WWW.PLUMBINGCONNECTION.COM.

AU SUMMER 2020

WHAT’S THE GO
WITH OVERFLOW?
ASSESSING OVERFLOW EQUATIONS
USED TO DESIGN BOX GUTTER SYSTEMS

INSIDE:
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 CONTENTS

COVER STORY

10 WHAT’S THE GO WITH OVERFLOW?

AHSCA Research and Training
Coordinator Dr Terry Lucke
discusses the appropriateness of
using the overflow equations from
AS/NZS3500.1 to design box gutter
systems as per AS/NZS3500.3.

10
FEATURES

16 COPING WITH COVID 42 PLUMBING SOFTWARE SOLUTION

Fergus job management software An Australian-based software
for trades and service businesses company is demonstrating
founder Dan Pollard shares three how technology can make time

20
key tips to help get you and your consuming and error-prone
business through 2020 while calculations a thing of the past.
coping with COVID-19.

20 TAKING PLUMBING TO NEW

HEIGHTS REGULARS
Find out how Hydrautech
designed a plumbing system 06 Editorial
for what is essentially a vertical 08 Industry news
suburb that is expected to house
38 Box gutters
some 7,000 people.
46 Prove It

32
28 AGA LISTED GAS FITTER SCHEME 50 Training off the page
As an industry first, The
Australian Gas Association
60 Products
(AGA) launched the AGA Listed 81 Trade stuff
Gas Fitter Scheme to increase
awareness around testing and
installation.

32 SPLASHING INTO THE

CONNECTED WORLD
Sean Carroll looks into Davey’s

42
new range of IoT products that 66 HEALTH
brings the plumbing market
more in line with the likes of the 70 BUSINESS
electrical and building industries.
74 TRANSPORT

4 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020

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AND SO IT CONTINUES
A
song that hit the charts in
1987 by R.E.M titled ‘It’s the
end of the world as we know
it’ pretty much sums up 2020. That’s
speaking from a Victorian of course.
This year has been nothing that
any of us could have imagined, but
at the time of writing, the Victorian
Government has announced an
extension to Stage 4 restrictions
and what appears to be an uncertain
roadmap out of this unprecedented
time.
The uncertainty surrounding the
roadmap out of restrictions feels
reflective of 2020 as a whole with
nobody really knowing how this will all
pan out.
Many small – and even big –
businesses have or will succumb
to the recession and economic
downturn, while others are thriving.
It’s highly unlikely the likes
of businesses in remote work
and social platforms, as well as
delivery services and even home
furniture manufacturers could
have anticipated it would take a
global pandemic to see demand and
profi ts skyrocket for their goods and
services, but that’s the way the cookie
crumbles sometimes.
For the construction industry it
isn’t all doom and gloom just yet.
While the full impact of the pandemic
on the construction industry remains
to be seen, as will be the case across
the Australian economy as a whole,
there will be challenges to overcome.
Thankfully, apart from Victoria,
the industry has remained open for
business, if not for some inevitable
tweaks and changes here and there.
We’ve seen Construction Skills
Queensland (CSQ) announce a $42
million workforce training package
to prepare for its eventual recovery,
6 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020
EDITORIAL
www.plumbingconnection.com.au
and the same or similar will no doubt GENERAL MANAGER
Jeremy Sweet
ensue around the country. Perhaps jeremysweet@build.com.au
now more than ever, training and
EDITOR
education is vital for the future of the Justin Felix
industry and apprentices. 03 9542 9024
justinfelix@build.com.au
Until we can all breathe a collective
sigh of relief, once the worst of this EDITORIAL CONSULTANT
Jeff Patchell
is over, it’s important to focus on jeff patchell@build.com.au
something beyond the financials and
STAFF WRITERS
that’s your mental health. Anna Hayes, Sean Carroll
If you’re experiencing downtime, GRAPHIC DESIGNER
now might be the perfect time to take Sam Elliott
a break from the tools and business ADVERTISING TRAFFIC MANAGER
operations to recoup. If you’re a Tracey Glanville
business owner, you’re going to need SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER
to ensure you’re in the right head Brigitta Novosell
03 9542 9005
space to lead your team through the
rest of this uncertain time, so be sure CONTRIBUTORS
Jon Palfrey, Ken Sutherland, John Fennel,
to check in on yourself before looking Frank Iapozzuto, Standards Australia
after your staff.
ADVERTISING
If you’re going through a difficult Angelo Sticca 03 9542 9011
time, or need support for your staff, angelosticca@build.com.au
get in touch with the likes of MATES TO SUBSCRIBE 1800 623 214
Australia 03 9542 9000
in Construction who are here to train
New Zealand +61 3 9542 9000
and support the industry in a range of Fax (with credit card details) 03 9542 9090
areas pertaining to mental health and
awareness.
WHAT A RIDE www.facebook.com/tradieconnection
After 19 years of motoring
correspondence for Across the www.linkedin.com/in/plumbing-connection/
Trades, it’s time for us to farewell
www.twitter.com/PlumbingCXNMag
Terry Martin. Terry has been at the
fore of all things automotive related
and will be sorely missed by the team By mail, please write to the address below
here at Lanella Media, and no doubt PUBLISHED BY:
the many subscribers who have Lanella Media Pty Ltd
2/18-22 Lexia Place,
benefi tted from his experience and
Mulgrave, VIC 3170
knowledge. With that being said, we AUSTRALIA
ISSN 1034-3075
wish Terry all the best in his new role
and future endeavours.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this magazine do
not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. Although
all materials are checked for accuracy, no liability is
assumed by the publisher for any losses due to the use
Enjoy the read of material in this magazine. Copyright 2020 by Lanella
Media. All rights reserved. No part of this publication
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or
transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise)
Justin Felix without the prior permission of Lanella Media.
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NEXT GEN DIAL BEFORE YOU DIG
SERVICE
Dial Before You Dig (DBYD) has
announced Deloitte Consulting and
Esri Australia as the providers for its
next generation referral service set to
provide enhanced protection for $388
billion worth of underground utility
assets across the country.
DBYD chief executive Stuart
Burdack says the group was
extremely pleased to collaborate
with Esri Australia to provide the
next generation referral service and
Deloitte in the development of the
digital platform that will operate the
new DBYD service.
“For more than two decades DBYD
has remained one of Australia’s most
relevant and respected services
prioritising worker safety and the
protection of critical underground
infrastructure, above all else,” he
says.
“Our vision of ‘zero harm, zero
damage’ sits at the heart of our
decision to pave a new, innovative
path forward for the DBYD service.”
Esri Australia are location
intelligence specialists and will
leverage cutting-edge Geospatial
Information System (GIS) technology
in the development of a vastly
improved referral service for DBYD.
Phase one of the project will
see the delivery of self-managed
kiosks for reporting and information
uploads; enhanced data integration
capabilities allowing the seamless
amalgamation of referral service
data into web maps for analysis and
visualisation; map-based search
functions; an improved user interface
and many more features.
The next generation referral service
will be built and tested over the
coming year and will ‘go live’ in the
latter half of 2021.
8 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020
INDUSTRY NEWS
SUBBIES WELCOME OVERDUE
PAYMENT FAIRNESS REFORM
Master Plumbers’ Association of
Queensland (MPAQ) and National
Fire Industry Association (NFIA)
have commended the Queensland
government’s delivery on its
election commitment to bring
security of payment for the 240,000
Queenslanders who work in the
building and construction industry.
“Finally, the subcontractors will be
treated fairly and get paid on time and
in full.
“We would not expect a nurse
to work seven shifts and only get
paid for three, but this is what has
been happening to hardworking
tradies every day in Queensland,”
MPAQ executive director Penny Cornah
says.
“There is not a single plumber in
Queensland that has not experienced
non-payment or extreme late
payment on money owed for work
done. This legislation, which has
created a simplified project bank
account framework, now called trust
accounts, has been implemented.”
Penny adds that this $267 million
stimulus for the construction industry,
announced on Wednesday 15 July
2020, is an important and positive
step forward that will benefi t tradies’
businesses and create a security that
will extend into their personal lives,
particularly in these uncertain times.
NEW CPD TO BUILD INDUSTRY
UNDERSTANDING
The ABCB has announced the
latest NCC Continuing Professional
Development (CPD) courses which will
be launching in mid-late 2020. The
courses give builders and plumbers
the opportunity to undertake online,
self-paced and aff ordable training to
advance their knowledge.
As one of ABCB’s first responses to
the Building Confidence Report, these
are being developed in partnership
with industry, government and subject
matter experts. This ensure that
topics are relevant and of the highest
“NFIA and MPAQ commend the
government for taking our feedback
on board and delivering this reform,
which will make a positive impact on
our industry as a whole,” NFIA chief
executive Glen Chatterton says.
The addition to the building industry
fairness act delivers:
∫ A simplified project bank account
framework, now called trust
accounts;
∫ Greater prosecuting powers to the
QBCC to investigate false statutory
declarations;
∫ More ways for builders to recoup
monies owed, including charges
on land and payment withholding
requests on financiers;
∫ Greater transparency of the
certification process to increase
consumer confidence;
∫ More eff ective regulatory
powers for the boards of architects
and engineers, improving
confidence in the standards of
safety and quality of the built
environment; and
∫ A statutory review into the role
of property developers, including
their workplace practices, in the
construction industry.
The Project Trust Account system
will be progressively extended across
Queensland’s $46 billion construction
sector from March 2021, while other
protections will commence this year.
importance to practitioners.
Online training provider, Pointsbuild
has been contracted by the ABCB to
deliver the online courses.
Courses being developed for the
following practitioner groups include
compliance practitioners including
building surveyors and inspectors;
design and engineering practitioners
including architects, designers,
draftspersons, specialists and
engineers (including fire and hydraulic)
and construct and install practitioners
including builders, plumbers, fire
protection practitioners and site/
project managers.
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WHAT’S THE GO
WITH OVERFLOW?
AHSCA RESEARCH AND TRAINING COORDINATOR
DR TERRY LUCKE DISCUSSES THE APPROPRIATENESS OF
USING THE OVERFLOW EQUATIONS FROM AS/NZS3500.1 TO
DESIGN BOX GUTTER SYSTEMS AS PER AS/NZS3500.3.
I
t appears that there is an increasing
tendency for building roof drainage
designers to use water tank overflow
equations from Section 8.4.4 of AS/
NZS3500.1:2018 (and its predecessors)
to develop box gutter performance
solutions. This article examines the
suitability of this practice.
SECTION 8.4.4 – TANK OVERFLOW
The orifice and weir overflow discharge
equations provided in Figures 8.4.4.1
(A), 8.4.4.1 (B) and 8.4.4.1 (C) of AS/
NZS3500.1:2018 were specifically
developed for water tank applications.
The overflow equations are applicable
in covered tanks with a tranquil and
steady water surface profile as shown
in Figure 1.
Tank overflow equations 8.4.4.1(2)
and 8.4.4.1(4) provided in Figures
8.4.4.1(A) and 8.4.4.1(B) are variations
of the historical orifice equation
(Eqn. 1) developed by Italian physicist
Evangelista Torricelli (1608-1647) in
10 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020
COVER STORY
PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS
a laboratory research study using a
tank with a tranquil and steady water
surface. These equations are only valid
in situations where the overflow inlet is
fully submerged. They are not suitable
for box gutter design.
EQUATION 1:
ܳ௢ ൌ ‫ܥ‬ௗ  ‫ כ ܣ כ‬ඥʹ݄݃

Where:
Qo = Flowrate through orifice (m3/s)
Cd = Orifice coefficient (~0.61 for sharp-
edged orifice)
A = Cross-sectional area of pipe (m2)
G = gravity (9.81m/s2)
h = head of water above orifice
centroid (m)
Tank overflow equations 8.4.4.1(1),
8.4.4.1(3) and 8.4.4.1(5) provided
in Figures 8.4.4.1(A) 8.4.4.1(B) and
8.4.4.1(C) are variations of the historical
weir equation (Eqn. 2). These equations
are also based on the assumption of
a tranquil and steady water surface.
These equations are valid in situations
where the overflow inlet is not fully
submerged, i.e. open-channel flow
conditions.
EQUATION 2:
ܳ௪ ൌ ‫ܥ‬ௗ  ‫ כ ܾ כ‬ඥʹ݃ ‫݄ כ‬ଵǤହ
Where:
Q w = Flowrate over weir (m3/s)
Cd = Weir coefficient (varies significantly
depending on shape of weir)
b = width of weir (m)
G = gravity (9.81m/s2)
h = head of water above orifice
centroid (m)
BOX GUTTERS
As discussed above, the orifice and weir
overflow discharge equations provided
in Section 8.4.4 of AS/NZS3500.1:2018
are applicable for use in water tanks
with a tranquil and steady water surface
profile.
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 COVER STORY
PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS

Roof drainage box gutters are

long, straight, drainage components FIGURE 1
designed to convey roof runoff
Tranquil Steady
longitudinally and discharge it freely Water Surface
h h
from the end of the box gutter into a
Covered Tank d
sump below. Box gutters are subjected
to spatially varied flow conditions and
accordingly have extremely complex
flow variation throughout the length
of the gutter and at the outlet. This
circumstance becomes even more
complex where opposing flows of a d

gutter share an outlet and/or overflow.

Box gutters conveying roof water to
sumps clearly have no resemblance to
tanks, nor do they have a tranquil steady
water surface profile. It is a dubious
Q Q
practice to use tank overflow equations
to design overflow provisions for box Horizontal Side Overflow Vertical Pipe Overflow

gutter systems. It is also inappropriate

to develop an overflow solution in
isolation, without due consideration
of the varying water profile in the box
gutter.
Box gutters of building roof drainage
systems are subjected to very different
operational conditions than those of a
covered tank, or the laboratory-based
model that was used to develop the
equations in question.
Roof drainage systems are designed
to operate effectively during intense
storm events where the inflow rates
into the box gutters can fluctuate
greatly. This often produces highly
unsteady hydraulic flow conditions
(spatially varied flow) which results in
significant water level changes within
the gutters.
These unsteady hydraulic flow
conditions can also cause the location
of the maximum water level within the
gutter to change continually during a
storm event (Figure 2). The deepest
part of the water profile in a gutter
is rarely at the outlet and therefore,
sizing the outlet (or overflow) without
identification of the deepest part of the
flow is fundamentally flawed.
The highly complex unsteady flow
conditions that occur in box gutters
makes it very difficult to hydraulically
model and no mathematical formulae
can reliably predict the maximum water
depths in gutters with consideration to
varying gradients and encompassing a
multitude of outlet configurations.
Figure 1 – Tank Diagrams provided in Figures 8.4.4.1 (A), 8.4.4.1 (B) in AS/
NZS3500.1
Physical testing is the only reliable
method to accurately determine the full
range of flow conditions that is likely
to occur in a box gutter conveying roof
water during a storm event in different
configurations.
Much research and hydraulic
testing was undertaken on box gutter
systems during the development
of AS/NZS3500.3:2018 (and its
predecessors). This research
determined minimum box gutter
depths, and a range of other factors
required to ensure roof drainage water
is conveyed safely in the box gutter
to the sump without the risk of gutter
overtopping, flooding or building
damage.
The outcomes of this, and other
research studies, are incorporated
in the general method for box gutter
design procedures outlined in Figures
3.7.4(A), 3.7.4(B) and 3.7.4(C) in AS/
NZS3500.3:2018. Using unrelated
water tank overflow equations from
Section 8.4.4 of AS/NZS3500.1:2018
to design hydraulically complex box
gutter systems is clearly not a suitable
performance solution alternative.
OVERFLOW SUMPS
AS/NZS3500.3:2018 requires box
gutters to discharge primary flows
freely from the end of the gutter, in the
direction of flow, into a sump which has
overflow provisions at least equal to the
total design flow.
Three alternative sump overflow
designs are available in AS/
NZS3500.3:2018 namely, rainhead,
sump/side overflow device and sump/
high capacity overflow device. The
overflow of the rainhead device is a
low-set weir in the direction of gutter
flow, that discharges directly to the
atmosphere. The overflows of the sump/
side and sump/high capacity devices
discharge through weirs connected
to an overflow channel/duct, and an
overflow pipe, respectively.
In the general method, the downpipe
sizes required to safely drain the design
flows from the three alternative sump
overflow designs in AS/NZS3500.3:2018
are calculated using variations of the
orifice equation (Eqn. 1). However, roof
drainage system sumps do not generally
experience a tranquil and steady water
surface during operation, rather, they
experience highly turbulent hydraulic
conditions such as those shown in
Figure 3.
As discussed, box gutter system
sumps experience highly turbulent
hydraulic conditions and water level
variations during normal operation.

