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Replacing ceramic fuses and overloaded boards with a modern, properly protected switchboard.
In short
Ambient Electrical does switchboard upgrades in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, replacing old fuse boxes and their ceramic fuses with a modern board of circuit breakers and safety switches. Ceramic fuses protect the wiring from overloads and short circuits but do nothing to protect people from electric shock. A safety switch turns the power off in a fraction of a second when electricity leaks to earth.
Many older Sydney homes still have a fuse box designed for a few lights and a radio. Most homes now run air conditioning, a hot water system, a washer and dryer, an electric oven, a microwave and a fridge-freezer, and an old board struggles with that load. Consider an upgrade if any of these apply:
Ceramic fuses were designed to protect against short circuits and overloaded circuits. They do not protect people against earth faults, which is why safety switches were introduced. Blown fuses are also often rewired with fuse wire of the wrong gauge, or with other metal, which stops the fuse protecting the cable from overheating and puts the home at real risk of fire. A fuse box upgrade replaces the fuses with circuit breakers and adds safety switches, giving you protection against electrical faults as well as overloads.
| Device | What it protects | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Rewireable (ceramic) fuse | The wiring, against overload and short circuits | A fuse wire melts when too much current flows. It does nothing to protect a person from an electric shock, and blown fuses are often rewired with the wrong gauge of wire. |
| Circuit breaker | The wiring, against overload and short circuits | Switches the circuit off when too much current flows, and is switched back on rather than rewired. On its own it does not protect a person from an electric shock. |
| Safety switch (RCD) | People, against electric shock | Compares the current going out with the current coming back, and turns the power off in a fraction of a second when electricity leaks to earth at a harmful level, typically 30 milliamps or less. |
Source: NSW Government: Electrical safety in the home; SafeWork NSW: Managing electrical risks in the workplace, code of practice (PDF). Fuse and circuit breaker rows: Peter Stafford's switchboard page.
The power is off while the old board comes out and the new one goes in. Before it is turned back on, each circuit is tested, including every safety switch, and NSW requires that safety and compliance test to be finished before the work is certified. If supply has to be disconnected at the pole or the service fuse, that part is connection work for an Accredited Service Provider (Level 2).
Some older switchboards are mounted on a black bituminous backing board. Asbestos in NSW lists these boards, made before 1987, among products that can contain asbestos, and says a board an electricity company has identified should carry a warning sticker on the board or inside the meter box. Do not drill, cut or sand it. A licensed asbestos assessor can test it, and replacing an asbestos meter panel is metering work done by an Accredited Service Provider (Level 2). (Source: Asbestos in NSW)
A switchboard upgrade alters the electrical installation, so NSW law requires a Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work (CCEW). The electrician lodges it through the Building Commission NSW eCert portal no later than 7 days after the work and its safety test are finished, and the portal sends you a copy. Keep it with the house papers.
A new board can be laid out with spare space and separate circuits, so later additions are easier to connect. If you are planning an induction cooktop, solar panels, a battery or an EV charger, say so when you book, so the new board has room for it. Adding more safety switches later is simpler on a board designed for them.
Ambient Electrical does not publish fixed prices for switchboard upgrades. Peter looks at the board, then gives you a clear quote before any work starts. Call 0415 684 120 to arrange it.
Peter came to do extensive electrical and meter board work, and was fantastic. He is experienced, conscientious and is a true perfectionist. He goes above and beyond to help, and his work is always exceptional. I highly recommend him to anyone who values friendliness, professionalism, expert knowledge and reliable excellence.
Highly recommend. Upgraded electrical board in our bungalow and installed all lighting. Great job.
The problem: Ausgrid issued a defect notice for an earth fault and a service fuse defect.
What Peter did:
The result: A complete new meter box and a rectified external wall, as the defect notice required.
Where this work suits the local housing most: Bronte, Waverley, Bondi, Bondi Junction, Randwick, Kensington, Rose Bay, Vaucluse and Maroubra. Postcodes and councils for the areas we cover.
A switchboard upgrade is worth considering if you have had a shock from an appliance or light fitting, if no safety switch (RCD) protects your light and power circuits, if the board still has ceramic fuses, or if fuses or breakers trip when you run the kettle and other appliances together. Older fuse boxes were designed for far lighter loads than a modern home draws.
Ceramic fuses protect against short circuits and overloads, but they do not protect people against earth faults, which is what causes electric shock. They are also often re-wired with fuse wire of the wrong gauge, which stops them protecting the cable from overheating. A modern switchboard with safety switches fixes both problems.
A switchboard upgrade replaces the old fuses with circuit breakers, adds safety switches to protect the light and power circuits, and labels each circuit. The power is off while the new board goes in, every circuit is tested before it is turned back on, and a Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work is lodged afterwards.
A switchboard upgrade alters the electrical installation, so NSW law requires the electrician to lodge a Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work (CCEW) within 7 days, and the eCert portal sends you a copy.
The price of a switchboard upgrade depends on how many circuits and safety switches the home needs, whether the supply is single-phase or three-phase, whether the meter panel contains asbestos, whether the consumer mains or the meter board have to change, and whether supply has to be disconnected at the pole. Peter looks at the board first, then gives you a clear quote before any work starts.
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