Electrician in Woodburn, NSW
Electrical work in Woodburn
Most of our work in Woodburn sits along the river flats, on the streets that run back from River Street and the Richmond River. River Street used to carry the Pacific Highway through the middle of the village, and now it is a quieter regional road. The houses and shops here sit close to the water level, and floodwater has been through the low streets more than once, most recently in 2022. That shapes where we look first. Before anything else, we find out how high the switchboard and the power points are mounted.
Access in the village is easy. Blocks are flat and mostly level with the street, and driveways are usually wide enough to park the van beside the house. The meter box is often on an outside wall or a front fence post, and on older places it can be a long way from the switchboard. On the cane and grazing blocks outside the village, expect a gate, a long track and a shed with its own supply. Tell us who holds the key to the gate.
The older Woodburn homes are timber cottages on stumps, many of them raised off the ground, with tongue and groove walls and fibrous cement sheeting under the veranda. Wiring in these houses is often original rubber or early PVC cable running through a tight roof space, with a ceramic fuse board still on the wall. Damp is the enemy here. A house that has taken water in the past can have corroded connections, wet insulation and cable runs that look fine and are not.
What we do here most
What Woodburn keeps needing
Almost every job in this village comes back to the river: lifting gear above the water, keeping power on when the roads are cut, and replacing what damp has worn out.
Switchboard Upgrades
Flood-marked switchboard replaced in a cottage
A timber cottage near the river has an old board that has been wet before, and the breakers feel gritty when they are switched. We take off the cover, look for rust, silt and green corrosion on the busbars, and check the earthing. A new board goes in on the wall higher than the old one, with RCDs on the power and lighting circuits. Every circuit is traced back to the board as we go.
Generator Changeover
Changeover switch for a flooded-in house
When the roads close and the grid drops out, a household can be on its own for days. We fit a changeover switch beside the switchboard so a portable generator can feed the house without backfeeding the street. A generator inlet goes on an outside wall, mounted high and sheltered from rain. We label which circuits the generator can carry, so the fridge and lights come first.
Electrical Repairs
Old rubber cable fault, stump cottage
Lights flicker in a raised timber cottage and a power point is warm to touch. We check the roof space and the cavity under the floor, where original rubber insulated cable can be cracked and crumbling. Rodents and damp have often been at it too. A damaged run is cut out and replaced with new cable. The old wiring behind it stays under suspicion until we have tested it.
Commercial Electrical
Shop fit-out on River Street
Since the highway moved to the bypass, the shops along River Street have changed hands and changed use. A new tenant usually wants more power points, better lighting and a data point or two at the counter. We open the shop switchboard, count the spare ways and see what the supply can carry. Wiring for anything near the floor is kept as high as the wall allows.
If it is urgent
If power drops in Woodburn
- 1Look at the switchboard from a dry spot. If the safety switch has tripped, press it back up once. If it drops again, leave it off.
- 2Do not touch the board, any power point or any appliance that has been wet, and do not wade through water to reach them.
- 3Tell us your street, whether water has been inside the house or only in the yard, and where the switchboard and meter box sit.
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I send before someone visits?
A short description of what is happening and which suburb you are in is the main thing. A photo of the switchboard with the cover closed, and one of the spot where the work is needed, lets us see the age of the installation and the layout. If an appliance or unit is involved, send its make and model.
How do I describe a fault over the phone?
Say which room or circuit is affected and what you noticed first, such as lights flickering, a switch tripping or a smell of burning. Mention whether it happens all the time or only when a particular appliance is running. If there is smoke, fire or someone has been hurt, call 000 first.
What days and hours are you open?
We are open Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 4pm, and closed on Saturday and Sunday. You can call 0468 051 006 or email enquires@switchedonelectrical.com.au. If you email, put your suburb and what is going on in the first lines.
Which areas do you cover?
We are based in Ballina and work across the Northern Rivers. That includes Lennox Head, Skennars Head, Alstonville, Wollongbar, Byron Bay, Bangalow, Lismore, Mullumbimby, Woodburn, Evans Head and Broadwater. If you are somewhere nearby, call and ask.
What does a switchboard upgrade involve?
The power is switched off, the old board is taken out and a new board goes in with the circuits moved across. Safety switches are fitted to the circuits and each circuit is labelled. Older boards sometimes hide extra wiring, which becomes visible once the cover is off.
Can a power point be added where I need one?
Usually, yes. It depends on where the nearest circuit is, whether that circuit can carry the extra load, and how the cable can reach the spot through the roof space, the wall cavity or under the floor. A photo of the wall and a note of what you want to plug in is enough to start.
What if my safety switch keeps tripping?
Unplug everything on the affected circuit and reset the switch once. If it holds, plug appliances back in one at a time, since a faulty appliance is a common cause. If it trips again with nothing plugged in, leave it off and call us, because the fault is in the wiring or a fitting.
What do I need to know about smoke alarm basics?
Alarms belong in hallways and near bedrooms, and interconnected alarms sound together when one detects smoke. Mains powered alarms with a battery backup are common in newer homes. Most alarms have a date printed on the back, so check it, and call us if yours is old or does not sound when tested.
How are data points run?
A network cable, usually Cat6, runs from a central point such as a patch panel or a rack to a wall outlet in each room. It goes through the roof space or wall cavity, is terminated at both ends and is tested. Tell us which rooms need a point and where the router or rack will sit.
Do you work with solar and batteries?
Yes. Solar system installation and battery installation are both on our list of work. Both connect through the switchboard and meter box, so a photo of those and the make of any inverter or battery you have in mind is a useful start.
What is involved in an EV charger install?
The charger needs its own circuit from the switchboard, and the cable has to run from the board to wherever the car parks. We look at the board for spare space and at the distance to the garage or carport. Send a photo of the board and the make and model of the charger.
What should I know before an air conditioner install?
Decide which room the unit serves and where the outdoor unit can sit, since the pipes and cable have to connect the two. The switchboard needs a circuit with enough capacity for the unit. Send the make and model if you have chosen one, and a photo of the board and the wall where the indoor unit will go.
Everything we do here
Services in Woodburn, NSW
In a low river village like Woodburn, every service on our list starts with the same question: how far above the water is the wiring.
Also nearby
We work in these suburbs too
Local, and on the phone
Send us your Woodburn address
Tell us your street and whether the house has had floodwater inside before. A photo of the switchboard with the cover closed also helps us plan what to bring on the first visit.
0468 051 006Monday to Friday 7:30am to 4pm
Not urgent? Send us the job instead