Electrician Newcomb
Switchboards, rental safety checks and fault finding for Newcomb homes, by CabledIN
Newcomb homeowners and owners of rented homes use CabledIN, a licensed electrician, for switchboard upgrades, safety inspections, rental safety checks and fault finding. We are a Registered Electrical Contractor (REC 30925) based in North Geelong, with more than 20 years' experience.
A safety inspection or a fault call is usually a single visit. A new main switchboard is a larger job, because an independent inspector has to inspect it before the power goes back on. We quote every job once we have seen it.
- Licence
- REC 30925
- Most common job here
- Switchboard work
- Council
- City of Greater Geelong
- Emergencies
- 24/7 call-outs on 1300 025 555
Electrician Newcomb: what our job records show
Newcomb has a clear pattern in our records. Switchboard work appears in seven of every ten jobs, and most of the other work grows out of it.
| Type of work | Share of our Newcomb jobs | What it usually involves |
|---|---|---|
| Switchboards | 7 in 10 | Upgrades, repairs and combined circuit breaker and safety switch units, circuit by circuit |
| Inspections | 6 in 10 | Safety inspections and switchboard checks |
| Safety switches | Half | Protection added to circuits that never had it |
| Fault finding | Half | Tripping circuits and power points that have stopped working |
| Power points | 3 in 10 | Weatherproof outdoor outlets and double power points indoors |
Other jobs have covered appliance connections, smoke alarms, fused mains boxes, electric hot water, TV points and EV charging.
Mid-century houses, and why the switchboard comes first
Newcomb sits about 3 kilometres south-east of central Geelong. It was called West Maloop until 1956, grew quickly through the 1960s, and gained primary and high schools in 1959 and 1969. Most of its houses are mid-20th-century homes, many now more than 50 years old, and there is little room left for new estates. Instead, some larger blocks have been subdivided for units, so original houses and much newer homes sit side by side. At the 2021 Census, 16.5 per cent of occupied dwellings were semi-detached, terrace or townhouse homes.
A house of that era was wired for far fewer appliances than a household runs today. Its switchboard can still have rewireable fuses, or circuit breakers with a single safety switch (RCD) on the power points and nothing on the lighting. Energy Safe Victoria lists old switchboards, particularly those without a safety switch, among the warning signs of faulty wiring, and advises a wiring check for any house more than 30 years old.
That is why so many of our Newcomb visits start at the board. Where the existing circuit breakers are sound, we usually add safety switch protection circuit by circuit. Where the board has fuses, no spare room or signs of heat, a switchboard upgrade is the better fix, and the new board is inspected by an independent licensed electrical inspector before the power goes back on.
Talk to a licensed Geelong electrician (REC 30925).
Four in ten Newcomb homes are rented
At the 2021 Census, 41.4 per cent of Newcomb's occupied homes were rented, well above the Greater Geelong figure of 28.0 per cent. Owners and property managers book three kinds of work with us here:
- Electrical safety checks. A licensed electrician checks all switchboards, wiring and fittings, working to section 4 of AS/NZS 3019, and the owner or manager receives a written report of the results.
- Safety switch and switchboard work. If the board already has circuit breakers, adding safety switch protection to the power and lighting circuits is usually enough. An old fuse board may need replacing, and then every circuit needs protection, including cooking and hot water.
- Smoke alarm checks. Each alarm is tested and its date checked, and any alarm that needs replacing is quoted before it is changed.
We can do the electrical check and the smoke alarm check in one visit, with access arranged through the renter or property manager. See electrical safety inspections for what is tested.
Fault finding: tripping circuits and dead power points
Half of our Newcomb jobs have involved fault finding. The usual call is a safety switch that trips and will not stay on, or a group of power points that has stopped working. A safety switch trips when it detects electricity leaking, which can come from a faulty power point, the wiring or an appliance. Testing circuit by circuit is the only way to find which.
Safe checks before you call:
- Ask a neighbour whether their power is on. If the street is out, call Powercor on 13 24 12.
- If only your home is affected, unplug the appliances on that circuit and try resetting the safety switch. If it will not reset, call a licensed electrician.
- If a tap or appliance gives you a tingle, do not touch it again and call Powercor on 13 24 12 straight away. For fire, call 000.
