Switchboard Upgrades in the Hawkesbury
Plenty of homes in the Hawkesbury still run on switchboards installed decades ago — ceramic fuses, no safety switches, and no spare room for new circuits. A switchboard upgrade brings the protection up to current standards and gives you capacity for whatever you add next.
Signs your switchboard needs attention
- Ceramic rewireable fuses instead of circuit breakers
- No safety switches (RCDs), or only one covering part of the house
- Scorch marks, a burning smell, or buzzing from the board
- Fuses blowing or breakers tripping regularly
- An old asbestos-backed panel
- No space for new circuits for an addition, air conditioning or a shed
Circuit breakers, safety switches and RCBOs
Circuit breakers protect the wiring from overload and short circuits. Safety switches (RCDs) protect people by cutting power fast when current leaks to earth — the kind of fault that causes electric shock.
An RCBO combines both in one device for each circuit. The practical benefit is that a fault on one circuit only trips that circuit, instead of taking out half the house. For most upgrades we recommend RCBO protection.
Switchboard repairs and additional circuits
Not every board needs a full replacement. Sometimes a repair, extra protection or a few additional circuits is enough. We'll tell you which, and why.
Installing Solar or a Battery?
Solar inverters, home batteries and EV chargers all connect at the switchboard. In older homes, the board often doesn't have the space, protection or condition needed for that new equipment — and the installer can't connect until it's sorted.
You can contact us directly for the switchboard part of the job, before or alongside your solar or battery installation. We'll check what's there, tell you what needs to change, and upgrade the board so your installer can connect.
For solar and battery installers
If you're an installer working in the Hawkesbury and your customer's board needs upgrading, you're welcome to refer them to us. Ask them to send a photo of their switchboard through the quote form and mention who referred them.
Send Us a Photo of Your Switchboard
Send your name, phone, suburb, a photo of your switchboard and a short description. The photo helps us assess the existing board so we can give you guidance or arrange a quote. Some boards need an on-site inspection before we can price the work.
- Open the switchboard door and photograph the whole board
- Add a close-up of any labels or the meter if you can
- Tell us what you're planning to add — solar, battery, EV charger, air conditioning
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my switchboard has ceramic fuses?
Open the switchboard door. If you see white ceramic blocks that pull out rather than switches that flick, those are rewireable fuses.
Can you quote from a photo?
A photo helps us assess the existing board and give you guidance, and in many cases arrange a quote. Some boards need an on-site look before we can price them accurately.
Do I need a switchboard upgrade for solar?
Not always. It depends on the age, condition and available space in your board. Many older boards do need work before solar, a battery or an EV charger can be connected.
Will the power be off during the upgrade?
Yes, for part of the day. We'll let you know roughly how long beforehand so you can plan around it.
Can my solar company send me to you?
Yes. We're happy to work alongside solar and battery installers on the switchboard side of the job.
Need an electrician in the Hawkesbury?
Send through the details and a photo if you have one. We'll get back to you.