SURGE PROTECTION FOR
BRISBANE HOMES
LICENCED ELECTRICIANS AS/NZS 3000 COMPLIANT 70+ 5-STAR GOOLE REVIEWS SERVICING INNER SOUTHSIDE BRISBANE
Brisbane homes are exposed every storm season.
South-East Queensland sits within one of Australia's most active thunderstorm corridors. The warm, humid climate produces intense convective storms that drive voltage spikes of 6,000 volts or more directly through the grid and into unprotected homes — often with no warning.
At JMD Electrical, we've seen the damage first-hand. A single surge event — triggered by a lightning strike kilometres away on the Energex network — can silently destroy your air conditioner, solar inverter, home theatre, and smart home systems in a single instant.
A switchboard Surge Protection Device (SPD) is the single most effective step you can take to protect your home's electrical equipment. Installed at your main switchboard, it covers every circuit in your home simultaneously — including hardwired appliances, air conditioning, and solar systems that a power board protector can't reach.
EQUIPMENT AT RISK
What's at risk in your home?
Every circuit in an unprotected home is exposed! Here's what a single surge event could end up costing you, if you don't have surge protection.
Smart TVs & Home Theatre
Ducted & Split System Air Conditioning
Smart Home & Security Systems
Induction Cooktops & Smart Ovens
Solar, Battery & EV Chargers
$5,000 - $30,000+
Computer & Home Office
Smart Home & Security Systems
$1,000 - $10,000+
HIGH VALUE SYSTEMS
Solar, battery & EV owners face the hightest risk.
If you've invested in home energy technology, you have more to lose — and more exposure — than a standard home. Here's why.
Solar PV System
Inverter replacement: $1,500 - $5,000+
Your inverter contains highly sensitive DC-to-AC conversion electronics that are directly exposed to grid-side surges. Monitoring and communications boards inside popular inverter brands are frequently the first component to fail after a surge event — and they're expensive to replace.
An inverter failure also means lost solar generation. At $8–$15 per day in lost export and offset value, every week of downtime adds up quickly while you wait for a replacement.
Home Battery Storage
BMS/ system damage: $800 - $15,000+
Battery Management Systems (BMS) contain sophisticated electronics that monitor cell voltage, temperature, and charge cycles — all of which can be permanently damaged by a surge event. A damaged BMS doesn't always fail immediately; it can silently degrade your battery's performance and capacity for months.
Many manufacturers — including Tesla Powerwall and Sungrow — do not cover surge-related damage under warranty unless surge protection was fitted at the switchboard. Always check your T&Cs.
EV Charger
Charger replacement: $12,00 - $3,500+
EV chargers are hardwired directly into your switchboard on a dedicated circuit — meaning any surge on the network travels straight to the charger's control board with no power board to act as a buffer. Smart chargers (Zappi, Tesla Wall Connector, Wallbox Pulsar) are particularly vulnerable due to their Wi-Fi and energy management electronics.
A surge during charging can also trigger a fault in your vehicle's onboard charger (OBC) — a dealer repair that can cost thousands and is rarely covered under the car's warranty.
Your inverter contains highly sensitive DC-to-AC conversion electronics that are directly exposed to grid-side surges. Monitoring and communications boards inside popular inverter brands are frequently the first component to fail after a surge event — and they're expensive to replace.
An inverter failure also means lost solar generation. At $8–$15 per day in lost export and offset value, every week of downtime adds up quickly while you wait for a replacement.
Solar PV System
Inverter replacement: $1,500 - $5,000+
Home Battery Storage
BMS/ system damage: $800 - $15,000+
EV Charger
Charger replacement: $12,00 - $3,500+
Battery Management Systems (BMS) contain sophisticated electronics that monitor cell voltage, temperature, and charge cycles — all of which can be permanently damaged by a surge event. A damaged BMS doesn't always fail immediately; it can silently degrade your battery's performance and capacity for months.
Many manufacturers — including Tesla Powerwall and Sungrow — do not cover surge-related damage under warranty unless surge protection was fitted at the switchboard. Always check your T&Cs.
