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RCDs

RCD Protection at Home

An RCD (residual current device) cuts the power when current leaks to earth, through a person who touches something live or through faulty wiring. Old fuse boards have none, and a board with no RCD is one of the clearest signs the electrics need work.

What an RCD does, how to test it, and what it means when it keeps tripping.

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Free, no obligation. One registered electrician prices it, not five.

  • Test buttonpress it twice a year, when the clocks change
  • €350 to €1,400a new board with RCD protection
  • Trips for no reason?get the wiring tested
  • €150 to €350an inspection and report

Rewire cost check

What will your rewire cost?

Six quick taps. You see our price range for your home and whether it sounds like a full rewire, a partial one, a new fuse board or an inspection first. Want a written price? One Safe Electric registered electrician who covers your county rings you.

Step 1 of 7

What kind of home is it?

Pick the closest.

How many bedrooms?

Size is the biggest thing in the price.

When was it built, or last rewired?

A rough guess is fine. The age of the wiring matters more than the age of the house.

Do you see any of these?

Tick all that apply.

The whole house, or part of it?

A partial rewire only makes sense when the rest is sound.

Will you be living in it during the work?

An empty house is quicker and costs less.

Our price range

€7,000 to €14,500

A full rewire of a 3-bed house: new cables, a new fuse board, testing and the Safe Electric certificate.

Answer the six questionsYou'll see whether it sounds like a full rewire, a partial one, a new fuse board or an inspection first.
  • About 4 to 10 days on site for a 3-bed house.
  • A new fuse board on its own: €350 to €1,400.
  • An inspection and report: €150 to €350.
  • A guide, not a quote. The written price comes after the electrician has seen and tested the house.

Get a written price

Only your county and phone number are needed. Your answers go with it, so the electrician knows the job before ringing.

Free, no obligation. One electrician, not a list. Nothing is booked until you say yes.

What it does

The switch with the test button

A fuse or a circuit breaker (MCB) protects the cable from too much current. An RCD protects people: it watches for current leaking to earth, and cuts the circuit when it does. That leak could be through someone's body, a shock risk, or through damaged wiring or an appliance, a fire risk.

On a modern board you'll see one or more switches marked with a T or a test button. Some boards have an RCBO on each circuit, which does both jobs. If there's no test button anywhere, there's no RCD.

Tripping

When the RCD keeps tripping

Unplug everything on that circuit and reset it. If it holds, plug things back one at a time: a faulty appliance, often a kettle, an oven element or an outdoor light, is a common cause. If it trips with nothing plugged in, Safe Electric's advice is to get a registered electrician to look at the installation: an RCD tripping for no clear reason can be a sign the insulation of the wiring is breaking down.

That's when a test, and a Periodic Inspection Report, earns its €150 to €350.

Services

Rewiring jobs we take requests for

Every job is done and certified by a Safe Electric registered electrician.

Two new consumer units on a board in an old house mid-rewire, with new cables coiled readyFull rewireEvery circuit replaced, a new board, tested and certified. €7,000 to €14,500 for a 3-bed house.More on full rewire →An electrician levelling a new back box in a tiled wallPartial rewireA kitchen, an extension or a few circuits, when the rest tests sound. €1,200 to €4,000+.More on partial rewire →A modern white consumer unit and a double socket on a plywood boardFuse board upgradeA new consumer unit with RCD protection. €350 to €1,400.More on fuse board upgrade →An old fuse box with pull-out fuse carriers and old cables around itElectrical inspectionA Periodic Inspection Report on every circuit. €150 to €350 for most houses.More on electrical inspection →Very old ceramic fuse holders on a brick wallRewiring an old houseRubber cable, ceramic fuses and period ceilings: what changes in an older house.More on rewiring an old house →CertYour completion certificateSafe Electric certOnly a Registered Electrical Contractor can issue it. Keep it with the deeds.More on Safe Electric cert →

Counties

House rewiring in every county

One registered electrician per county. Pick yours for local housing figures, prices and the council grants.

Guides

Rewiring guides

Questions

Questions people ask

What does an RCD do?

It cuts the power when it detects current leaking to earth, through a person or a fault, much faster than a fuse would.

How do I know if I have an RCD?

Look at the board for a switch with a test button, often marked T. No test button, no RCD.

How often should I test my RCD?

Safe Electric's advice is at least twice a year, when the clocks change, by pressing the test button.

Why does my RCD keep tripping?

A faulty appliance, water getting into an outdoor fitting, or wiring whose insulation is breaking down. If it trips with nothing plugged in, get the wiring tested.

Can I add an RCD without a new board?

Usually the answer is a new board with RCD protection built in, which costs €350 to €1,400. The electrician tests the circuits first, because an RCD will show up any weak ones.

Find out what your rewire costs

Six taps for our price range, then a written price from one Safe Electric registered electrician who covers your county. Free, no obligation.

Check my rewire costSee the price guide