Showing 0 products
Frequently Asked Questions
What job does a switchboard do?
It receives the supply and splits it.
One incoming point, many outgoing ways.
Measurement happens at the same place.
Downstream boards subdivide further.
Nothing else sees the whole load.
How is it different from switchgear?
Its devices are bolted in place.
They do not rack out.
Work means killing that section.
The board is cheaper and shallower for it.
Most commercial buildings prefer that trade.
Why does front access matter?
It saves a metre of room depth.
The board can stand against a wall.
Plant rooms are always short of space.
Rear access buys maintenance flexibility.
Few buildings need it.
Should metering be built in?
Yes, because retrofitting is disruptive.
The whole load passes this point.
Transformers and instruments fit at build.
Adding them later means an outage.
On the one board nobody can lose.
How many spare ways are sensible?
Enough for the building's next change.
Tenancy splits arrive unannounced.
Spare ways are cheap at manufacture.
Extending a busbar is not.
A quarter spare is a common starting point.
What sets its physical size?
Current rating and heat.
Busbar cross-section follows the load.
Devices need spacing to shed heat.
Cable entry needs bending room.
Size is rarely negotiable downward.
Does the room itself need designing?
It does, and it often is not.
Working clearance in front is mandatory.
Doors must pass the largest section.
Ventilation removes real heat.
And cable routes have to arrive somewhere sensible.