12 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020

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Figure 2 – Flow in a 300mm wide box gutter showing varying maximum depth
locations.
Figure 3 – Highly turbulent hydraulic conditions in sumps receiving box gutter
inflows
These water level variations affect the
discharge rate through the downpipe.
AS/NZS3500.3:2018 allows for these
highly turbulent hydraulic conditions
and water level variations in sumps by
increasing the typical sump depth.
Research undertaken during the
development of AS/NZS3500.3
determined that a significant increase
of sump depth was required to ensure
the required flowrate through the
downpipe was achieved. These findings
are incorporated in Figures I3 and I4 of
AS/NZS3500.3 to allow for turbulent
flow conditions that occur during
operation.
14 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020
COVER STORY
PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS
No research has been published that
investigates the suitability of using
the water tank overflow equations
from Section 8.4.4 of AS/NZS3500.1
to develop performance solutions for
box gutters, sumps or overflows. It is
therefore inappropriate to use these
equations to design performance
solutions for box gutters, sumps, or
overflows.
OTHER ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION
As discussed above, there are numerous
hydraulic theory explanations as to
why it is inappropriate to use water
tank overflow equations to develop
performance solutions for box gutter
systems. However, there are also other
related and relevant issues that should
be considered in the development of
performance solutions for box gutter
systems. These are discussed below.
Building roof drainage systems are
highly complex hydraulic systems that
contain different components including
rainwater, box gutters, sumps, outlets,
overflow devices, weirs and pipes. All
these components interact with each
other and they cannot be designed in
isolation.
Effective roof drainage system design
must consider all components of the
system acting together to ensure roof
water is conveyed safely away from
the building without the risk of gutter
overtopping, flooding, or building
damage.
Roof drainage box gutter systems
designed using the general design
methods outlined in Figures 3.7.4(A),
3.7.4(B) and 3.7.4(C) in AS/NZS3500.3
consider the interaction of all drainage
components operating together.
However, performance solution designs
often do not consider these effects.
Environmental conditions can also
influence the performance of roof
drainage systems. High winds and
intense rainfalls that often occur during
storm events can cause significant
wave actions in box gutters of roof
drainage systems.
Waves can also form in some gutter
configurations due to the proximity of
the outlet (or overflow) to vertical faces,
such as the return ends of the gutter.
These gutter waves can travel along
the length of the box gutters effectively
varying the anticipated location of
maximum gutter water depth and
potentially cause overtopping and
building flooding.
Box gutter systems designed using
the general design methods in AS/
NZS3500.3 allow for this potential
wave action by applying sufficient
freeboard values which were obtained
from physical testing research studies.
The height and speed of the waves vary
with the flow rate of the gutter and
its configuration. As flow is increased,
additional freeboard may be required,
and this is particularly evident in flow
 COVER STORY
PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS

rates above those presented in AS/ WRAPPING UP performance solutions where

NZS3500.3. This article has examined the AS/NZS3500.3 overflow solutions
Wind can also cause leaves, branches, practice of using water tank overflow are not suitable, or where required
plastic bags and other debris to be equations from Section 8.4.4 of AS/ flowrates are above 16L/s. Designers
blown into the box gutters and sumps NZS3500.1:2018 to develop box requiring box gutter performance
of roof drainage systems. This debris gutter performance solutions in lieu of solutions are advised to contact
can potentially cause partial, or full complying with the AS/NZS3500.3:2018 their local, fully accredited and trained
blockages of drainage components general method requirements for box AHSCA member to discuss their
resulting in overtopping of the gutters. gutter system design. requirements.
Box gutter systems designed using I have concluded that this practice is Hydraulic modelling and the
the general design methods in AS/ unacceptable. This is mainly due to the estimation of spatially varied flow in
NZS3500.3 allow for potential blockage significant differences in operational box gutters is extremely complex.
of the primary downpipe by requiring hydraulic conditions between covered These complexities are multiplied with
a separate overflow device that has at tanks and box gutter systems exposed varied outlet configurations, primary
least the same capacity as the primary to the elements. gutter flow requirements and additional
system. The AHSCA Research Foundation overflow paths.
Box gutters that are installed with recently concluded a four-year It is recommended that regulators,
changes in direction (i.e. not straight) comprehensive research study using building surveyors/certifiers, council
can also dramatically increase the physical modelling to investigate and and property owners insist that any
potential for blockages to occur and this validate the hydraulic behaviour of a ‘Performance Solutions’ related to
practice is specifically prohibited in AS/ variety of new box gutter outlet and box gutters be undertaken by an
NZS3500.3. The hydraulic resistance overflow devices. appropriately trained professional using
introduced by changes in direction The research outcomes included formulae and methodologies developed
(corners) is significant and outside the 12 new fully-tested box gutter by research specifically relevant to box
scope of AS/NZS3500.3. overflow devices that can be used as gutters.

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BUSINESS ADVICE

COPING WITH COVID-19

Fergus job management software for trades and service businesses founder Dan Pollard shares three key
tips to help get you and your business through 2020.

T
his is certainly a challenging time
between the global pandemic
and recession. Most plumbers
are seeing cautious spending from
customers, but also people are keen to
save money on water expenses.
Plumbers and businesses that double
down on their customer service are the
ones who weather the storm the best.
The downturn is also a time to focus on
improving your business operations,
catching up on admin, chasing
payments and even training.

FOCUS ON THE CUSTOMER

One very simple act that holds tradies
back from winning new business is
not answering the phone. It sounds so
simple, but from my own experience,
when I get recommendations for
any trades professional, I call them
wanting to spend money and they just
don’t answer. This loses plumbers
and tradespeople valuable jobs as
customers go elsewhere.
Similarly, when plumbers visit a site
to analyse the job and don’t follow up
with a quote, that’s wasting valuable
time as the customer will likely go with
the most proactive company.
Due to COVID-19, there are some
other practices, such as remote
quoting, that can help when customers
aren’t comfortable allowing multiple
tradespeople into their homes. If your
customer service is the best then you
will be the plumber winning business.
Each state has diff erent
COVID-19 requirements and
training, such as NSW COVID-
safe business certificates, which
can be gained to help increase
safety measures and customer
confidence.
Fergus job management
software for trades
and service businesses
founder Dan Pollard.
COVID-19 has changed the way a lot of us have to work, but by implementing certain
practices like wearing a mask and off ering remote quoting can help get us through.
With the trust barrier for allowing
strangers into the home at an all-
time high, you need to be sure that
prospective customers know you’re
taking the right health and safety
precautions at all times.
Ensure you’re not shaking people’s
hands when visiting sites, wear a mask,
use hand sanitiser and follow strict social
distancing rules. You should also keep
a record of who is on site at what time.
Fergus has a contact tracing forms
function to help business owners
with this in addition to a health
and safety on-site checklist.
CREATING OPPORTUNITIES
During a recession, everyone
will be looking to win more
recurring maintenance
business. However,
using this
opportunity to
specialise in more
niche areas and
diversifying is a good idea if you want to
be more savvy.
The area of water conservation is a ripe
one as there are many ways to conserve
water on a house, from rain harvesting
to switching people’s hot water pipes to
smaller diameters, meaning they waste
less water and it costs less to heat. If
three or four litres of water is coming out
before the tap runs hot, customers are
paying to waste water.
Calculating these heating and
water waste costs can help educate
customers to get things amended, they
will soon make the money back with
lower bills. For example, I once replaced
some shower heads for a hostel and
it saved them thousands of dollars on
their bill as they used less water.
Many plumbers will be using the
downturn to organise their accounts
and adopt new processes to improve
their business. We know this as we have
had a record amount of views on our
Tradehub webinars.

16 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020

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Some of the subjects include
going paperless, how to calculate
chargeable hours, recession-proofing
your trades businesses and how to
keep your trades business running
throughout stage three and four
lockdowns in Melbourne. Using this time
to retool means you are improving the
way you do business not just now but
moving forward.
You can also create opportunities by
increasing your online presence. Many
tradies set up websites, social media
pages and also upload their companies
to popular job sites. Even the simple
things like setting up the company on
Google My Business so they can be
found by people searching online, can
dramatically increase the amount of
new business potential.
Things like customer reviews, images
and basic information about your
services really help customers feel
reassured and informed, making them
more likely to choose your business.
Shoring Propping Traffic
18 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020
OFFER VALUE
The best thing plumbers can do to
improve customer experience is make it
easy for people to do business with them.
Plumbing services, maintenance
and repair, are often seen as a grudge
purchase. A great way to make costs
more palatable is to off er payment
plans and packages. When clients think
one small job will cost them a huge
lump sum, they are less likely to get it
fi xed, but if a plumber explains to them
that they can get multiple things fi xed
around the house for a package fee and
pay in installments, they are much more
likely to go ahead with it.
Taking a customer first approach is the
key to a successful plumbing business. It
starts by really listening to your customer
to get a full picture of their problem. For
example, you get a call about a leaking
kitchen faucet, but after speaking with
the customer further you realise they
were motivated to fix it in an effort to
conserve water. This then gives you an
Lasers Pipeline Testing
opportunity to show you can do more
than just fix the leak and offer other
services as a package.
It’s important you understand
the customer’s budget, timeline
and expectations around quality of
materials used so you can present them
with the right options. Show your value
and help get them across the line, by
also telling them about the money they
can save on their bills.
Ultimately though, it’s delivering
outstanding outcomes for customers
that will win you repeat business and
referrals.
While the pandemic is a stressful time
for many, you can use any downtime to
improve the way you do business, chase
payments and create a new pipeline of
customers.
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and service businesses
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SYSTEM DESIGN

TAKING PLUMBING TO NEW HEIGHTS

Imagine having to design a plumbing system for what is essentially a vertical suburb that is expected to
house some 7,000 people at any given time. Well that’s exactly what Hydrautech had to do. Justin Felix
finds out more.

W
est Side Place will become
Victoria’s largest residential
development at 1.2 ha, at a
cost of $2 billion.
Stage one will house 1,376 apartments
over two towers, as well as the tallest
hotel in the Southern Hemisphere –
Melbourne’s first Ritz-Carlton Hotel – at
270m high with 257 suites, a business
centre, 550-seat grand ballroom and a
check-in desk that boasts panoramic sky
views from level 80.
Stage two will provide a further 1,519
apartments over two towers with retail
arcades and the addition of a 308 room
Dorsett Hotel. On top of all of that, there
will be 3,000sqm of ground floor retail
space and 475sqm of garden spaces
running throughout a new central
laneway connecting Lonsdale Street
with Little Lonsdale Street.
Hydrautech Designs Consulting
Engineers did more than imagine the
above scenario. It had the momentous
task of making it all a reality. West Side Place is set to become Victoria’s largest residential development,
As you can no doubt appreciate, a eff ectively being a vertical suburb.
project of this size and nature extends
well beyond the limits of AS3500 and
AS5601. So how do you design the population across both stages (of the The hydraulics design features a
hydraulics (including gas) for a project project) is 7,000. That’s more than combination of both Deemed-to-Satisfy
that is basically a vertical suburb? double the amount of people that live in and Performance Based Solutions in
Hydrautech Designs Consulting a lot of suburbs,” Ross says. accordance with the Plumbing Code of
Engineers managing director Ross “We knew that if we designed all of Australia.
Weight ran us through the monumental the plumbing systems through the Performance Based Solutions were
task. towers in accordance with AS3500 documented to satisfy Victorian
“What determined most of our Deemed-to-Satisfy (DTS), we were Building Authority (VBA) and building
designs purely came down to the sheer going to be sizing pipes and outgoing surveyor requirements and include:
size of the project. The anticipated drainage that would have been larger ∫ Sizing of main connecting sewer drains
than the street connection. in accordance with Water Services
“The authority gave us consent to Association of Australia (WASA) Gravity
THE NUMBERS: connect to their existing assets, which Sewerage Code of Australia (branch
for example, was the likes of a DN 225 drains and stacks designed DTS)
∫ 2,895 apartments
∫ 565 hotel suites sewer branch. So we looked at designing ∫ Positive Air Pressure Attenuator
∫ 7,000 population the entire building to the Waster (PAPA) stack systems designed
∫ 10 pools and water features Services Association of Australia in conjunction with Fully Vented
∫ 140,000 litres of hot water (peak hour) (WASA) code. If this was a sub-division Modified (departures for Ritz Carlton)
∫ 160,000 MJ/h of gas (connected load)
we’d have designed it completely ∫ Water services designed in accordance
∫ 190 l/s stormwater discharge
(1:100 year, 5 min) diff erently. We really had to treat it like a with WASA Codes with cross reference
vertical suburb.” to AS3500 diversified flows

20 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020

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∫ Gas services designed in accordance

with International Fuel Gas Code
(IFGC) as recognised systems or
formulae <10.3 kPa referenced
in AS5601, avoiding 50% fi tting
allowance etc.
∫ Combined vents.

OTHER DESIGN REQUIREMENTS

∫ All roof water (not surface water) is
harvested for all irrigation demands
and importantly for pool water
make-up. The water demand for the
pools greatly exceeds the rainwater
yield. This enabled the rainwater
tank to also be used for stormwater
detention to Melbourne City Council
approval
∫ High pressure stainless steel transfer
mains without break tanks designed
specifically for this project (no high
pressure connections)
∫ Heat traced 50°C+ hot water
throughout which eliminated the need
for 3,500-plus TMV’s
∫ All swimming pool water treatment
systems designed as a part of the
hydraulic services package.
∫ Design to Ritz Carlton International
Design Standards.
Designing the plumbing took over a year
and various updates.
Plenty of green spaces will soften the look of the building and will not only improve
the aesthetics but improve the health and wellness of occupants.
AN IDEAL REFERENCE PROJECT
The Upper West Side Apartments at 220
Spencer Street, located across the road
from West Side Place was also designed
by Hydrautech. It’s been completed for a
decade now.
Data from that building provided a
lot of insight and scope for what should
be a suitable plumbing system for
the new project, especially given the
similarities in size (2,500 apartments)
and population (~6,000).
That data indicated the following:
∫ Water flows are 36% of design
capacity according to meter data.
∫ Pressure pumps trend to 42% of peak
flow.
∫ Hot water demand is equivalent to
26% capacity of designed system.
∫ No problems with hot water (heat
traced throughout).
“We knew all of these facts going into
this job, which meant we knew we could
apply all of the same things because
historically it worked,” Ross says.
PROBLEMS
As tends to be the case on most jobs,
there were many challenges and hurdles
to overcome for Ross and his team of
four. That small team number provided
challenges in itself, especially when
you consider the size of the project
and working with a major builder like
PROBUILD.
“It’s hard for a small consultancy
to respond to the administration
onslaught of a major builder. We had to
hire a dedicated project manager just to
manage the builder’s expectations.
“It’s fair to say we were punching way
above our weight here.”
That wasn’t the only challenge though.
The tender period itself went for 12
months, which took time away from the
program and added pressure to sub-
contractors.
Massive design changes proposed
for the mechanical contract had a
significant impact on hydraulic services
with no time for a redesign. It also
took 12 months for an off er on the gas
application despite extensive pre-
planning.
“The design took over a year from
the start. It had to continually adapt
and change. If we had a finished set
of designs for the building, from the
beginning, it would have only taken a
couple of months. But that’s the nature
of the beast on projects such as this.”

22 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020

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PUMPS

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

Water distribution in large, multi-apartment buildings can be very costly in energy, money and time.
Sean Carroll looks into the latest solution tackling this issue.

“I
f you were to walk into a room,
switch on a light and wait 30
seconds for it to turn on, you
would be pretty annoyed. So why do we
put up with it in the plumbing industry
when waiting for hot water at a tap?”
That’s the question All Valve
Industries marketing manager Daniel
Dillenbeck asks when talking about the
company’s latest solution: the H-BOX.
“Hot water lag time in plumbing is
something we’ve come to accept, but
it’s certainly not good practice and
there are ways of improving that. Not
only that, but we’re wasting energy and
water,” he says.
Circulating hot water in a plumbing
system to maintain the desired
temperature is standard practice
in most residential and commercial
multi-level buildings with the hot water
generally being circulated vertically
from the hot water plant up and down The H-BOX solution from All Valve Industries aims to reduce lag times in plumbing
the building. and improve energy efficiency.
Traditional designs will use risers to
distribute water through the building
from the hot water plant. With some H-BOX that enables the pipes to keep through the heat exchanger and heats
utilities, especially in NSW, requiring hot is the use of a heat exchanger which up the cold water from the thermal
water meters and other services to be transfers heat from the riser pipes energy provided by the primary circuit,”
centralised in common cupboards, the supplied from the hot water plant over Daniel says.
ability to circulate this hot water further into the separate zone to be circulated “Hot water then circulates to
to each apartment becomes tricky. It out to the apartments. each apartment, bypassing the hot
generally means the pipe from the water “Basically, heat exchangers provide water meters, which is important
meter to the apartment becomes a a physical barrier between two circuits. otherwise the tenant would be charged
dead leg, with the further the water has They are made of a number of plates consumption, and, ideally, continues to
to travel, the longer the wait time is for with the fluids from each circuit flowing the very last fi xture, where it returns for
that water to be delivered to the tap. through alternating channels, allowing recirculation.
Solutions already exist in the the thermal energy to transfer from one “That return line from the apartment
market to counter this, including using circuit to the other, but without the two gets fed back into a common return and
an electric heat trace to maintain fluids physically coming into contact back to the H-BOX to get reheated. It
temperature in these dead legs or with each other or crossing into the circulates over and over and keeps the
increasing the number of risers in the opposite circuit,” Daniel explains. loops hot.
building. Both options can be quite The water in the first zone (primary “What happens when someone uses
costly in terms of space, money and circuit) flows down from the hot water hot water from a fi xture, there’s a
energy. plant, reaches the H-BOX, transfers special auto shutoff valve that we’ve
What the H-BOX does diff erently is heat through the heat exchanger and developed that senses a small pressure
create another circulating zone after then loops back up to the top of the loss and then quickly shuts off any flow
the hot water meters that maintains the building to be reheated. which circulates in that second zone,
temperature of the water in the dead leg “The second zone (secondary circuit) thereby forcing all water to be drawn
pipes. One of the key components in the after the hot water meters flows from the hot water meter.”

24 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020

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PUMPS
The special auto shutoff valve
is there to eliminate the risk that
water is accidentally drawn from the
common loop or other water meters.
It automatically isolates the relevant
circuit when a pressure diff erential is
created from using hot water.
On top of the main benefi t of
delivering hot water where it needs to be
faster, it’s cost-eff ective given there are
less risers, it takes up less space and it
can be wholly installed by a plumber.
“I’ve also seen some projects where
the electrical heat trace is charged to
individual electricity meters,” Daniel
says.
“It’s not fair that just because
someone happens to be further away
from the central riser, that they either
have long wait times for hot water or
alternatively pay hundreds of dollars
more per year for water heating with
heat trace. The delivery of hot water
should be designed inherently to the
building; it’s not a privilege to be closer
GET THE WHOLE STORY
www.plumbingconnection.com.au
www.facebook.com/tradieconnection
26 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020
to the riser. So it’s also a more equitable
solution.”
The H-BOX can also be programmed
to increase efficiencies. Instead of
running the system all day, every day, it
can be set to turn off from midnight to
5am for example.
All Valve Industries soft launched the
H-BOX to the Hydraulic Consultants
Association of Australia (HCAA) in
December 2019. It was immediately
installed in a multi-storey high-
rise building that was experiencing
extensive hot water delivery times. After
the installation of the H-BOX at this
project, the average reduction in hot
water lag time was 55 seconds.
Daniel also says that when telling
companies about the new solution, it’s
well-received as it helps people cut
down considerably on dead legs and hot
water delivery times which is a constant
challenge in hydraulic design.
The H-BOX is still a young solution
and the team at All Valve are committed
www.linkedin.com/in/plumbing-connection/
to bringing it to market in the coming
years.
A lot of the components in the
H-BOX system are off-the-shelf,
there’s nothing groundbreaking about
using heat exchangers, pumps and
valves. However, the team at All Valve,
alongside its partner engineers in Italy,
created this solution that works, is
efficient and can revolutionise the high-
rise plumbing industry.
“We endurance tested it for almost
two years, testing it under low flow
and high flow conditions, fi xtures that
open and close slowly or quickly, along
with a range of conditions to simulate
real life conditions so that we can make
sure that by the end of that testing
it still operates consistently,” Daniel
explains.
“I think by the end of the endurance
testing, some of the components had
operated at the equivalent of over 100
years’ worth of tap actuations so we
well and truly tested it to death.”
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GAS SAFETY

THE AGA LISTED GAS FITTER SCHEME

As an industry first, The Australian Gas Association (AGA) launched the AGA Listed Gas Fitter Scheme on
September 1 2020.

