Being any kind of electrician is a specialised role, given the uniquely dangerous nature of their expertise among the trades. Even basic electrical tasks around the home should be left to the professionals, but what about those tasks that go beyond even regular maintenance?
That's where a Level 2 electrician comes in, a specialist in electrical systems who has completed additional training to tackle more complex electrical tasks. A Level 2 electrician has the skills and experience to handle everything a Level 1 (or ordinary) electrician can, as well as the ability to maintain connecting electrical systems outside the boundaries of the home.
One size doesn't fit all when it comes to electrical work, and you need to be sure you're hiring the right kind of qualified professionals for specialised tasks. Join us, as we explore what a Level 2 electrician can do for you and your electrical supply.
What is a Level 2 Electrician?
Level 2 electricians have undergone specialised training to work on more complex electrical tasks. The most fundamental difference is that a Level 1 electrician can work on wiring and installation around the home. A Level 2 electrician can work on the service lines connecting a home or business to the wider grid.
They can also disconnect and reconnect properties from the electrical grid, manage and install electrical meters, and complete work on overhead service lines and the underground power supply.
To become a Level 2 electrician, one must already be a qualified level 1 electrician, which already requires a 4-year on-site apprenticeship with additional TAFE study. The qualifications for a Level 2 electrician require additional training by an accredited service provider.
In NSW, this is Level 2 Accredited Service Provider (ASP) training, which generally takes about 3–4 days of specialist training. The ASP scheme is broken down into four categories: (2A) disconnect and reconnect, (2B) underground systems, (2C) overhead systems, and (2D) energising service equipment.
An annual refresher is required to maintain accreditation.
What Role Does a Level 2 Electrician Have in the Electrical Supply Network?
The primary roles of a Level 2 electrician include their work on complex electrical systems, including maintenance and repair of the underground and overhead power supply, for both residential and commercial properties.
Underground and overhead electrical systems are high-voltage electrical systems and have greater complexities than home circuits. To begin with, accessing both systems is more difficult, with overhead requiring an elevated work platform and the safety equipment and knowledge of proper earthing, while underground electrical systems must be unearthed and maintained without causing further damage.
Due to working on the public grid, Level 2 electricians are working with dangerous live wires, while a Level 1 electrician will typically shut off the power supply to a house or shop before working on the circuit. To perform electrical work on live wires is something only a Level 2 electrician can do.
Both types of systems require an electrician who is experienced in handling high voltage circuits, can complete maintenance work in difficult positions (on a high platform or reaching underground), and has an understanding of how the public electricity supply works, all things that an electrician without this qualification cannot do, both legally and safely.
Why Should You Hire a Level 2 Electrician?
Expertise in Complex Electrical Work
Level 2 electricians have the qualification and accreditation to handle more complex electrical work, including handling overhead and underground service lines that connect residential and commercial circuits to the public power grid. This linking infrastructure comes with its own challenges that the Level 2 qualification teaches accredited electricians.
If you need to connect or disconnect a property from the electrical network or apply metering to an existing connection, you will need the services of a Level 2 electrician.
Electrical Safety and Compliance
Working on live wires makes Level 2 electrical work particularly dangerous. The current flowing through home circuits is strong enough to cause lethal injury, but the public grid contains voltages many magnitudes higher.
Level 2 electricians have a deep knowledge of regulatory requirements and compliance to ensure both safe installation and effective repair practices, protecting everyone on-site and the grid and appliances themselves from being subjected to high voltages than they are designed to handle.
Emergency Electrical Services
If a tree has fallen and brought down overhead wiring or a digger has accidentally torn through underground cables, you'll need the situation resolved as soon as possible, both for the safety of those around the site and for the convenience of restoring power.
Level 2 electricians who are available for urgent electrical repairs can help to minimise downtime for homes and businesses. Whether it's a storm or an accident, Level 2 emergency services can have your power supply restored safely and effectively in no time at all.
Cost-Effectiveness in the Long Run
The cost-effectiveness of ensuring your power supply is running at the voltage and reliability we expect of modern systems can help save you money in the long run. Grid faults can cause damage to appliances and systems by sending too much current into circuits they weren't designed for.
This can cause your home or commercial property's electrical fittings and electrical lines to wear out ahead of time, causing complex electrical issues that can necessitate an expensive overhaul of your home's electrical system.
When Do You Need a Level 2 Electrician?
A Level 2 electrician is necessary for the complex tasks associated with electrical emergencies, repairing service lines, tending to the power meter, and maintaining the connections between the public electricity grid. Additionally, the following scenarios also require their specialist expertise:
- Power pole installations: Level 2 electricians can also erect power poles on your property, so if one is failing or you need to expand your electrical system on your land, they can raise private power poles and connect them to the mains.
- Upgrading electrical systems for higher capacity: Particularly for older homes, if you need more a greater power supply than you have from an older network connection, a Level 2 electrician can upgrade your existing system to a modern standard.
- Fault finding and rectifications in service lines: As service lines typically stay live when worked on, a Level 2 qualified electrician is required to diagnose and repair faults in these high-voltage cables.
How to Choose the Right Level 2 Electrician
Because Level 2 electrical issues typically involve difficult-to-access high voltage wires and mistakes can negatively impact neighbouring properties or cause serious injury (or worse), it is important you verify and select only qualified Level 2 electricians for the jobs described above.
First, check their website as evidence of their certifications and insurance should be readily available. If you can't find clear evidence of their accreditation, it's often best to continue your search elsewhere. Next, search for online reviews to ensure they always provide a good customer experience.
Need a Level 2 Electrician for Your Electrical Work?
Whether you have electrical needs your current circuits can't meet, have an emergency with lines down or dug up, or need complex installations for high-voltage systems, enlist the services of a qualified and licensed electrician today.
At Easther Electrical, we are proud to service the Wollongong community for all your Level 2 electrician needs. Our certified electricians can keep your home or business powered safely and with optimal functionality. We can maintain metering equipment, raise electric poles, and assess your power usage to make sure the distribution system of the supply network is serving you how it is supposed to.
Don't take the risk with high voltage electricity supply. Call Easther Electrical today to hire a licensed electrician to take care of all your overhead and underground electrical needs.