Switchboard Upgrade: Before ➜ After (Melbourne South-East)

The brief

This home in Melbourne’s south-east had a well-lived switchboard: mixed devices, add-on sub-board for A/C, and labels that had seen better days. The owners wanted safer protection and less nuisance tripping, plus capacity for things like induction or an EV down the track.

What we found (before)

• Older board with limited RCD coverage
• Separate add-on for A/C loads
• Labels that didn’t tell the full story (hello, mystery breakers)

What we installed (after)

• Twin enclosure to organise circuits cleanly and leave spare ways for growth
• RCBOs on individual circuits (RCD + breaker in one) for targeted protection
• Clear, durable circuit labelling
• Full testing & compliance to AS/NZS 3000, and a Certificate of Electrical Safety (COES) provided

Why RCBOs make everyday life better

If a fault occurs on one circuit, only that circuit trips. Translation: the fridge stays on when a dodgy appliance misbehaves, and fault-finding is faster and safer.

The result

• Safer isolation across power and lighting
• Fewer whole-house blackouts from single faults
• Future-ready with space for EV chargers, induction cooking or outdoor power
• A board that’s easy to service and actually makes sense at a glance

Signs you might need a switchboard upgrade

• Ceramic fuses or no visible RCD/RCBOs
• Frequent tripping, heat/discolouration, or buzzing
• Renovations adding load (kitchen, A/C, EV, spa)
• Insurance/safety report flags

Serving your area

Ferguson Electrical upgrades boards across Patterson Lakes, Carrum, Chelsea, Seaford, Frankston and surrounds. Want a quick safety check or an upgrade plan? We’ll assess, quote, and handle everything—neat, labelled, compliant.

Ready to modernise your board?
Call 03 9034 9992 or email info@fergusonelec.com.au for a quote.