Switchboard Upgrades Geelong
Licensed switchboard upgrades for homes across Geelong, the Bellarine and the Surf Coast, by CabledIN
Switchboard upgrades in Geelong replace an old fuse box or overloaded board with a modern switchboard that has a circuit breaker and a safety switch (RCD) on every circuit. CabledIN's licensed electricians (REC 30925) handle the new board, the testing, the independent inspection and the Certificate of Electrical Safety.
Each board is quoted after we have seen it. Most home upgrades are planned as a single visit, and the new board stays off until the inspector has inspected it.
- Who does it
- Licensed electricians, REC 30925
- Inspection
- A replaced main switchboard is independently inspected before power goes back on
- Paperwork
- Certificate of Electrical Safety for the work
- Warranty
- Lifetime workmanship warranty
Signs your switchboard needs upgrading
Energy Safe Victoria lists old switchboards, particularly those without a safety switch, among the tell-tale signs that home wiring may be faulty. It also says that if a house is over 30 years old, the wiring should be checked by a licensed electrician. These are the signs to look for:
- Pull-out ceramic fuses or fuse wire. Fuses protect the wiring against overloads and short circuits. They are not safety switches and do not protect people from electric shock.
- No safety switch, or only one. A safety switch only protects the circuits connected to it, so one switch on the power circuits can leave lighting and fixed appliances uncovered.
- Tripping when a few appliances run together. The board was set up for a home with far fewer appliances than you own now.
- Flickering lights, or sparks at the board, a switch or a power point. These are warning signs named by Energy Safe Victoria.
- Buzzing, heat, scorch marks or a burning smell at the board. Do not touch it. Call an electrician.
- A big new load. An EV charger, induction cooktop or renovation often needs circuits the old board has no room for.
For the full list of warning signs, and what the current standard means for an older home, read our guide: do I need to upgrade my switchboard?
What a modern switchboard gives you
On most upgrades we fit a combined circuit breaker and safety switch, called an RCBO, to each circuit. It is the part we install most often on switchboard jobs. Each one does two things:
- The circuit breaker side protects the cable from overloads and short circuits.
- The safety switch side cuts the power within 0.03 of a second when it detects electricity leaking to earth, which is what protects a person.
Because every circuit has its own device, a fault on one circuit switches off that circuit only, not the whole house. You also get a new enclosure with spare space for future circuits, clear labels on every circuit, and room to add switchboard surge protection for your electronics.
Talk to a licensed Geelong electrician (REC 30925).
Upgrade, partial upgrade or repair: which do you need?
Not every old board needs to be replaced. We check the board and tell you which of these applies.
| What we find | Usual fix |
|---|---|
| Fuse board with ceramic fuses and no safety switches | Usually a full switchboard replacement |
| Board with circuit breakers but no safety switches, in sound condition | Safety switch protection added to the existing board |
| One breaker or safety switch has failed | Like-for-like replacement of that part |
| Board is full and you are adding circuits | Larger enclosure, or a full upgrade |
| Damaged meter box, fused mains box or undersized mains | Board work plus mains or meter panel work |
The same applies to homes that are rented out. We quote the owner or property manager and arrange access with the household.
If a Powercor notice named your meter box or fused mains box, our guide to Powercor defect notices explains what happens next.
Switchboard relocation: moving a board to a new spot
Sometimes the board needs to move, not just be upgraded: out of a cupboard or wardrobe, off a wall that is changing in a renovation, or closer to where new circuits will run. Switchboard relocation is a bigger job than an upgrade in place, because every circuit has to reach the new position. This is how we handle it:
- The route is checked first. We look at where the board is now, where you want it, where the meter and the incoming mains are, and how cable can get between them through the roof space, under the floor or inside the walls.
- Each circuit is extended or re-run. Every existing circuit is connected to the board in its new position and tested before it goes back on.
- A new board for the new spot. Moving a board is the natural time to upgrade it, and when a switchboard is replaced every final sub-circuit needs safety switch protection.
- Independent inspection. Work on the main switchboard and on the consumer mains is prescribed work in Victoria, so a relocation that involves either is inspected by a licensed electrical inspector before power goes back on.
- If the meter has to move too. A change to the meter or meter panel is a request only a registered electrical contractor can lodge with Powercor. We lodge it, and Powercor carries out its part by appointment. Powercor says most of its alteration works take 3 to 8 weeks.
An old panel that could contain asbestos is handled with the care described further down this page. If you are planning building work, choose the new position before the walls are closed in: it is the easiest time to run the cable.
What happens on the day
- Inspection and written quote. We look at the board, the meter panel, the mains and the main earth, and tell you what has to be done and what does not.
- Power isolated. Where the supply itself has to be isolated, we apply to Powercor as your registered electrical contractor. You do not need to arrange it.
- Old board out, new board in. The old fuses and links come out and a new enclosure goes in, sized for your home with space to spare.
- Protection fitted to every circuit. Each circuit is connected to its own breaker and safety switch and clearly labelled.
- Mandatory testing. Before a certificate can be issued, the electrician must test earthing continuity, insulation resistance, polarity, correct circuit connections, earth fault-loop impedance and safety switch operation.
