How to generate circuits and a switchboard from your floor plan

What information should be prepared on the floor plan?

The quality of the proposal directly depends on the information available on the plan. Each area should have a name and a room type, and each fitting must sit inside the room it serves.

Equipment placed inside a room is included. An interior item without a room is named, flagged and then ignored so the software never invents an assignment. Exterior-category items are grouped into a logical outdoor area.

• Name and qualify every room.
• Place power points, lighting and appliances in the correct area.
• Mark the appliances that need their own circuit.
• Review the list of equipment left outside rooms.

Loading power circuits with Table C9

AS/NZS 3000 sets no fixed number of power points per circuit or per room. Planelico uses the method of Table C9 in Appendix C, which is informative: in a home, each 10 A power point counts as 1 A and each lighting point as 0.5 A, and the total stays within the circuit-breaker rating. A double power point counts as two.

By default that gives power circuits in 2.5 mm² on 20 A, up to 20 power points each; you can switch to 16 A (up to 16) for more margin. Lighting circuits are 1.5 mm² on 10 A, up to 20 points, with at least two lighting circuits. These are design guides, shown as such in the software: cable sizes are confirmed under AS/NZS 3008.

How are power and lighting circuits grouped?

The recommended strategy groups adjacent areas while sensibly combining small rooms. It balances readability, cost and maintenance without systematically filling every circuit to its maximum.

Circuits never mix floors. Large areas can be split when the equipment count requires it, while nearby rooms stay grouped whenever that creates a more natural switchboard layout.

• Grouping by proximity and use.
• Separate floors and, when requested, garage or outdoor areas.
• Reasonable headroom before maximum circuit capacity.
• An explanation of every room and item served by each circuit.

Which appliances get their own circuit?

The cooktop and oven get their own circuit, as does any appliance rated above 20 A — Appendix C suggests a separate circuit beyond 20 A per phase. An EV charger gets its own circuit, as Appendix P recommends. Dishwashers, washing machines and dryers can stay on a power circuit or get their own: your choice.

This separation is validated before saving. Any inconsistent proposal remains clearly identified as a draft that needs correction.

RCDs and switchboard organisation

In Australia, every final subcircuit of a home needs 30 mA RCD protection, installed at the switchboard where the circuit starts — power, lighting, cooktop, oven, water heater and air conditioning alike (clause 2.6.3.2.2). Planelico places every circuit behind a 30 mA RCD of Type A or better — never Type AC — with Type B where the equipment requires it.

Circuits are spread so that no RCD protects more than three of them, with at least two RCDs and the lighting circuits shared between them (clause 2.6.2.4): a single trip never leaves the whole home in the dark. The switchboard layout shows the breakers and the spare ways left for later additions.

• At least two 30 mA RCDs, three circuits each at most.
• Type A by default, never Type AC.
• Lighting on 10 A breakers, up to 20 points per circuit, shared between RCDs.
• Isolating switches for the water heater and air conditioning added to the Pro quote.

What does the PDF export contain?

The document opens with a summary — standard, switchboard and key figures — then shows the switchboard layout and a circuit schedule grouped by RCD, with each circuit’s protection, cable size, load and served equipment.

Points to check are numbered and state exactly which circuit, room or item they apply to, along with the action needed. The switchboard can be exported on its own or added to the full PDF containing the floor plan and symbols.

With the Pro plan, you can also export switchboard labels to print at the exact size of your enclosure.

What generation does not replace

Generation is a pre-sizing aid. It does not automatically know cable lengths, installation methods, grouping, voltage drop, actual nameplate loads or bathroom zones.

Final installation compliance and execution must be checked by a licensed electrician according to the building and the rules that apply to the project.

Quick method with Planelico

1. 1

   Import the PDF floor plan

   Add the different levels of the home to Planelico.

2. 2

   Create and qualify rooms

   Name every area and select its room type.

3. 3

   Place the equipment

   Position power points, lighting and dedicated appliances inside the correct rooms.

4. 4

   Open switchboard generation

   Check the standard is AS/NZS 3000, then choose 20 A or 16 A power circuits and the grouping strategy.

5. 5

   Review the checks

   Correct any reported inconsistencies.

6. 6

   Save and export

   Keep the draft with the project, then export it alone or with the full floor plan.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

• Standards Australia — AS/NZS 3000 Wiring Rules
• NSW Building Commission — electrical standards, rules and notes