A new induction cooktop can look like a simple swap until its supply requirements and the old cable are compared. We use the exact model’s installation information to assess the circuit and available capacity. A gas-to-induction change also needs the gas safely disconnected by an appropriately licensed gasfitter, and the bench opening may need alteration. Planning those parts together helps avoid a new appliance sitting in its box while the kitchen is out of action.
When to get it checked
You're replacing a gas cooktop
A gas cooktop needs little or no power, so there's rarely a cable at the bench big enough for induction. Expect a new circuit, plus a licensed gasfitter for the gas side.
The new model is rated higher
A full-size induction cooktop often asks for more than the coil or ceramic top it replaces. The circuit must be checked against the new installation sheet.
Oven and cooktop share one circuit
Many older kitchens fed the wall oven and cooktop from one cable and breaker. A bigger induction cooktop can push that shared circuit past what it was sized for.
No room on the switchboard
Every position is full, the board still has ceramic fuses, or there's no safety switch. The new circuit needs its own protection, so the board may need work first.
Why it happens
5 common causes
A lot of power in a small space
Induction heats the pan through a magnetic field, and boost on several zones can draw heavily at once. The installation sheet gives the total load the circuit must be ready for.
Cable sized for the old appliance
Kitchen cables were chosen for whatever was fitted when the house was built. What a cable can carry depends on its size, length and how it is run, including whether it's buried in insulation.
Older supply connections
Most induction cooktops connect to a single-phase supply, so the number of phases is rarely the problem. The size of the supply can be, in an older home that also runs electric heating or hot water.
Several electric upgrades at once
Induction often arrives with a heat pump water heater, reverse cycle heating or an EV charger. Together they can outgrow a board laid out for a gas-heated house.
Wiring that has aged
Energy Safe Victoria says wiring should be checked if a house was built more than 30 years ago. Years of heat under a bench can leave cable brittle.
What the job covers
What we usually do on this job. Your quote confirms it for your place.
- Exact cooktop model and electrical rating checked
- Existing circuit and switchboard capacity assessed
- Benchtop cut-out dimensions reviewed
- New dedicated supply quoted if needed
- Isolation and connection arranged to suit the appliance
- Coordination of timing with other required trades
- Cooktop secured and connected within the agreed scope
- Electrical testing and controls demonstrated
Your options, explained
Like-for-like electric swap
Low disruption- Best for
- Replacing an electric cooktop on a sound, suitable circuit
- How it works
- We confirm the cable, protection and connection suit the new rating, then connect it and add any safety switch protection the alteration calls for.
- Worth knowing
- The cut-out still has to match the new glass.
Power-managed connection
Low disruption- Best for
- A sound circuit a little smaller than the new model's full rating
- How it works
- Where the manufacturer allows it, the cooktop's power management is set at installation so its total draw suits the circuit.
- Worth knowing
- Every zone still works, but fewer can run on full boost together. Not every model offers it.
New dedicated circuit
Medium disruption- Best for
- Gas-to-induction, shared oven circuits and relocated cooktops
- How it works
- A new cable runs from the switchboard to the kitchen through the roof or subfloor, with its own protection and an isolating switch.
- Worth knowing
- The route sets the effort. Double-storey and slab homes take more planning.
Cooktop plus board or supply work
High disruption- Best for
- Full or fuse boards, or several electric upgrades planned together
- How it works
- The board is extended or replaced, or the supply increased, alongside the cooktop circuit.
- Worth knowing
- Energy Safe Victoria says a replaced main switchboard can't be switched back on until a licensed electrical inspector has inspected it.
The people behind the work
Our own photos from jobs like this one. Family-run, based in Altona Meadows, with 19 years in the industry.
Licensed electrical contractor (REC 38187)See more team photos
Worth knowing before you book
- Buy after the checks
- Send the installation sheet before ordering. The model’s power and physical dimensions determine whether it suits your kitchen.
- Bench work is separate
- Stone cutting, cabinetry changes and splashback repairs need the appropriate trades. We identify these dependencies at the quote stage.
- A gas line needs its own trade
- Switching off a valve is not the same as permanently decommissioning a gas connection. Arrange an appropriately licensed gasfitter for that part.
What affects the price?
The right scope depends on your installation. These are the details we check so your quote is useful, with any additional work explained before it proceeds.
