What The Client Was After:
In this project, our client’s goal was to upgrade their consumer mains and switchboard and to relocate the switchboard to the other side of the house.
Fortunately, the electricians from AB Electrical Freshwater are experienced in these situations and knew exactly what to do to get this client’s system upgraded.
What Work Was Completed:
Consumer mains are the cables that bring electricity from the source to the main switchboard of the building.
Switchboards are the control points that distribute power to the rest of the devices of the building. They do this by dividing the main power current into weaker individual currents that can be used by the appliances of the home.
1. Removal of Old Switchboard and Wiring
The first step in the consumer main and switchboard upgrade process was to remove the old switchboard and wiring.
The client wanted to completely remove the switchboard and change its location to the other side of the house so we completely removed the original switchboard system.
2. Level 2 Point of Attachment Disconnection
Once we had removed the old switchboard and wiring from their original location it was time to get ready for the new install.
Before we could do this we had to go straight to the power source and disconnect the old consumer mains so that we could place new ones.
This step also ensures that none of our electricians get electrocuted while working on the wiring since no power is being fed to the house.
3. Cut Out New Opening
After disconnecting the consumer mains we were ready to start the process of installing the upgraded switchboard.
Since we were changing the location we had to cut a new hole for the switchboard. In this case, the hole had to be cut through a double brick wall which made the process slightly more difficult. However, our talented team still managed to get the job done.
4. Installation of a Lintel
Once the new opening had been cut in the wall our electricians installed a lintel. A lintel is a beam that is placed across openings to help support the weight from the above wall.
5. Extension of All Existing Final Sub-Circuits
After the opening had been appropriately reinforced it was time to extend all of the sub-circuits of the house to the new switchboard location.
Sub-circuits are a sort of secondary distribution point that further splits the currents of electricity down so they can be sent to every part of the house.
6. Installation of All New Circuit Protection
With the sub-circuits rerouted to the new switchboard, it was time to install all new circuit protection.
Circuit protection is one of the most important components of a switchboard. They are what cut off the electricity if there is a dangerous surge in power which is crucial to avoid house fires or other accidents.
After the new circuit protection was installed we closed up the switchboard and moved on to the next step.
7. Level 2 Reconnection
Now that the switchboard was installed it was time to reconnect the electricity to the house.
To do that we took new customer mains and reconnected them to the power source, then to the new switchboard.
8. Tested and Commissioned
After completing the project and turning the electricity back on we stayed to make sure that the power was running evenly through the house and that there were no issues with the new equipment.
Once we ensured that everything was in proper working order we were done with the installation.
Signs Its Time to Upgrade Your Switchboard
Since your switchboard is in charge of picking up and distributing power to the rest of your home, it is important to make sure that it is in working order.
Replacing your switchboard too infrequently can increase the chances that something goes wrong. Your circuit protection could stop working which could lead to a house fire or electrocution if they are not preventing excess power from entering your home.
Here are some of the signs it’s time to upgrade your switchboard:
- The house is old
- Your appliances trip the circuit
- Blackened or melted fuses
- There is no safety switch
- Your appliances are not operating as expected
- Flickering lights or sparks
- Burning smells are coming from the switchboard
- Ceramic fuses
Don’t risk electrical fires from occurring, call a licensed electrician today!
Where the Job Was Completed:
Johnson St, Freshwater, Northern Beaches
Who Worked on the Job:
Benny – Tradesman
Sam P – Tradesman
Matt – Apprentice
