Shopping Centre Switchboard Maintenance: A Proven 2026 Guide
QUICK ANSWER Shopping centre switchboard maintenance is planned, scheduled servicing of the centre main and tenancy switchboards to prevent outages that stop trade. It covers thermal imaging, torque checks, testing and inspection, usually carried out after hours under a maintenance program. For a retail centre, a switchboard fault means closed shops and lost rent, so […]
CT Metering Explained: A Proven 2026 Guide for Commercial Sites
QUICK ANSWER CT metering, or current transformer metering, is the metering method used when a commercial supply is too large for a direct meter, generally above 100 amps per phase. Instead of measuring the full current directly, current transformers scale it down for the meter. Energex requires CT metering on larger supplies, and it is […]
HV Switchboards and Substations Explained: A Proven 2026 Guide
QUICK ANSWER An HV switchboard is high voltage switchgear, above 1000V and typically 11kV or 33kV, that controls and protects the high voltage supply on large commercial, industrial and mining sites. It usually sits inside a substation and connects the network supply to the site transformers, which step the voltage down for the low voltage […]
Motor Control Centre vs Switchboard: A Proven 2026 Guide
QUICK ANSWER A motor control centre (MCC) is a type of switchboard built specifically to control and protect electric motors, with each motor fed from its own starter or variable speed drive module. A standard switchboard distributes power to general circuits; an MCC centralises motor control, protection and monitoring in one assembly. Most industrial and […]
How Long Does a Switchboard Upgrade Take? A Proven 2026 Guide
QUICK ANSWER How long does a switchboard upgrade take? On most commercial sites the on-site changeover is done in one to two days. The longer part is the design, manufacture and Energex coordination beforehand, which usually runs two to six weeks depending on board size, supply changes and parts availability. A site review gives you […]
Commercial Switchboard Upgrade Cost: A Proven 2026 Guide
QUICK ANSWER Commercial switchboard upgrade cost is driven by the board size and supply, any metering or Energex changes, site access and shutdown windows, and the condition of the existing installation, rather than one fixed price. The largest hidden cost is usually the unplanned outage when an ageing board finally fails. A site review gives […]
Main Switchboard Failure: 7 Proven Steps for Commercial Sites
When a main switchboard fails, an entire commercial site can go dark in seconds. Tills stop, tenants start calling, refrigeration warms up and production lines fall silent. For a facility or property manager the clock starts straight away, and the worst decisions get made in a panic. This is the calm version. Below is what […]
Mining Site Switchboards: A Proven 2026 Guide for Remote Operations
QUICK ANSWER Mining site switchboards are built tougher than standard commercial boards to survive dust, heat, vibration, corrosion and remote locations where support is hours or days away. They use higher ingress protection, robust enclosures, motor control for heavy plant, and designs that allow safe maintenance on site. Reliability and the ability to service the […]
Data Centre Switchboards: A Proven 2026 Guide to Power Reliability
QUICK ANSWER Data centre switchboards are critical-power boards designed so the load never drops, even during a fault or maintenance. They use redundancy (such as N+1 and dual paths), high internal segregation so the board can be worked on live safely, and tight integration with UPS and generator backup. Reliability and maintainability are the whole […]
AS/NZS 61439 Compliance: What Facility Managers Need to Know
What AS/NZS 61439 compliance means for commercial switchboards: what the standard covers, Form ratings, design verification and how to spot a compliant board.