Powercor's advice is that frequent fuse blowing or safety switch tripping means the wiring and appliances should be inspected. Our guide explains why a safety switch keeps tripping, and we take 24/7 emergency call-outs when it cannot wait.
Outdoor power points and the fused mains box
Weatherproof outdoor power points, single and twin, are a regular Newcomb job, along with extra double power points indoors where power boards have taken over. We check the circuit and the switchboard before adding an outlet, and every one comes with a certificate. See power point installation.
On the supply side, we replace fused mains boxes. A defective or loose fused mains box is one of the defects Powercor names on its defect notices, and because it sits on the owner's side of the point of supply, replacing it is the owner's job to arrange. We replace it, organise the Powercor side of the work and issue the Certificate of Electrical Safety. Replacing a single fused mains box like for like is not prescribed work, but it still needs a certificate. More on mains upgrades and Powercor defect repairs.
Not sure what you need? Tell us what is happening and we will talk it through.
Smoke alarms, hot water and EV chargers
Every smoke alarm, hard-wired or battery, should be replaced every 10 years. Homes built after 1 August 1997 must have 240 V mains-powered alarms with a backup battery, and hard-wired alarms must be installed and replaced by a licensed electrician. The legal minimum is an alarm between each sleeping area and the rest of the house, and on every storey. Fire services recommend one in every bedroom, hallway and living area.
We also connect appliances and repair electric hot water in Newcomb. An EV charger is electrical installation work like any other, done by a licensed electrician and certified. We check the switchboard and supply first, because Powercor lists EV chargers among the common reasons a home needs a supply upgrade.
Booking: what to tell us when you call
Ring 1300 025 555 or use the quote form. A few details help us quote:
| Your situation | What helps |
|---|---|
| Old switchboard or fuses | A photo of the switchboard and the rough age of the house |
| Rental safety check | The date of the last check, if known, and who arranges access with the renter |
| Powercor defect notice | A photo of the notice, the meter box and the line into the house |
| A fault or tripping | What stopped working, when, and whether the safety switch will reset |
We book a time, the electrician checks the job before starting, and you approve the quote before any repair begins. Every job is tested before it is switched on.
Neighbouring suburbs
Newcomb's neighbours are East Geelong, Moolap, Thomson and Whittington, and we work in all of them. Nearby Leopold is one of our busiest suburbs. For every area we cover, see our Geelong electrician page.
Recent electrical jobs in Newcomb
Frequently asked questions
Can you do a rental safety check on a Newcomb property?
Yes. A licensed electrician checks all switchboards, wiring and fittings and records the results, including any repairs needed, in a written report for the owner or property manager. We can check the smoke alarms at the same visit.
Does a 1960s Newcomb house need a new switchboard?
Not automatically. If the board has circuit breakers in good condition, adding safety switch protection may be all it needs. A board with rewireable fuses, no spare room or signs of heat is usually better replaced.
Half the power points in my house have stopped working. What should I check?
Look at the switchboard for a tripped safety switch, unplug everything on that circuit and try to reset it. If it will not reset, or trips again, call a licensed electrician. Do not open the switchboard or attempt a repair yourself.
Who pays to replace a faulty fused mains box?
The property owner. It is on the owner's side of the point of supply, so Powercor issues the defect notice but does not repair it. A registered electrical contractor replaces it and sends the certificate to Powercor.
Can you add weatherproof power points outside?
Yes. Weatherproof switched outlets, single or twin, are one of our regular Newcomb jobs. We check the circuit and switchboard first, and you receive a Certificate of Electrical Safety.
Will a new switchboard be inspected?
Yes. Replacing a main switchboard is prescribed work, so an independent licensed electrical inspector, arranged by us, inspects it. The power cannot go back on to the new board until that inspection is done.
When should the smoke alarms in a Newcomb rental be replaced?
Every alarm, hard-wired or battery, should be replaced after 10 years, or sooner if it fails its test. We read the date on each alarm during a check and quote any replacement to the owner or property manager.
Can you install an EV charger at a Newcomb home?
Yes. We check the switchboard and supply first, because a larger charger can need a supply upgrade arranged with Powercor. The installation comes with a Certificate of Electrical Safety.
Still have a question? Ask the CabledIN team.