A
GA has a long and proud history
of serving the Australian gas
industry dating back to 1925 as
a membership-based not-for-profi t
industry association. AGA’s primary
objective is consumer safety and
over the years has been involved in
the development of Australian Gas
Standards, laboratory testing approval/
certification of gas products and
promotion of the gas industry.
AGA is now focusing its attention on
promoting Licensed Gas Fitters to the
Australian community through the AGA
Listed Gas Fitter Scheme. The benefi ts
of the Scheme include a licence to use
the AGA Mark, being included on the
AGA Listed Gas Fitter Directory and
promotion to customers through the The AGA Listed Gas Fitter Scheme aims to increase consumer awareness and
AGA Showroom (www.gas.asn.au). promote best practice around installations and servicing.
This extends AGA’s safety focus from
testing and certification of gas products
to include installation and servicing. As a result, the National Gas Association manufacturers and importers of gas
AGA will be running targeted marketing (NGA) and the Australian Gas Institute products and other affiliate companies.
campaigns to increase consumer (AGI) were formed in 1925 and 1932
awareness that it is a regulatory respectively to fulfil these roles. DEVELOPMENT OF GAS STANDARDS/
requirement that only licensed gas NGA was primarily focused on CODES
fi tters should be used for gas appliance promotional activities for the gas In the early 1960’s, AGA set up specific
installation and appliance servicing. industry and AGI was a scientific body Australian Gas (AG) Committees to
Being not for profi t, AGA is able to providing technical expertise to the develop safety Standards/Codes
invest the income from the Scheme industry. The discovery of rich reserves for domestic and commercial gas
right back to the industry. of oil and natural gas in Bass Straight appliances as well as myriad gas-
Go to https://www.aga.asn.au/gas- provided Victoria with an opportunity carrying components and controls.
fi tters/ for more details. to become energy self sufficient, Under the management and
however, it was recognised that the full technical support of AGA, the industry
HOW IT ALL STARTED WITH AGA economic benefi ts of this prize could was brought together through these
The Australian gas industry has only be realised if consumers across Committees to produce our world class
been evolving continuously for over Australia were satisfied that, first and safety gas Standards/Codes. This
100 years, from the introduction of foremost, Natural Gas was a safe fuel provided manufacturers and suppliers
manufactured towns gas and propane, to use in their homes and that it was a the much needed direction to help
to the conversion of Australia’s reliable, efficient and economical fuel. develop and produce safe and compliant
reticulated supply to Natural Gas. To achieve this, the NGA and AGI merged gas products.
In the early days, gas appliances to form the peak national industry AGA transferred the administration of
were pretty basic and it was difficult body known as The Australian Gas the gas product Standards to Standards
to convince the Australian community Association (AGA). Australia in 2004. This enabled
that they were safe and off ered many AGA was set up as a national not- AGA to focus on other gas industry
benefi ts. Positive promotion with for-profi t, membership association and developments and improvements while
proper technical backing was needed to its membership comprised hundreds continuing to be the largest technical
convince the community that gas is safe of companies from all over the world, contributor to the Standards writing
and that gas appliances are safe to use. including gas producers and suppliers, process going forward.

28 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020

GAS SAFETY
APPROVAL/CERTIFICATION OF GAS AND
RELATED PRODUCTS
AGA launched the AGA gas product
approval scheme in the 1960s through
which suppliers and manufacturers
approved their gas products prior
to selling them to the market. This
ensured only compliant gas appliances
and components were available in the
Australian community in accordance with
AGA gas product Standards/Codes. The
compliance and safety of gas products
was critical to provide assurance and
confidence of gas and the use of gas to
the Australian community.
Today the AGA gas product approval
scheme is called ‘The AGA Product
Certification Scheme for Type-Tested Gas
Products’ which covers tens of thousands
of currently certified brands and models.
In order to cater for AGA member
needs, AGA’s Certification services
broadened from the early 2000’s to
cover gas cylinders, plumbing products,
gas cartridges and gas cylinder test
stations. These Certification Schemes
require detailed on-site quality auditing
and in some cases, 100% inspection
at the manufacturer’s premises during
every production run.
TESTING OF GAS PRODUCTS
Underpinning AGA’s safety
certification schemes is its state of
the art laboratory based in Melbourne
with collectively over 350 years’
experience in testing gas appliances
and components for compliance
with Australian Safety Standards.
Laboratory testing is extensive and
includes such things as combustion
analysis, delayed ignition, temperature
hazards and energy labelling.
AGA’s NATA scope of accreditation
includes cookers, water heaters, space
heaters, laundry dryers, refrigerators,
ducted heaters, barbecues, patio heaters,
camping products, commercial catering
equipment, as well as a whole range of
gas components and controls and more.
TRUSTED AGA MARK
Each AGA certified appliance is affi xed
with either an AGA badge or an AGAMark
when sold since the approval scheme
was developed in the early 1960’s.
These safety symbols have been
30 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020
affi xed to domestic and commercial
gas appliances in Australian homes and
businesses for more than 60 years and
are well recognised by consumers and
industry practitioners alike.
PROMOTION OF THE AUSTRALIAN GAS
INDUSTRY
Since 1925 up to the 1980s, AGA helped
make the Australian community aware
of the benefi ts of gas with promotional
slogans such as “Safe, Clean, Efficient
Natural Gas”. AGA also produced
promotional videos featuring gas and
the use of gas appliances. These videos
were exhibited to the Australian public
on national TV as well as commercial
slots at cinemas and drive-ins. Go to
www.aga.asn.au/best-in-our-street to
view one of the promotional videos AGA
produced in 1955.
Moreover, cookbooks such as
‘The Australian Gas Cookbook’ were
published by AGA’s Australian Gas
Cookbook Committee to promote 100’s
of recipes for dishes using gas cookers.
There was no shortage of promotional
material nationally about the industry.
Through these initiatives, AGA
brought stakeholders together and
helped achieve what we call “social
connectivity”. This is important
because, unlike electricity, gas is a fuel
of choice i.e. consumers choose to have
a gas connected to enjoy the benefi ts
it off ers. Through AGA, and for many
years the industry invested heavily to
get to a point where consumers felt that
gas was a safe fuel choice supported by
a very committed and safety conscious
industry.
AUSTRALIA’S GAS SAFETY RECORD
In early 2004, AGA participated in a
survey of the gas safety records of the
major developed economies around the
world, including the major economies
of Europe, Nth America and some of the
countries in the Asian region such as
Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Results of this survey showed that
Australia enjoyed a gas safety record
that was the envy of most countries
and was amongst the best in the world.
This was a notable achievement given
the length of transmission pipelines,
the scale of natural gas distribution
networks and the LP Gas supply network
throughout Australia’s vast rural areas.
KEEPING THE INDUSTRY UP TO DATE
AGA hosts industry forums annually
which cover the latest and most
relevant gas industry developments.
Delegates have the opportunity to meet
key stakeholders and provide their input
for the betterment of our industry. The
forums are held in the last quarter of
every year and include distinguished
speakers and guests from Australia and
overseas.
The theme and the opening of
registrations are announced around
August and is a must attend event to
keep up to date with our industry’s
evolution. Unfortunately, due to
COVID-19, the forum will not be held in
2020.
AGA also publishes NewsFlashes
monthly for the purpose of keeping
the gas industry informed of the latest
developments and new requirements. It
covers topics such as Gas Certification
and Testing, WaterMark, gas cylinder
developments as well as Standard
updates.
THE AGA SHOWROOM
The AGA Showroom was launched
in 2019 providing an online, iOS and
Android platform for AGA members to
list and showcase their certified gas
products to the Australian community.
This supports AGA’s promotional
root objectives by bringing the industry
together once again to promote gas as
a fuel of choice and the safe use of gas
products.
The AGA Showroom is where
customers and gas fi tters can find a
whole range of safe and reliable gas
products and all the benefi ts that come
with them. Amongst other features, the
platform also has an inbuilt messaging
system where customers can
communicate directly with the suppliers
and manufacturers.
The AGA Showroom is number one on
internet search engines and is achieving
high result targeted showcasing
through social media. AGA Listed Gas
Fitters will be promoted to users in a
location targeted method through this
high traffic platform.
CONNECTED TECHNOLOGY

SPLASHING INTO THE CONNECTED

WORLD
The electrical, building and construction industries are working with connected or WiFi-enabled products
while the plumbing industry seems to miss out on all the fun. Sean Carroll looks into Davey’s new range of
IoT products.

W
hen looking across at other trade industries,
the building sector gets to play with drones
and augmented reality while the electrical side
is starting to work with smart home technologies and
converging with IT. But what gadgets and gizmos does the
plumbing industry get to play with?
Davey Water Products, manufacturers of plumbing
components for domestic and commercial markets, has
released its range of connected and Internet of Things (IoT)
products.
“It’s a really exciting time for Davey because we are
investing in product innovation at a level we haven’t seen
before. Connected products are definitely the way of the
future for the 2.7 million Australians who have a pool,” Davey
pool product manager Amanda Minogue says.
Davey recently debuted its Bluetooth-connected ProMaster
pool pump which can be controlled with an iOS or Android
device and boasts an eight-star energy rating.
“Customers don’t want to get involved in the complexity of
managing their pools, and that’s true in both the residential
and the commercial markets,” Amanda says.
“What they want is reliability, efficiency and simplicity.” Davey is investing in product innovation at a level never seen
The ProMaster gives customers the ability to control the before in the plumbing industry.
speed of the pump as well as a whole range of applications
including filtration, solar heating, gas and heat pump heating,
as well as suction and in-floor cleaning systems. “Automating that process so that we’re dosing chlorine as
Also in the pipeline is a modular chemical control feature, the pools needs it, checking salt levels and temperature which
dubbed the Lifeguard. It will let users control and monitor results in a little less frustration from the customer and a bit
their pool’s chemical levels remotely. more peace of mind.”
“It means whether you’re coming home from work on a hot It connects to a customer’s device through WiFi and gives
day with the kids in the car, or you’re just getting back from them a simple readout of what the pool chemistry looks like,
holiday, you know the pool will be ready. There’s nothing worse plus notifications for if the pool’s working.
than coming home to a green pool,” Amanda explains. Davey has also released its next generation salt water
Davey general manager of innovation and design Joel chlorinator, the Chloromatic Nipper, a clever and compact
Gresham says the idea came from customer research: “It chlorinator which uses Davey’s intelligent controls to
can be a little bit difficult around keeping full chemistry keep pool waters swim-ready all year long.
under check, customers are not necessarily always “What we’ve done is try to take advantage of
sure on exactly what to do,” he says. existing high-volume technologies such as switch
“People would usually just throw money at the mode power supplies which you’ll find in computers or
problem and what we’re saying is, you don’t need to, LED lighting or other industries,” Joel says.
you can just adopt technology and we’ll solve it for you “Take that and use it as a basis for our
in a more simplified manner. chlorinator which then allows a leverage on
that volume and cost and we invest in the
controls, the smarts and how we control the
Davey general manager of innovation and chlorinator rather than spend our time and
design Joel Gresham. money on trying to build a power supply.”

32 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020

 Joel adds that Davey started its IoT journey fi ve years ago
when they saw it as an emerging trend: “We weren’t really sure
where it would land. I think, now that it has matured a little
bit, there’s no doubt that when you’ve got the right use case
and you’re solving the right customer problems, that there is a
huge amount of benefi t to having connected products.”
Davey’s IoT pumps have applications in commercial
settings. Gumbuya World, Victoria’s only water, wildlife and
theme park which sees’ 3.5 million litres of water flow through
Servicing the pump industry for over 50 years
its pools, slides and lazy river yearly worked with Davey for its
plumbing needs.
WJ Pratt, tasked with designing the water infrastructure,
installed the ISOspec long and close-coupled pumps, Here comes all the
customising them with stainless steel impellers and upgraded
shaft seals to handle the demands of the park. water you need.
“We can run the entire plant from anywhere in the world,”
WJ Pratt consultant Adrian Pratt says.
“We needed to know someone could respond very quickly if
there was an issue. But there hasn’t been an issue at all, and
in fact when it came time for stage two of the project, we went
straight to Davey based on the performance of the products in
stage one.”
IoT plumbing products also have environmental benefi ts.
Amanda says that while pools are trending smaller in terms
of operation, there’s a higher uptake of variable speed pumps.

Lowara
e-HM Series & HME Smart Pump
This range of Lowara pumps and tanks are
designed for any pumping application involving
clean and non-aggressive water in household,
small scale irrigation and booster applications.
• Quiet operation • Dry run protection
• Compact design • Protection against
Connecting products to smart devices enables customers • Easy to install excessively frequent starts
and maintenance teams to monitor things remotely. • Trouble free servicing • Approved for drinking
• Higher efficiencies water (AS/NZS 4020)
• Energy savings • European build quality
• Automatic re-set electronic • Large range of models
The ProMaster pump also delivers up to 70% lower energy use
controllers available
than a traditional fi xed speed 1hp pump.
Joel points to the data Davey is able to extract from these Suitable for:
connected plumbing products and how it can be a game- • Residential • Water supply
changer for the plumbing industry: “The data we get from these • Light-industrial • Irrigation
devices can help improve efficiency, productivity and designs in • Commercial • Pressure boosting
the future. It’s a game-changer in terms of future-proofing.”
He also sees a day in the future where an entire Davey Contact your local plumbing supplies store
ecosystem can be made up from the connected devices. and ask about the Lowara pump range from
“At some point we’ll see that everything is connected. There Brown Brothers Engineers.
will be varying degrees of how it comes back to the customer,
but everything will be connected. The value of that data is too
valuable not to.”
Could this be a sign for the broader plumbing industry?

www.brownbros.com.au
w w w.plumbingconnec tion.com.au 33
09/20

DELIVERING PUMPING SOLUTIONS

LEAD-SAFE

PLAYING IT SAFE WITH PEX

REHAU has developed a lead-safe PEX system set to launch in Australia this year. Justin Felix finds out
more.

L
ead has played a major role in the development and
manufacture in brass plumbing systems for many
years now. It’s long been known that it provides useful
characteristics to the alloy; namely strength and malleability.
Bringing down costs is another factor.
On the flipside, lead has always been toxic to humans. And
in more recent times, a growing concern surrounding lead
leaching into water has inevitably ensued.
The United States addressed the issue 10 years ago by
introducing a regulation that brings lead content in wetted
plumbing materials down to a maximum level of 0.25%. In
Australia, restrictions have yet to be put in place to reduce the
occurrence of leaded water.
It has become a hot news topic in recent times and gaining
coverage through more mainstream media outlets. In Victoria,
in 2017, lead-poisoned water was found in public drinking
water fountains, apparently due to leaded brass fittings and
consequently all the fountains in the cities of Geelong and
Warrnambool were shut off temporarily. In the same year, Available in sizes from 16mm-63mm, Rautitan is suitable for
lead-contaminated water in Perth’s Children’s Hospital and various applications including rainwater and recycled water.
caught the attention of authorities.
As a result the opening of the hospital was delayed causing
huge costs and inconvenience to the tax payer and patients. In “By offering PE-Xa Rautitan pipe in Australia we want
light of these cases, the quality of potable water in homes was to deliver a more positive message of the importance of
also questioned. responsible materials choice and minimising lead in fittings.”
Later in 2018, real measures started to see light; the
Environmental Health Standing Committee (EnHealth) A SYSTEM-BASED APPROACH
recommended to householders to use low-lead or lead-free When most people think of PE-X, they think of plastic, but it’s
plumbing products and tapware as well as running the tap for important to remember that PE-X itself plays a role in a system.
a period before drinking. “There are quite a few tapware manufacturers now producing
The Victoria School Building Authority (VSBA) also low-lead products and you need to combine them with PE-X
mentioned in their practice notes that henceforth, they will to achieve a lead-safe system. While it’s good to minimize
only use lead-free or lead-safe plumbing products for their lead wherever possible in a drinking water systems, the safest
new buildings and upgrades. solution is to combine low-lead tapware with a low-lead piping
While Australia is not yet ready for a fully-fledged system. REHAU now provides that option for their customers.
materials transition, this year REHAU will introduce its “Most of the materials in a PE-X system are plastic but
own lead-safe solution that will help deliver cleaner and lead- there is a massive variation in the material make up of what’s
safe water. in a brass fitting from different manufacturers. There are just
“The range consists of low lead and lead-safe materials so many different compositions,” David says.
which have been extensively tested and proven,” REHAU The fitting components in the REHAU system are made up of
product manager building and infrastructure solutions ANZ threaded and non-threaded fittings. Every manufacturer uses
David Cole says. DZR brass for all of those fittings. REHAU went to lead-safe
It is currently being used in Germany. polymer non-threaded fittings in 2011 which meant only half
“The more lead you have in brass the cheaper it is to the range needs to change to a lead-safe range.
produce because it makes the material softer, reducing wear Let’s take a look at what REHAU has to say about its other
and tear on the cutting tools. fittings that make up this lead-safe system.
“Some lower quality manufacturers use higher levels of
lead and while there is a WaterMark limit, it’s a hard thing to PVDF PXSR POLYMER FITTINGS
monitor and regulate. Our testing indicates that there is a PXsr solvent resistant fittings are made from PVDF material,
huge variation and a lot of products go over that limit. which is 100% lead-safe and supremely hygienic.