EV chargers are hardwired directly into your switchboard on a dedicated circuit — meaning any surge on the network travels straight to the charger's control board with no power board to act as a buffer. Smart chargers (Zappi, Tesla Wall Connector, Wallbox Pulsar) are particularly vulnerable due to their Wi-Fi and energy management electronics.
A surge during charging can also trigger a fault in your vehicle's onboard charger (OBC) — a dealer repair that can cost thousands and is rarely covered under the car's warranty.
The price of installing a switchboard SPD is a fraction of the cost of replacing expensive electrical appliances in your home. One device, installed at your main switchboard, protects your whole home simultaneously.
Please note, the NBN connection may require a stand-alone surge protection device suitable for telecommunication networks. JMD can discuss this with you when on-site.
01. LIGHTNING STRIKES ON THE ENERGY NETWORK
Comprehensive inspection of your existing wiring and electrical system. Identification of potential hazards and outdated components. A strike on a nearby power line, transformer, or substation sends a massive voltage spike through the grid and straight into your switchboard. The surge can travel kilometres from the actual strike point and still cause serious damage.
02. POWER RESTORATION AFTER A STORM OUTAGE
When supply is restored after a blackout, the sudden inrush of power from the network can spike voltage well beyond safe operating limits — often at the worst possible moment when equipment is already stressed.
03. INTERNAT SWITCHING SURGES
Large appliances like air conditioners, pool pumps, and fridges generate small surges every time they cycle on. Over time, these internal transients silently degrade the sensitive electronics in your other appliances.
04. GRID INSTABILITY DURING PEAK DEMAND
Hot QLD summer days push the Energex network hard. Voltage fluctuations during periods of high demand can affect sensitive electronics throughout your home — even without a dramatic storm event.
05. SURGES ENTERING VIA THE NBN & PHONE LINES
The NBN cable running into your home is a conductor. A nearby lightning strike on the network sends a spike straight through your modem — and from there it travels along data cables (Cat5/6, RS485) to anything connected, including smart AC controllers, home automation systems, and security equipment.
⚠️ Important — A Switchboard SPD Does Not Stop This
We've seen QLD jobs where an NBN network strike destroyed a MyAir or MyPlace touchscreen controller and zone boards via the data cable — while the AC compressor, outdoor unit, and power supply were completely unharmed. The surge never touched the electrical side of the system. A switchboard SPD protects the 240V electrical circuits only. For full protection of NBN-connected smart systems, a separate data-line or telco surge protector is needed at the NBN entry point. Ask us when we're on site and we'll point you in the right direction.
How do surges enter your home?
Most homeowners assume surges only happen during a direct lightning strike. In reality, your home faces multiple surge pathways — some of which aren't stopped by a standard switchboard SPD at all.
HOW IT WORKS
Protection in less than a nanosecond.
01
Continuous Monitoring
Your SPD is installed directly in the main switchboard, monitoring incoming voltage from the energy network at all times — day and night, storm season and off.
02
Surge Detected
The instant a voltage spike is detected — from a network lightning strike, restoration surge, or internal transient — the SPD responds faster than any circuit breaker can.
03
Energy Diverted to Earth
Excess voltage is clamped and safely redirected to earth in nanoseconds. Your appliances receive only clean, regulated power throughout the event.
04
Automatic Reset
The SPD resets automatically after each event, ready for the next surge. There's nothing to replace, no manual reset required, and no interruption to your power supply.
OUR SURGE PROTECTION SERVICES
What we supply & install
All work is carried out by our licensed electricians and compliant with AS/NZS 3000.
SWITCHBOARD SPD SUPPLY & INSTALL
We supply and install a quality Hager Type 2 SPD
directly into your main switchboard,
protecting every circuit in your home from grid-side surge events.
What's included?
- Site assessment and switchboard inspection
- Quality Hager SPD supply and professional installation
- Certificate of Test issued
- Documentation suitable for insurance records
* Pricing varies depending on switchboard configuration & SPD type required.
Contact us for a quote.