SAFETY SWITCH INSTALLATION SUNSHINE COAST

The Sunshine Coast is a beautiful place to live, work and play. Unfortunately, like anywhere, it also has an alarming number of electrical accidents caused by faulty electrical equipment, wiring, or lack of respect and common sense around electricity.

A safety switch (otherwise known as a residual current device [RCD] or earth leakage circuit breaker [ELCB]), a device installed in your main switchboard, is designed to protect human life by cutting the power the instant it detects an electrical safety issue.

Safety switches have been credited with saving the lives of thousands of Australians. And the installation of safety switches (on at least the power point circuits) has been mandatory in Australia for years.

Sparkies Plus is your local electrician and safety switch installation expert on the Sunshine Coast QLD. We have been installing, testing and repairing safety switches for years across the Sunshine Coast region, including suburbs such as Caloundra, Nambour, Buderim, Mooloolaba, Maroochydore, Peregian Springs, Sunshine Beach and Noosa Heads.

At Sparkies Plus, we offer no call out fee and free quotes for any safety switch job, no matter how small. We are fully licensed electricians who will ensure your property meets all Australian Wiring Rules and regulations so you can have comfort in the knowledge you'll have protection in case of an electrical accident. 

Call Sparkies Plus electricians today for local and affordable safety switch installation services on the Sunshine Coast!

Why should I choose Sparkies Plus for the installation of safety switches at my Sunshine Coast property?

• We've been installing safety switches on the Sunshine Coast since 2013, and before that, throughout other areas of QLD for 24 years. What we don't know about safety switches is probably not worth knowing. 
• Because of our experience, we're efficient in what we do, which means we will install your safety switches for the lowest possible price.
• We don't charge a call-out fee.
• We promise to be on time for your appointment or pay you $50 cash back.
• Know the total price for your safety switch installation in advance with our upfront price guarantee. We price our services by the job and not by the hour, so you stay in complete control of all costs.

What is a safety switch?

There are a few critical differences between safety switches, circuit breakers, fuses and surge protectors, and these devices are often confused as the same thing. They're not, and there are some significant distinctions in what they accomplish. 

A circuit breaker or fuse is designed to protect the wiring/circuit from overload if too much current flows through it. 

A surge protector is designed to specifically protect appliances from a surge from a lightning strike or over-voltage. 

On the other hand, a safety switch is designed to protect humans from electrocution. When a current leak is discovered, they switch off the electricity in milliseconds before it has a chance of going through the human body. This might occur if a faulty power point, wiring, or electrical equipment is being utilized or water ingress into the electrical wiring or equipment.

Fuses and circuit breakers do not protect people directly; only safety switches do.

Why should I install a safety switch?

A safety switch will help protect you from electrocution if something is not electrically safe, cutting power in an instant, therefore, protecting people and property. If a child inserts a knife in a toaster, water enters a power point or light fitting, your pool pump becomes live, or you're hanging a picture frame on the wall, and the nail strikes an electrical cable.

You're never sure when an electrical safety issue may arise, and the installation of one or more safety switches provides you with peace of mind.

How do I know if I have a safety switch installed?

Go to your electrical switchboard or meter box and locate the section where all of your fuses/circuit breakers are installed.

Look for any devices, labels, toggles or switches marked/embossed with the letter 'T' or the word 'Test'.

There are numerous different types. They can be part of a circuit breaker or installed independently somewhere else on the switchboard. The test buttons are available in various colours, including blue, white, black, and orange, and they come in multiple sizes and shapes.

If you are unsure, contact your local Sunshine Coast electrician at Sparkies Plus on (07) 5408 4044, who'd be only too happy to help. 

You might have safety switch(es), but do they work?

The Electrical Safety Office carried out some testing on the longevity of safety switches, and surprisingly, they found many safety switches were failing after five short years.

Safety switches often sit in your electrical switchboard dormant for months and years without operating, and therefore, the internal mechanisms can seize and render the device inoperable. We see this regularly in coastal suburbs such as Kings Beach, Golden Beach, Mooloolaba, Alexandra Headland, Peregian Beach, Marcus Beach, Sunrise Beach etc.

