SWITCHBOARD UPGRADES
RESIDENTIAL | COMMERCIAL | INDUSTRIAL
Wiring Rules Update.
If you are having any electrical work undertaken, RCD/MCB safety switch protection may be required.
Protect Your Family or Employees.
Existing fuses and circuit breakers operate only protect the cable and appliances, RCD/MCB’s are designed to protect us from electric shock.
Increase Your Property Value and Reduce Insurances.
Upgrading your switchboard in many cases will upgrade the value of your home, can reduce the cost of insurances and save on energy usage costs.
Switchboard, Distribution Board and Control Panel Specialist.
Residential | Industrial | Commercial
TSM Electrical & Instrumentation specializes in main switchboards, distribution boards and control panels of all sizes.
The heart of any electrical installation, we will ensure you, your equipment and appliances around your home and business are safely protected.
A safe and modern switchboard will bring peace of mind. Get an expert opinion on your switchboard at TSM Electrical & Instrumentation today.
Get a Free Estimate
When does your switchboard require upgrading?
- Are your fuses or switches blowing frequently?
- Does your switchboard look outdated and use porcelain re-wireable fuses?
- Have your labels worn off and you are unsure what the switches control?
- Do you need an additional circuit, but there is no room in the switchboard?
From 1st January 2019, RCD/MCB safety switch protection is now a requirement. This means if you are having any electrical work completed that is not a “like for like” repair / replacement (see below) you will be required to upgrade the safety switch protection to include RCD/MCB protection.
Alterations and Additions.
RCD Required.
Where a switchboard replacement is carried out OR where any alteration to an existing final sub-circuit is undertaken, additional RCD protection shall be installed.
Changing the characteristics of an existing circuit.
Additional.
RCD Required.
Where socket-outlets, lights ect are added to an existing sub-circuit, RCD protection need only be fitted at the commencement of the additional wiring.
Adding to existing circuit.
Repairs.
No RCD Required.
No RCD protection is required where a socket-outlet, light or single item of electrical equipment that is not RCD-protected is replaced with an equivalent in the same location.
Benefits To Upgrading Your Switchboard.
- Fuses have a tendency to heat up, every hot spot is wasted energy.
- A switchboard upgrade can give you extra room for additional circuits for installations. For example; Solar Power installation requires an additional 2 spaces in the switchboard in most cases.
- Lower risk of building fire.
- Some insurance companies may not cover you if a faulty switchboard causes a building fire.
- A switchboard upgrade will increase the value of your property when selling or leasing.
- People, animals, appliances and electronics will be protected from severe electrical shock.
- RCD’s protect sensitive electronics from major faults.
- A Registered Electrical Contractor will correctly size switches for hardwired appliances and circuits.
- RCD’s will protect against more types of circuit faults than fuses or circuit breakers.
Electrical Safety At Work And In The Home.
Circuit Breakers and fuses protect the wiring and appliances in your home but do not protect people from being electrocuted. RCD Safety Switches detect current leaking from faulty wiring, switches or appliances. RCD Safety switches can automatically shut down the electricity supply to the circuit within 0.3 seconds, fast enough to reduce the risk of serious injury or death.
If you are unsure if you have RCD safety switches, you can take a photo of your switchboard and send it to Trent@TSMElectrical.com.au and we will be happy to provide assistance.
Read more about Household wiring on Energy Safe Victorias Website.
Identify RCD Safety switches by the Test button, sometimes marked “T”.
Types Of Circuit Protection.
Fuses.
Circuit Breakers.
RCD's Residual-Current Device.
Fuses/Circuit Breakers.
RCD Protected
Plan Your Switchboard Upgrade Before Dangerous Faults Occur.
Theory Example: Sticking a knife in a toaster. – !!DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!!
A knife is inserted into a 5 amp toaster that is plugged into a power point on a 20 amp circuit.
With a Fuse or Circuit Breaker Protection – When the fault occurs, the supply of power will not disconnect or “trip” until the circuit breaker or fuse has reached the maximum current of 20 amps. The human body completes the electrical circuit until the point that enough amps have been reached to overload the circuit, in this example 15 amps. The human body has very little resistance, any amount of current over 0.01 amp is capable of producing painful to severe electric shock and currents between 0.1 to 0.2 amp are lethal. Trip time on this circuit could be 5 or more seconds of electric shock until the fuse burns out, possibly generating extreme heat and causing sparks, fire and/or burns due to high currents.
A childs metal bracelet slipped behind an appliance plug that was in use, welding the two pins of the appliance plug together. Circuit Breaker was in use.
With RCD Protection – When the fault occurs, the RCD Safety Switch will detect earth leakage from the circuit and trip instantaneously between 0.1 and 0.4 of a second depending on the type of RCD used, the circuit is immediately disconnected by a mechanical spring. The RCD device trips and disconnects the circuit preventing the additional 15 amps from entering the circuit, protecting appliances, electronics and the human body from severe electrical shock. The person can still receive a small shock for a very short time but it is far less likely to be fatal.
A fault could occur for many reasons For Example: Pets chewing through electrical cables, dropping electrical appliances into water, rodents making contact with the electrical connections inside walls. Many situations that have been fatal in the past could have been avoided if RCD’s had been installed.
RCD Safety switches will provide a more reliable and safe supply of electricity. RCD’s protect people, animals, appliances and electronics from severe electric shock and reduce the risk of building fire. RCD’s need to be installed by a registered electrical contractor, Contact us today to arrange a free inspection and estimate.