34 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020

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 LEAD-SAFE

Available in non-threaded fi ttings in sizes 16-20mm, PXsr

fi ttings are fi ve times lighter than brass, meaning you can
carry more and get the job done faster. They are corrosion
proof and lead-safe so they do not deteriorate over time,
suff er oxide build up or leach lead into the water making them
safer for the community.

GUNMETAL RX+ FITTINGS

RX+ fi ttings are made of a high quality low-lead bronze, also
known as red brass or gunmetal. They have a maximum lead
content of 0.1%, exceeding the most stringent international
standard for low-lead drinking water systems.

PX POLYMER SLEEVES
While compression sleeves are never in contact with water
and therefore not covered by international low-lead regulation
PVDF PX sleeves are 100% lead-safe. They are available
in sizes 16mm-40mm for use with REHAU water, gas and
heating piping systems. They are lightweight, faster to install
and completely secure making them the ideal material for
compression sleeve jointed applications.

U-BEND FITTINGS
Stagnant water in pipes (dead-legs) is known to facilitate the
reproduction of bacteria and Legionella growth, which can cause
health problems, commonly known as Legionnaires’ disease.
While guidelines exist in the Australian Plumbing Code to
help minimise the risks, it can often be quite difficult to design
a system that eliminates dead legs.
“REHAU’s Gunmetal U-bend fi ttings are a unique concept
purposely made to tackle this problem; minimising dead-legs
and allowing water to flow through plumbing fi xtures even if
they are not being used frequently,” David says.
“While we will still have all the standard DZR brass fitting
available for those who don’t want to change the Lead-Safe
Gunmetal range will run in parallel until eventually the standards
change to force all manufacturers to produce low lead fittings.”
While not set in stone, there is a strong belief among the
industry that Australia will transition from 4.5% to 0.25% lead
content in brass fi ttings by 2023, just like the United States.
Furthermore, it is indicated that this initiative should also
be integrated as a criteria for WaterMark certification and
supported by point-of-sales legislations (Master Plumber and
Gasfi tters Association, 2018).
There will need to be a transition period to allow
manufacturers, suppliers and plumbers to adjust.
“It’ll be a slow change but we want to make sure we are
ahead of it. We feel it’s our obligation to do that, as an
innovation first organisation.”

A NOTE ON ‘LEAD-FREE’

The term lead-free is defined in Section 1417 of the Safe Drinking

The more
stars the more
water efficient
The more
stars the more
water efficient
Water Act as a material with a weighted average of 0.25% lead or less
WATER RATING WATER RATING
www.waterrating.gov.au www.waterrating.gov.au

3.3
calculated across the wetted surfaces of a pipe, pipe fi tting, plumbing
3.8 litres
average flush
litres
average flush
6.4 L per full flush / 3.1 L per half flush

In accordance with AS/NZS 6400

Licence No. 0115

4.7 L per full flush / 3.0 L per half flush

In accordance with AS/NZS 6400

Licence No. 0115

fi tting, and fi xture. This is a US Standard and is used in the absence of
an Aus/NZ Standard covering the topic.
RBA Group
RBA Group

36 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020

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TH E WO R LD ’ S MO ST A DVA N C E D D R I N K I N G WATE R S YS TE M
BOX GUTTERS - KEN SUTHERLAND
BOTCHED BOX GUTTERS
Ken Sutherland delves further into the issue of box gutters and what we can do to overcome them.
Y
ou must ask yourself: why are
eaves gutters higher at the front
than at the back?
Well it turns out that no one wants to
see all the stuff that hangs out of the
corrugations of the roof sheeting, or in
fact the corrugations themselves.
The Plumbing Code is not the easiest
document in the world to figure out.
Especially when it comes to roof
gutters. In the good ol’ days, overflow
poured into the eaves. Not a lot of
damage was done. Maybe some flaking
paint or mould appeared after 20 years.
But these days, Houston we have a
problem, because houses are being built
without any eaves.
So, the overflowing goes into the
walls, and the house, and the result is
not pleasant. Going into the eaves is not
desirable either. But not all is lost, if you
design and build to the Plumbing Code
you are as protected as you can be.
The Code now provides ways to
protect the building, and us.
We don’t have to worry too much
about lack of maintenance.
However, we should make
it as easy as possible
to maintain. So, what
does the Plumbing Code
suggest? We can design
an overflow to go over
the front, or over the
back, or somewhere
else.
But this is the
interesting bit, we must
design the overflow arrangement for a 1
in 100 year storm (ARI 100, AEP 1% ); but
the eaves gutter is only designed for a 1
in 20 year storm ARI 20 (AEP 5%).
So, Houston, we’ve got another
problem. However, as I always say in
the building industry, “there’s nothing
that can’t be solved by throwing money
at it.”
AEP stands for Annual Exceedance
Probability, and is expressed as a
percentage. So a 1:20 storm = 5:100 =
5%. AEP=100/ARI (approx.)
38 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020
Collapsed gutters can be overcome by designing and installing to the Plumbing
Code, which provides ways to protect buildings and occupants.
THE SOLUTIONS:
The Code solution is to allow for
overflow along the full length of the
gutter (for a completely blocked DP).
A. Over the front. That
is, the front of the
gutter is lower than
the top of the facia.
B. Over the back.
That is, the gutter
is off set from the
front of the facia
leaving a gap of
about 10mm.
C. Through slots or
D. Fancy flashing
arrangements.
Note, h f is the same in each solution.
This height is determined from the
weir formula. In fact, weirs are used
as flow measuring devices. If we know
the depth of water flowing over, we can
calculate the flow, and vice versa.
The depth of flow depends on the weir
length. That is why the Code requires
the flow to be given per metre length of
gutter. The length of the weir they have
used in the formula is one metre.
Table G1 gives the value of Hf in litres/
sec per metre length of gutter. It’s easy
to calculate the flow/m. It’s the total
gutter flow/gutter length.
The National Construction Code
gives some other solutions, but only in
Vol2 which is for houses, small sheds
etc.
These solutions range from end
weirs, to inverted nozzles. But the main
answers do not depend on the gutter
length. It is a fi xed flow in l/s. However,
all solutions are additive. Using these
methods requires careful consideration.
AS 3500.3 states that the ‘effective’
area of a gutter is taken from a line
10mm below any gutter overflow point.
That point could be a top edge of the
gutter, the bottom edge of slots, or weirs,
or the top edge of an inverted nozzle.
Also consider that the gutter is
designed for an ARI 20, and the overflow
is required to be designed for an ARI
of 100. So, best to check if the water
can actually get to the overflow point
without overflowing the gutter first.
Check where the overflow goes. It
should not cause erosion, pond around
the footings, or run into the basement.
Ken Sutherland CPEng.
For more details and free
design programs visit
www.roof-gutter-design.
com.au
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APPRENTICES
APPRENTICES HAVE 30,000
REASONS TO SMILE
Rheem Australia has awarded a total of $30,000 to the
ten deserving recipients of the 2020 Rheem Apprentice
Plumber Grants, as Aussie apprentices feel the pinch in a
challenging apprenticeship and job market.
R
heem Apprentice Plumber Grants
have been around since 2012
and since then, it has awarded
over $270,000 to apprentice plumbers
with the aim of giving their trade a kick
start.
Each grant recipient will receive
$2,000 to assist with their TAFE/RTO
fees and textbooks, $1,000 to help them
build their all-important trade toolbox
and a tool tote bag for transport and
storage of their tools on the jobsite.
Rheem Australia chief operating
officer Chris Taylor says the grants are
a way of welcoming and supporting
passionate newcomers in the plumbing
industry: “The grants are an investment
in the skills and development of
Australia’s next generation of plumbers,
alleviating financial strain and helping
recipients to pursue their chosen career.
“This year we’re acutely aware that
it’s not business as usual for business
owners, tradesman and apprentices
in our industry. We’re grateful that
our grants will relieve financial strain
and provide a positive boost to ten
deserving apprentices, their families
and their workplaces,” he says.
This year, a record 202 apprentices
across the country applied for the
grants which was 75% more than the
previous.
“Our independent judging panel
was extremely impressed with the
high calibre of applications, and the
incredible tenacity and commitment
of plumbing apprentices across the
country,” Chris explains.
The applicants were chosen by an
independent panel of industry experts,
including Leonard Redfern from TAFE
Victoria, Ernie Kretschmer from the
Master Plumbers’ Association and
Rheem adjudicator, Kevin Price.
40 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020
“Following feedback from
apprentices, plumbing teachers
and employers, we’ve determined
that the greatest financial
hardships are associated with
tuition and tools. The grant provides
recipients with the opportunity
to commit to further study, such as
undertaking an optional fourth year
so that they can earn their tradesman
license and dream of one day operating
their own business,” Chris outlines.
In addition to the largest applicant
pool in history, Rheem also received
its most diverse set of applicants
with a 51% increase in mature-age
apprentices applying. The recipients are
aged from 17 to 34, come from all over
the country and all have the ambition to
become part of the next generation of
Australian plumbers.
The Rheem Apprentice Plumber Grant
recipients are:
∫ Adam Jackson, SA, Edwards Brothers
Plumbing & Gas
∫ Andrew Jan, VIC, Macedon Ranges
Plumbing
∫ Georgia Ugov, NSW, Simmo’s
Plumbing and Coring
∫ Jasmine Garner, VIC, Cooke & Dowsett
∫ Justin Jongsma, VIC, Shinners
Plumbing
∫ Kieran McKenzie, NSW, O’Brien
Plumbing
∫ Nicholas Barnes, NSW, Acclaim
Plumbing & Hot Water
∫ Patrick Lorraine, WA, Fairview
Plumbing and Gas
∫ Thomas Knox, VIC, Ash Watt Plumbing
∫ Wilfred Pilakiu, NT, Bathurst Island
Housing Association
Due to the high volume and standard
of applicants this year, in addition to
LEFT: Thomas Knox, VIC, Ash Watt
Plumbing. TOP: Patrick Lorraine, WA,
Fairview Plumbing and Gas.
BOTTOM: Warrick Baczynski, QLD,
O’Brien Plumbing.
the ten recipients, Rheem also granted
two apprentice plumbers with a special
$500 Rheem Apprentice Plumber
Recognition Award: Warrick Baczynski,
QLD, O’Brien Plumbing and William
Roberts, TAS, NowConnected.
The benefi ts of the grant aren’t just
monetary, explains 2019 recipient
Carl Marcic: “The conversations
that occur between apprentices and
their employer during the application
process promotes an environment
whereby strengths are identified,
and constructive criticism becomes
a welcome starting point to further
improvement.”
Chris concludes: “It was an incredibly
tough decision for our judges this
year, with so many worthy apprentice
plumbers applying. We would like to
sincerely thank all our applicants, their
employers, TAFE and RTO teachers, and
plumbing merchants. Since launching
the Rheem Apprentice Plumber Grants
in 2012, we have discovered just how
many remarkable apprentices there are
around Australia.”
For over thirty years Toyota Huski skid steer loaders have built
a reputation on outstanding performance, driver comfort and
legendary reliability. And now Toyota Material Handling is
proud to announce two new additions to the Huski range
with their scissor lift and mini-excavator models.
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With platform heights for scissor lifts ranging from 5.72m
to 9.68m, and with mini-excavators from 1.3 to 6 tonne,
you can be assured that there’s a Huski model guaranteed
to put you at the head of the pack.
A DIVISION OF
w w w.plumbingconnec tion.com.au 41
PLUMBING DESIGN
LOOKING TO SOFTWARE FOR
PLUMBING DESIGN SOLUTIONS
An Australian-based software company is demonstrating how technology can make time consuming and
error-prone calculations a thing of the past. Plumbing Connection reports.
M
ost plumbing design engineers
around the world are designing
new systems using tedious and
manual calculation methods.
As technology continues to disrupt
all facets of the built environment, the
plumbing industry is thankfully not
immune.
H2X started in Sydney Australia, when
a Senior Hydraulic Engineer realised how
inefficient the current design process
was and set about finding a solution.
After teaming up with friends and a year
of software development, trials and
problem solving, H2X was released.
H2X is replacing the traditional
design and calculation process using
revolutionary plumbing software,
paving the way for faster, higher
quality designs, while also integrating
the manufacturer, consultant and
contractor, bringing numerous benefi ts
to all parties, and most notably their
clients.
DESIGN WARNINGS AIM TO PREVENT
MISTAKES FROM HAPPENING
42 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020
WHAT’S WRONG WITH TRADITIONAL
METHODS?
“Currently, when an engineer is assigned
a new project, this is the process
they undertake; print the architects
drawings, mark-up the pipe layout,
measure the pipework using a ruler,
calculate the peak flow rate, size the
pipework, size the valves, calculate the
friction loss, calculate the heat loss,
calculate the static pressure then check
the results,” H2X co-founder Jordan
Mills says.
Sounds laborious and drawn out? It
is. If an updated architectural layout
is received, the process begins again,
from scratch.
“As well as the time consuming and
tedious nature of the work, the other
main problem with traditional design
methods is that the manual calculation
process is highly exposed to human
error, quantifying items from the
design, inserting them into multiple
RESULTS SHOWN IN GREATER DETAIL
THAN PREVIOUSLY POSSIBLE
spreadsheets and then transferring
the results back on to our design has
capacity for honest mistakes to be
made”.
Jordan says review processes are
also ineff ective as it is very difficult
to review the results in a spreadsheet
given the outputs do not correlate to
components on the design.
“It is almost impossible to verify
that the correct information has been
inserted into the spreadsheet.
“The traditional process is so time
consuming that it has become common
practice to use ‘rule of thumb’ and be
conservative, often meaning that in the
event of a defect, it could be found that
the expected design process was not
followed,” he says.
Providing the drafter with a design
that has been marked up manually
again leaves a lot of room for error to be
made from unclear and misunderstood
information.
 TRALIA
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www.holmanindustries.com.au/plumbing
PLUMBING DESIGN

THE H2X SOLUTION

H2X is solving these problems by TRADITIONAL DESIGN TIME
replacing rulers, spreadsheets and VS H2X DESIGN TIME
calculators with a simple method, which
simply involves drawing the pipes and 20% 17% 27% 15%

checking the results. The user uploads

the architectural layout to the software
and connects pipes to fi xtures, while
adding valves and plant.
46.5 4.5 8.5 4.5
The software automatically performs Hours Hours Hours Hours
all calculations in the background to
the relevant parameters, selected by
2.25
the user. This removes human error and 9.15 0.75 Hours 0.66
Hours Hours Hours
ensures that calculations comply with
guidelines. Most of impressive of all the Large Healthcare Large Commercial Large Residential Complex Hospital
Building Building Building Refurbishment
design duration is 4-6 times faster than
The H2X design process
traditional methods.
“In July we received excellent check the
markup calculations are automated, time is saved, human error is removed results
feedback when one user reported that
they completed a design from scratch,
on a residential building containing 300 The traditional design process

apartments in under a day, a task that calculate size the size the calculate calculate calculate
check the
markup the peak the friction the heat the static
would have traditionally taken a week,” fl ow rate pipework valves loss loss pressure results

Jordan says.
The software is cloud based and
saves work automatically, meaning
not only is it easy to share workloads
between diff erent offices, but updates
are able to be rolled out to all existing
projects as well as new ones.
H2X also has a shareable link feature,
so users can instantly share a read-only
version of their project with colleagues
or the external project team. Since
results are displayed at every pipe and
fi xture, this enables in depth reviews
to take place, meaning comprehensive
audit trails exist.
BENEFITS TO MANUFACTURERS AND
CONTRACTORS
The software provides automatic cost
estimation. As the user draws, all pipes
and components are automatically
measured and stored. The estimated
cost is then displayed for each floor level
and for the total project, so as design
changes the consultant can advise of the
cost implications to their client.
In an example demonstrated at the
Hydraulic Consultants Association
Australasia (HCAA) meeting in July, in
less than 15 seconds, H2X was able to
value engineer a design to save over
$40k whilst remaining compliant. By
simple changing parameters such as
the maximum velocity, pipe material,
insulation thickness, pipe sizing method
(the list is endless) the user is able to
instantly see the cost.
This additionally brings a major
benefi t to contractors, as a full export
of components can be provided,
split into levels for ease of ordering
materials. All the estimator has to do
is add their company rates. As anyone
who’s been involved in this line of work
can attest, this feature can save days
of measurement when pricing larger
projects.
H2X has already partnered with
industry leading manufacturers by
allowing manufacturers to sponsor their
products in the software.
“This means that the designer can
insert a specific product and H2X
calculates using the manufacturer’s
specific technical data, automatically
providing the most accurate results and
in turn leading to an almost guaranteed
sale for the manufacturer, should the
project go ahead to construction,”
Jordan says.
H2X ADOPTION
A basic version of the software was first
released in January 2020 to three firms
in Australia classed as early adopters.
Fast forward to now and H2X is already
solving engineers’ problems in another
six countries, including North America,
the UK, Qatar, Singapore, India and
New Zealand. Over 200 projects have
been designed with 50-plus companies
signed up so momentum is well and truly
underway for this Aussie-based company.
HAVE A GO YOURSELF – ITS FREE!
The best part is the software is
completely free up to a limit of 250
fi xtures or 25 nodes. These generous
limits mean that designers working on
small projects will likely never need to
pay to use the software.
For designers working on larger
projects, the freemium model enables
you to have a comprehensive, unlimited
trial before committing to a purchase.
If you’re interested in trying H2X, head
over to the website below, where you
can sign yourself up, follow the tutorial
videos and start designing today for
free.
H2X
www.h2xengineering.com

44 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020

PROVE IT - FRANK IAPOZZUTO

SINKING THE JAWS INTO PRESS-FIT

Press-fit piping systems have become hugely popular in recent years as a cost-effective means for
installing robust piping networks that are aesthetically pleasing to the eye. But they need to pass rigorous
test before making it to market. Frank Iapozzuto explains the process to ensure systems are fit-for-
purpose.

