Do I need a switchboard upgrade for a new air conditioner?

It’s the extra nobody warns you about: you book a split system install, and on the day someone discovers your switchboard can’t take it. We’re electricians first — True Line Air Conditioning operates under True Line Electrical’s electrical contractor registration (REC 38009) — so this is a conversation we’d rather have at the free measure than on installation day.

Why aircon needs its own circuit

A split system is a motor load with a compressor, and it belongs on a dedicated circuit — not shared with the kitchen power points. A dedicated circuit means the unit gets clean, reliable supply, and a fault in the aircon can’t take out half the house (or vice versa). It’s also simply how compliant installations are done; every install we complete comes with a COES (Certificate of Electrical Safety).

When a switchboard upgrade comes into it

Many older Melbourne homes — and the southeast has plenty of beautiful ones — still run switchboards with ceramic fuses, no spare ways for a new circuit, or no RCD (safety switch) protection. Signs yours might need attention:

• Ceramic fuses rather than modern circuit breakers
• No safety switches (RCDs) protecting power circuits
• No physical room left on the board for another breaker
• Lights that flicker when big appliances start up

None of these mean you can’t have air conditioning. They mean the electrical side needs to be done properly first — and quoted upfront. A switchboard upgrade is one of only four extras in our published pricing; if it applies, it’s in your written fixed quote before any work begins.

Why it’s worth doing regardless

A modern switchboard with RCD protection isn’t just an aircon prerequisite — it’s the single biggest electrical safety upgrade an older home can get. If your board is due, the aircon install is a sensible moment to do both jobs with one licensed team, one visit and one certificate trail.

How we handle it

At your free measure we check the switchboard along with the walls and pipe run. Most homes need nothing. If yours does, you’ll get the honest answer and a fixed written price for the whole job — install, electrical work, COES — before you commit to anything. Start with the 30-second calculator for your install estimate.