Few things in a home are more worrying than a hot, acrid smell drifting from the meter box or switchboard. It is a smell people often describe as burning plastic, fishy or like an overheated toy. It is also one of the clearest signs that something electrical is getting hotter than it should. Treat it seriously.

What to do straight away

If you see smoke, flames or sparking, get everyone out of the house and call 000.
If there is no fire but a strong smell, keep people and pets away from the board.
Do not open the board and poke around, and do not touch anything that looks scorched or melted.
If it is safe to do so and you can reach the main switch without touching damaged parts, turning it off can remove the load. If in doubt, leave it.
Call a licensed electrician.

Why switchboards overheat

Heat in a switchboard usually comes from resistance where there should be a clean connection. Common causes include:

Loose connections

Over years of heating and cooling, screw terminals can loosen. A loose terminal arcs and heats up, slowly cooking the insulation around it. It can go on quietly for a long time before anyone notices a smell.

Overloaded circuits

Homes today run far more than they were designed for. An older board feeding air conditioners, induction cooktops, pool pumps and multiple heaters can push circuits and fuses hard.

Old ceramic fuses and rewireable fuse wire

Many homes from the 1950s to 1970s still have ceramic fuse holders. Fuse wire is sometimes replaced with the wrong rating, which means a circuit can carry far more current than it should before the fuse lets go.

Failing breakers or safety switches

Breakers and safety switches are mechanical devices that can wear and fail internally.

Pests and moisture

Rodents, insects and moisture getting into the board can damage insulation and corrode terminals. In coastal suburbs like Windang, Kiama Downs and Gerroa, salt air speeds up corrosion in outdoor meter boxes.

Signs that come before the smell

Sometimes there are earlier warnings. Look out for:

Discolouration or brown marks on the board or around breakers.
A breaker or fuse holder that feels warm to the touch from the outside of the cover.
Buzzing or crackling sounds.
Lights that flicker or dim when big appliances start.
Fuses that blow regularly.

If you notice any of these, arrange an inspection before it turns into a smell.

What an electrician will do

Kalani will isolate the power safely, open the board and find the source of the heat. Sometimes the fix is tightening and remaking a connection and replacing a damaged component. Other times the board is old, overloaded or has no safety switch protection, and the safest long-term answer is a switchboard upgrade. He will show you what he found and explain your options before doing anything beyond making the board safe.

Customers have told us Kalani found fire hazards in a meter box while he was there for an unrelated job. Those problems often have no obvious symptoms until they become serious, which is why a quick look by a licensed electrician is worthwhile in older homes.

Do not wait it out

A burning smell rarely fixes itself. Even if it fades, the damage at the connection usually remains, and it can get worse under load. The same goes for a smell from a single power point or light switch, which our guide to a sparking power point covers.

Call any time

Flowstate is open 24 hours for emergency electrical call outs across Shellharbour, Wollongong and Kiama. If you can smell burning at the switchboard, call or text Kalani on 0424 400 346. If it is safe to take one, a photo of the board helps him prepare.

Burning smell from the switchboard