P
ress-fi t piping systems range
in size from 15mm-150mm and
are off ered in a variety of fi tting,
pipe and tube materials. Most suppliers
of press-fi t these systems provide
fi ttings that are compatible to copper
pipe (AS 1432) as well as variants of
stainless-steel pipe complying with
ASTM A312) and tube complying with
EN 10312:2003. Each of these variants
is available as WaterMark certified
product.
As part of the WaterMark process,
press-fi t systems are tested to AS
3688. The manufacturers of press-fi t
systems will provide laboratories such
as PROVE Standards & Engineering with
a complete set of branded jaws and
driver to be used for the construction of
test assemblies.
As you can imagine, the test
assemblies fabricated from the
nominated jaws and driver are then
subject to an arduous testing regime.
The press-fi t joints fabricated from
the jaw and driver are subject to tests
such as hydraulic pressure, elevated
temperatures, vibration resistance,
water hammer, resistance under loads,
etc. From this performance testing, the
jaw and driver become the foundation quantified by performance to AS 3688 Ultimately, this means the
in assessing the compatibility and using a particular brand and model of manufacturer has the highest level of
performance of a press-fi t piping jaw and driver, then the results of this confidence that a press-fi t joint will
system. performance testing that are used stand the test of time. Many brands
Each manufacturer designs a jaw, to WaterMark certify are not easily and supplier of press-fi t systems make
so that a fi tting and pipe assembly are transferable to an alternate brand, explicit claims on the terms of warranty
‘crimped’ in a particular mode that model or variant of jaw and driver. based on the jaw and drivers compatible
suits the profile and dimension of the Suppliers will insist on a particular with a system.
fi tting. The driver is also strategically brand of jaw and driver that are to be Some brands of press-fi t system
selected; it must be capable of used with their press-fi t system. The use jaws that are deliberately designed
applying a controlled load to achieve suppliers are not making these claims to leave a small impression in the
the required amount of plastic or just because they want to sell you assembled joint acting like a stamp of
permanent deformation of a finished their brand of jaws and driver. They authenticity. In the event of property
pipe and fi tting joint. Also, as part of are making these claims as they know damage due to a failed joint, the supplier
the crimping process the O-ring is that using the nominated brand of jaw is able to distinguish if the plumber used
forced precisely into position which and driver is in line with the WaterMark a non-approved jaw to complete the
ultimately creates the water/gas seal. licence and performance testing that crimp.
In other words, if a press-fi t joint is was conducted on the press-fi t system. If this happened to be the case, the

46 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020

 plumber would be liable for any damage
as the terms of warranty of the press-
fi t system are null and void, due to the
change of equipment.
Many brands of jaws and drivers claim
to be compatible with various press-fi t
systems. There is also considerable
fluctuation in price among these
product options. Often, alternate
tool kits appear very cost eff ective in
comparison to the Original Equipment
Manufacturer (OEM) recommended by
the supplier of the press-fi t system.
The most important thing here is that
plumbers do their homework; be diligent
in asking your supplier about suitable
jaw and driver kits, and be aware of
limitation on warranty in the event of
litigation.
Make sure this information is
available on a public domain and don’t
just take anyone’s word for it.
Some suppliers will know the exact
details of their WaterMark certification
and will be able to advise what brand
E
AN AR
TE
AR YE
GU *5
of jaw and driver were submitted to
the laboratory as part of testing. If you
are considering selecting a third-party
brand of jaw and driver, make sure that
they are compatible with your press-
fi t system and that the supplier of the
press-fi t fi ttings acknowledges that
there are no compatibility issues or
limited warranty.
Asking these simple questions should
help in making an informed decision
on the pathway that’s best for you.
Alternatively, if you already own a set of
jaws and driver then it is good practice to
know where your limitations lie and how
to continue confidently pressing away.
Also, it is paramount that you
maintain your jaws and driver as per
the manufacturers’ instruction. Some
drivers will show a flashing LED light and
some others will physically stop working
once the driver exceeds a certain
number of ‘presses’. At this point you
are required to return the tool back to
the supplier where it will undergo some
simple checks and a factory reset if the
jaw and driver are deemed to be in good
working order. It is important that you
know the type of tool you have and what
maintenance schedule applies.
Overall, press-fi t systems have been
revolutionary in the plumbing industry
in recent years. They are relatively
economical when you compare the
labour that would go into brazing off a
branch of capillary fi ttings and not to
mention the robustness of the joint.
Determine which press-fi t system
is most suited to your needs, or if
you already have invested into a jaw
and driver kit then simply follow the
instructions and advice of the supplier
to avoid any nasty surprises.
Happy pressing!
Contact:
For more information please feel
free to contact PROVE Standards &
Engineering Pty Ltd PROVeng.com.au

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w w w.plumbingconnec tion.com.au 47
INSTALLATION

PLUMB IT LIKE PICASSO

To the casual observer, plumbing and art likely couldn’t be further from each other. But for those in the
design and installation game, who take pride in their work, will know that plumbing is an art. And Plumbing
Connection believes that should be celebrated.

T
here is much to admire about
those with a penchant for taking
pride in their work. They go a
step above simply getting the job done
and reach for the highest standards
possible, and in a sector where the
majority of work gets covered up by the
likes of plasterboard and backfill, some
people might ask, ‘what’s the point?’.
The point is, some of it is exposed, and
the elements that are should not only
play the part, but look it too.
Rab’s Plumbing Services managing
director Rabi Malass believes you should
love what you do, not only with passion
but for a purpose.
Rabi established Rab’s Plumbing
in 2002 as a result of hard work
and perseverance with a focus on
delivering to its clients by being ethical,
professional and diligent. A fully kitted out warehouse makes it possible for the team to design and construct
“I have always been a self-motivated the likes of prefab meter cupboards and civil forms.
individual that had a clear vision since
I was an apprentice. I always wanted
to run my own business and while I Having an in-house design facility Rabi says. “Our warehouse is fi tted out
attended TAFE I always dreamt of off ers Rabi’s clients a dynamic and with all the tools and equipment that are
having my own company,” Rabi says. flexible approach to designing and easily accessible and on hand.”
“I was dedicated to finishing planning hydraulic applications. And Rabs Plumbing came to the
my six-year course and was very if some of those applications are on realisation that there was an extensive
determined to start my career. During display, Rabi’s team is going to make decline in quality and a high calibre of
my apprenticeship I encountered many sure it stands out. tradesmen and women in the blooming
aspects of plumbing such as cottage “Functionality is paramount in industry in Australia.
work, maintenance for the Department plumbing and while unfortunate, the To overcome the former, the team
of Housing Sydney-wide then moved on most aesthetically pleasing plumbing came together and decided to set up a
to slightly larger projects as a third year is typically unseen. However, if the training facility in its headquarters to
apprentice.” plumbing is visible, we have the capacity not only train new and upcoming staff
Rabi hasn’t looked back since and has to make our pipe work visually attractive but to show them how important safety
diversified the business over the last few by keeping everything square, parallel and quality is.
years by taking on infrastructure and and level,” Rabi says. “We believe that if it is controlled here
civil works and successfully delivering Some of its prefab work has received in our warehouse then we are confident
an exceptional number of prime projects high praise from fellow industry a can-do attitude and resilience will
around NSW and ACT. It also offers a wide members on social forums. The prefab start to unveil on site.”
range of services including plumbing, civil works come together at the company’s And if there’s one thing Rabi can share
and hydraulic design. warehouse and ranges from residential with other business owners it is this:
Plumbing services include products meter cupboards to civil forms and even “Communicate with your employees
and water supplies, gas fi ttings, producing sandbags. and invest time and money into training
sanitation, roofing (stormwater), “We have the yield to increase them to advance in their career. Allow
drainage, mechanical services, and fire productivity and quality by maintaining them to enjoy and embrace their time in
protection. a constant and controlled workshop,” your company.”

48 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020

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TRAINING OFF THE PAGE - JON PALFREY

THE POWER OF HOT WATER

Jon Palfrey shares the latest innovation in hot water battery storage.

W
ith a significant focus on
energy availability, maximising
self-consumption and use
in all design and living parameters, it’s
become necessary to not only make
energy available in both on-grid and off-
grid systems but to have that energy
gathered, monitored and controlled to
best use its availability and capacity to
remain useful and productive.
One such method of energy capture
and management is the AC•THOR power
control module.
The AC•THOR has the capacity to be
the go between for solar PV energy yield
via PV panels. The available captured
energy produces heat in the form of
hot water in storage tanks via linearly
controlled power supplied to heating
elements creating a thermal or ‘hot
water storage battery’.
AC•THOR9s is a 0 - 9 kW
continuously variable photovoltaic
power manager for hot water, electrical
heat sources and optional space heating
applications. It is small device in stature
that can be located in a plant area
for functional purposes that provides
heated water control and thinks relative
to demand requirements and available
solar gains.
Stored water temperatures are
controlled by a standard thermostat AC.THOR is a continuously variable photovoltaic power manager for hot water,
that links to the AC•THOR power electrical sources and optional space heating applications.
management unit that supplements the
available on grid power supply and off
grid PV yield via connection to mains SO HOW DOES AC•THOR WORK? inverter with high frequency switching
power supplies for when solar gain is The electronic AC•THOR 9s power electronics.
limited due to unfavourable weather Photovoltaic-Power-Manager (AC•THOR This enables sinusoidal power
conditions. for short) is designed for operating consumption and avoids grid
Residential and commercial building resistive loads such as electric disturbances in contrast to other
designers are being influenced by immersion heater elements, electric control technologies.
developers and sustainability engineers boilers, electric convectors, electric The AC•THOR is controlled by a my-PV
who are seeking ways in which energy heating mats or infrared panels. Power Meter or can be combined with
can be gathered, controlled, and used to The unit controls the output products such as inverters of diff erent
maximum benefi t. voltage according to external signals manufacturers including Fronius, SMA,
A device like the AC•THOR can meet (temperatures, Ethernet and other Solaredge or Victron.
this trend of energy control particularly control signals) linearly and therefore In operating mode, up to three electric
when excess solar yield is available via the power output of the connected load. heating elements can be supplied
PV solar panels from a device similar in The AC.THOR linear power control linearly with excess PV energy for water
size to a shoe box. works similar to a grid connected heating and other purposes.

50 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020

 Leading
solutions in
warm water
systems
TRAINING OFF THE PAGE - JON PALFREY

Here are a few examples how AC•THOR

AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM ILLUSTRATION 9s can assist to maximise consumer
and industry self-consumption:
1. For grid-connected systems, the
AC•THOR 9s can communicate directly
to compatible inverters, batteries or
even energy management systems
or through the my-PV Power Meter to
measure your excess solar PV energy.
2. For off-grid applications, with the
help of a battery inverter, the AC•THOR
9s can detect a frequency shift in
your AC line and power your hot water
system linearly without additional
devices and wiring.
3. For residential applications, one
AC•THOR 9s can be used to shift up to
9kW of excess solar energy to power
your hot water tank, converting your
hot water tank into a thermal storage
battery for your domestic hot water,
hydronic heating and pool heating.
4. For commercial applications, 11
units of AC•THOR 9s can be linked up
with only one my-PV Power Meter to
manage up to 99 kW of your excess
solar PV generation.

WHAT CAN BE RECORDED VIA THE

AC.THOR?
Recorded production data, meter values
and temperatures can be read off at
any time. The respective values can be
selected using the data logger button
on the module’s functional displays.
These can be presented in the three
views: current year, month or daily
readings.

AC•THOR® / AC•THOR®9S OPERATING

INFORMATION
The following data can be displayed
either from the screen or web interface:
The AC.THOR can record data such as meter values and temperatures for current Total power: Shows the total power
year, month or day that can be read off at any time. figures for all the connected loads.
The yellow bars indicate the PV excess
power used, the green bars the
The system’s temperature sensor is applications. The AC•THOR 9s can proportion of grid energy when the
positioned in the storage tank above the maximise end users PV self-utilisation optional temperature boost backup is
heating element to provide an accurate by shifting excess solar PV energy active.
temperature reading of gained energy. linearly to power their electric heating
requirements for both grid-connected As examples:
IN DISCUSSION WITH CLIENTS and off-grid applications. Therefore, ∫ Meter: indicates the value of the
The AC•THOR is a unique AC solar PV- customers do not buy electricity total power drawn from the grid (red)
Power-Controller for domestic hot unnecessarily from the grid when they including household loads and grid
water and space heating needs suitable have excess solar energy and achieve a feed-in (green) at the metering
for many residential and commercial net-zero energy goal. point.

52 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020

Simple control.
Perfect pressure.
Davey DynaDrive
Constant Pressure System

NOW AVAILABLE
as pre-assembled daisy chain
constant pressure pumps.
Note: Unit pictured is for illustration
purposes only, actual installation may vary.

MODELS
2MLD60-10-8
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2MLD90-11-8
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doing your laundry and watering your garden all at the APPLICATIONS
same time, you need reliable, constant water pressure. • Hotel/Motel domestic water supply
Pre-assembled as a daisy chain, DynaDrive can now • Small/medium Industrial facilities
KDQGOHGRXEOHWKHGHPDQGZLWKGRXEOHWKHࢊRZUDWH • Farming and agricultural water systems
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• Automatic general water transfer

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• Master Slave VSD controlled
• Dual Alternating, Duty/Standby,
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7DONWR\RXUORFDO'DYH\'HDOHUWRGD\WRࢉQGRXWPRUH
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TRAINING OFF THE PAGE - JON PALFREY
∫ Power 1,2 & 3 shows the power data
for all three outputs.
∫ Temperature 1-4: shows the data via
the temperature probe.
∫ Cloud connection devices available.
CASE STUDY – AGRICULTURAL
FACILITY
An avocado farm in Western Australia
produces 90 tons of avocados annually.
The energy concept for the farm
includes a 53-kW photovoltaic system
that simultaneously feeds a 160-kWh
saltwater battery as well as a 48-kWh
lithium energy storage. The farm is
completely off-grid, operating on 100%
renewable energy.
So why hybrid storage?
Photovoltaic off grid systems need
to be oversized to provide enough
energy during winter periods. This leads
to unused PV power and a significant
energy loss during sunny seasons.
The AC•THOR detects the grid
frequency of the battery inverters and in
case of excess energy, power is diverted
to boost the hot water 9kW elements in
each of the thermal tanks. The desired
water temperature can also be easily
adjusted with AC•THOR.
Storage capacity in the off-grid
system can be inexpensively scaled up.
Energy is now captured and used that
was wasted before.
PROJECT DATA
∫ 53 kWp off-grid system, frequency-
shift inverters
∫ 160 kWh saltwater battery and 48
kWh lithium-cells
∫ Two tanks ROTEX Sanicube, each with
a 9-kW immersion heater powered by
three AC•THORs
OPERATION WITH FREQUENCY SHIFT
AC•THOR operates with frequency-shift
battery inverters. These inverters raise
the AC frequency when the battery
is fully charged. This signals the PV
inverter to limit power to prevent
battery overcharge.
AC•THOR detects excessive power
by measuring this frequency rise. It
increases heating power until the
system is balanced, before the PV
inverter derates. With that in mind it
automatically uses the excess energy
54 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020
HOW THE PV INVERTER PRODUCES POWER
for hot water storage by controlling its
power linearly to use exactly the amount
of the remaining PV power and to avoid
discharging the battery.
INSTALLATION
System schematic AC•THOR is plugged
into an AC socket like any other load.
No additional communication wiring is
required.
∫ Product details AC•THOR
∫ Supply voltage 230-240 V
∫ 0 – 3,000 W linear power control
∫ Mains connection single-phase,
mains plug
∫ Load connection mains socket for
resistive loads
∫ Color Touch Screen 2.83“
∫ Power cord 2.8 m for AC. THOR
∫ Dimensions 135 x 210 x 65 mm
∫ 3 phase 0 to 9kW version is available!
∫ Pure sine wave output with PWM
regulation (pulse-width modulation).
No thyristor required.
The operational order of the hybrid
storage concept is to supply the present
loads first, after which surpluses are
used to charge the battery and the
remaining excess energy is used for
water heating.
The diagram shows:
∫ Sun and the PV inverter producing
power
∫ AC•THOR and myPV Power Meter
communicating
∫ Energy exporting to grid cancelled
and redirecting the energy towards
the ACTHOR (green arrow)
∫ Heating elements activated starting
from the top
∫ Water being heated in the storage
tank starting from the top.
In today’s markets and industry more
and more people are looking for smarter
ways to manage the use of solar PV
energy to achieve net zero energy goal.
This is especially challenging where the
cost of battery storage is still too high
to store excess solar energy for a good
return on investment economic return.
This method using the AC•THOR
to convert storage tanks into true
hot water batteries, can deliver the
flexibility and cost-eff ective solution
to maximize self-consumption in
ever-increasing energy management
strategies for both residential and
commercial applications.
Jon Palfrey is the Thermanl
Energy Solutions/Rotex
Commercial Manager. He
conducts training to industry
groups relating to all things
water heating.
 We Move Water.

