The best option to prevent switchboard blow-ups and possible electrocution is to fit combination safety switches/circuit breakers to all circuits running through the switchboard.

My neighbours are getting combination safety switches installed this week.

What’s the big deal? Quite simply they are the most efficient way to prevent switchboard blow-ups and possible electrocution. This usually happens when people overload power points with too many appliances, often running off adaptors and extension cables.

How do these combo switches work? A safety switch and circuit breaker are combined into one unit, which trips if there is an electrical short. The beauty of them is that they can be fitted to all the circuits running through your switchboard. If one trips it will only shut down the circuit it’s protecting. This means you won’t lose power to the whole house and it will be easier for an electrician to identify the problem.

How do I know if I need them? See this photo? Don’t wait until something like this occurs. An incorrectly rated safety switch was unable to cope with an overloaded circuit and it blew up. It’s much safer to get one of our experts to assess your switchboard and wiring.

Could this blow-up have caused a house fire? Quite likely. The Adelaide Metropolitan Fire Service is crystal clear on this topic. It says: “Install earth leakage circuit breakers to all electrical circuits for additional life safety protection.”