Wiring Term FAQs

Terms your Electrician could use.

When your Electrician talks to you about the various components, don't let them bamboozle you. Here are the terms that matter. Contact us if there's anything that we can add or question you'd like answered.

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A Main Switchboard is the first switchboard off the street or Utility supply point. It can have an internal Distribution Switchboard for common areas in a large building.

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After the Main Switchboard, usually inside the house but may be in the main switchboard, the power comes into a "distribution switchboard". This will have MCB's (Miniature Circuit Breakers) and RCD's (Residual Current Devices) for protecting the sub-circuits.

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A large switch usually on the Meter or Main Switchboard. Turns power off to the entire house making it safe to work on cabling inside. This can overheat due to loose connections, have City Electricians check your switchboard connections. .

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A large black fuse that is usually mounted in the main switchboard and protects the cabling coming into the house from overload. All power in the house will go out if this blows, ask a Registered Electrician to replace.

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The mains cable, after entering your house, either through an overhead junction point or directly underground, will pass through the wall to a switchboard. This switchboard will usually have the main switch, mains fuse and a power meter (or possibly two) and a ripple relay and either in this board or on an inside wall, behind the meter, the main service panel or switchboard.

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In alternating current (AC, also ac), the movement of electric charge (electrons) periodically reverses direction from Positive to Negative. In use in all countries worldwide it allows use of smaller electric motors and smaller supply conductors.

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In alternating current (AC, also ac), the movement of electric charge (electrons) periodically reverses direction from Positive to Negative. In use in all countries worldwide it allows use of smaller electric motors and smaller supply conductors.

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In alternating current (AC, also ac), the movement of electric charge (electrons) periodically reverses direction from Positive to Negative. In use in all countries worldwide it allows use of smaller electric motors and smaller supply conductors.

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In alternating current (AC, also ac), the movement of electric charge (electrons) periodically reverses direction from Positive to Negative. In use in all countries worldwide it allows use of smaller electric motors and smaller supply conductors.

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In alternating current (AC, also ac), the movement of electric charge (electrons) periodically reverses direction from Positive to Negative. In use in all countries worldwide it allows use of smaller electric motors and smaller supply conductors.

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