This is one of our recent switchboard upgrades. It’s a really common job in older Manawatū homes, so we thought we’d show you what it looks like.
Before
This board still had the old rewireable ceramic fuses. When one of those blows, someone has to pull it out and replace the fuse wire by hand. More importantly, a board like this has no RCD protection. An RCD is the safety switch that cuts the power in a fraction of a second if current starts leaking somewhere it shouldn’t, like through a person. Without one, a fault can stay live.
Boards like this were standard decades ago. They weren’t designed for heat pumps, modern kitchens and the number of appliances a family runs today.
After
We took the old fuses out and fitted a new Schneider board with RCD protection on every circuit and modern circuit breakers. Each circuit is clearly labelled, a tripped breaker just flicks back on, and the home now has the protection current New Zealand standards expect.
The whole job was tested and certified when we finished.
Does your board need doing?
Have a look at your switchboard. If you see any of these, it’s worth getting it checked:
- Old ceramic or rewireable fuses
- No RCD safety switches
- Breakers that trip often, or a board that buzzes or feels warm
- No spare room for new circuits, like a heat pump or EV charger
We’ll take a look and give you honest advice. If your board’s fine, we’ll tell you. If it needs upgrading, we’ll explain why and give you a clear price. Read more about our switchboard upgrades, or get in touch for a free quote.