The model you choose
Its rated load and connection options decide whether the old circuit stays, is power-managed or is replaced.
Distance from the board
A kitchen beside the switchboard is a shorter run than one at the far end of the house. Roof access, subfloor height and a second storey all matter.
Board space and protection
A spare position is simpler than a full board, and any alteration brings safety switch requirements with it.
The existing cable
Cable that is undersized, damaged or brittle can't be reused, however convenient its position.
Other trades and return visits
Gas disconnection, stone cutting and cabinetry are separate trades. A clear order of work keeps return visits down.
Before the visit
- Send both old and new appliance details.
- Confirm the cut-out with the bench installer before purchase.
- Include any future EV or heating upgrades in the capacity discussion.
How it runs
- 1
Send the model
Include the installation sheet, old cooktop and accessible switchboard photos.
- 2
Assess the supply
We check the circuit, cable route and any upgrade needed.
- 3
Coordinate the changeover
Confirm when bench and gas work will be complete.
- 4
Connect and test
The new cooktop is installed, tested and handed over.
Step by step, in more detail
5 steps
Send the model and a board photo
Send the installation sheet for the cooktop you are considering and a clear photo of the switchboard, without removing any covers. Mention any other electric upgrades you are planning.
Check the circuit and supply
On site we check the cable size, route and condition, the protection at the board, spare positions, the main switch and the incoming supply.
Quote the agreed scope
You get the price before we start, with gas, bench and cabinetry work named as separate trades and the order of work agreed.
Run the circuit ahead of the changeover
Where a new circuit is needed, we can often run the cable and fit the protection before the old cooktop comes out, so the kitchen stays usable for longer.
Connect, test and hand over
The cooktop is connected, secured and tested, including its safety switch. We run every zone, set any power management needed, show you the isolating switch and leave your Certificate of Electrical Safety.
What is safe to do, and what to leave to us
Safe for you to do
- Have the installation sheet and cut-out size checked before you order.
- If the cooktop or its circuit smells hot or crackles, switch it off at the switchboard if it's safe to reach.
- Reset a tripped safety switch once. If it trips again or won't reset, call a licensed electrician.
- Check cookware against the manufacturer's guidance before replacing pans.
Leave these to us
- Connecting a hardwired cooktop yourself. Energy Safe Victoria says unlicensed electrical or gasfitting work is illegal and potentially fatal.
- Capping or disconnecting the old gas cooktop yourself. That needs a licensed gasfitter.
- Fitting a larger breaker so the cooktop stops tripping.
- Running any cooktop from an extension lead or power board.
When to get us in
- Before you order, with the model number
- When you're moving from gas to induction
- When a renovation moves the cooktop
- When a breaker trips with the oven and hotplates on
- Straight away if the connection or board smells hot
More detail
What the installation sheet tells us
The sheet for your exact model lists the rated load, the protection it expects and whether it can connect on one phase or more. It also sets the cut-out and the ventilation gap the electronics need underneath, which matters with an oven or drawer below.
Getting the order right for gas to induction
Check first, buy second, then book the trades in sequence. A licensed gasfitter disconnects the gas and makes the line safe, the bench is adjusted if the cut-out has changed, and we connect the cooktop last. Plan a few meals around the changeover.
Safety switches on the new circuit
Energy Safe Victoria's guidance notes the Wiring Rules call for additional RCD protection when an existing installation is altered. Type AC safety switches can no longer be installed, even like for like. On an older board, those rules often decide whether the new circuit slots in or the board needs work first.
Local rules and conditions
Victorian requirements and local conditions that shape this job, with the sources listed at the foot of the page.
Post-war homes, older connections
Altona's special character areas are built around intact post-war brick and weatherboard homes. Older homes can have a smaller supply and a switchboard with little spare room, so we check both before an induction cooktop goes in.
New estates are going all-electric
Wyndham's planned growth areas include Truganina, Tarneit, Wyndham Vale and Manor Lakes. New homes needing a planning permit have had to be all-electric since 1 January 2024, and from 1 January 2027 all new homes must be, a rule not yet in force. Existing homes don't have to switch gas cooking to electric, though the government encourages it. Building? Check the cooktop circuit suits the model you'll buy.
Rentals: cooking counts as urgent
Consumer Affairs Victoria lists a rental's essential cooking appliance that isn't working as an urgent repair. Where an old fuse board must be replaced to meet the rental electrical standard, every circuit at the board needs circuit breaker protection, including fixed cooking equipment.