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COPPER CONNECTION - JOHN FENNELL
“RESPONSIBLE COPPER” IS HERE
The ‘Copper Mark’ seal means copper produced to meet the highest standards and that’s about to be a big
deal says John Fennell.
P
lumbers and home owners may
not think much about the copper
pipes they’re using apart from
price and quality, but that’s about to
change.
A new standard called “Copper
Mark” is expected to upend how
copper is produced and that will mean
a big diff erence to the way it’s sold
and marketed. It will also make a big
diff erence for the environment, workers
and communities.
Copper Mark was developed and
launched by the International Copper
Association—of which I’m a member—
late last year, but is now an independent
body with a multi-stakeholder council.
It was inspired by the United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals to
meet high and transparent production
standards.
The Copper Mark is the first and only
program for responsible production
in the copper industry. This means
that copper miners wishing to get
the Copper Mark seal of approval will
have to undergo an independent and
comprehensive verification of practices
at copper production sites, including
mines, smelters and refineries.
For MM Kembla, the only Australian
company producing copper products
here, it will mean a clear market edge
when it comes to selling copper pipes and
fittings that can be guaranteed to meet
world class and transparent standards.
FIRST MINER WITH COPPER MARK
How tough that process can be was
shown by the first copper mining site,
Rio Tinto Kennecott Utah Copper in the
U.S. to be awarded the Copper Mark.
The company’s Utah operations
were independently assessed across
32 criteria, including the environment,
community, business and human rights,
labour and working conditions, and
governance categories. This starts
with a desktop-based self-assessment
and independent review before on-site
56 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020
assessments take place to verify all
standards are being met.
Re-assessment happens
automatically every three years or can
be triggered by significant operational
changes or incidents, meaning the
Copper Mark goes beyond compliance
to focus on continuous improvement of
responsible production.
“The Copper Mark allows our customers
to purchase copper from operations
that have been independently assessed
as meeting the highest environmental,
social and governance standards,
responding to the growing expectations
of consumers around the world for
sustainable supply chains,” Rio Tinto
Copper & Diamonds Chief Executive,
Arnaud Soirat, said in a statement.
STANDARDS ON THE MOVE
Copper Mark couldn’t have come at
a better time. Nearly half of mining
companies globally rank license to
operate as their biggest risk to business
for the second year in a row according
to a new report.
Ernst and Young’s Top 10 Business
Risks and Opportunities 2020 report
found 44% of the world’s top mining
executives say reputation and community
support are their largest concerns.
That’s a big shift in just a few years.
As E&Y’s head of mining and metals Paul
Mitchell says, “Perceptions of the sector
as being old-fashioned and dirty need to
be challenged, so building a social bond
is make or break.” He also adds, “miners
need to be part of the solution, not the
problem.”
Plumbers here also rate a company’s
credentials highly. A survey by
Copperhead Research commissioned
by ICA Australia and Kembla showed
‘Australian made’ was a big plus for
plumbers and other trades, while
sustainability was also high on their
priorities.
Australian miners are already
interested in the Copper Mark seal
of approval and I know a number are
looking seriously at joining in the next
year or so.
Engaging with big and small copper
miners, as well as other companies and
organisations, is critical.
To get the word out The Copper Mark
and ICA visited seven copper producers
in Latin America and Europe and held
dedicated webinar sessions with ten
producers across Asia, Australia, Europe
and North America.
Progress is already looking good.
Apart from Rio Tinto’s U.S. site, Copper
Mark has announced four other
companies who have begun the process
toward approval. It also recently
said that two major new partner
organisations – Ford Motor Company
and Google – now formally support
the Copper Mark and a preference
for Copper Mark producers in their
procurement practices.
Copper Mark is a great step forward
for copper products in a world where
tradespeople and consumers are
increasingly asking how green, clean
and safe products are. MM Kembla I
know is looking forward to being able to
sell products sourced from Copper Mark
labelled ore to give them a clear edge in
the Australian market.
John Fennell has been
the chief executive of
International Copper
Association Australia since
1998.
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COMES ON STEADY, HOT AND STRONG. INSTALL A

AUSTRALIA’S NO. 1
STAYING ADAPTABLE
As we move into the second half of the year, Standards Australia is continuing in its efforts to support and
collaborate with industry.
A TO Z DICTIONARY OF TERMS
Across the construction and plumbing
sectors there are range of diff erent
definitions for similar products and
tools, and at times this can cause
confusion and a lack of clarity for
workers.
In an eff ort to address these
concerns Standards Australia in
partnership with the Australian
Building Codes Board (ABCB) have
launched the National Dictionary of
Building & Plumbing Terms (www.
constructiondictionary.com.au).
The website enables individuals
to search for definitions used in the
National Construction Code (NCC),
Australian (and joint AS/NZS) Standards
and Handbook 50:2004, Glossary of
building terms. The website aims to
highlight diff erent ways of describing
the same or similar terms or processes
and provides a general hierarchy of
results to assist interpretation.
As definitions change and consolidate
in the future, Standards Australia is
committed to continued collaboration
with both the building and plumbing
sector to update and refine the website.
T O FLUSH OR NOT TO FLUSH?
Fatbergs, blocked sewers and clogged
systems continue to pop up across
the country with much of the blame
being directed at wet wipes or similar
products that are unable to break down
properly when flushed.
This ongoing issue of what should
and should not be flushed down the
toilet has only been heightened by
COVID-19 panic buying, with toilet paper
shortages seeing consumers seek out
alternatives such as wet wipes.
Standards Australia is seeking to
reassure and provide a solution for
industry with a flushable products
standard. DR AS/NZS 5328, which is
58 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020
currently under development, will aim
to outline methods for determining
products suitable to be flushed
down a domestic toilet and establish
appropriate consumer disposal labelling
requirements.
This standard will aim to bring a
solution to the sector and provide more
clarity around what can and cannot be
flushed down the toilet. With the help
and invaluable expertise of industry
experts, the standard will aim to protect
systems and provide guidance around
what products could cause damage to
water systems.
Standards Australia looks forward
to finalising work on the publication
and bringing the standard to Australian
consumers and industry as soon as is
possible.
PREPARING BUILDINGS FOR WORKERS
To help keep workers safe, Standards
Australia is reminding building
managers how important it is to ‘flush’
out internal systems before the return
of occupants.
Building systems being closed down
for an extended period can include
health risks associated with air quality
and mould, microbial growth, and
corrosion in water systems.
The Australian and New Zealand
AS/NZS 3666 Air-handling and water
systems of buildings - Microbial control
standards series, is a useful tool that
helps manage building air quality and
risk related to hazards like legionella.
Important steps to consider when
flushing building systems can include:
∫ Prior to facilities being opened for
use, all water outlets should be
flushed for at least 3 minutes each.
∫ Prior to using appliances such as
drinking water fountains, open
fi xtures to flow for at least a half
minute.
∫ Prior to start-up of any cooling water
system, a cooling tower clean should
be conducted and care must be taken
to disinfect all system water.
∫ Legionella testing may be conducted
to ensure pipework has not been
colonised by Legionella during periods
of stagnancy.
PUBLIC COMMENT PIPELINES
Our commitment to continue providing
solutions for the water and waste
services sector is being seen with
several draft standards hitting the
public comment consultation period of
the standards development process.
The drafts that went to public
comment include:
∫ DR AS/NZS 3500.0 - Plumbing and
drainage, Part 0: Glossary of terms
∫ DR AS/NZS 3500.1 - Plumbing and
drainage, Part 1: Water services
∫ DR AS/NZS 3500.2 - Plumbing and
drainage, Part 2: Sanitary plumbing
and drainage
∫ DR AS/NZS 3500.3 - Plumbing
and drainage, Part 3: Stormwater
drainage
∫ DR AS/NZS 3500.4 - Plumbing and
drainage, Part 4: Heated water services
This series of standards are an
important tool for industry and have
been updated to reflect several changes
to provide robust guidance to the
Australian community.
AN AGILE INDUSTRY
Standards Australia is looking forward to
seeing a range of standards published
in the coming months, with the aim of
providing clarity and building confidence
in the water and waste services sector. As
we move into the last quarter of the year,
we look forward to further collaboration
with the sector to help build more
resilient communities across Australia.
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Project Credit: Denai Kulscar Interiors
 NEW PRODUCTS

DUOETTO MK2, PREP FOR POST-

COVID-19
Australia’s Aus J Hot Water Solutions is
hoping to tap into the post-COVID-19
domestic travel boom with its latest model
of water heaters. The Duoetto MK2 10L
water heater is ideal for work utes and
four-wheel-drives that tow RVs.
Having sold tens of thousands of
12V/240V water heaters globally, the
company brings comfort, cleanliness and
convenience with the Duoetto MK2.
Designer and managing director
Jay King believes the tough Australia-
designed and compact design is ready
for its coming uses when power isn’t
readily available and is ideal for global RV,
SUREPRESS STAINLESS STEEL PRESS-FIT SYSTEMS caravan, camping, marine and work sites.
Similar to their copper counterparts, Surepress press-fi t systems off er the long-term
usage and maintenance, a feature which is crucial in the current COVID-19 environment as
professionals need to ensure they spend as little time on site as possible.
In addition to the high-quality components in 304 or 316L stainless steel material,
completed systems are aesthetically pleasing, strong and highly resistant to aging, heat
and chemical additives.
Businesses and contractors who have made the switch from copper piping to Surepress
press-fi t systems have reported experiencing productivity gains due to installation speed
and no longer needing to obtain a hot work permit or subcontract welders.

www.allmach.com.au www.ausj.com.au

MAG’S NEW TOUCH-FREE SENSOR XPRESSFIT

DUAL FLUSHING
In wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, MAG
Griffi th has developed an in-wall, touch-
free dual flush flushing system suitable
for commercial office buildings, schools,
hospitals, shopping centres, public
restrooms and other applications.
Touch-free sensing technology
promotes a contactless and germ-free
environment, which is of great benefi t,
especially during times such as these.
It sits on a robust stainless steel panel
with an internal mounting frame and
operates on a simple 24 VAC power back
option. It’s ideal for new installations or
retrofi tting (subject to verifications).
BLUNDSTONE RELEASES
ZIP-SIDED #983
Australian work boot manufacturer,
Blundstone has released a new zip-
sided #983 boot off ering more features
than usually available in standard
safety boots. It gives tradies ultimate
underfoot protection, with a lightweight,
penetration-resistant insole.
The lace up design also provides ankle
protection while the heavy-duty zip
provides easy on, easy off convenience.
One of the standout features of the new
boot is the crazy horse water-resistance
leather upper. It’s a full nubuck leather
that’s buff ed to achieve a smooth feel and
finish. After buffing, a wax is applied to
give a multi-tone and natural rustic finish.
The XPRESSFIT installation mechanism
allows a tap to be secured from above
the benchtop in under three minutes.
Suprema has incorporated the XPRESSFIT
technology to develop a range of stainless
steel tapware, which off er the benefi ts of
fast installation and purity of stainless
steel. A unique pull out mixer design
known as ‘Retractable Mixers’ form
part of Suprema’s XPRESSFIT range.
The retractable mixers off er pull out
functionality without the cumbersome
counterweight under the sink taking
up valuable storage space. The hose
will automatically retract back into
place when the water is turned off. Both
the XPRESSFIT mechanism and the
Retractable Mixer design individually
received a 2020 Good Design Award.

www.magriffi th.com.au www.blundstone.com.au www.xpressfi tmixers.com.au

60 PLUMBING CONNEC T ION Summer 2020

 SUMMER 2020

CONNECTIVE
CONSTRUCTION
HOW 5G CAN HELP TRADIES

66 HEALTH 70 BUSINESS 74 TRANSPORT


HOW 5G CAN HELP TRADIES
OPTUS HAS BEEN LOOKING INTO WAYS THAT ITS NEW 5G SIGNALS CAN HELP TRADIES GET THEIR JOB DONE USING
THE NEW TECHNOLOGY TO TRANSMIT FAST AND EFFECTIVE AR SIGNALS. SEAN CARROLL WRITES.
uch has been said about 5G
M since the technology was
announced. Most recently it’s
been linked to the spread of COVID-19
by conspiracy theorists after a Belgian
doctor made the claim during an
interview in January. What a time to be
alive right?
Conspiracy theorists aside, the
technology is paving the
62 ACROSS T HE T R A DES Summer 2020
COVER STORY
way for some intuitive training and
installation methods for tradies.
Working with The AVR Lab and Perth-
based solar panel company SpringCity,
Optus has used its 5G network to help
a solar panel technician complete their
job with the support of a Sydney-based
engineer.
It was made possible with AR Smart
Glasses that were worn by the on-site
technician and the strength of the 5G
network that was able to quickly send
ahead high-resolution imagery in real-
time to the support team.
From there, the team gave verbal
feedback as well as visual in the form
of an augmented reality overlay.
“The 5G signal enables a more
realistic and seamless AR
experience in real time, with higher
resolution video and imagery
shared live between a command
hub and remote location,” Optus head of
5G Harvey Wright explains.
“This could mean that a technician or
tradie can be guided through the steps
of the job they are working on by their
colleague who has the same view as the
onsite tradie thanks to 5G and the AR
Smart Glasses.”
In the demonstration video, the engineer
in Sydney was able to circle the problem
on his end on the video and the technician
saw it appear through his glasses.
There are currently 860 Optus 5G
towers in Australia and, as that roll out
continues, there will be a further reach
and in turn, more opportunities to make
use of them.
“The collaboration with the AR Lab is
a proof of concept to highlight how AR
powered by 5G can transform the future
of trade upskilling and remote on the job
training,” Harvey says.
 MAKE HARD
WORK EASY
HIACE

The Toyota HiAce comes standard with next generation Toyota Safety Sense1 features, making every day
driving safer. Its Lane Departure Alert helps you stay in the middle of your lane, whilst the digital rear-view mirror2
makes those tight spots, your spots. Enjoy an extra pair of eyes on the road with Road Sign Assist which helps to detect
certain speed signs for you. And to top it all off, all van variants come with a 5-star ANCAP rating (tested 2019).
Driving safely has never been easier, thanks to the suite of smart technology on the Toyota HiAce.
Search ‘Toyota WorkHorse Range’

1Driver assist feature. Available on certain models and grades. Only operates under certain conditions. Check your Owner’s Manual for explanation of limitations. Please drive safely.
2Available on certain models and grades.
 The collaboration between Optus and ARLab showcases how AR powered by
5G can change the future of trade upskilling and remote on the job training.

www.facebook.com/tradieconnection
Outside of solar panel installation, Harvey also adds that another benefit
the trades have been experimenting is it negates the need for multiple staff
with AR technology, something Building to be onsite at the same time: “This
Connection has covered extensively. is particularly relevant given social
“As 5G continues to rollout it will play distancing measures currently in place
a central role in providing businesses across the country as it allows for real-
across almost every industry with time collaboration between colleagues
improved efficiencies when so much of the
as businesses are Australian workforce
digitally transformed is working remotely.
thanks to 5G’s “There is no doubt
increased speeds, low It also has a that COVID-19 has
latency and network plethora of fundamentally
capacity,” Harvey applications in changed the way
says.
Based off the trial
training videos and that we all live and
work. It has had
run, the network troubleshooting deep impacts across
demonstrated that it common issues. many industries
can effectively live and industry has
stream 4K content had to adjust the
through the AR way they operate to
glasses which is accommodate for
critical when detail is crucial. It also the changes that COVID-19 restrictions
showed that the strength of the network demand.”
is reliable enough that critical remote With the current COVID-19
assistance applications can trust the restrictions in place, it might not be
service. needed more than now with people
It also has a plethora of applications having to adapt their business
in training videos and troubleshooting accordingly.
common issues. If a recording of the Optus will continue to trial further
video stream is kept, professionals applications of the network and look
could use it to help teach others how into how tradies can benefit from the
they overcame certain issues. solution into the future.

64 ACROSS T HE T R A DES Summer 2020

Build your understanding – with NCC CPD
Online courses now available!

Purchase online now or subscribe for more information

Trying to stay up to date with the rapidly evolving construction industry?

NCC CPD can help you get ahead!

It has never been more important to nail compliance
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© Commonwealth of Australia and the States and Territories of Australia 2020, published by the Australian Building Codes Board.
 HEALTH

SLEEP 101
DR KIERAN KENNEDY EXPLAINS WHY SLEEP, WHEN IT COMES TO HEALTH, IS MORE THAN JUST PILLOW TALK

leep. It’s something we’re all

S familiar with. But depending on

how much of it we’re getting, and
whether that familiarity is more friend
or foe, it can be something we might
want to get know better.
When it comes to looking after our
health, looking after your sleep can
form a core foundation to putting your
best foot forward. Both physically and
mentally, sleep can be a game changer
and the science of modern medicine
is now truly showing it. But even if we
know it’s good for us, what actually is
sleep and how do we go about getting
more?

