Most people never think about their switchboard until it starts tripping, buzzing, or cannot handle a new appliance. It is the board that takes the incoming power supply and splits it safely across the circuits in your home. When it is old or undersized, everything runs through a weak point. Here is how to tell whether yours needs upgrading, and what the job involves.
Signs your switchboard needs an upgrade
A few things are worth looking for:
- Ceramic fuses or removable fuse wire instead of circuit breakers. If you are still replacing fuse wire when something blows, the board predates modern safety switches.
- No safety switches, also called RCDs, on the board. These are the small toggle switches that cut the power in a fraction of a second.
- Fuses or breakers that trip often, or power that drops out when a couple of appliances run at once. . A board that buzzes, feels warm, or has scorch marks near the fuses
- No spare room on the board to add a circuit.
If your home is more than 25 years old and has not had electrical work in that time, there is a good chance the board is due.
When an upgrade is required, not just a good idea
Sometimes an upgrade is a choice. Sometimes it is a requirement.
- Selling or renting. WA law requires at least two safety switches protecting the power and lighting circuits before a property is sold or rented. Older boards often cannot fit them without an upgrade.
- Adding an EV charger, solar, or air conditioning. These add load the old board was never designed for, and often need a dedicated circuit the board has no room for.
- Asbestos backing. Some older Perth switchboards are mounted on asbestos panels. These are removed safely as part of the upgrade.
What a switchboard upgrade involves
The old fuse box is removed and replaced with a modern board fitted with circuit breakers and RCDs, then wired and labelled so it is easy to use. The power is off only while the work is being done, and most homes are back on full power the same day. When the work is finished, a licensed contractor issues a compliance certificate. Keep it, because you will want it if you ever sell.
What a switchboard upgrade costs in Perth
There is no single price, because the cost depends on the number of circuits, how many RCDs the home needs, the condition of the meter box, and whether an old asbestos panel has to be removed. The honest answer is that a board needs a look before anyone can quote it properly. Getting your switchboard checked
Cove Electrical and Security upgrades switchboards across all of Perth. If your board still has ceramic fuses, has no safety switches, or trips constantly, it is worth getting it looked at. contact us
