Is your switchboard due for an upgrade?

Published: April 18, 2021 Last Updated: October 17, 2022

When more electrical appliances are added to an electric circuit, a switchboard upgrade may be in order to avoid overloading. Find out more about when and why a switchboard upgrade is necessary.

Is your switchboard due for an upgrade? - video transcript

[0:04] Mick

Well, it looks like there's a fair bit going on here.

[0:06] Morris

Yeah, mate it's pretty busy

[0:07] Mick

So why was this switchboard in need of an upgrade?

[0:10] Morris

Mick, we upgraded this one here because we're adding quite a few circuits to this home. Solar system, quite a few split system air conditioners, we're also adding safety switches on each circuit and surge protection to protect the whole house and everyone in it too.

[0:22] Mick

Okay, so there's good reason there. What are some of the other, you know, sort of telltale signs I might need to look for that I might need to do a switchboard upgrade? 

[0:29] Morris

Good question Mick. We pulled this one here out of the house last week, it's pretty old, it's been there since it was installed as you can imagine. I'm sure you remember really well.

[0:37] Mick

I remember these, yeah yeah yeah. 

[0:39] Morris

Some of these older circuit breakers getting around can be up to 30 or 40 years old so they're due for replacement as well. And yeah you still see houses out there with no safety switches at all.

[0:48] Mick

No safety switches?! Even I know that.

[0:50] Morris

Yeah, it's pretty dangerous.

[0:51] Mick

Absolutely. Okay, and so if you're doing renovations or you're doing adding new appliances to your home you might need to think about a switchboard upgrade.

[0:59] Morris

Yeah, definitely Mick. Homes back then generally only really had a couple of lights, a couple of power points, a cooktop and an oven so they're just not up to the task of providing the power to a modern day home. Overloading is a potential fire risk so yeah, it's definitely something you should consider.

[1:12] Mick

Okay, so any additions to what you're doing you need to think about the switchboard.

[1:16] Morris

Yeah, even just a few power points and lights Mick, could potentially overload it so yeah.

[1:19] Mick

Mate this is important work, I'll let you get back to it.

[1:21] Morris

Thank you.