What is sleep?
If you’re lucky and sleep’s something
that comes easy, it’ll more often than
not feeling like something that’s
a simple off switch. In reality, the
neurology of sleep is anything but.
Sleep itself is incredibly complex, and
is a surprisingly active process. During
the day, different areas of our brain
responsible for coordinating alertness
and wakefulness are firing.
Simultaneously (depending on how
strong that call for a 3pm nap is), areas Struggling to sleep and staying asleep is a serious problem for many, with
that kick into gear to slow the beast and alcohol, caffeine and certain food types being common causes.
wind our brain down into sleep are kept
quiet. At night, or whenever we drift
off, that opposite pattern sparks to life. as systems work to keep us going during lowered life span are just some of the
Even when we’re deep in sleep, areas of the day. Further theories of what sleep big ticket items skipping a good night’s
the brain are incredibly active and alert actually does include helping us process rest can bring.
- taking the reins to make sure the brain learning and memory, regulating
and body stay asleep and the benefits it emotions and flushing build up of waste Why am I struggling to get
gives us are underway. products and toxins from the brain. enough?
The benefits of better sleep are truly Struggling to sleep is incredibly
Why do we need it? a power house. Sleep is linked common, and as a mental health doctor
For all we do it, and the place it’s had in to improved learning, focus and it’s probably the complaint I’ve heard
our lives throughout humanity, sleep concentration. Alongside, emotions most across my career so far. Stats
has long remained a bit of a mystery to and mental health have been shown to show that near on 50% of all people go
science. Research is active and ongoing, hold more stable when we’ve had a good through at least one period of insomnia
with recent decades offering us up more nights kip. within a 12 month period, and around
information about the Sandman than Chronic issues with sleep are strongly 20% struggle with sleep on a long term
ever before. linked to negative health outcomes - basis.
It seems that sleep is pivotally lowered immunity, poorer mental health, Science does back the commonly
involved in mental and physical repair potential dementia risk and an overall held belief that, for most people, 7-8

66 ACROSS T HE T R A DES Summer 2020

hours a night is the sweet spot. For the
vast majority, shooting for around 8
hours will be most protective for health
however sleep isn’t a ‘one size fits all’
solution and we now know that some
people need a bit less or more. It’s
important to listen to your body here,
and if in doubt aim for 8 as a good start.
Winding down and struggling to fall
asleep is the most common issue with
sleep, so if you’re a regular here then
you’re definitely not alone. A busy tradie
life and everything else alongside can
make it difficult to switch the brain off,
so taking on board some simple tips to
help the brain do this is key in a fast
paced modern world. Increased stress,
anxiety and mental health struggles
can all flow back into making sleep more
tricky, and the kicker here is that the
worse we sleep (often) the worse these
very things get too.
With 2020 really digging the knife
in when it comes to stress, sleeping
troubles are a slowly building epidemic
behind and alongside COVID-19.
We’ll jump into this below in terms of
how we can get better shut eye, but a
big cause for sleeping troubles is also
the world we’re living in itself. Bright
lights, ever scrolling phones and a flip/
flop routine are environmental factors
that really pack a punch when it comes
to keeping our sleep on track.
What we’re putting into our body
across the day can be a big factor
too. Caffeine is the most common
stimulant used in the world (and I’ll
freely put my hand up to being part of
those stats too), but it’s also one of the
most common killers of a night’s rest.
Whether it’s a coffee, energy drink or
pre-workout shake, caffeine actually
sticks around in the brain for at least 6
hours. Even if you can fall asleep after
a cuppa, we now know that your sleep
is least restful than without it. Alcohol
is a biggie here too - while a few drinks
might make it seem easier to get off to
dreamland, a common cause for feeling
tired and unrested is the impact that
alcohol has on how sleep works even
while we’re asleep.
What about medication to help
sleep?
With so many of us not getting a decent
amount of sleep each night, it’s no
surprise medications to help people
get some shut eye are among the most
commonly prescribed world wide. These
ones definitely have their place, but
it’s important that they’re always used
alongside guidance from a doctor.
More traditional sleeping tablets
like Valium or Xanax (belonging to a
class called ‘Benzodiazepines’), act on
particular receptors within the brain to
cause an overall reduction in neuronal
activity. The effect is calming, and
(often) an easy slip into sleep-dom. It’s
important to know however that these
medications do change the way sleep
works and actually interrupt natural
sleep itself.
Summer 2020 ACROSS T HE T R A DES 67
 For a short period they can help get
a body clock back in sync and support
us to clock up some hours, but chronic
use can lead to problems as sleep
isn’t happening inside the brain as it
naturally would. Alongside this, these
types of sleeping tablets have addictive
potential and the longer they’re used
the harder sleep might be without them.
Melatonin tablets are another
common sleep aide prescribed these
days, and this one works a little more
naturally to help the brain fall into a
regular pattern. Working alongside
natural melatonin within the brain,
melatonin helps circuits within the
brain gear up to tell us we’re ready for
shut eye. They don’t work for everyone,
but when routine need re-syncing or jet
lag is rearing it’s head then they can be
a good option to talk to your doc about.

Best ways to hit the hay

The silver lining to sleep troubles is
often that small and really realistic
changes can make a big difference.
By adjusting some of our daytime and
evening routines, we can put our brain
in the best place to sleep when it needs
to. This is the take away here: good
sleep starts before we hit the pillow,
and it’s important to know that what
you do across the day can make a big
difference to how well you rest at night.
Creating a bedtime routine is
essential, and always my number one
step for helping people here. The brain
coordinates being awake and asleep off
a rhythm (the circadian), and the more
it’s allowed to lock in with this the more
soundly you’ll sleep when you hit the
bed.
Start a schedule that protects your
bed and wake time; where possible,
aim to go to bed within half an hour of
a regular time. Get protective about it,
and put an alarm for wind down
time at night just like you do
to wake up in the morning.
Adjusting the environment
to make it more sleep
friendly can make a world of
difference too. Dim the lights
(or turn half of them off)
in the house in the hour
before bed, and make
sure the temperature
Making small changes, such as putting the phones down and winding down
hours before bed time can make a world of difference to how you sleep.
of the room you’re in (and where you’ll
sleep) is on the cooler side.
Science shows our brains start
turning on ‘sleep mode’ in the hours
before we actually fall asleep if the light
is dim, the temperature cool and we’re
keeping blue light rays off our eye balls.
Using phones and laptops is enemy
number one when it comes to sleeping
well, so get proactive about turning
these off an hour before bedtime.
Keeping caffeine at bay is key here
too - make sure your last coffee or pre-
workout is at least 6 hours before you’ll
be hitting the bed. Even if the pump
and heart rate hit has long worn off, it’ll
still be whirring round your brain and
impacting sleep for hours afterward.
A common question is what to do if
we’re tossing and turning. A good
practice can be to get up briefly
if we can’t fall asleep within
20-30 minutes. Break the cycle
of anxiety and stress that often
makes falling asleep harder
by getting up in a dimly lit
Dr Kieran Kennedy.
room and doing something relaxing
like reading or (better yet) a round of
meditation.
The Take Home
Sleep is a vital part of our tool kit when
it comes to better health of mind and
body. And it’s something that’s near
universally a tough thing to get at times.
The benefits of a good night’s rest are
now more than ever clear to modern
medicine - and we’re “prescribing” a
bit more of the Sandman is something
doctors are now dishing out on the
regular.
The key here is knowing that more
shut eye is well within your grasp. Take
some simple steps to help your brain
sleep even before it hits the pillow and
your body and brain will thank you for
it.
As a medical doctor and psychiatry
resident with degrees in psychology,
physiology and medicine/surgery, Dr
Kieran Kennedy holds a passion for
furthering the mental and physical
health of the modern man and woman.
www.drkierankennedy.com

68 ACROSS T HE T R A DES Summer 2020

 peugeot.com.au

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MODULAR WORKING SPACE
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT PEUGEOT.COM.AU

1. Whichever comes first 5 year/200,000km warranty on PEUGEOT Expert Vans. Subject to terms, conditions and exclusions. Visit Peugeot.com.au/aftersales-
services/warranty. 2. 5 year roadside assistance provided by Digicall Assistance ABN 92 152 605 340. For full terms and conditions visit: Peugeot.com.au/aftersales-
services/roadside-assist. 3. Compatible Apple© or AndriodTM device required.
 BUSINESS

5 MINDSET SHIFTS
YOU NEED NOW
BUSINESS COACH AND CREATOR OF NEXT LEVEL TRADIE DANIEL FITZPATRICK SHARES FIVE THINGS YOU SHOULD DO
TO GET YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS THROUGH DURING THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES.

his year has been anything but

T
to 2020.
normal. COVID-19, lockdown, the
economy... might be a bumpy end

Will things go pear-shaped again in a

few months? Who knows. One thing I do
know:
Success starts with mindset.
It’s how you can take advantage of
any season and come out on top, with
a spectacularly successful business,
leaving your competitors in the dust.
Or at least sleep soundly knowing
you’ve got things fully under control...
work lined up, solid income, cash in the
bank.
So what will it take to lead your
company through the fallout?
Here are a few tips:

You must own everything in

1 your world
Navy seal Jocko Willink says good
leaders don’t make excuses, instead
they figure out a way to get things done.
When you’re on a mission, there are
things you’ve got control over, and
things you don’t.
For example, you don’t have control
over the weather. If your mission
requires a helicopter, but you can’t fly,
then guess what? Find another way.
Take the Jeep. Success requires you think been putting off? It’s probably because
Your job is to complete the mission. differently. Take extreme ownership. Of your brain is telling you those tasks
Even when there are obstacles. your actions, the actions of your team, are gonna be unpleasant, dangerous,
It’s easy to point fingers when things of everything that will impact the result. painful, or harmful.
don’t go to plan. We’ve all been there. Control what you can control. Find The answer is, get it down on paper.
Excuses come to mind: Clients only another way when you can’t. Bring the facts into the cold hard light
want the cheapest price. The economy of day. Then you can see exactly what
is stuffed. Can’t find good staff, they’re Write down your fears, not you’re dealing with.
not out there.
The truth? No matter what situation
you find yourself in, you alone are
2 your goals
To achieve your goals, you have
to take action toward them.
Sometimes you gotta look the
monster in the eye.
Then it’s not so bad.
responsible for the success or failure of If you’re not taking action, then you How much did you really make off that
your business. There is no one else to have to figure out why. last job? What do you owe the IRD… what
blame. Are there higher-level tasks you’ve are your options? Why are you killing

70 ACROSS T HE T R A DES Summer 2020

yourself to meet that deadline?
I’ve helped hundreds of tradies find
non-scary answers to questions like
these.
The worst thing you could do right
now is freeze or freak out over every
little thing. Instead, make a new rule
that you’ll address things head on. So
you can see the danger ahead and avoid
it.
No one is born with business
3 skills
If you’re like most tradies, your
focus is: Work hard. Deliver quality. Do
right by clients. Build your reputation.
That’s AWESOME. But it’s not enough...
Because a busy tradie is not always a
profitable one.
When giving your price, does it ever
feel too high? So you adjust it down a
bit? This is the part where you get stuck
working a job there’s no money in.
So what can you do about it? If
margins are slipping, cashflow is
uncomfortably tight, or staff are
making too many mistakes, seek out
better methods for getting where you
want to be.
Challenge yourself to think more
like a business owner. To do what’s
best for the company. Gain a deeper
understanding of your numbers. Set up
KPIs and targets. Build structure.
Here’s the thing: No one is born with
all the skills to run a trades business
successfully. Business skills need to be
taught or learnt.
Ask yourself: “Am I open? Am I
actively learning?” Success leaves
clues. So look at others who are
successful and work out why.
Consider for a moment: “Who do I have
to be, to have the results I want?” Imagine
yourself as that person. The best version
of you as a business owner.
How you see yourself will
always limit your results.
When you take action, your
subconscious works hard to
make the outcome line up
with what you’re expecting.
So make sure you see
yourself as a highly
capable business owner,
as well as a highly
capable tradie.
Grab opportunities with both
4 hands
As humans, we’re always
fighting the tendency to lean back,
wait and see how things pan out, before
making a move.
Problem: If you wait too long, you
might miss your chance.
My advice is to grab opportunities
with both hands. We don’t know what’s
ahead. So take what you can now. Build
your war chest.
Build up everything you need for
the tough times ahead. What’s in your
war chest? A big fat cash reserve, for
starters.
But your war chest
isn’t just money.
Build your network
and customer base.
Build skills and trades business, yourself why you
processes within your you already face went into business
team - make them
reliable, efficient,
accountable. unknowns in day- for family.
Got more work than to-day business.
you can handle? If
the numbers stack
up, go for it, hire more
help. Take bigger and
better jobs while they’re available.
If things change later, you can always
re-adjust. That’s business, we’re always
making adjustments.
First thing is: Pay attention. Don’t
get bogged down. Don’t get so busy you
can’t see what you’re missing out on!
Shift your mindset: This is a time to
lean IN. Don’t be reckless, but actively
seek the right opportunities to get
ahead.
When nothing is sure, everything is
possible.
Being in business is a way
5 to buy back your time
Think of your business as
an investment and make decisions
accordingly. What kind of return-on-
investment are you happy with?
Business coach
and creator
of Next Level
Tradie Daniel
Fitzpatrick.
Success has to be on your terms.
Being in business for yourself comes
with a heap of risk and hard work. You
should get a return on your dollar.
It’s also about balance. You haven’t
really attained success until you’ve got
a well-balanced life.
It’s easy to slip into the “too busy to
take a day off” mentality. Anyone who is
self-employed knows the struggle. Lines
between work and home are blurred.
Everything feels urgent.
Fair enough, but habits have
consequences.
It’s fine to work massive hours playing
catch up. For awhile.
When weeks turn into
months - and months
turn into years -
If you run a it’s time to remind
hundreds of in the first place, and
carve out some time
And frankly, for
your company to
come through this in
good shape YOU need
to be in good shape:
Healthy, well rested, calm, in control.
Finally, remember this:
You’re an exception to the rule.
If you run a trades business, you
already face hundreds of unknowns
in day-to-day business. The rest of the
world may be fearful - they don’t know
what will happen next.
But you? You’ve lived with
uncertainty for years. You were made
for unpredictable times. You live here.
You’ve got this.
Daniel has been business coaching
in Christchurch for the past eight
years with his company Business
Solutions. After realising that most of
his clients were tradies and that they
were getting great results, he developed
the Next Level Tradie program,
specifically to help those in the trades
and construction industry.
Need to figure out your next move?
Book in to have a chat to see how Daniel
can help: https://nextleveltradie.co.nz/
nextstep/
Summer 2020 ACROSS T HE T R A DES 71
 MENTAL HEALTH

SUPERFRIEND, THE SUPER

FRIENDS OF TRADIES
SUPERFRIEND ADVOCATES FOR, EQUIPS AND EMPOWERS COMPANIES TO ACHIEVE MENTALLY HEALTHY
WORKPLACES. SEAN CARROLL WRITES ABOUT WHAT THE ORGANISATION IS DOING FOR TRADIES.

ugust was Tradie Mental Health Month and it’s a great

A initiative that brings a very important topic to the

forefront and lunch breaks around the country.
SuperFriend general manager of superannuation and
workplace solutions Keir Paterson, whose role is to work
with employers and super funds on mental wellbeing and
safety strategies, policies and programs to help workers and
members improve and maintain their mental health, says
there’s no better time to start mental health conversations
than right now.
“Certainly, we’ve seen the stigma of mental illness reduce
significantly over the years and the construction industry has
been at the forefront of that,” he says.
“Each year we run the Indicators of a Thriving Workplace
survey. With 10,000 responses, it’s now the largest study of
workplace mental health in Australia. The most recent, 2019
survey found that workers in construction with a mental
health condition are among the least likely to say their
workplace caused it.
“Workers in construction also reported some of the highest
levels of job satisfaction, with more than three quarters
saying they enjoy their job, the highest result of any industry.”
But Keir says that according to industry mental health
organisation, Mates in Construction, a construction worker
ends their life every second day and are six times more likely
to die from suicide than a work accident.
“So we still have a long way to go in this industry.”
He, and SuperFriends have laid out a number of steps and
suggestions for people who are going through a tough time or
know someone that is.
“Staying connected is a big one, especially for tradies going
from site to site who might not be working with the same crew
day in, day out. Having a support network of people you can
talk to improves day-to-day mental health in good times and
can be critical if you’re going through a tough time,” he says.
“This is especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic, when
working conditions might change or there might be fewer
hours on offer. Insecure work and your financial situation can
have a big impact, especially when families are stretched with
kids at home.”
It may be harder to gauge a colleague’s mood during the
pandemic or when working from home. To counter this, Keir
points to a number of resources SuperFriends has on offer
including a peer support booklet which can be found on its
website or through many of the resources on the R U OK?
website.
“So, keep an eye out for each other and let people know
you’re there to support them – and speak up if you think you
might need help. I know a lot of people – myself included –
who’ve said ‘I wish I’d done it sooner’,” Keir explains.
He also points to some small things everybody can do to
help improve their mental health including making sure people
are keeping up their physical health and fitness, mindfulness
and giving.
“Giving is a good one, whether it’s volunteering or giving
time to a friend, a child or a relative who needs a helping hand
– has positive effects on the person helping as much as the one
getting help,” Keir says.
Physical exercise and getting the heart rate up can be great
for mental health. Even as little as 20 minutes for three days a
week can go a long way in a positive mindset.
Tradie mental health isn’t an issue that’s just going to
disappear overnight but there has been solid progress in
recent years around the topic. SuperFriends, and a number
of similar organisations, are working towards an Australian
construction industry that doesn’t have the same mental
health stigma and issues.
If you, or anyone you know might need mental health help,
there are a range of support services available including:
∫ Your local GP
∫ Your employer’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
∫ Mates in Construction 24/7: 1300 642 111
∫ Lifeline: 13 11 14
∫ Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467
∫ Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36

72 ACROSS T HE T R A DES Summer 2020

The Renault Van Range
Vans that make your business work better

Renault KANGOO Renault TRAFIC Renault MASTER

Now Available in Auto

Renault Peace of Mind

Enjoy the simple life with drama-free driving.

