The terms
- RCD (safety switch)
- Residual Current Device. Detects current leaking to earth — including through a person — and cuts power in about 30 milliseconds. The only device in a switchboard that protects people rather than wiring. Has a TEST button on it.
- RCBO
- A combined RCD and circuit breaker in one module. Protects a single circuit against both earth leakage and overload, so a fault on one circuit doesn't take out the others sharing an RCD.
- Circuit breaker (MCB)
- An automatic switch that trips on overload or short circuit, replacing a rewireable fuse. Protects the cable, not the person.
- Rewireable fuse
- The old ceramic type — a porcelain carrier with a strand of fuse wire across two screws. Protects the cable slowly and offers no protection to a person. If your board has these, it has no RCD protection.
- Switchboard
- The panel where supply enters the house and is split into circuits, housing the main switch, protection devices and metering.
- Consumer mains
- The cable running from the point of attachment to your meter and main switch. Frequently undersized or perished on pre-war homes, and a common hidden cost in a switchboard quote.
- VIR cable
- Vulcanised India Rubber — the rubber-insulated cable used in Australian homes from the early 1900s into the 1960s. Design life about 50 years. The insulation hardens, cracks and falls off the conductor. Any still in service is well past end of life.
- TPS cable
- Thermoplastic Sheathed — the flat white PVC cable used in modern Australian domestic wiring.
- Point
- An electrician's word for an outlet position — a power point, light point or data point. Quotes are often priced per point.
- AS/NZS 3000
- The Wiring Rules. The Australian and New Zealand standard governing electrical installations. It's what "compliant" means when an electrician uses the word.
- Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work
- The certificate a licensed electrical worker issues confirming the work meets the Wiring Rules. You should receive one for any significant job. Keep it — you'll want it when you sell.
- PGE contractor licence
- The South Australian Plumbing, Gas Fitting and Electrical contractor licence. SA law requires contractors to display the number in all advertising, including on their website. If you can't find one, treat that as a warning.
- Point of attachment
- Where the supply network's cable physically connects to your property — typically a bracket on the roof or wall for overhead supply.
- Earth / earthing
- The protective conductor that gives fault current a safe path and lets protection devices operate. Pre-1970s lighting circuits in Australia frequently have no earth at all, which becomes a problem the moment a metal light fitting goes in.
Common questions
What's the difference between an RCD and a circuit breaker?
A circuit breaker protects the wiring from overload and short circuit. An RCD detects current leaking to earth, including through a person, and cuts power fast enough to prevent electrocution. You need both, and many older Australian homes have neither.
What is a Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work?
The document a licensed electrical worker issues confirming the installation meets AS/NZS 3000. You should receive one for any significant job, and you'll want it on file when you sell the property.
How do I check an electrician is licensed in South Australia?
SA electrical contractors must display their PGE contractor licence number in all advertising, including their website. You can verify a licence through Consumer and Business Services SA.