Your air conditioner kicks in at the same time you’ve put your lunch in the microwave, and suddenly – darkness. The power’s out again. If this sounds familiar, you’re likely dealing with an electrical overload, and your switchboard’s trying to tell you something important.
An electrical overload happens when too much current flows through your switchboard’s circuits, exceeding their safe capacity. Your circuit breakers trip to cut the power, preventing the wiring from overheating and potentially causing a fire. It’s your home’s built-in safety system doing exactly what it should.
Key Takeaways
- Electrical overloads occur when circuits draw more current than they’re designed to handle – usually from running too many high-wattage appliances simultaneously
- Circuit breakers trip to protect your wiring from overheating and prevent electrical fires
- Old switchboards built before the 1990s typically can’t handle modern electrical demands – they were designed for 60–100 amps, while modern homes need 150–200 amps
- Warning signs include frequent tripping, flickering lights, burning smells, buzzing sounds, or discoloured power points
What Causes an Electrical Overload?
An electrical overload is essentially your circuits saying, “that’s too much.” Every circuit in your switchboard has a maximum amperage rating – think of it as a speed limit for electricity. When you plug in appliances that collectively draw more power than that limit, the circuit can’t safely handle the load.
The three main culprits behind electrical overloads are:
- Too many appliances running at once
- Faulty or damaged appliances (when appliances develop internal faults, they can draw excessive current without you realising it).
- Outdated electrical systems
How Modern Homes Overload Old Switchboards
Here’s the problem: homes built in the 1960s–80s typically have switchboards rated for 60–100 amps. Modern homes? They require a minimum of 150–200 amps.
Why the massive jump? Count the devices you’re currently running. Air conditioning, fridges, the dishwasher, washing machine, clothes dryer. Then add gaming consoles, computers, phone charges and TVs. Homes from 40 years ago were designed for lights and basic appliances. They simply can’t keep up with today’s electrical demands.
When you try to run modern appliances through old infrastructure, you’re asking 60-year-old wiring to do a job it was never built for. That’s when power overload situations become frequent – and dangerous.
Warning Signs of an Electrical Overload
Your home gives you plenty of warnings before things get serious. Watch for these red flags:
- Frequent circuit breaker trips — you’re resetting breakers weekly or even monthly
- Flickering or dimming lights — lights that dim when you start using appliances
- Burning smell or buzzing sounds — an acrid electrical smell or buzzing from outlets
- Discoloured or warm power points — brown or black marks around outlets
- Too many double adapters — you’re daisy-chaining power boards to run everything
What Happens During an Overload?
When an electrical overload occurs, your circuit breaker should trip automatically. This isn’t a malfunction – it’s protection working correctly. The breaker detects excessive current flow and physically breaks the circuit, cutting power before the wiring overheats.
Without circuit breakers, overloaded wiring would continue heating up until the insulation melts, exposing live wires. That’s when electrical fires start. Fire and Rescue NSW responds to approximately 4,500 residential fires each year, with electrical appliances and faults causing nearly 40% of them.
Older homes with ceramic fuses instead of modern circuit breakers are at higher risk. Fuses can fail to blow during moderate overloads, allowing dangerous heat buildup that breakers would prevent. Understanding the difference between safety switches vs circuit breakers helps you grasp how your switchboard protects you.
How to Prevent Electrical Overloads
Spread Appliances Across Different Circuits
Don’t run your dishwasher, washing machine, and air conditioner simultaneously if they’re on the same circuit. Check which breaker controls which areas, and rotate when you use high-draw appliances.
Book Regular Inspections
Electrical maintenance and repair from a licensed electrician can identify overload risks before they become problems, checking your switchboard capacity and circuit loads.
Upgrade Your Switchboard
If your home is pre-1990s, upgrading to a modern switchboard with a proper amperage rating eliminates most power overload risks. Modern switchboards include safety switches (RCDs) and circuit breakers designed for today’s electrical demands. Learn more about upgrading outdated wiring.
Install Dedicated Circuits
High-draw appliances like air conditioners, ovens, and clothes dryers should have their own dedicated circuits. This prevents them from competing with other appliances for power.
Replace Damaged Appliances
That dodgy old heater drawing excessive power? Replace it. Faulty appliances are electrical overload magnets.
What to Do When Your Switchboard Overloads
When your circuit breaker trips:
- Switch off or unplug appliances on that circuit before resetting the breaker
- Reset the breaker by switching it fully off, then back on
- Turn appliances back on one at a time to identify which combination caused the trip
- Spread the load – if multiple high-wattage appliances caused the trip, use them at different times
If breakers trip frequently even after spreading the load, or if you notice burning smells or buzzing, don’t keep resetting them. You need a professional assessment. Curious about why your power keeps tripping? There might be underlying issues beyond simple overload.
Know The Signs and Stay Safe
Electrical overloads happen when your circuits carry more current than they’re safely rated for, typically from too many appliances or outdated infrastructure. If you’re experiencing frequent circuit breaker trips, warm outlets, or flickering lights, your home’s electrical system is signalling that it can’t keep up with modern demands.
Don’t ignore the warning signs. Whether you need residential electrician services for a switchboard upgrade or regular maintenance, addressing power overload risks now prevents serious problems later.
J3T Electrical’s licenced team can assess your switchboard capacity, identify overload risks, and recommend solutions – from adding dedicated circuits to complete switchboard upgrades. We service residential, commercial, and industrial properties across Melbourne. Call us for same-day service, or contact our emergency electrician Melbourne team for urgent power issues.