SWITCHBOARD UPGRADES

07 4642 0017CONTACT US

SWITCHBOARD UPGRADES

07 4642 0017CONTACT US

SWITCHBOARD UPGRADES

Switchboard Upgrades 1Older switchboards (also known as fuseboards) are at much higher risk for electrical fires and other safety issues. A switchboard upgrade is the best way to ensure your home is safe from electrical issues. 

Your switchboard may have met Australian standards when it was installed, but if your house is years or decades old, there’s a good chance it’s one of the highest risk components of your home. 

Replacing a fuse wire can be a complex task; a circuit breaker offers an easy toggle switch. This also means that future work on your switchboard or electrical system is easier, which usually also means more cost effective. 

Depending on the location of the switchboard, it may not be compliant. It’s a legal requirement that all electrical work needs to meet current legislation, so if you’re planning any other renovations involving your electrical system, switchboard upgrades aren’t optional. Older switchboards were often made of flammable wood or chipboard, backed with asbestos or contained outdated porcelain fuses. They also occasionally don’t even contain a safety switch, designed to save people in the event of a fault.

 

Dangers of older switchboards

  • Old style ceramic fuses can get hot and melt cables behind the panel 
  • Arching from loose fuse terminals can cause a fire 
  • Older switchboard panels are often made of asbestos
  • Some older switchboards don’t contain a safety switch

 

How long does it take to upgrade a switchboard?

The amount of time required to upgrade a switchboard will vary based on the age of your home and the location of the switchboard. 

While a simple upgrade may be completed in as little as four hours, issues such as needing to upgrade your mains power, change the size of the cable to your switchboard can take as long as eight hours.

 

What a switchboard upgrade involves

A switchboard upgrade can take up to eight or more hours and can vary based on the age of the switchboard and if there are any major issues that need to be addressed. 

Some of the steps that are taken to upgrade your switchboard include:

  • Change ceramic fuses to to circuit breakers and RCDs
  • Safety switch protection upgrades or installation
  • Upgrade the size of the cable to the switchboard (if required)
  • Relocate the switchboard to meet legislative requirements (if required)

Get in touch today to find out how we can help.