Useful reading
Guides to read before you decide, with checklists and questions to bring to the quote.
- Moving to induction: the checks to make before you buyA practical order for checking the supply, bench opening, gas disconnection and installation day.
- Going all-electric in a Melbourne homeHot water, heating and cooking don't have to go electric at once. How to stage the move off gas, check the switchboard once and time each step.
- Planning a switchboard upgrade without surprisesWhat the electrician needs to check, how to compare the scope and what to organise before the power goes off.
- Certificates of Electrical Safety explainedWhat a Victorian COES records, how prescribed and non-prescribed work differ, when your copy should arrive and why it belongs in your house file.
Common questions
From the blog
- Induction or ceramic electric cooktop: which is worth it?Induction responds faster, cleans more easily and keeps the glass cooler. Ceramic still suits some cookware and kitchens. Here is how the two compare day to day.
- What should I check before buying an induction cooktop?Coordinate the appliance specification, benchtop opening, electrical assessment and gas removal before the old cooktop comes out.
Sources for the rules and local facts on this page
16 sources, with the date each was checked
- 1.Victorian Government, Hobsons Bay Planning Scheme (PDF snapshot, last updated by VC292 on 11/09/2025): SPECIAL CHARACTER AREAS, ALTONA 1.0 24/02/2022 C131hbay Neighbourhood character objectives To preserve the characteristics of the neighbourhood, comprising intact post-war brick and weatherboard dwellings with… Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 2.Victorian Electoral Commission (2023 electoral structure review fact sheet): New housing developments are planned in residential growth areas including Truganina, Tarneit, Wyndham Vale and Manor Lakes, as well as near activity centres and public transport. Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 3.Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (Victoria): from 1 January 2024, new homes requiring a planning permit are required to be all-electric Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 4.Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria): Victoria’s new Building and Plumbing Amendment Regulations 2025 have been finalised, advancing Victoria’s shift toward all-electric buildings. From 1 January 2027, all new homes and most new commercial buildings will be… Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 5.Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (Victoria): From 1 March 2027, if a gas hot water appliance breaks and cannot be repaired, it must be replaced with an electric alternative. No requirement to upgrade gas space heating or stovetop gas cooking to electric, however… Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 6.Consumer Affairs Victoria: Anything on this list is legally defined as an urgent repair: burst water service blocked or broken toilet system serious roof leak gas leak dangerous electrical fault flooding or serious flood damage serious… Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 7.Consumer Affairs Victoria: Some properties do not have circuit breaker type switchboards, such as older properties that have a panel and fuse board or a federal fuse board. With these older fuse boards, an electrician may not have the option of… Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 8.Energy Safe Victoria: Old switchboards, particularly those without a safety switch Old power switches or power points, particularly broken ones Flickering lights Sparks from switchboards, switches or power points. If your house is over 30… Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 9.Energy Safe Victoria: Whenever a licensed electrician completes any electrical installation work, they must provide a Certificate of Electrical Safety (COES). Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 10.Energy Safe Victoria: Gas and electricity are inherently dangerous and it’s illegal and potentially fatal for unlicensed and unqualified people to undertake any electrical or gasfitting work. Homeowners and consumers must always use… Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 11.Energy Safe Victoria: Gas and electricity are inherently dangerous and it’s illegal and potentially fatal for unlicensed and unqualified people to undertake any gasfitting or electrical work. Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 12.Energy Safe Victoria: The Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC) is responsible for registering, licensing and disciplining plumbers and gasfitters in Victoria. Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 13.Energy Safe Victoria: Locate your electricity box outside your home and check whether the safety switch has tripped. If it has tripped, reset the switch. If the switch won’t reset, call a licensed electrician. Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 14.Energy Safe Victoria: The electrician has eight business days after the work is completed to have that work inspected by a licensed electrical inspector (LEI). If an electrician replaces a main switchboard at a property, power cannot go back… Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 15.Energy Safe Victoria: Clause 2.6.3.2.5 of the Wiring Rules states: Additional protection by RCDs shall be provided in existing electrical installations where alterations or a switchboard replacement is completed. Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 16.Energy Safe Victoria: Type AC RCDs must not be installed in Australia. This includes like for like replacement. We recommend that electrical contractors advise customers of the new requirements. However, it is not mandatory to replace… Accessed 30 September 2026.
