Switchboard upgrades and safety switch installation

Ceramic or rewireable fuses instead of circuit breakers.

No safety switches (RCDs), or safety switches on only some circuits.

Breakers or safety switches that trip regularly, or a board that is warm, discoloured or smells hot.

No spare ways for a new air conditioner, EV charger, solar system, pool or shed supply.

Flickering lights, or power that drops out when large appliances start.

A board that has been through a flood, storm or surge.

New enclosure and chassis, main switch and circuit protection sized to the installation.

Combined safety switch and circuit breaker (RCBO) protection on final sub-circuits, so one fault does not take out the whole house.

Surge protection as an option, worth considering in a lightning-prone area like the Lockyer Valley.

Circuit labelling and a circuit schedule, so the next person knows what is what.

Inspection of the consumer mains and earthing, with recommendations if they need attention.

Testing of earth continuity, insulation resistance, polarity and safety switch trip times, recorded and provided with a certificate of test.

Coordination of any metering or connection work with the electricity distributor where the supply arrangement changes.

Many pre-1980s switchboards have asbestos-containing backing panels. We identify these before work starts and manage them in line with Queensland requirements, and we will explain what that means for your board before you accept the quote.

Sheds, workshops and machinery need their own switchboard, fed by a properly sized sub-main from the house board. We install three-phase supplies for compressors, welders, pumps and cool rooms, with the protection and labelling done properly.

Adding solar, an EV charger or air conditioning? New loads often need extra circuits, safety switches or a bigger main switch, and older boards may have no space. We assess the board, tell you what is actually needed, and quote the upgrade in writing.

1. Send a photo of the board and tell us what you are planning to add.

2. We inspect, confirm what is actually needed (and what is not), and give you a written quote with a clear scope.

3. We do the upgrade, with the power off for part of the job. We plan the outage with you and keep it as short as possible.

4. You receive the certificate of test and the circuit schedule.

Every switchboard job is quoted in writing before we start. The price depends on the number of circuits, the condition of the consumer mains and earthing, and whether metering work is needed. If the scope changes once the board is open, you get a written variation before any extra work is done.

A circuit breaker protects the cable from overload. A safety switch (RCD) protects people from electric shock by cutting the power within milliseconds when current leaks to earth. They are not the same thing, and an older board often has breakers but no safety switches at all, or a single safety switch covering only the power points.

Modern boards use RCBOs, which combine both functions on every circuit, so a fault on one circuit does not black out the whole house and the lights stay on while you find the problem.

Press the test button on each safety switch every few months. If one will not trip, or trips and will not reset, call us. A safety switch that keeps tripping is doing its job; the fault is in the circuit or an appliance and needs to be found, not reset over and over.

Do I have to upgrade if I add solar or an EV charger?

Not always, but new loads often need extra circuits or protection, and older boards may have no space. We tell you straight what is required.

Will the power be off?

Yes, for part of the job. We plan it with you and keep the outage as short as possible.

Do you replace the meter?

Metering belongs to the electricity retailer and distributor. If the metering needs changing we lodge the required paperwork and coordinate it.

Can you upgrade the board in a shed or a rental property?

Yes. Shed and workshop boards, sub-boards and rental properties are all regular work, and property managers receive the certificate of test for their records.

Which areas do you cover?

Ipswich and surrounds, the Lockyer Valley (Gatton, Laidley, Plainland, Forest Hill, Grantham, Helidon, Withcott, Glenore Grove) and Somerset (Fernvale, Lowood, Coominya, Esk, Toogoolawah), plus Minden and Marburg.