Switchboard Upgrade Melbourne — Protect Your Home with a Modern Switchboard

If your Melbourne home still has an old ceramic fuse box or an outdated switchboard without adequate safety switches, you could be living with a serious safety risk — and you may not even know it. Elecool Electrical specialises in switchboard upgrades for Melbourne homes, replacing ageing and non-compliant switchboards with modern, safe, and fully certified units that protect your family and meet current Australian electrical standards.

Certified Electrical Work

What Is a Switchboard Upgrade and Do You Need One?

Your switchboard (sometimes called a fuse box or meter box) is the nerve centre of your home’s electrical system. It distributes power from the grid to every circuit in your home and — critically — is responsible for cutting power when a fault is detected, protecting your wiring from overload and your family from electrocution and fire.

Older switchboards, particularly those installed before the 1990s, were designed for a time when homes had far fewer electrical appliances and much lower energy demands. They typically use ceramic fuses rather than modern circuit breakers, and may have no safety switches at all — or only one safety switch covering the entire home.

You likely need a switchboard upgrade if your home has any of the following: ceramic fuses or rewireable fuse holders, a switchboard with no safety switches, a safety switch that trips frequently or won’t reset, a switchboard with no room to add new circuits, circuits that trip regularly when you run multiple appliances, or a switchboard that feels warm to the touch or shows signs of arcing or burning.

A switchboard upgrade is also required or strongly recommended before installing solar panels, a home battery system, an EV charger, ducted air conditioning, or an electric oven or cooktop.

Our Process

The Benefits of Upgrading Your Switchboard

Improved Safety: Modern safety switches (RCDs) respond to electrical faults in as little as 30 milliseconds — fast enough to prevent electrocution. An upgraded switchboard with safety switches on every circuit gives your home maximum protection.

Compliance with Victorian Regulations: Victorian legislation requires safety switches on all power and lighting circuits in residential properties. An upgraded switchboard brings your home into compliance, which matters for insurance, property sales, and rental compliance.

Capacity for Modern Appliances: Today’s homes use significantly more electricity than those of 30 years ago. An upgraded switchboard with additional circuit capacity handles the load of modern appliances, EV chargers, solar systems, and air conditioning without tripping or overloading.

Ready for Solar, EVs & Battery Storage: If you’re planning to add solar panels, a home battery, or an EV charger, a switchboard upgrade is almost always required first. Doing it now saves you time and money when you’re ready to add these systems.

Better Property Value: A modern, compliant switchboard is a significant positive for property buyers and building inspectors. It signals that the home has been well maintained and won’t require immediate costly electrical work after purchase.

What's Involved in a Switchboard Upgrade

looks like from start to finish.

We begin with a free assessment of your existing switchboard, wiring, and overall electrical system to understand what’s required and identify any other issues that need to be addressed. We then provide you with a clear, itemised quote for the upgrade. On the day of installation, we coordinate with your electricity distributor (such as United Energy, CitiPower, or Powercor) to arrange a temporary supply interruption for the switchboard swap, which typically takes a few hours. We install your new switchboard complete with modern circuit breakers and safety switches on every circuit, label all circuits clearly, test every circuit in your home, and issue a Certificate of Electrical Safety — the mandatory compliance document for all significant electrical work in Victoria.

The whole process is typically completed in a single day for a standard home.

Safety Switches — Understanding the Requirement

In Victoria, the Electricity Safety (Installations) Regulations require that residences have safety switches (RCDs) installed on all final sub-circuits, meaning every power and lighting circuit in your home needs its own safety switch protection.

Many older Melbourne homes have only one safety switch — or none at all. This means that if a fault occurs on an unprotected circuit, there’s nothing to cut power before serious injury or fire occurs. During a switchboard upgrade, we install individual safety switches on every circuit in your home, ensuring full compliance and maximum protection.

We also test every safety switch using professional test equipment, not just the test button on the device itself, and we provide you with written documentation of the test results.

Switchboard Upgrades for Older Melbourne Homes

Melbourne has a huge stock of homes built during the post-war era through to the 1980s — many of which still have their original electrical infrastructure. If your home was built before around 1990 and hasn’t had electrical work done since, the odds are high that your switchboard needs attention.

We regularly upgrade switchboards in homes throughout Melbourne’s established suburbs — from the Victorian-era terraces of Fitzroy and Collingwood to the 1960s brick homes of Box Hill, Doncaster, and Ringwood, and the 1970s and 80s houses of Rowville, Dandenong, and the Frankston area. We understand the quirks and challenges of older Melbourne homes and we approach every job with the care and attention it deserves.

Frequently Asked Questions — Switchboard Upgrades Melbourne

How much does a switchboard upgrade cost in Melbourne?

A typical switchboard upgrade for a 3–4 bedroom Melbourne home ranges from approximately $1,500 to $3,000 depending on the size of your existing switchboard, the number of circuits in your home, whether any re-wiring is required, and any access challenges. We provide a free, detailed quote before any work starts.

Do I need a Certificate of Electrical Safety for a switchboard upgrade?

Yes. A Certificate of Electrical Safety (COES) is a mandatory legal requirement for all significant electrical work in Victoria, including switchboard upgrades. Elecool provides this documentation as a standard part of every job.

How do I know if my switchboard has safety switches?

Look at the switches in your switchboard. Modern safety switches (RCDs) have a small “Test” button, usually labelled “T” or “Test.” If you don’t see any switches with a test button, or if you only see one, your switchboard likely needs upgrading. Our team can inspect your switchboard and give you a clear report on its condition and compliance.

Will my power be off during the switchboard upgrade?

Yes — your power will need to be off for the duration of the switchboard installation, typically 3–6 hours for a standard home. We coordinate with your electricity distributor and try to schedule the interruption at a time that minimises disruption to you.

Can a switchboard upgrade help with my solar installation?

Almost certainly yes. Most solar installers require that your switchboard has sufficient capacity and compliant safety switches before they’ll proceed. Upgrading your switchboard in preparation for solar is one of the most common reasons homeowners contact us.

Is an old fuse box dangerous?

Ceramic fuse boxes aren’t necessarily dangerous if they’re in good condition, but they offer far less protection than a modern switchboard. They can’t respond to earth faults or overloads as effectively, and the fuse wire can be replaced incorrectly by homeowners in a way that bypasses the protection entirely. Upgrading to a modern switchboard with circuit breakers and safety switches is the safest and smartest choice.

Protect your home and family with a modern switchboard upgrade.

Contact Elecool today for a free switchboard inspection and quote. We service all Melbourne suburbs, and all work is fully certified and compliant with Victorian electrical regulations.