Switchboard upgrades are one of the more expensive electrical jobs but also one of the most worthwhile when needed. Here is how to tell if your Adelaide home is overdue.
What an old switchboard looks like
If your switchboard has ceramic fuses (the porcelain ones with screw caps and visible wire), it is at least 40 years old. The wiring inside has aged accordingly.
If you have rewireable fuses (the black bakelite cartridge style), you are looking at 30+ years.
If you have circuit breakers but no safety switches (RCDs), you are still well behind current standards even though the switchboard might look modern.
Common signs you need an upgrade
Circuit breakers tripping repeatedly. This is the switchboard telling you it cannot handle the modern load.
Lights dimming or flickering when appliances start (kettle, microwave, etc.). The board has not got the capacity for what your house is drawing.
Burnt or scorched marks visible on the inside of the board. This is the time to act, not the time to think about it.
Plans to install solar, a battery, or an EV charger. All of these require switchboard work that often makes a full upgrade worthwhile.
What an upgrade includes
New main switch with appropriate rating for modern loads. RCBOs (combined circuit breakers and safety switches) on each circuit. Proper earth and bonding to current code. Sometimes a new main switch enclosure if the existing one is too small.
What it costs in Adelaide
Basic residential switchboard upgrade: $1,400 to $2,400. Replaces the consumer mains, installs RCBOs on every circuit, brings the board to current code.
With service upgrade (if you need more amps from the SA Power Networks supply): add $1,500 to $3,000 depending on what is needed.
When you must do it
If you are planning solar, batteries, EV charging, or a major renovation, the switchboard often has to be upgraded as part of the work. Adding more load to an old board is unsafe.
If the board has visible damage (scorching, melting), do not delay.
When you can defer
If the board is old but stable, no tripping, no signs of trouble, and you have got RCD protection on the power circuits, you can probably defer the upgrade until you are doing other work that requires it.