Common Area Lighting Fault & Safety Upgrade in Carrum

Body Corporate Call-Out in Carrum

Ferguson Electrical was recently engaged by a body corporate in Carrum to investigate an issue with external common area lighting remaining on during the day.

Tenants had reported the issue over several days, raising concerns around energy usage and reliability of the lighting system.

Fault Diagnosis: Photoelectric Cell Failure

After attending site and assessing the circuit, we identified the likely cause as a faulty photoelectric cell (PE cell).

PE cells are responsible for controlling lighting based on daylight levels. When functioning correctly, they switch lights on at dusk and off during the day. When they fail, lights may remain permanently on or off.

In this case, the failure resulted in lights staying on continuously.

Recommended Repair Works

To resolve the issue and restore proper functionality, we recommended:

• Replacing the faulty PE cell
• Restoring automatic dusk-to-dawn operation
• Ensuring reliable and energy-efficient performance

This repair ensures the lighting system operates as intended and reduces unnecessary energy consumption.

Safety Upgrade Recommendation for Strata Properties

During inspection of the common area lighting circuit, we also identified an opportunity to improve electrical safety.

We recommended upgrading the circuit protection to include an RCBO (Residual Current Circuit Breaker with Overcurrent Protection).

Why RCBO Protection Matters

For shared areas accessed by residents and visitors, electrical safety is critical.

An RCBO provides:

• Overcurrent protection
• Residual current (RCD) protection
• Improved fault protection for the circuit

Upgrading to RCBO protection significantly reduces risk and brings older installations closer to current safety expectations.

Supporting Body Corporates & Property Managers

Ferguson Electrical regularly works with:

• Body corporates
• Strata managers
• Property managers

Providing:

• Fault finding and diagnostics
• Common area lighting repairs
• Switchboard safety upgrades
• Ongoing maintenance solutions

We understand the importance of reliable, safe and compliant electrical systems in shared residential environments.

Need Help With a Strata Property?

If you’re managing a property and experiencing issues with lighting or electrical systems, or want to improve safety across your site, our team can help.

📍 Servicing Carrum and surrounding Melbourne suburbs.