Electrical Repairs
Power faults, dead circuits, tripping breakers and dodgy outlets — found properly and fixed properly.
Book a repairWhat a switchboard upgrade involves
The switchboard is where every circuit in the house is protected. An upgrade replaces the old fuse carriers with circuit breakers, adds RCD safety switches that cut power in milliseconds when current leaks to earth, and gives each circuit its own labelled protection. In most Adelaide homes it is a one-day job.
- Ceramic and rewireable fuses replaced with circuit breakers
- RCD safety switches fitted to power and lighting circuits
- Main switch and consumer mains checked and replaced where needed
- Circuits identified, separated and clearly labelled
- Board enclosure replaced where the existing one is too small or damaged
- Testing and certification on completion
Signs your switchboard is due
A lot of houses across Adelaide's older suburbs are still running the board they were built with. The giveaways are easy to spot:
- Ceramic fuse holders with fuse wire instead of switches you can flick
- No RCD safety switches at all, or only one covering everything
- Breakers that trip when the kettle and the heater run together
- A board so full there is no room to add a circuit
- Scorch marks, buzzing, or a warm board enclosure
- A renovation, a new air conditioner, an oven or an EV charger being added
Why safety switches matter
A circuit breaker protects the wiring. An RCD safety switch protects the person. It measures the current going out against the current coming back and cuts the supply when the difference is enough to indicate it is travelling through something it should not be — a frayed lead, a wet appliance, a hand.
Current Australian rules require RCD protection on new and altered circuits for good reason. If your home has none, that is the single most worthwhile electrical upgrade available to you, and it is not an expensive one.
Upgrade, or repair?
Not every board needs replacing. Sometimes a single failed breaker, a loose connection or one added RCD solves the problem for a fraction of the cost. Clay will tell you which situation you are in and quote accordingly — there is no benefit to either of us in selling you a board you did not need.
Common questions
How long does a switchboard upgrade take?
Most domestic upgrades are completed within a day. Power is off while the work is done, so it is worth planning around the fridge and anyone working from home. Clay will confirm the likely outage window when quoting.
Do I legally have to upgrade my switchboard?
There is no blanket requirement to replace a working board. However, when circuits are added or altered, the new work has to meet current standards including RCD protection, which is often the point at which an upgrade becomes the sensible option.
Will an upgrade stop my power tripping?
It depends on the cause. If the board is undersized or a breaker is failing, yes. If an appliance or a circuit has a genuine fault, the new board will keep tripping — correctly. Fault finding comes first, which is part of the quote.
Can you add a safety switch without replacing the whole board?
Often, yes — if there is physical space in the enclosure and the existing wiring is sound. Clay will look at the board and tell you whether that is a real option or a short-term patch.
Related services
Wiring & Rewiring
Old or unsafe cabling replaced with modern, compliant wiring — renovations, extensions and whole homes.
Plan an upgradeSafety Inspections & Smoke Alarms
Pre-purchase, landlord and homeowner safety checks, plus smoke alarm testing and replacement.
Book an inspectionReady when you are
Need switchboard upgrades sorted?
Send through a few details and Clay will come back with pricing, options and the next available time. Most quotes go out the same day.