Backup and RCDs - Updated 21st November 2025

Whole house or partial backup
When the grid goes down do you want some lights and outlets to work or the whole house?
If you don't get outages or they happen so rarely that they don't bother you then save your money.
Backup is expensive, and it recently became MORE expensive.
Enforcement of a regulation about RCDs that was previously largely 'ignored' in WA is happening now.

RCDs and why they matter when you have backup.
Most houses are properly and safely wired with circuits protected by RCDs.
Usually air conditioners, ovens, pool pumps are not RCD protected.
Often the RCD will be protecting three circuits.
Sometimes there will be combination circuit breakers and RCDs called RCBOs.

If you don't change a circuit then it can stay the way it is, protected or not.
Backup changes a circuit according to the regulations.
Whole house backup changes EVERY circuit.
Backing up a few lights and outlets only changes those specific circuits.

The regulations say that a "Type A" RCD must be installed to every 'changed' circuit.
Type A protects the circuit from both AC and DC currents.
The older Type AC only protects the circuit from AC current.



The upshot is that you may find you are going to have to replace all your RCDs and add some more.

What it costs to upgrade RCDs
We can advise you of the likely cost if you send us really clear high resolution photos of your switchboard.
If you want whole house backup then you will also need to send pictures of any sub-boards.
The clearer the picture the better because we are trying to see what type your RCDs are.

As a rule of thumb...
Single phase RCDs and RCBOs are $100 and three phase are $200 each installed
3 phase RCBOs are four 'poles' wide so replacing a three pole breaker will need an extra 'pole' of space.

Can products like Sigenergy that have a 'whole house' backup Gateway do partial backup instead?
Yes they can, but ironically it comes at a significantly higher cost.
To do partial backup on just a few circuits requires the Sigenergy energy meter to be installed as well as the Gateway.
That's typically an extra $400 (single phase) to $600 (three phase).

My advice
Think very carefully about whether you actually need backup at your house.
A backup Gateway costs about $2,000 and you might have $1,000 of RCD upgrades on top of that.

If you don't get many blackouts then use the money you might have spent on backup and RCDs elsewhere.
If you do want backup then you don't need us to do the RCD work on installation day.
You can get your switchboard upgraded by any electrician before we get there.
We would much prefer it if you did that. We have so little time and so much to do in that time already.

(08) 9467 9655

or email

This analysis was written by Andrew MacKeith, Solar4Ever service manager since 2011.
Solar4Ever is located in Morley (Perth), WA 6062