- Independent inspection. We arrange a licensed electrical inspector to inspect the new board. Power goes back on after that inspection.
- Paperwork. You receive your copy of the Certificate of Electrical Safety.
Not sure what you need? Tell us what is happening and we will talk it through.
The Victorian rules for switchboard work
- It is prescribed work. Replacing a main switchboard must be inspected by an independent licensed electrical inspector, arranged by the contractor. The inspector does not work for us or for Energy Safe Victoria.
- No power before inspection. Power cannot go back onto a replaced main switchboard until the inspector has inspected it.
- Safety switches on every circuit. When a switchboard is replaced, the Wiring Rules (AS/NZS 3000) require safety switch protection on all final sub-circuits, including the oven and hot water.
- A certificate is compulsory. A Certificate of Electrical Safety must be provided for all electrical installation work. Keep your copy, because the electrician is only required to keep theirs for three years.
- No DIY. Doing your own electrical work is illegal in Victoria.
Old fuse boxes, meter panels and asbestos
Older meter and switchboard panels can contain asbestos. The national asbestos safety agency describes them as black or dark brown boards, most installed before 1990. Drilling, cutting or sanding one can release fibres, so an old panel should be left alone until an electrician has looked at it. Tell us the age of the house when you call.
Fuse boxes also tend to go with other ageing parts: cracked switches, worn power points and too few outlets. If you are replacing the board, it is a good time to deal with those and add extra power points on properly protected circuits.
Switchboard work around Geelong, and why homeowners choose us
Our job records hold more than 200 switchboard jobs. The suburbs where we do the most are Corio, Bannockburn, Leopold, Newtown, Lara, Highton, Bell Post Hill and Newcomb, a mix of older housing and newer homes that have outgrown their original board. The work ranges from fault finding at the board and single replacement parts through to complete new switchboards signed off by an inspector.
- Licensed Registered Electrical Contractor, REC 30925, based in North Geelong
- More than 20 years' experience
- Lifetime workmanship warranty
- 2,000+ five-star Google reviews
- 24/7 emergency call-outs if your board fails out of hours
Recent switchboard jobs around Geelong
New boards, safety switch upgrades and fuse box replacements from our own jobs.
What customers say
Great communication with both Christian and Joey throughout the works, and was great to deal with the whole time. Fast to respond to messages and to start the work. From installing a new system with safety switches, upgrading PowerPoints, changing older lights over to new ones. All done professionally and were tidy too. Will be employing again for future work.
Zachary, Google review
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to upgrade my switchboard?
If your board has ceramic fuses, no safety switches, or shows heat, buzzing or scorch marks, have it checked. Energy Safe Victoria names old switchboards without a safety switch as a warning sign of faulty wiring.
What is the current standard for a new switchboard?
When a switchboard is replaced, the Wiring Rules (AS/NZS 3000) require safety switch protection on all final sub-circuits. In practice that means a safety switch on every circuit, not only the power points.
Will my power be off during a switchboard upgrade?
Yes. The power is off while the old board is removed and the new one is fitted and tested, and a replaced main switchboard cannot be turned on until it has been inspected. We tell you the planned window before the day so you can organise around it.
Does a switchboard upgrade need to be inspected?
A full main switchboard replacement is prescribed work in Victoria, so an independent licensed electrical inspector must inspect it. We arrange the inspector. Adding safety switches to an existing board does not need an independent inspection.
Will I get a certificate for the work?
Yes. A Certificate of Electrical Safety must be provided for all electrical installation work in Victoria. You get a copy and a copy goes to Energy Safe Victoria.
Do I need a switchboard upgrade for an EV charger or induction cooktop?
Not always. Both need their own protected circuit, so it depends on whether your board has room and whether your supply can carry the extra load. We check both before quoting.
Does a 1970s house need a new switchboard?
Not automatically, but it should be checked. Energy Safe Victoria says wiring in a house over 30 years old should be checked by a licensed electrician, and many homes of that age still have the original fuse board.
My rental property has an old fuse box. What are the options?
It depends on the board. A board that already has circuit breakers usually only needs safety switches added to the power and lighting circuits, while an older fuse board may need full replacement. We inspect it, quote the work and arrange access with the household.
Can I replace my own switchboard?
No. DIY electrical work is illegal in Victoria, and switchboard work must be done by a licensed electrician working for a registered electrical contractor.
Can a fuse box be replaced with circuit breakers?
Yes. That is what a switchboard upgrade does: the old fuses come out and each circuit gets a circuit breaker and a safety switch, usually as one combined RCBO. When the main switchboard is replaced, it is independently inspected before the power goes back on.
Can you relocate my switchboard?
Yes. We check the cable route from the meter and mains to the new position, connect every circuit to the board in its new spot and test each one. A relocation that involves the main switchboard or the consumer mains is independently inspected before the power goes back on.
Does the meter have to move if the switchboard moves?
It depends on where the meter is and where the board is going. If the meter or meter panel does have to change, only a registered electrical contractor can lodge that request with Powercor, and Powercor does its part by appointment.
Still have a question? Ask the CabledIN team.