Switchboard Upgrades: What is a Switchboard?

The switchboard in your home is the brain to your home where it controls the entire home’s electrical system. It is considered the central hub where the main power enters your house and then gets safely split up into smaller streams to feed your lights, power points, appliances, and most importantly - your EV charger. Our team at EV Charger Installation can help guide you through switchboard information when you call us today 02 9100 0782

⚡The switchboard distributes your power around your home.

⚡It keeps you and your home safe with protective devices such as circuit breakers, safety switches, and RDC’s.

⚡These components prevent overloads, electric shocks, and fire hazards by disconnecting power during a fault.

⚡The switchboard also measures your power usage.

Key Requirements For Your Switchboard Upgrade

At EV Charger Installation, we understand there are key requirements when it comes to upgrading your switchboard for your electric vehicle. It’s not as simple as plugging in and charging your EV. Contact us today for information for upgrading your switchboard.

• Dedicated Circuit - Your EV charger needs to be connected to its own circuit with no other appliance attached to it. 
• Load Capacity Check - We calculate the electric load of your home to ensure we prevent overloading
• RCD Protection - We ensure the EV circuit includes a safety switch to protect against electric shocks.
• Circuit Breaker - This part protects the EV charger and cabling from overheating and overcurrent
• Compliance - All work must meet the current Australian wiring rules with AS/NZS 3000. Our licensed team is experienced in assessing and installing switchboard upgrades for your electric vehicle charging. 

Serious Issues For Not Doing Switchboard Upgrades

There can be serious consequences for skipping a necessary switchboard upgrade when installing an EV charger. Our team knows how serious it can be, and we want to ensure that your home is equipped with safety, ready to install your EV charger. Contact our team and we can speak to you about the problems and issues you can have 02 9100 0782

❌Home Blackouts and Tripping Breakers

Your old switchboard won’t have the capacity for an EV Charger. The moment you plug your car in while you are running the air conditioner, oven, or even the dryer, the main safety switch will trip. This can be frustrating which causes total-home power outages as the switchboard shuts down to protect itself. 

❌Extreme Fire and Overheating Risks

Using an outdated and older switchboard can lead to overheating and fire risks. They lack the advanced thermal protection of modern panels. By forcing a continuous 32-Amp load through old components can lead to melting plastic casing inside the box, degradation of the insulation on your home’s main cables, and smouldering, hidden electrical fires behind the wall. 

❌Non-Compliance - Can Lead To Lethal Shock Hazards

Under the Australian Wiring Rules (AS/NZS 3000), an EV charger must have a dedicated circuit protected by specialised RCD’s. You cannot add one of these onto older switchboards as it can cause fault in the car or the cable, and anyone touching these could receive a severe or potentially fatal electric shock. 

❌Voided Insurance and Manufacturer Warranaties 

A licensed electrician cannot legally sign off on a NSW Certificate of Electrical Safety (eCert) if there has been work carried out on a non-compliant or overloaded switchboard. Your home insurance provider can reject any claims and your EV manufacturer can void your electric vehicles battery warranty. 

❌Energy Provider Fines or Disconnections

In Sydney, power networks monitor grid loads. They have the legal authority to defect the property and disconnect its power supply if they find your home severely overloading the local consumer mains. 

What Is Included In Your Switchboard Upgrade?

We are upfront with our inclusions and our pricing and install switchboard upgrades to Australian Standards for safety, giving you complete peace of mind, protecting your vehiclés warranty and ensuring your home remains fully covered by insurance. There are no hidden fees, no compromised components while ensuring your home is EV ready with an electrical system built to safeguard your family. 02 9100 0782

• Switchboard Assessment: We assess your current switchboard to ensure it can safely handle the heavy electrical load of a fast EV charger and to know if you need a switchboard upgrade.
• Dedicated Circuit: We install a brand new, independent line run straight from your switchboard to your garage or carport. 
• Mandatory Safety Switch Protection: We install an EV compliant RCD to protect your family and home from electrical faults. 
• NSW eCert Compliance: We lodge your Certificate of Electrical Safety with NSW Fair Trading which protects your home insurance and vehicle warranty. 

Can You Install an EV charger without a Switchboard Upgrade?

Yes, but only if your current electrical panel has modern circuit breakers, adequate spare physical space, and enough overall electrical capacity to handle a continuous 32-Amp load. If your home has an older fuse box or a maximum demand that is already near its limit, skipping a switchboard upgrade will cause frequent power outages and pose a severe electrical fire hazard.

Three Levels of EV Charger Switchboard Upagrades

When we assess your electrical panel, we don;t just look to see where we can fit a new switch for your EV charger. Our licensed electricians look at how your home can handle the power. Depending on what we find, a tailored switchboard upgrade generally comes down to three realistic solutions. Call us on 02 9100 0782 today to speak to our team about our options for you.

1️⃣ The EV Sub-Board Add-On

This option is for when you simply just need more room. If you have a modern switchboard that can handle your current power easily but is packed tight, then you won't need a full switchboard upgrade. Instead we mount a compact sub-board next to your existing one. 

2️⃣ The Full Switchboard Upgrade

If you have an outdated switchboard with the brittle ceramic pull-out fuses, then it is physically incapable of handling a continuous 32-Amp EV load, causing serious issues. This requires a complete switchboard upgrade where our licensed electricians can strip out the entire unit and replace it with a clean and modern enclosure with mandatory RCD’s and circuit breakers. 

3️⃣ Smart Load Balancing

If your home’s main power supply is right on the limit, we can integrate a smart energy meter with your switchboard upgrade. This tech monitors the home’s live power usage. If you turn on your air conditioning and the oven at the same time, it temporarily dials back the electric vehicle charging speed. And when the house quietens down the charge speed ramps back up.

Why You Need A Licensed Electrician For Your Switchboard Upgrade

Installing a switchboard upgrade or even an electric vehicle charger in your home is not a DIY project. In Australia there is a legal requirement that only licensed electricians can legally carry out this work. At EV Charger Installation, we have a specialised and licensed team of electricians and installers that can do this work for you. Contact us to book in your switchboard upgrade.

• Wiring alterations and circuit installations must be performed by our certified and licensed electricians
• EV charger installations must meet Australian Standards (AS/NZS 3000) 
• A compliance certificate must be issued after installation which is essential for insurance and warranty purposes
• EV Charger Installation provides fully compliant EV charger installations and switchboard upgrades across Sydney

Benefits of Switchboard Upgrades

👍You will increase the capacity to handle high-power EV chargers

👍There is better integration with Solar inverted for energy efficient solar charging

👍Enhanced safety features such as RCD’s and circuit breakers

👍Compliance with Australian Electrical Standards on you EV chargers

👍Improved energy efficiency, control, and monitoring capabilities

👍 Future-proofing for EV charging within your home

How Long Does It Take For Switchboard Upgrades?

Generally, most switchboard upgrades are quick and can be completed in one day. But this depends on the complexity of the installation and the conditions of the existing wiring and if there are any other safety issues found. During the switchboard upgrade, your property’s power will need to be temporarily shut off. Once our team has assessed the job, we can let you know if any additional time may be required. We work efficiently to minimise disruption, ensuring your power is back on and your new EV charger is fully operational. Our professional team can help guide you through the process when you call us today 02 9100 0782

Ready to Safely Power up your Electric Vehicle with a Switchboard Upgrade?

Don't risk overloading your home's electrical system. Book a professional home electrical assessment with our licensed Sydney team today. 

We pride ourselves in our high-workmanship with honest and upfront pricing. For more information about switchboard upgrades and EV charger installations, call our expert team today 02 9100 0782