A switchboard usually gets attention when the property starts asking more of it than it was built to carry. Bolton EC upgrades residential and commercial switchboards across the Perth metro area, from old ceramic fuse boards through to boards being prepared for solar, battery storage or an EV charger. Every upgrade is carried out under electrical contractor licence EC 15905 and tested before the power goes back on for good.
Western Australian rules require residential properties to have RCD protection on power and lighting circuits, with at least two RCDs installed before a home is sold or leased. Circuit breakers and old ceramic fuses do not provide the same protection. They protect wiring from overload, while an RCD protects people from electric shock.
Bolton EC checks how many RCDs the board has, which circuits are protected, and whether there is enough physical space for additional devices. Where the existing board cannot safely support the protection the property needs, a switchboard upgrade in Perth may be the right solution rather than adding another device to an already full board.
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A new system almost always lands back at the switchboard. Adding solar panels means a dedicated inverter circuit and isolation the network requires. Adding battery storage adds another supply into the property, and a board with no spare ways cannot take it. An EV charger draws a steady, heavy load for hours at a time, which is exactly the demand an older board was never designed around. Our guide to whether you need a switchboard upgrade for solar, a battery or an EV charger covers the signs to look for.
Doing the board first keeps the sequence clean. The upgrade gets quoted, installed and tested as its own job, then the solar, battery or charger install happens on a board that is already compliant and has room in it. It also avoids the common outcome where an install day stops because the board cannot legally take the connection.
Where the assessment turns up other faults, such as heat damage at the terminals or wiring that is past its life, we handle that as general electrical repair work under the same licence rather than sending you to a second contractor.
1. We inspect the existing board, the meter position, the circuits running off it and the condition of the wiring behind it.
2. You get a written quote setting out the scope: the board, the protection devices, any new circuits and the testing.
3. On the day, power is isolated and the old board is removed, with the supply side handled safely.
4. The new board is installed, circuits are reconnected, separated and labelled.
5. Every circuit is tested and energised, and the work is documented as required for compliance.
Most residential upgrades are completed within a day. The power is off while the board is changed over, usually for a few hours rather than the whole day, and we tell you the expected window before we start so you can plan around fridges, freezers, medical equipment or a home office.
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It is worth doing when the board is limiting what the property can safely run, and it is worth doing early when solar, a battery, an EV charger or a renovation is already on the calendar. A board that trips under normal use, or that has no RCD protection, is not going to improve on its own.
What affects the quote is the scope rather than the brand of board. The main variables are the number of circuits, whether the existing enclosure has to be replaced or can be reused, the condition of the wiring at the board, whether asbestos backing is present, whether the property is moving from single to three phase, and how much new circuit work goes in at the same time. Bolton EC confirms all of that in writing before the job is booked, so the price you agree is the price for the work described.
Some of these are visible from the front of the board. Others only show up once the cover comes off, which is why an assessment is the reliable answer rather than a guess.
An upgraded board improves safety, supports the electrical load your home uses today, and leaves space for future solar, battery or EV charger installations. Bolton EC assesses the existing board, provides a written quote and completes switchboard upgrades in Perth under licence EC 15905.
The common signs are frequent tripping, ceramic fuses still in use, flickering lights, and a board with no spare space for new circuits. An assessment confirms it, because the condition of the wiring and the RCD coverage are not visible from the front of the board.
Often, yes. Each of those adds a dedicated circuit and isolation requirements, and many older Perth boards have neither the space nor the protection to take them. Bolton EC checks the board as part of quoting the install.
Most residential upgrades are completed within a day. The exact time depends on the number of circuits, the condition of the existing board and whether new circuit work goes in at the same time.
Yes. Power is isolated while the board is changed over, usually for a few hours. We give you the expected window beforehand so you can plan around anything that cannot lose supply.
Western Australian rules require residential properties to have RCD protection on power and lighting circuits, with at least two RCDs installed before a home is sold or leased. We check the coverage on the existing board and tell you where it falls short.
It depends on the number of circuits, the condition of the board and wiring, whether asbestos backing is present, and whether the supply is changing. Bolton EC provides a free written quote setting out the full scope before any work is booked.
