Switchboard upgrades.
Still on an old ceramic fuse box? Upgrade to a modern switchboard with safety switches on every circuit, the single best safety improvement you can make to your home.
What's included.
Old boards with ceramic fuses can't protect you from electric shock, and they weren't built for today's loads: induction cooktops, air con, EV chargers. A modern board with RCD protection on every circuit is what stands between a fault and a tragedy.
- Full board replacement Old fuse box out, modern switchboard in, with safety switches (RCDs) and circuit breakers on every circuit.
- Labelled and tested Every circuit tested, clearly labelled, and signed off with a Certificate of Electrical Safety.
- Capacity for the future Boards sized with room for solar, EV charging and air con, so you're not paying twice later.
- Defect & rust repairs Deteriorated boards, water damage and defect notices from inspections, sorted properly.
Signs the board is past it.
Open the switchboard door and look. One of these is reason enough for an inspection.
- Ceramic fuses with fuse wire, or a board with no safety switches at all
- Breakers that trip when two big appliances run together
- Scorch marks, a hot smell, buzzing, or a board that is warm to touch
- Lights that flicker in more than one room at once
- A defect written up by an electrician, a building inspector or your distributor
- An EV charger, induction cooktop, air con, solar or a battery on the way
Most boards are done in a day.
Fuse, breaker or safety switch?
Three devices live in a modern board. People mix them up, and the difference is who gets protected.
| Device | Protects | How |
|---|---|---|
| Fuse or circuit breaker | The wiring | Cuts the power on a short circuit or an overload. |
| Safety switch (RCD) | You | Watches the current in a circuit and turns the power off within 0.03 of a second when it detects a risk to a person. Look for a test button and 30mA printed on it. |
| Both in one (RCBO) | The wiring and you | One device per circuit doing both jobs. A fault takes out that circuit and the rest of the house stays on. |
What moves the quote.
Two boards are never the same job. These four decide how big yours is.
- How many circuits. A two bedroom unit and a five bedroom house are different boards. More circuits means more breakers and more testing.
- What sits behind the old board. Brittle cable, a cramped enclosure or an old backing panel all add work. That gets looked at before the price is given.
- Single or three phase. Three phase boards are bigger and take longer to change over.
- Mains and metering. If the cable from the street or the meter panel needs upgrading too, your electricity distributor gets involved and the job grows.
What the regulators say about switchboards.
- 30 years
The age at which Energy Safe Victoria says to think about what is behind the walls and have the wiring checked.
- 3 months
How often to press the test button on every safety switch. If the power stays on, Energy Safe says to call a licensed electrician immediately.
- 8 days
A main switchboard is prescribed work: an independent licensed inspector checks it, and Energy Safe's timeframe is 8 business days.
- A safety switch works alongside fuses and circuit breakers. Energy Safe is plain that it will not prevent every electric shock.
- Since 29 March 2023 every power outlet and lighting circuit in a Victorian rental must run through a circuit breaker and a safety switch at the switchboard.
- Switchboard panels made before the end of 2003 can contain asbestos. Pitch-based electrical switchboards are on the Victorian Government's list of asbestos-containing materials.
Questions, answered.
How do I know if my switchboard needs upgrading?
How long does a switchboard upgrade take?
Are safety switches compulsory?
Will my insurance care?
Does anyone check the electrician's work?
I own a rental. What does the law ask of the switchboard?
How do I test a safety switch?
Quote it, pick a time, booked.
Tell us the job and pick a time that suits. Andrea confirms it by call or text.
- Free board inspection.
- Upgrade day.
- Tested and labelled.
Book a time
What do you need done?
Pick a day & time
Pick the time that suits you best. Andrea confirms it with you.
How does Andrea reach you?
Prefer to talk? Call 0481 392 983