Induction cooktops boil water faster than gas, give you more precise temperature control, and remove the indoor combustion that makes a gas cooktop a poor fit for tightly-sealed modern homes. The trade-off is electrical: a built-in induction cooktop needs a dedicated 32A circuit run from the switchboard, and on older Melbourne homes the switchboard sometimes needs attention before the new circuit can be added.
Millar Electrics installs induction cooktops as gas-to-electric conversions and as like-for-like replacements across Melbourne's eastern suburbs. We coordinate with plumbers for the gas isolation side of conversion jobs and handle the full electrical scope from switchboard to commissioning.
Gas-to-induction conversions
The most common job we see is a homeowner converting an older gas cooktop to induction during a kitchen refresh. The work splits across two trades: a licensed plumber isolates and caps the gas supply, then we run the new 32A circuit, install the cooktop and lodge the COES. We work with plumbers we know or with one you've already engaged. The total job runs over two visits — plumber first, electrician second — and typically wraps in a day per trade.
Switchboard capacity
A 32A induction circuit is a meaningful additional load on a switchboard. Modern boards (post-2010) usually have spare capacity for one. Older boards often don't — particularly the late-90s/early-2000s Melbourne boards that came in undersized for current household loads. We check the board at quote stage and tell you straight whether a board upgrade or sub-board addition is needed before the cooktop install can proceed.
Like-for-like replacements
If you're replacing an existing induction cooktop, the work is much simpler — the dedicated 32A circuit is already there, and we just need to disconnect the old unit, install the new one, and verify the connection. Typically a 30-60 minute job once the cabinetry cut-out matches the new cooktop's dimensions.
Standards we work to
The dedicated 32A circuit is installed to AS/NZS 3000 (the Wiring Rules), with cable sized under AS/NZS 3008 for the cooktop's nameplate draw plus the run length from the board. The isolation switch above the bench is required by AS/NZS 3000 so the cooktop can be made dead without going to the switchboard. RCD protection on the circuit is required by AS/NZS 3000 — Type AC is acceptable for a standard induction load but some higher-end European cooktops with electronic controls call for Type A, which we use as default. The Certificate of Electrical Safety lodged with Energy Safe Victoria documents compliance.