Switchboard upgrades in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs

Who

Peter Stafford, NSW contractor licence 237173C (Electrician class)

Where

Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, from Bronte

Price

Peter gives you a clear quote before any work starts.

Paperwork

NSW law requires a CCEW for this work, and the eCert portal sends you a copy (what a CCEW is)

Signs your switchboard needs upgrading

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:

• You have had an electric shock from an appliance or light fitting
• No safety switch (RCD) protects the light and power circuits
• Fuses blow or circuit breakers trip when the kettle or toaster goes on
• Lights flicker or dim for no obvious reason
• The meter box or fuse box still has ceramic fuses
• There is a burning smell, or charring on or around the fuses

Replacing an old fuse box

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.

What happens on the day?

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).

Could my meter board contain asbestos?

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)

What paperwork do I get?

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.

Is it ready for solar, batteries, an EV charger or induction?

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.

What affects the cost of a switchboard upgrade?

• How many circuits the home has, and how many safety switches it needs
• Whether the supply is single-phase or three-phase
• Whether the meter panel contains asbestos and has to be replaced
• Whether the consumer mains need replacing, or the meter board has to move
• Whether supply has to be disconnected at the pole, which needs an Accredited Service Provider (Level 2)
• Any faults that the testing turns up in the existing wiring

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.

What customers say about this work

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.

Sources

• NSW Government: Electrical safety in the home
• SafeWork NSW: Managing electrical risks in the workplace, code of practice (PDF)
• Asbestos in NSW: Bituminous electrical backing board and asbestos
• NSW Government: When to submit a Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work (CCEW)
• NSW Government: BCNSW eCert portal