing the electrical systems/power grids in line with efficiency and energy savings objectives designated by the EU, which includes remote management of the electricity meters.

Cost savings from operations such as, fault-finding on the power grid system with less hassle. Automatic detection of whether the fault is private or from the power supply company.

More accuracy when dealing with contracts, change of contracted capacity; power cut offs and contract managment

Always having actual readings and not estimated bills

Access to user’s data provided by the meter, giving detailed information on consumption. Integrated management control systems and private facilities to provide data to the consumer and help control usage and subsequently save money.

Best prices: new rates to take advantage of favorable consumption patterns

3 Is this obligatory?

Yes. The Ministerial Order of 2007 defines ITC/3860 and explains who, how and when the new and important adjustments will be made.

4 Will it cost me anything?

No. The replacement costs are paid by Iberdrola

5 Do you pay more for the rental of the electricity meter?

No. They will lower three of the four rental tariffs also you will no longer pay for the ICP. (You should know that this price is fixed by industry and is stringently regulated.)

6 What if the meter is my property?

If the meter is yours, Iberdrola will replace it and will not charge rent for the new meter until the old meter is 15 years old. If you want to purchase a new meter then contact a qualified installer (Adept Electrical S.L.) who will handle the negotiations with the company and inform you of the cost of replacement.

7 How will I know when the meter will be changed?

Iberdrola will notify you in writing, an approximate time when they intend to make the changes; they will follow up with more specific notice nearer the time. It is important that when the change happens you are at home to verify that everything works, given that there will be a momentary interuption to the power supply.

8 What happens if Iberdrola notifies me of deficiencies?

Iberdrola will inform you of those deficiencies that affect safety of your installation and once you have been notified it is your obligation to correct the deficiency. If you do not carry out the necessary repairs and inform the Ministry of Industria (the regulating body for electrical installations) that you have done so, Iberdrola will have the authority to cut the supply of electricity to your property.

Iberdrola’s responsibility ends at the entrance of the building/plot, right up to the terminals of the CGP (the box that houses the main fuses on the pylon but before the power enters into the electricity meter). The electric meters are located within private property (community) and are therefore of private responsibility. The only document that ensures the correct adjustment to the installation and is accepted by Ministry of Industria is the CERTIN (otherwise known as a boletin)

9 What will happen to the ICP?

With the new meters the Power Control Switch (ICP) will no longer be required. It will be the meter which performs the cut out control. If you rented the ICP from Iberdrola they will remove it free of charge. Should you own the ICP, then you can contact a qualified installer (Adept Electrical S.L.), to remove the switch.

10 What happens if I have problems?

If your facility is particularly old or defective, or the contracted capacity is not sufficient for your use and/or the installation does not have an ‘up to date’ Electrical Installation Certificate then Adept Electrical S.L. can assist you to adapt/correct the technical problems.

Electricity is an essential part of modern day life and ensuring it is installed safely is part of my job.

Daniel Smith, Adept Electrical S.L.