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 strongly recommend them on all circuits in any home. Many older Melbourne homes only have a safety switch on one or two circuits — or none at all. If you're not sure whether your home is protected, we can test your existing switches and advise on any 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 is true 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 appropriately for the increased load.
What we install
We install quality Clipsal and HPM RCDs and always test them under load before signing off the job. For boards with limited room we use combined RCD/circuit-breaker (RCBO) units that take the same width as a regular breaker but provide both functions. 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 at the rated current within the required time (typically 30mA / 30ms for general-purpose RCDs). The test results are documented in writing — useful for landlords, owners corporations, and pre-purchase inspections.