TOYOTA HILUX
oyota has introduced the
T biggest update to its top-
selling HiLux ute since the
current eighth generation’s launch
in 2015, ushering in improvements to
its 2.8L turbo-diesel engine, dynamic
performance, driver-assist safety
systems and cabin infotainment
technology.
There is a new, more aggressive look,
and corresponding price increases
across the comprehensive range now
spanning more than 33 variants at
launch and soon to be bolstered by the
return of flagship Rogue and Rugged X
models.
HiLux was hanging out for a
significant update as the market-
leading ute looks to hold its dominant
position while continuous upgrades
are wrought by Ford on its strong-
selling Ranger and new-generation
models from key competitors arrive in
showrooms, including Isuzu’s D-Max
and the related Mazda BT-50.
The mainstay 2.8L ‘1GD’ four-
cylinder turbo-diesel engine now
boasts improved performance and
fuel economy with revisions such as a
larger, heavier-duty turbo (with ball-
bearing cartridge) and a new common-
rail injection system with a higher
TRANSPORT
with Terry Martin
maximum fuel pressure of 250MPa.
Importantly, engine output has
climbed to 150kW of power and
500Nm of torque (+20kW/50Nm) when
paired with a recalibrated six-speed
automatic transmission, while pulling
power with the carryover six-speed
manual remains at 420Nm.
Toyota claims the result is stronger
overtaking and towing through hillier
terrain, particularly with maximum
torque now available across a wider
rev range of 1600-2800rpm (auto) and
1400-3400rpm (manual).
It says the higher outputs are
supported by various other improvements
including a new coated cylinder-head
gasket, revised higher-rigidity cylinder
block and new exhaust manifold and
gasket materials.
On top of that, new cooling measures
include a reshaped water jacket and
revised cooling fan and fan coupling,
while fuel economy benefits further
from a new combustion chamber
that reduces cooling losses and more
efficient exhaust gas recirculation
(EGR) in the intake manifold.
Improvements to economy of up to
11.1% have been achieved, based on
official testing.
The smaller 2.4L ‘2GD’ four-cylinder
turbo-diesel has also been tweaked
to improve cooling and economy –
including a higher-pressure common-
rail system, optimised pistons and
rings and uprated alternator (now
100 amps, +20A) – but output remains
steady at 110kW/400Nm.
The 122kW/245Nm 2.7L ‘2TR’ four-
cylinder petrol engine also carries
over.
In terms of dynamics, Toyota’s
engineers have retuned the leaf-
sprung rear suspension – targeting
spring rates, shock absorbers and
suspension bushes – while revised
cabin mounts are also fitted. The
aim is to deliver improved handling
response, ride comfort and refinement,
 ARE YOU GETTING
YOUR REGULAR
A variety of option packs have been developed for the new series to improve on
the aesthetics and interior creature comforts.

particularly when unladen on back

roads and over speed humps.
Headline changes to the
cabin include a bigger and more
NEWSLETTER?
All diesel variants also benefit sophisticated 8” multimedia system
from a new variable-flow control now with control knobs rather than www.build.com.au/newsletters
power steering pump designed to touchscreen operation for easier use,
further assist with fuel economy while plus enhanced voice recognition and
delivering “a more natural driving feel” adoption of Apple CarPlay and Android
that varies depending on the driving Auto connectivity.
conditions, such as providing extra New-look instrument dials sit either
assistance in low-speed manoeuvres side of a 4.2” multi-information display,
(like parking) and improving feel with which incorporates a digital speed
less assistance out on the open road. readout among other new functions.
As a result of the technical changes, A variety of option packs have
maximum braked towing capacity is been developed for the new series
now 3500kg for all to improve on the
4x4 HiLux variants aesthetics and
while 4x2 diesel interior creature
variants are rated comforts, while the
at 2800kg, marking HiLux SR5 dual usual vast array of
an increase of up and extra cab pick- factory accessories
to 300kg. Toyota up models also gain are available.
says there are now Pricing for the core
27 variants with a
two front and rear HiLux range starts
payload of a least a sonars to support at $23,590 plus on-
tonne. parking. road costs for the
After boosting Workmate 4x2 single
HiLux’s safety cab chassis with
credentials last year 2.7L petrol (manual)
with the range-wide and moves through
introduction of the ‘Toyota Safety SR and SR5 grades – and the various
Sense’ suite of advanced driver body style, powertrain, driveline and
assistance features, the 2020 facelift suspension lift options – to max out at
brings a variety of detail changes such $62,420 for the SR5+ 4x4 double cab
as recognition of speed advisory signs pick-up with 2.8 diesel (auto).
on the ‘road sign assist’ system. The previous range peaked at
HiLux SR5 dual and extra cab pick- $64,490 for the Rugged X (auto), which
up models also gain two front and rear is expected to push up closer to the
sonars to support parking. $70K mark with this upgrade.
 THIRD GENERATION
ISUZU D-MAX COMES TO
AUSSIE SHORES
suzu has launched its third-
I generation D-Max in Australia,
leaving virtually no stone
unturned in terms of updating the
Japanese brand’s all-important one-
tonne ute.
Styling, safety, technology, comfort,
panache, performance and ownership
costs. You name it, and Isuzu appears
to have addressed it, helped by a
generous local specification that
reflects the fact that Australia is the
largest export market in the world for
the Thai-built range.
At launch, there is a broad line-
up spanning 20 variants across
single cab, space cab and crew cab
configurations, pick-up and cab
chassis rear ends, 4x2 ‘High Ride’ and
4x4 drivelines, upgraded six-speed
manual and automatic transmission
choices and a heavily revised version
of the familiar 3.0-litre turbo-diesel.
Model grades start with the SX –
priced from $29,990 driveaway at
launch for the 4x2 single cab chassis
manual – and roll through mid-series
LS-M and LS-U before topping out with
a new flagship X-Terrain 4x4 crew
cab auto that is loaded with gear but
still slots in under $60K at $58,990
driveaway.
The list of standard safety features
is a particularly long one, with
every D-Max fitted with Isuzu’s
Intelligent Driver Assistance
System (IDAS) that is said to
be engineered for Australian
conditions and bundles together
no fewer than eight airbags and
hi-tech electronic systems
that cover all the major bases but are
simply too numerous to detail here.
They include autonomous emergency
braking (with ‘turn assist’), post-
collision braking, forward collision
warning, traffic sign recognition,
blind spot monitoring, lane departure
warning/prevention, driver attention
assist, rear cross traffic alert,
automatic high beam, intelligent speed
limiter, a reversing camera and much
more.
Models with an automatic
transmission add adaptive cruise
control, lane keep assist and a
‘misacceleration mitigation’ system,
the 4x4s have a rear differential lock,
the LS-U grade includes rear parking
sensors and X-Terrain adds front
parking sensors as well.
Across LS and X-Terrain, improved
headlight performance is also apparent
with the fitment of self-levelling bi-LED
front lamps, daytime running lights and
LED fog lights, while X-Terrain has higher-
grade functions such as configurable
pathway lighting when exiting the vehicle.
 The latter comes on conjunction with
a new ‘smart key’ system that also
allows for keyless entry/start, remote
engine start and ‘walk away door lock’
convenience.
Isuzu claims the fully redesigned
D-Max’s body and separate ladder-
frame chassis (now with bigger
chassis rails) are both lighter, stronger
and therefore safer, thanks to the
broad application of high-tensile steel,
extra reinforcements and revised
crumple zones.
Many of these measures combine
with extensive use of sound-deadening
material to lower noise, vibration and
harshness (NVH) in the cabin – an
area that is also roomier than before,
more upmarket, apparently more
comfortable and with infotainment
technology that owners have come to
expect.
Even at the entry level, D-Max
carries a 7” display with voice
recognition, DAB+ digital radio,
Android Auto and wireless Apple
CarPlay smartphone mirroring and
a 4.2” multi-information display and
digital speedo in the instrument
binnacle.
Levels of comfort, convenience and
sophistication naturally rise in parallel
with the walk up through the models,
such as a 9” display, eight-speaker
stereo, satellite navigation and dual-
zone climate control kicking in with
LS-U and leather-accented upholstery Isuzu claims the fully redesigned D-Max’s body and separate ladder-frame
sewn into the X-Terrain. chassis (now with bigger chassis rails) are both lighter, stronger and safer.
Under the bonnet lies a new ‘4JJ3-
TCX’ version of Isuzu’s three-litre four-
cylinder intercooled turbo-diesel that depending on the variant, but is wider 1320kg on the SX 4x4 Single Cab Chassis.
produces 140kW of power at 3600rpm (1870-1880mm) and has a longer There is said to be no loss of load
(+10kW) and 450Nm of torque from wheelbase (3125mm). The roofline is area space, with internal tub width in
1600-2600rpm (+20Nm), the latter with lower, the front and rear overhangs are the pick-up models still at 1530mm
more mid-range muscle evidenced by shorter and ground clearance is higher and Isuzu Ute Australia claiming “more
400Nm on tap from 1400rpm through (up to 240mm), bringing benefits useable room” with additional length
to 3250rpm. when off-roading – or accessing (+15mm) and depth (+30mm).
Isuzu claims improvements in difficult worksites – such as improved A typically vast array of official
driveability and performance, approach, departure and ramp-over factory trays and accessories have
particularly when towing or under load, angles. Wading depth is now 800mm been developed for the new D-Max, all
as well as more refinement and, not (+200mm). of which are compatible with the new
least of all, reduced fuel consumption, Braked towing capacity is 3500kg safety systems.
down to 7.7-8L per 100km on the across the board, gross vehicle mass The new series is also backed by
official combined-cycle economy test. (GVM) is 3000kg (4x2) or 3100kg (4x4), a ‘Service Plus 6-7-7’ program that
The all-new D-Max is 30mm shorter kerb weight ranges from 1695kg to covers a six-year warranty and seven
than the second generation, measuring 2130kg, and payload ranges from just years of both roadside assistance and
between 5265mm and 5325mm under a tonne on the X-Terrain (970kg) to capped-price servicing.
 HINO 300 SERIES
ino has released its heavily
H upgraded 300 Series light-
duty truck in Australia, which
has arrived with big claims of class
leadership in terms of “safety, power
and efficiency” for a Japanese brand
– to say nothing of “benchmark levels
of on-road performance and superior
levels of interior ergonomics and
comfort”.
Of course, Hino must defer to Isuzu’s
dominant N-Series range when it comes
to market leadership, but the latest
300 Series looks to be another strong
showing from Toyota’s truck division that
continues to attract plenty of attention
among the trades.
So let’s unpack some of those claims
and see where the value really lies in
the new 300 series, which offers with
a broad model line-up at launch of
more than 20 4x2 variants covering
gross vehicle mass (GVM) ratings
from 4500kg (where a car licence is
sufficient) to 8500kg across Standard
Single, Wide Single and Wide Crew Cab
configurations.
In terms of safety, advanced driver
assistance technology more commonly
seen in passenger vehicles and high-
end pick-ups has made its way into the
300 Series via the ‘Hino SmartSafe’
package that includes a pre-collision
system, autonomous emergency
braking (with pedestrian detection)
and lane departure warning.
Daytime running lights are also now
fitted, while carryover safety features
include dual airbags, a reversing
camera, traction and stability
control and four-wheel disc brakes
with ABS and electronic brake-
force distribution (EBD).
On the powertrain front, Hino
has overhauled its mainstay
4L common-rail turbo-diesel
as well as the hybrid version
based on the same N04C inline-four
engine.
The regular engine has come in for
a variety of improvements, including
a new fuel and engine control system,
improved filtration and air intake, a
multi-V drive belt, new cooling fan and
redesigned piston crowns.
Manual and automatic
transmissions have also been revised,
and when combined with the N04C
the new six-speed double-overdrive
torque-converter auto brings
increased carrying capacity – up from
7.3t gross combined mass (GCM) to 8t.
This is important for the trades as it
means that when registered as a 4.5t
GVM car-licenced vehicle, specific
models can now carry a full load in the
tray as well as a fully laden 3.5t trailer.
In ‘WL’ guise the 4L engine produces
110kW of power and 420Nm of torque,
pairing with the new six-speed auto
or, on select variants, a five-speed
manual. A ‘WM’ version ups the ante
to 121kW/464Nm when matched with a
six-speed manual.
A 5L J05E engine also remains
in service, flexing considerable
muscle when specified with either a
six-speed manual – at 139kW/510Nm exhaust emission standards.
(‘UH’) – or six-speed automatic, Inside, the 300 Series benefits
which is billed as class-leading at from a redesigned dashboard and
151kW/600Nm (‘UJ’). a new instrument binnacle with a
Additionally, the 300 Series Hybrid larger, easier-to-read speedo and
really speaks to the ‘efficiency’ side high-contrast 4.2” multi-information
of Hino’s claims, arriving in updated display.
form with modifications to the N04C The other main highlight is the new
‘WR’ engine, new operational software standard-fit 6.5” touchscreen and
and a lighter and more compact power multimedia system that is capable of
control unit with smaller battery connecting up to four cameras and
(still at 6.5Ah) and improved inverter
technology, among
includes DAB+ digital radio, Bluetooth
music streaming
NEXT GEN
other revisions.
It also comes
and mobile phone
connectivity with
MAZDA BT-50
with a new six- The standard voice dialling. azda has unveiled its
speed automated
transmission.
Combined output
factory warranty anThe unit is based on
Android operating
covering the 300 system, while WiFi
M new-generation BT-50
1t utility ahead of its
Australian launch towards the end
from the combustion runs for three years connectivity allows of the year.
engine and electric or 100,000km, for over-the-air Switching from Ford to Isuzu
motor combination whichever comes software updates. for its continuing presence in the
is 110kW and 470Nm,
providing owners
first. Related options
include a digital video
workhorse ute and recreational
pick-up market in Australia, the
with “an opportunity camera recorder new BT is based on Isuzu ute’s all-
to improve their (DVR), tyre pressure new D-Max which is now on sale
fuel and operational monitoring system and has lifted the bar dramatically
efficiency and reduce their emissions”. and truck-specific satellite navigation. in terms of styling, safety,
Building on the previous diesel- Details of the ‘Built to Go’ versions of accommodation, sophistication and
electric powertrain, which Hino says the new 300 Series – including fit-outs capability.
brought real-world fuel efficiency targeting specific trades – were still to The BT has its own unique
benefits of 21% compared to equivalent be released at the time of writing. exterior design and cabin fit-out,
traditionally powered variants, the The standard factory warranty but will have plenty in common with
new hybrid also stands as the first covering the 300 runs for three years the D-Max, which is no bad thing.
Japanese-built light-duty truck in or 100,000km, whichever comes This will include Isuzu’s familiar
Australia to meet the tough Euro 6 first. 3L turbo-diesel engine, which has
received a major overhaul and now
produces 140kW of power and
450Nm of torque.
Local pricing and specifications
were still to be released at the time
of writing, but Mazda Australia
has confirmed that advanced
driver-assist safety technology
such as adaptive cruise control,
autonomous emergency braking,
lane keep assist, blind spot
monitoring and rear cross traffic
alert will all be fitted standard.
The company also says that
“a long list of accessories and
customer programs” will be
launched as the new BT begins
rolling out of the factory in
Thailand and into Aussie
The 300 series is sure to be a hit with tradies all over the country given its showrooms.
versatility and improvements across the board.
 THE NEXT
VOLKSWAGEN
TRANSPORTER VANS
olkswagen has announced a thorough update

V for its Transporter van and cab chassis, adding

value with new safety equipment, infotainment
tech and styling revisions that the German brand says
flows directly from its passenger vehicle range.
Dubbed the T6.1, the new Transporter line-up spans
almost 20 variants across short and long wheelbase
lengths, regular van and five-seater ‘Crewvan’ body
styles, single and dual cab chassis (with factory tray),
three states of tune for the 2L, four-cylinder turbo-diesel
engine (81kW/110kW/146kW) and the usual manual/auto
transmission and 4x2/4x4 driveline options.
On the safety front, all van models are fitted standard
with high-level driver-assist features including front

FORD BOOSTS ITS assist with city emergency braking, crosswind assist,
side assist (including blind spot monitoring and rear

RANGER OFFERING traffic alert), driver fatigue detection and multi-collision

braking.
A rear-view camera and reverse parking sensors
ord has bolstered its Ranger ute with a new XL are also fitted, along with dual front and side/head-

F Special Edition, XLT Fully Loaded variant and a

Heavy-Duty package, among a host of additional
options and special driveaway pricing.
protecting airbags.
A long list of functional and comfort-oriented
equipment denotes a well-equipped cabin that includes
The Blue Oval brand’s big-selling ute also now comes LED lighting (extending into the cargo area), ‘double grid’
standard with FordPass Connect, which gives owners cloth upholstery, 6.5” multimedia system, smartphone
a range of connected services and remote vehicle mirroring capability, App-Connect, twin USB-C ports,
functions such as starting/stopping, locking/unlocking, cruise control (with speed limiter) and automatic
locating the vehicle when parked, receiving live traffic headlights/wipers.
updates and monitoring the vehicle’s ‘health’ in areas Van pricing starts from $38,990 plus on-road costs for
like tyre pressures, fluid levels and service intervals. the TDI250 (81kW) SWB manual, while the cab chassis
Priced from $49,990 driveaway at launch, the XL kicks off from $55,490 for the TDI340 (110kW) single cab
Special Edition is based on the 4x4 double cab chassis with DSG auto.
with 3.2L auto and includes a factory-fit steel bullbar,
LED light bar and fixed-mount snorkel.
Available on a variety of XLT variants, the Fully Loaded
edition starts $1500 upstream of the equivalent double
cab and features 18” gloss-black alloy wheels, leather-
accented seat trim, adaptive cruise control and semi-
automatic parallel parking system.
The Heavy-Duty Pack is tailor-made for selected XL
4x4s and includes heavy-duty suspension, 17x7.5” black-
painted steel wheels, 17” Continental ContiCrossContact
A/T tyres, solid wheel nuts, black side steps and a rear-
view camera kit. It costs between $1600 and $2000,
depending on the variant.
The HD Pack’s all-terrain wheel and tyre specification
can be ordered individually, while XLS variants now have
the option of a spray-on bedliner and 17” black alloy
wheels.
 TRADE STUFF .COM.AU
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 “Not Your Average Plumbing Supply”
Benton’s are proud to be associated with world leading brands like Blucher® - stainless steel pipe, fittings, drains and channels
and Enware - a full range of specialist plumbing and personal safety equipment for hospitals, aged care, universities,
public amenities, commercial food premises and restaurants.
Call your nearest Benton’s store for specialist assistance for your next industrial project.

Accessible Disabled Blucher® Drainage Pipework Systems

Comprising independence, safety and dignity for users and Stainless steel, ideal for high quality drainage systems. Fire
carers with specialty tapware and sanitary ware. resistant. High strength low weight. Environmentally friendly.

Aged Care and Accessibility Blucher® Channel

Bathrooms are designed to maximise independence and a A range of channels for concrete/tiled/resin and vinyl floors.
greater degree of user comfort, dignity, respect and safety. Removable and easy-to-clean water trap.

Proud Partners with

• BENDIGO 15-21 Kennedy St (03) 5444 5477
• CAMPBELLFIELD 1922 Hume Hwy (03) 9357 9022
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• GISBORNE 16 Robertson St (03) 5428 8666
• HEATHERTON 1/1 Kingston Rd (03) 9552 0300
• HEIDELBERG 192-204 Burgundy St (03) 9459 4333
• HOPPERS CROSSING 330 Old Geelong Rd (03) 9368 9100
• LEONGATHA 15 Anderson St (03) 5662 4133
• MALVERN EAST 1818-1822 Malvern Rd (03) 9885 2066
• SOUTH MELBOURNE 4/186 York St (03) 9674 9222
• THOMASTOWN 219 Settlement Rd (03) 9466 3700
• WILLIAMSTOWN 227-229 Kororoit Creek Rd (03) 9391 4355
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