At a recent property we visited in Coolum Beach, six of the seven safety switches failed to trip due to corrosion. Regular testing of your safety switches is vital to move the internal mechanisms from time to time, thus ensuring a higher chance the device will operate when you need it most.

One safety switch is not enough

A safety switch is only effective if it works and is wired to protect the circuit with the fault on it. That's why Sparkies Plus recommends you have safety switches installed on all electrical circuits at your home or business.

It's common for nearly all properties to now have safety switch protection on the power point circuits. Many properties have safety switches protecting the lighting circuits, but very few properties have safety switch protection on all circuits.

For the very best protection from electrocution and electrical hazards, we recommend the installation of safety switches on ALL circuits, including:

• Power point circuits
• Lighting circuits
• Stove, oven and cooktop circuits
• Hot water circuits
• Air conditioning circuits
• Pool and spa circuits, and more

To arrange for an inspection of your electrical switchboard and a free quote to have safety switches installed on all of your circuits, contact the experienced local electricians at Sparkies Plus today!

How often should I test my safety switches?

We recommend you test your safety switches every three months. Set a reminder in your computer or device's calendar, or use the arrival of your quarterly electricity bill as a mental trigger.

How do I test if my safety switch works?

It is pretty easy for anyone to test their safety switches.

Access your main switchboard or meter box and identify the devices, switches or toggles marked/embossed with the letter 'T' or the word 'Test'. Advise anyone in the property power will be cut. Then proceed to push each test button. The toggles on the safety switches should trip immediately upon pressing the test buttons. If they don't, it means your safety switch has failed and needs replacement as a matter of urgency. Contact Sparkies Plus immediately to arrange for one of our electricians to visit and replace your safety switch to ensure your property is electrically safe.

To restore power after tripping your safety switches, reset the toggles back to the on position. Most safety switch toggles are reasonably stiff to turn back on, but give them a solid push (or twist), and they will re-engage and restore power to the circuit they protect.

If you have a fridge or air-conditioning on the circuit, wait 2-3 minutes before turning them back on to avoid any damage.

For a more advanced, thorough test of your safety switches, Sparkies Plus can carry out 'trip time', 'trip current and 'phase angle' testing using our advanced electronic testing equipment.

Call and speak to us today about our safety switch testing services.

How do I tell what circuits my safety switch(es) protect?

It's easy to determine what circuits at your Sunshine Coast property are safety switch protected and which ones aren't.

Simply push the test button on all of your safety switches in your main switchboard, and then determine which electrical items/circuits still have power and which ones don't. Those circuits still operational after tripping all of your safety switches are the ones that ARE NOT protected by a safety switch.

For peace of mind and a significant upgrade to your electrical safety at your Sunshine Coast property, arrange for the safety switch pros at Sparkies Plus to install additional safety switches on all circuits.

My safety switch has tripped, and I can't get it back on. I don't have power at my power points. What do I do?

A safety switch (residual current device) is designed to trip instantly when an electrical fault is detected. To restore power after a safety switch has tripped, first attempt to reset the toggle on the device. If the toggle trips again immediately, proceed to unplug all items on your power point circuits. Don't just turn off the switch at the power point - physically remove the plugs from the sockets. Don't forget about plugs for electrical appliances that can sometimes be hidden (dishwashers, range hoods, garage door motors, microwaves, spa and pool pumps, external water pumps etc.).

After you are confident you've removed all plugs from your sockets, attempt to reset the toggle on the safety switch. At this point, your safety switch should reset successfully. Now, proceed to plug each appliance in one at a time and turn it on as you go, and when the safety switch trips again, you know you've found the faulty appliance. Remove this appliance from the circuit, and reset the safety switch once again to restore full power to the property.

If your safety switch does not turn on after you've unplugged all appliances, you likely have a wiring fault (such as water ingress into the circuit somewhere, ant infestation or rodents have chewed through some wiring). In this situation, you'll require the services of your local Sparkies Plus electrician. For safety switch tripping faults and emergency power restoration, call Sparkies Plus today on (07) 5408 4044.