Residual current devices (RCDs), commonly called safety switches, detect dangerous current leakage and cut power in milliseconds, before a shock can cause serious injury or death. Victorian law requires them on power circuits in all new installations and renovations, and we recommend them on every circuit in any home. Many older Melbourne homes have a safety switch on one or two circuits only, or none at all. If you're not sure whether your home is protected, we can test your existing switches and advise on the gaps.
When you need an RCD upgrade
If your switchboard still has ceramic fuses, has no test buttons on any of its modules, or trips for no obvious reason, your safety-switch protection is incomplete or failing. The same applies if you have added new appliances (air conditioners, EV chargers, induction cooktops) since the board was last touched. The original RCD may no longer be sized for the increased load.
What we install
We install Clipsal and HPM RCDs and test every one under load before signing off the job. For boards with limited room we use combined RCD and circuit breaker (RCBO) units that take the same width as a regular breaker but do both jobs. Every job is documented and labelled, and we provide a Certificate of Electrical Safety on completion.
Testing existing safety switches
We use a calibrated RCD tester to confirm every switch trips within the required time: the RCD device standards (AS/NZS 61008.1 for RCCBs, AS/NZS 61009.1 for RCBOs) require disconnection within 300 ms at the rated residual current, though a healthy device commonly trips in 20–30 ms. The written results are useful for landlords, owners corporations, and pre-purchase inspections.
