Home switchboard diagram PDF: content, reading and method

What does a home switchboard diagram show?

The diagram starts with the main switch, then shows the RCDs and the circuit breakers downstream. Every circuit should have a clear label such as living-room power, upstairs lighting, oven, washing machine, water heater or EV charger.

A site-ready PDF can add a circuit schedule and a visual row layout so the reader can distinguish electrical hierarchy, labelling and physical module occupancy.

• Main switch isolating the whole installation, clearly marked (clause 2.3.3).
• RCDs and the circuits supplied by each one.
• Breaker, circuit name and relevant characteristics.
• Row and module position in the switchboard.
• Spare capacity and points still requiring validation.

How do you read the diagram from top to bottom?

Start at the main switch and follow each branch through an RCD to the circuit breakers below it. Circuit names then link the switchboard back to the equipment shown on the floor plan.

Good reading is not only about breaker ratings. You should know which rooms and equipment are served and find the same circuit name on the plan, legend and switchboard schedule.

100 m² house example: why there is no universal switchboard

Floor area gives context but cannot define the switchboard on its own. An all-electric 100 m² house, one with gas cooking and a home with an EV charger do not have the same circuits or constraints.

A useful example begins with the real inventory: power and lighting, kitchen, laundry, water heater, air conditioning, outdoor areas, garage, data and future equipment. In New Zealand, final subcircuits supplying power points, lighting points and directly connected hand-held equipment in a home need 30 mA RCD protection, installed at the switchboard where the circuit starts (clause 2.6.3.3.1).

• Power circuits grouped by room, within the Table C9 design guides (about 20 power points on 20 A).
• Lighting split over at least two circuits and shared between RCDs, so one fault does not darken the entire home.
• Dedicated circuits for the cooktop, oven and other appliances above 20 A.
• No more than three circuits per RCD, with at least two RCDs (clause 2.6.2.4).
• Space for reasonably foreseeable additions such as solar, a battery or an EV charger.

Single-line, wiring and floor-plan views are complementary

A single-line diagram represents each circuit with one line and shows the protection hierarchy. A wiring diagram adds connection detail. The floor plan locates equipment in the rooms.

Keeping these as separate pages in one PDF is clearer than overloading a single drawing. Planelico can combine the annotated plan, circuit schedule and proposed switchboard in one consistent package.

Build a switchboard proposal from the house plan

Start with named rooms and equipment in the correct zones. Planelico then groups common uses, isolates dedicated appliances and proposes an organisation beneath 30 mA Type A RCDs, three circuits each at most, with lighting spread across them.

The proposal remains editable. Review the grouping, dedicated loads, protection and spare capacity before saving and exporting the PDF.

Common problems with free PDF templates

A downloaded template may be outdated, incomplete, from another country or designed for a different property. The most common issues are copying a switchboard without an inventory, vague labels and confusing a design example with final sizing.

• Choosing the switchboard size from floor area alone.
• Putting more than three circuits behind one RCD.
• Missing a dedicated circuit or major future load.
• Using different names on the plan and switchboard.
• Presenting an automatic proposal as compliance approval, or sending a PDF without a revision number or date.

AS/NZS 3000 and professional validation

AS/NZS 3000, the Wiring Rules, is cited by the New Zealand Electricity (Safety) Regulations: the 2018 edition with Amendments 1 to 3 is the reference for work starting after 12 November 2026. The rules that apply depend on the project; they cannot be reduced to one sample board.

The generated PDF is a design and discussion aid. A licensed electrician must confirm protection, cable sizing under AS/NZS 3008, lengths, installation methods, earthing and the MEN connection before work.

Quick method with Planelico

1. 1

   Qualify the rooms

   Name each plan area and choose its room type.

2. 2

   Place all equipment

   Add power points, lighting, dedicated appliances, air conditioning, outdoors and future needs.

3. 3

   Generate the circuits

   Create a grouping proposal from the equipment actually placed.

4. 4

   Review the protection

   Check dedicated circuits, RCDs and proposed characteristics.

5. 5

   Check the rows

   Review module occupancy, labels and available spare capacity.

6. 6

   Export and validate

   Export the PDF and give it to the licensed electrician responsible for final sizing.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

• Standards Australia — AS/NZS 3000 Wiring Rules
• WorkSafe New Zealand — low voltage electrical installations