In short: surge protection stops a short spike in voltage from reaching the things plugged into your home. A surge protector fitted at the switchboard covers the whole house at once, which a powerboard can't. It's most worth having if you've got solar, a battery, an EV charger, a home office or a lot of expensive electronics. It needs space on the switchboard, so on an older board it's usually done as part of an upgrade.
Most people only think about surge protection after a storm takes out the TV or the air conditioner's control board. Here's what it does and whether your home needs it.
What a power surge is
A surge is a very short spike in voltage, well above the normal 230 volts, lasting a fraction of a second. It's enough to damage the electronics inside modern appliances, even if nothing looks wrong straight away.
Common causes:
- Lightning. It doesn't have to hit your house. A strike on the network nearby can send a surge down the lines.
- Network switching. When the supply is switched or restored after an outage, the voltage can spike.
- Big appliances inside the house. Motors in air conditioners, pool pumps and fridges create small surges every time they start and stop. One won't do much. Thousands over the years wear electronics down.
Switchboard surge protector versus a powerboard
Surge protected powerboard. Protects whatever is plugged into it, and nothing else. Useful for the TV and computer, but it doesn't protect the oven, the air conditioner, the hot water system or anything hard-wired.
Switchboard surge protector. Fitted inside the switchboard, it protects every circuit in the house from surges coming in from the network. It's often called a whole house surge protector.
The best setup is both: a switchboard surge protector for the whole house, and good powerboards for the sensitive electronics.
Which homes get the most out of one
- Solar and batteries. Inverters are full of electronics and are expensive to replace. We've covered switchboard upgrades for solar, batteries and EV chargers separately.
- EV chargers. Same reason.
- Home offices. Computers, modems and monitors, plus the work you lose when they go down.
- Modern appliances. Induction cooktops, smart fridges and inverter air conditioners all have control boards that don't like surges.
Does it fit on my switchboard?
A surge protector takes up space on the board like any other device. On a modern switchboard with spare room, it's a short job. On an old board with ceramic fuses, or a board that's already full, there's nowhere to put it. In that case it goes in as part of a Switchboard Upgrade Perth homes with older boards often need anyway. We've explained what a switchboard upgrade costs, and adding surge protection during an upgrade costs much less than coming back later.
What surge protection won't do
It won't protect against a direct lightning strike on the house, and it doesn't replace safety switches (RCDs), which protect people, not appliances. It's one layer of protection, not the whole thing.
Nexus Electrical Co | Switchboard Upgrade Perth
Nexus Electrical Co is a licensed and insured electrician Perth homeowners have trusted for 6000+ jobs since 2019, based in Balcatta. Free switchboard inspection with every booked job, fixed price before we start, 100+ Google 5-star reviews. Call (08) 9245 1362.
