Licensed WA Electrician · EC9674
RCD & Safety Switch Installation in Perth's Northern Suburbs
Selling or leasing? WA law says your home needs at least two RCDs first. Glen checks your board, gives you one fixed price, and fits and tests everything so settlement isn't held up. Tripping safety switch? He finds the cause too.
WA compliance
Selling or Leasing in WA? Your Home Needs at Least Two RCDs
Under WA's Electricity Regulations 1947, a home can't be sold or leased unless at least two RCDs (safety switches) protect all of its power and lighting circuits. Settlement agents and property managers check for it, and penalties apply for non-compliance.
The catch is that plenty of northern-suburbs homes don't meet the standard. Older ceramic-fuse boards usually have no RCD protection at all. Others have a single RCD covering power points but nothing on the lights, which doesn't satisfy the two-RCD rule.
The fix is usually straightforward. Glen checks your switchboard, tells you exactly what it needs to comply, and gives you one fixed price before any work starts. If your board is sound, the RCDs go straight in. If it's a ceramic-fuse board that can't safely take them, he'll quote a fixed-price switchboard upgrade instead, so you know your options on the spot. Selling and want the alarms checked in the same visit? That's the RCD and smoke alarm compliance check before selling or leasing.
And if you're not selling but your safety switch keeps tripping, that's the other half of what this page covers. See the FAQ below, or book a fault-finding visit.
Source: WA Government, Building and Energy: RCD requirements for sale, rent and hire properties.
What we do
RCD & Safety Switch Installation Across Perth's Northern Suburbs
JEC installs and tests RCDs (safety switches) in homes across Joondalup and Perth's northern suburbs. Every install is done by a licensed WA electrician, tested on the spot, and covered by one fixed price agreed before the work starts.
- Two-RCD compliance installs: the minimum WA law requires before a property is sold or leased, fitted and tested in one visit
- Extra RCD protection: going beyond the minimum, so individual circuits trip on their own instead of taking half the house out
- RCD testing: checking that existing safety switches actually trip when they should, not just that they're present
- Tripping safety switch fault-finding: tracing whether the cause is a faulty appliance, moisture in a circuit, or the RCD itself
- Compliance paperwork: signed off and provided for your records, useful for settlement, leasing, and insurance
- Board assessments: if your switchboard can't safely take RCDs, Glen quotes the upgrade path there and then rather than leaving you guessing
WA's two-RCD rule
Under WA's Electricity Regulations 1947, at least two RCDs must protect all power and lighting circuits before a home is sold or leased. Penalties apply for non-compliance. Glen fits and tests compliant RCDs and provides the paperwork your settlement agent or property manager will ask for.
Worth checking
Signs Your Safety Switches Need a Look
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No working test button
If you can't remember ever pressing the test button, or nothing happens when you do, your RCD may not trip when it matters.
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One safety switch, or none
Older boards often have a single RCD or none at all. WA rules require at least two protecting your power and lighting circuits.
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It trips for no clear reason
An RCD that keeps tripping can be flagging a real fault, or it's simply worn out. Worth diagnosing, not just resetting.
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You've added rooms or big appliances
New circuits for aircon, a pool or a granny flat should sit on protected circuits. Older boards may not cover them.
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You're selling or leasing
Before a WA sale or new tenancy you legally need two working RCDs. We test and certify so it's sorted before settlement.
Why JEC
Why Northern-Suburbs Homeowners Call Glen
One fixed price, before we start
You'll know the full cost before any work begins, in writing. No hourly rate ticking away, no add-ons after the fact.
Licensed, insured, 25+ years in
JEC holds WA electrical contractor licence EC9674 (worker licence EW144799) and is fully insured. Glen has spent more than 25 years working on Perth homes and their switchboards.
Local and family owned
Based in Joondalup, serving the northern corridor from Wanneroo to Clarkson. When you call 0438 678 218, you're talking to the electrician who does the work.
From Phone Call to Compliant: Three Steps
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Call or book online
Tell Glen what's going on: selling, leasing, or a safety switch that won't behave. He'll book a time that suits.
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Board check and fixed price
Glen inspects your switchboard against WA's two-RCD requirement and gives you one fixed price on the spot, in writing.
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Install, test, done
RCDs fitted and tested the same visit wherever the board allows it, with compliance paperwork provided for your records.
RCD & Safety Switch Questions, Answered
What does WA law require before I sell or lease my home?
WA's Electricity Regulations 1947 require a minimum of two RCDs protecting all power and lighting circuits before a residential property is sold or leased. Penalties apply for non-compliance. A licensed electrician can confirm whether your board complies and fit any RCDs needed.
How many RCDs do I need?
At least two for any home being sold or leased in WA, protecting all power and lighting circuits between them. There also can't be more than three final sub-circuits on each RCD, and if the home has two or more lighting circuits they have to be split across the RCDs, so homes with more circuits can need more than the minimum.
What's the difference between an RCD, a safety switch and a circuit breaker?
An RCD and a safety switch are the same device: RCD (residual current device) is the technical name, safety switch is the everyday one. It cuts power in a fraction of a second when electricity leaks to earth, which is what protects people from shock. A circuit breaker is different: it protects wiring from overload, not people from electrocution.
Why does my safety switch keep tripping?
A safety switch that trips repeatedly is detecting a real leakage somewhere, commonly a faulty appliance (fridges, kettles and old heaters are frequent culprits), moisture in an outdoor circuit, or a worn RCD itself. Unplugging appliances one at a time can narrow it down. If it still trips with everything unplugged, the circuit needs a licensed electrician to trace the fault.
How much does RCD installation cost in Perth?
It depends on how many RCDs your board needs and whether the board can take them as-is. Either way you'll get one fixed price after Glen checks the board, before any work starts.
Can I install an RCD myself?
No. In WA, all electrical wiring work, including fitting RCDs to a switchboard, must be done by a licensed electrician. DIY electrical work is illegal and dangerous, and it can void your insurance. JEC is licensed (EC9674) and provides compliance paperwork with the install.
How often should RCDs be tested?
Press the test button on each RCD regularly. Every three months is a good habit. The switch should flick off instantly; reset it afterwards. If an RCD doesn't trip when you press the button, stop using the test as reassurance and have it checked by an electrician, because it may not protect you when it matters.
Related Electrical Services
Switchboard Upgrades
If your board still runs ceramic fuses, RCDs usually can't just be added. A fixed-price switchboard upgrade sorts compliance and safety in one job.
Learn more →Electrical Fault Finding
Safety switch tripping and you can't find why? Glen traces the circuit and finds the cause.
Learn more →Smoke Alarms
Selling or leasing? WA checks smoke alarms at the same time as RCDs. Sort both in one visit.
Learn more →Safety Switches Across Joondalup & Perth's Northern Suburbs
Based in Joondalup
Local means minutes away, not the other side of Perth. If your suburb's within the northern corridor, you're in our patch.
0438 678 218Get Your RCDs Sorted Before Settlement
Whether you're selling, leasing, or just want to know your family's protected, Glen will check your board and give you one fixed price. No obligation, no surprises.
0438 678 218