Power Surge Protection for Queensland Homes: Is Your Switchboard Ready for Storm Season?
Queensland storms can put on a spectacular show, but lightning and severe weather can also create problems for the electrical equipment inside your home.
Most households now have thousands, and often tens of thousands, of dollars’ worth of electronics connected to the electrical system. Televisions, computers, gaming consoles, air conditioners, refrigerators, smart appliances, networking equipment and home automation systems can all be vulnerable to sudden changes in voltage.
The question is: what happens when a power surge reaches your home?
And just as importantly, does having modern circuit breakers and safety switches mean your appliances are already protected?
Not necessarily.
What is a power surge?
A power surge is a sudden increase in electrical voltage.
While lightning is probably the first thing people think of, Energex advises that surges and spikes can also be caused by storms, accidents and even the switching of electrical equipment.
A surge may last only a fraction of a second, but sensitive electronic components can be affected far more quickly than most homeowners realise.
Modern homes also contain significantly more electronic equipment than they once did.
It isn’t just the television and desktop computer anymore.
A typical home may contain:
- smart televisions
- computers and monitors
- Wi-Fi routers and networking equipment
- gaming consoles
- refrigerators with electronic control boards
- washing machines and dryers
- air conditioners
- security cameras
- smart-home equipment
- solar equipment
- battery systems
- home office equipment
That means the potential cost of electrical damage can quickly add up.
Aren’t my safety switches supposed to protect me?
This is where electrical protection can become confusing.
A safety switch, circuit breaker and surge protector are not the same device.
Safety switches are designed primarily to protect people from electric shock by detecting certain electrical faults and disconnecting the electricity rapidly.
Circuit breakers and fuses protect electrical circuits against excessive current.
Surge protection is specifically designed to limit the effect of sudden voltage spikes before they reach sensitive electrical equipment.
A home can therefore have safety switches and modern circuit breakers while still benefiting from dedicated surge protection.
Each device has a different job within the electrical system.
What about a surge-protected power board?
Surge-protected power boards can be useful.
They’re particularly common for computers, televisions and home-office equipment because they provide localised protection for whatever is plugged into them.
But they’re only one level of protection.
They don’t automatically protect hard-wired equipment or appliances connected elsewhere throughout the house.
That’s where switchboard surge protection becomes worth considering.
What is switchboard surge protection?
A surge protection device can be installed at the home’s main switchboard by a licensed electrician.
Rather than protecting a single television or computer, switchboard protection is positioned within the electrical installation to help protect appliances and wiring throughout the home from damaging voltage surges.
Energex identifies main-switchboard surge protection as one of the available approaches to protecting homes against surges and spikes.
For households with a growing amount of expensive electronic equipment, it can provide a broader layer of protection than relying entirely on individual plug-in devices.
Why this matters more in modern homes
Think about what has changed inside the average home over the past couple of decades.
Many appliances that were once relatively simple mechanical devices now contain sophisticated electronic control boards.
Air conditioners have electronics.
Modern refrigerators have electronics.
Ovens have electronics.
Washing machines have electronics.
Solar systems have electronics.
Even lighting systems increasingly incorporate electronic drivers, controllers and smart-home technology.
The value isn’t necessarily in the appliance’s power consumption. It’s in the electronics controlling it.
A relatively small control board failure can sometimes render a much larger appliance unusable until it is repaired.
That’s why surge protection isn’t only something worth thinking about for computers anymore.
Can lightning still cause damage if it doesn’t hit my house?
A lightning strike does not have to physically hit your roof for electrical equipment to potentially be affected.
Lightning can affect the electricity network and produce voltage disturbances that travel through connected infrastructure.
Energex identifies lightning as a common cause of surges and recommends unplugging sensitive electrical appliances during storms where practical.
Queensland’s Electrical Safety Office similarly recommends switching off and unplugging electrical equipment when a storm approaches.
Of course, unplugging everything in a modern house whenever thunder appears isn’t always practical.
Hard-wired equipment can’t simply be unplugged either.
That is one of the reasons homeowners may consider a more comprehensive electrical protection strategy.
Surge protection works best in layers
There isn’t necessarily a single device that represents the entire solution.
Protection can involve several layers depending on the home and the equipment being protected.
This can include:
Switchboard surge protection
Provides protection at the home’s electrical distribution point.
Surge-protected power points
Can provide additional protection at specific locations and must be installed by a licensed electrician.
Quality surge-protected power boards
Useful for sensitive equipment such as computers, televisions and home-office electronics.
Unplugging equipment during severe storms
Where practical and safe, physically disconnecting sensitive equipment removes its connection to the electrical supply.
The right approach depends on the property, existing switchboard and equipment you’re trying to protect.
Should every home have switchboard surge protection?
Every property is different.
The better question is probably:
What would it cost if several important appliances or electronic devices in your home were damaged at the same time?
If your home contains expensive televisions, computers, networking equipment, air conditioning, smart-home technology, home-office equipment or other sensitive electronics, surge protection may be worth discussing with your electrician.
It’s also a sensible conversation to have when you’re already undertaking switchboard work, electrical renovations or other upgrades.
Don’t wait until after the storm
Electrical protection is one of those things homeowners rarely think about until something goes wrong.
By then, you’re dealing with damaged equipment rather than preventing the problem.
Before Queensland’s storm season gets underway, take a look around your home and consider just how much electronic equipment is permanently connected to your electrical system.
You may be surprised by how quickly the value adds up.
Power Bolt Electrical can inspect your existing electrical setup and discuss whether switchboard surge protection or other electrical protection measures are appropriate for your home.
If you’re unsure what protection your switchboard currently provides, get in touch with Power Bolt Electrical and have it checked by a licensed electrician.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a safety switch protect appliances from power surges?
Safety switches and surge protection perform different functions. Safety switches are primarily designed to protect people from electric shock, while surge protection devices are designed to limit damaging voltage spikes.
What is switchboard surge protection?
Switchboard surge protection uses a surge protection device installed at the main switchboard to help protect electrical equipment and wiring against voltage surges.
Can lightning cause a power surge without hitting my house?
Yes. Lightning can affect electricity infrastructure and create voltage disturbances without directly striking the home.
Do surge-protected power boards replace switchboard surge protection?
They provide a different layer of protection. A surge-protected power board protects connected equipment, while switchboard surge protection can provide broader protection across the electrical installation.