The switchboards are the common center of your house’s electrical systems and are crucial for stable current. Typically, people tend to leave the older switchboards in until there is an issue with them. However, if you wait for it to falter, it is already too late. Upgrading your switchboard to ensure that it is ready to weather all current and voltage issues is highly recommended.
A switchboard can easily fall prey to spikes in voltage as well as dust that may cause it to glitch. However, an easy, fail-safe mechanism called the ‘residual current device’ or RCD is an easy fix to your problems. This is a safety device that automatically cuts off the electricity when there is an issue.
In doing so, it helps you avoid any injuries too. For example, if the RCD detects that the current is passing through an unintended object like a person, it will cut off electricity. Thus, cutting down the chances of electrocution. Upgrading your switchboard then is not just a matter of updating your electrical systems but is a matter of safety. Here are some benefits of upgrading our switchboard with an RCD.
Let’s discuss the benefits of upgrading your switchboard with RCD…
5 Benefits Of Upgrading Your Switchboard With RCD
1. Eliminate the Hassles Of Conventional Fuses
In the old switchboards, the fuses were designed to undertake a specified limit of current. Anything above that and the fuses would overheat, causing the boards to malfunction. However, the RCD takes care of this issue. It cuts off the power even before the current is able to heat the fuses.
In doing so, it protects the wiring, sockets, and switches while ensuring that no harm comes from the spike in current. The RCD-enabled board ‘trips’ or cuts off power before it can do any damage to the electrical systems or you.
2. More appliances? No problem
The older switchboards were meant to undertake a specific amount of current. With the explosion of appliances in our homes, we need more current than ever, and the demand is not going to fall down any time soon.
In such a case, the older switchboards may not be able to bear the entirety of the current. An upgrade helps you bypass any possible malfunction by installing the RCD, which will take the necessary steps to prevent any heating.
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3. Protection Against Any Risk Of Fire
An upgraded switchboard can also shield you against a possible fire. Typically, switchboards are not manned, and any preventative care is not possible. You will not know if there is an issue with the switchboard until the problem becomes apparent through overheating or, in worse cases, a fire.
Upgrading it to include a fail-safe mechanism like RCD helps you prevent this scenario and keep your family safe. In a few situations, the error is caused by faulty wiring or appliance, which requires an in-built kill switch as these cannot be monitored easily.
4. Add More Reliability Electrical Systems
The older versions of switchboards tend to have a lower level of reliability due to their old system of operations and wear and tear. The components of these older systems can also be more difficult to find.
The newer switchboards fitted with the RCD’s safety are widely believed to be about 97% reliable in keeping your electrical systems safe. Instead of fixing each component of the older systems, upgrading to a new switchboard saves you a lot of trouble in the future.
5. Expensive Maintenance
The components in most of these old switchboards cannot be easily switched with a new part. In addition to this, some of the components may be out of production, making them more expensive as only a few will be in circulation.
It is estimated that a switch alone could cost as much as $200 in addition to the electrician’s fee. By contrast, a new board with the RCD switch to prevent fires are reasonably affordable.
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Upgrading Your Switchboard With RCBOs
While it can be a task to upgrade your old switchboard as it comes with its fair share of uprooting the old system, it is undoubtedly worth it. The safety against electrocution and fire aside, the RCD mechanism ensures peace of mind. With appliances on the rise, the RCD switchboard helps your house weather the rising demand for current.
With its highly reliable structure, it also ensures that you spend little time and money trying to maintain it. In fact, regulation dictates that circuits in a home can be protected by about two such switches in some cases.
It is advised that you enlist professional help when deciding to upgrade your system. An electrician will be able to advise you better on what works best for your home, depending on your usage.
Hope this article brings better electrical knowledge about the benefits of updating switchboards with RCD. For more informative articles, stay tuned with us!
