What the electrical part involves
This guide covers the electrical side of replacing an electric hot water system. In general terms, that part of the job means:
- Isolating the power to the old system
- Disconnecting the old unit's electrical connection so it can be removed
- Connecting the new unit to the electrical supply
- Replacing the isolator switch beside the unit if it is damaged, worn or doesn't suit the new system
- Restoring power and checking the new unit switches on
Electrical work in Queensland must be done by a licensed electrician, and DIY electrical work is illegal. That covers the connection at the unit and the isolator switch beside it.
Many hot water systems sit outside, so the isolator and the cabling near the unit live with sun and rain. We look at the visible parts of it while we are there and will tell you if anything needs attention.
When the hot water stops
Cold water from the hot tap might be the unit or it might be the power supply to it. From the outside, there is no telling which.
Don't open the covers on the unit or the isolator switch to look. Call a licensed electrician and describe what happened: when it stopped, whether a safety switch has tripped, and whether anything looks scorched, cracked or wet around the isolator. If it turns out to be an electrical fault, that work is quoted.
What to tell whoever you call
Whoever you ring first, a few details help the electrical part get planned properly:
- The make and model of the old system, and of the new one if it has already been chosen
- Where the unit sits: outside against a wall, in the laundry, in a cupboard or under the house
- A photo of the old unit and the isolator switch beside it
- Whether the new system is going in the same spot or somewhere else
- Whether the new system is a different type from the old one, since that can change the electrical work
- Any damage you can see on the isolator switch or the cabling near the unit
Moving the unit or changing its type can turn a straight swap into a bigger electrical job. Better to know that at the quote than on the day.
Timing
P4 works Monday to Friday, 7am to 5pm. After-hours work can't be promised, so if the hot water fails on a Friday evening, it may be the next weekday before P4 can come. Every job is quoted first.
What you get
After the electrical work you get an invoice and a certificate for the electrical work. The hot water system's own warranty comes from its manufacturer, so keep its paperwork.
More on the service is on the hot water replacements page. Related work sits under appliance replacement and home maintenance and repairs. P4 works across Logan, Ipswich and the southside of Brisbane.
