Your switchboard is the heart of your home’s electrical system. Every light, power point and appliance runs through it. A modern board protects your wiring and your family. An old one may not, and many homes across Melbourne’s west are still running on switchboards that are decades old.
Here are the signs it’s time to have yours looked at.
1. You still have ceramic fuses
If you open your switchboard and see white ceramic fuse holders, or fuse wire, your board is well past its best. Rewireable fuses do protect against some overloads, but they can’t protect people from electric shock, and they’re easy to replace with the wrong rating of wire.
We still find fuse boards in plenty of older homes around Altona Meadows, Laverton, Hoppers Crossing and the older parts of Werribee.
2. No safety switches, or only one
Safety switches (RCDs) cut the power in a fraction of a second if electricity leaks to earth, which is what happens when someone gets a shock. Homes without them are at much greater risk.
Some homes from the 1990s and early 2000s have a single safety switch covering only some circuits. Modern boards usually have more than one, so a fault on one circuit doesn’t black out the whole house.
3. Burning smells, scorch marks or a warm board
This is the urgent one. A burning or hot plastic smell near the switchboard, brown or black marks around switches, or a board that feels warm to the touch all point to loose connections or overheating. Call an electrician straight away.
4. Flickering or dimming lights
Lights that dim when the air conditioner, oven or washing machine starts can point to loose connections, overloaded circuits or problems with the main supply. One flickering light is usually the fitting. Flickering across the house is worth investigating.
5. Breakers or safety switches trip often
An occasional trip happens. Regular trips mean something is wrong, whether that’s a faulty appliance, a damaged circuit or a board that can’t handle what your household now uses. See our guide on why safety switches keep tripping.
6. There’s no room for anything new
Air conditioning, induction cooktops, solar, batteries and EV chargers all need their own circuits. Even in newer estates like Tarneit and Truganina, boards can fill up quickly. If there’s no spare space, adding anything major will need switchboard work first.
7. Your board is mounted on old asbestos sheet
Many older boards are mounted on a backing panel that may contain asbestos. It’s generally stable if left alone, but it needs to be handled properly when the board is replaced. Don’t drill, cut or sand it. We flag this upfront when we quote.
8. Black, brittle or crumbling wiring
If the cables entering your board look cracked or the insulation is crumbling, the wiring may be near the end of its life. We test before recommending anything, because not every older home needs a full rewire.
What a switchboard upgrade involves
A typical upgrade includes:
- inspecting and testing your existing board, main cable and circuits
- replacing fuses with circuit breakers
- adding safety switches to power and lighting circuits
- labelling every circuit clearly
- leaving room for future circuits such as solar, batteries or an EV charger
Switchboard work is prescribed electrical work in Victoria. That means an independent Licensed Electrical Inspector checks it, and you receive a Certificate of Electrical Safety after that inspection. Read more in what a Certificate of Electrical Safety is.
Most upgrades are done in a day. The power has to be off for part of that time, and we tell you in advance how long to expect.
Renting out your property?
Victorian rental minimum standards require a modern switchboard with circuit breakers and safety switches. An old fuse board needs replacing. Rental providers also need two-yearly electrical safety checks. See your electrical safety check obligations.
Questions to ask before you upgrade
- Will the main cable from the meter need replacing too?
- How many safety switches will the new board have, and which circuits will each one protect?
- Will there be room for solar, a battery or an EV charger later?
- Is there asbestos behind the old board, and how will it be handled?
- How long will the power be off, and will the fridge be OK?
- Will I receive a Certificate of Electrical Safety after the inspection?
A good electrician will answer all of these before starting. If you’re planning other work soon, such as air conditioning or solar, mention it so the new board is sized for it from day one.
What does it cost?
It depends on the size of your home, the number of circuits, the condition of the main cable and whether there’s asbestos to deal with. Independent price guides currently put typical Melbourne switchboard upgrades somewhere between about $950 and $3,000, but every home is different. Every job is quoted after we’ve looked at it. For more, read our price guide for Melbourne’s west.
Is your switchboard due for an upgrade?
We’re a family-owned, licensed electrical business based in Point Cook, with more than 25 years of experience. We work across Williams Landing, Werribee, Hoppers Crossing, Tarneit, Truganina and the rest of Melbourne’s west, and we take emergency calls 24/7. Find out more about our switchboard upgrades and safety switches service.
Call us on 0405 418 132, or send a few details and a photo of the job. Every job is quoted before we start.