Mining and FIFO Ute Electrics in Perth: WA Guide

This guide is for Perth businesses and contractors fitting out utes for mine sites, and for FIFO workers whose own vehicles sit for weeks while they are away. It covers common site-spec electrical gear, what the WA rules say about amber beacons and light bars, and how to wire it all so it is reliable and legal.

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Every site has its own spec

There is no single mine-spec ute. Each mining company, and often each site, sets its own standard for light vehicles. The spec usually covers what must be fitted, where it goes and how it works. Before any work starts, get the current written spec from the site or the company that will use the vehicle, and work from that. Fitting gear from memory, or copying another ute, is a common reason vehicles are turned away at the gate.

Items that often appear on light vehicle specs include:

• An amber flashing beacon, usually roof-mounted.
• A tall flag on a flexible mast, often called a buggy whip, sometimes with a light at the top.
• A reversing alarm.
• A battery isolator or master switch.
• Extra lighting, such as reverse or work lights.
• A UHF radio and its power supply.
• An in-vehicle monitoring system that records how the vehicle is driven.
• A second battery to run the radio, monitoring system and other accessories.

Amber beacons and WA's rules

Amber flashing lights are tightly controlled on WA public roads. According to the WA transport department's page on vehicle accessories and fittings, flashing warning lights are restricted to authorised vehicles in specific circumstances. Mining company vehicles used at a mine are on the list of vehicles that don't need an application, but that exemption covers use at the mine. It does not authorise the lights for use on public roads.

Other vehicles that need amber warning lights on public roads can apply for approval using the department's form E178C. The department also says vehicles used only on private property don't need authorisation, but the lights must be removed before the vehicle is used on a public road.

In practice, this means a beacon on a mine ute should be wired so it is clearly switched, with an indicator the driver can see, and it should be off once the vehicle leaves site. If you are not sure whether your vehicle and its use are covered, ask the department before you rely on it. These rules are detailed and do change, so read the current page rather than relying on what a colleague told you.

Light bars and driving lights

Light bars are almost standard on mine and remote-area utes, but on public roads they must meet the WA rules for driving lights. The department's information bulletin on additional and optional vehicle lights (IB-132) sets these out. Key points include:

• Up to four additional driving lights are allowed. A light bar counts as one light only if all its LEDs work together.
• Driving lights must switch off when the headlights are dipped to low beam.
• Driving lights must be white, front-facing and fitted symmetrically.
• A single light bar must be horizontal and centred on the vehicle.
• There are mounting limits, including for lights fitted to bull bars and nudge bars.
• Work lights need an illuminated, labelled switch, and forward-facing light bars used as work lights are only allowed if mounted below the driver's eye level.

Wiring it properly

Mine-spec gear adds a lot of circuits, and a ute that spends its life on haul roads and corrugated access tracks shakes poor wiring apart. Wire driving lights through a relay triggered by the high beam circuit, so they can't stay on when you dip. Our guide on how to wire a 12V relay shows the basic layout.

Every accessory should have its own fused circuit, with the fuse close to the power source. Use cable sized for the load and the length, protect it with conduit where it passes through the engine bay or along the chassis, and use grommets wherever it passes through metal. Label circuits at the fuse block and keep a simple wiring diagram in the glovebox. When a beacon or radio stops working on site, that diagram saves time. See where to put the fuse when wiring an accessory.

Many modern utes are sensitive to added loads. Tapping into factory wiring can upset the vehicle's electronics or set off warning lights. Feed accessories from a dedicated supply instead, and use the vehicle maker's recommended connection points where they exist.

Isolators and second batteries

A battery isolator lets the vehicle be made electrically safe when it is parked or being worked on, and many sites require one. Fit it where the spec says, usually somewhere easy to reach, and make sure it is rated for the full starting current if it isolates the starting battery.

Radios, monitoring systems and fridges can flatten a starting battery when the ute sits overnight. A second battery charged through a DC-DC charger keeps those loads off the starting battery. Check the site spec, since some sites set rules for how accessories are powered.

FIFO workers: your own car while you are away

If you fly in and fly out from Perth, your own car may sit for one, two or more weeks at a time, at home or near Perth Airport. Modern cars draw a small current even when switched off, to keep alarms, keyless entry and computer memory alive. Add a dashcam on parking mode or a tracking device, and a battery can be flat by the time you get back.

Before a long swing, switch off or unplug parking-mode accessories. If the car is at home, a quality smart battery charger or maintainer can keep the battery topped up. If a battery keeps going flat between swings, have the parasitic drain tested rather than just replacing the battery. Our guide on why a car battery keeps going flat explains how the test works.

Getting a ute fitted out in Perth

Many Perth auto electricians fit out light vehicles for mining work, and some specialise in it. Give them the full site spec at the start, allow time for parts to arrive, and ask for the circuits to be labelled. The eastern industrial suburbs near the airport, such as Kewdale and Forrestfield, are a good place to start your search.

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Questions Perth drivers ask

Can I use my amber beacon on the drive to site?

Not unless you have authorisation for public road use. The WA transport department lists mining company vehicles used at a mine as not needing an application, but says this does not authorise the lights on public roads. Other vehicles can apply using form E178C. Switch the beacon off once you leave site, and check the department's current rules if you are unsure.

Is my light bar legal in WA?

It can be, if it meets the WA rules for driving lights. In general, it must be white, front-facing, centred and horizontal, and must switch off when you dip to low beam. You can have up to four additional driving lights, and a light bar counts as one if all its LEDs work together. Read the department's IB-132 bulletin for the full rules.

What electrical gear does a mine-spec ute need?

It depends entirely on the site. Each mining company sets its own light vehicle standard, and the details often differ between sites. Common items include an amber beacon, a buggy whip flag, a reversing alarm, a battery isolator and a UHF radio. Always get the current written spec from the site before you start, rather than copying another vehicle.

How do I stop my car battery going flat during a FIFO swing?

Turn off or unplug accessories that run while parked, such as dashcams in parking mode. If the car is at home, connect a smart battery maintainer. If the battery still goes flat, have an auto electrician test for parasitic drain, because a faulty module or accessory can draw far more than normal. Replacing the battery alone won't fix a drain problem.

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