Why You Need Switchboard Upgrades?
Since technology has taken the world by storm in the past 20 years, the power consumption for these appliances has also increased. This has led to a demand for more power outlets in homes and businesses.
It is now a legal requirement to have RCD Safety Switches on all new circuits for protection. RCD Safety Switches will trip and turn off within 0.4 seconds if there is an electrical fault, where standard fuses will not trip off and most likely blow or start an electrical fire in the wiring which can be catastrophic!
If you have an old switchboard with no RCD Safety Switches it is highly recommended that you upgrade and get them installed for your home or businesses safety when an electrical problem occurs.
The old ceramic and porcelain fuses in switchboards are not equipped to cater for these technological upgrades and therefore require an upgrade to a modern switchboard that will cater for the growing electricity demands.
Under the new laws of Australia’s Energy Standards, a switchboard upgrade is required if you:
- Upgrade to higher-powered electrical goods
- Receive an electrical defect notice
- When you make additions or alterations to your electrical system. Such as new lighting or powerpoints
- Adding a solar system
- Future-proofing your house
Common reasons for upgrading your switchboard
There are several reasons why a switchboard upgrade is necessary, such as:
- Your switchboard is old and uses ceramic fuses.
- Your fuse or circuit breakers trip when using many appliances at the same time.
- Flickering lights happen randomly around the house.
- Your electrical equipment shorts frequently.
- You hear a buzzing noise coming from the central hub switchboard.
- The fuses blow more frequently than before.
- The cables within the switchboard become overheated due to power overloads.
- You want to install more power outlets around your home.
- You have a need or desire for larger electrical goods that have a higher power consumption.
As the world develops bigger and better electrical goods, switchboards need to adapt to these changes in order to cater for more powerful appliances and prevent electrocution or electrical fires from happening.
6 Reasons why you should upgrade your switchboard
1. Updated electrical safety requirements
Over the years the electrical safety requirements, wiring standards and work practices have changed in Australia. What was once standard practice is seen as being unsafe and negligent now.
2. The switchboard is the central point of your electrical systems
The switchboard is the control centre for the electrical system throughout your home, operating everything from the toaster to the complete ducted air conditioning system. If the switchboard is faulty or not coping this can affect the rest of your home's electrical components.
3. Our homes need more power now
The current demands of your electrical system are significantly more than they would have been even 20 or 30 years ago. A standard home has more appliances, which means the system needs to supply more power. Older fuse boxes can struggle to cope with this increase in demand, which can cause problems like overheating and the danger of fires or electrical accidents.
4. No safety switches - RCD's
What’s protecting family and friends from electrical accidents if you don't have a RCD safety switches? In Perth and many other parts of the country, it’s mandatory to have RCD safety switches fitted to the power point circuit of every home to protect residents from electrical accidents. If your home is not fitted with one, or more, you are exposing your family, friends or anyone working in your home to potentially deadly electrical accidents.
5. Ceramic fuses are not very safe
Old-style ceramic fuses don’t offer the level of safety protection modern circuit breakers do. Who even knows how to change a fuse nowadays? It may seem simple, however, using the wrong size fuse wire can pose a serious overheating and fire risk.
6. Asbestos is often used for fuse board backing panels
Asbestos was commonly used as a building material from 1920 to the 1980s throughout Australia, its use was not completely halted until the end of 2003. Asbestos-containing backing panels were often used for switchboards during this period. These panels present a health risk if they are damaged or any work has to be done on the board which can expose residents to dangerous asbestos fibres.
Please Note - Asbestos must be removed by a licenced specialist to ensure all safety precautions are carried out.
It is now a legal requirement to have RCD Safety Switches in Perth on all new electrical circuits for protection. If you don't have them you should seriously consider getting them installed not only to comply with law but for your own safety!
