Why Upgrading Your DB Box in Ampang
Did You Know Many House Fires in Malaysia Are Caused by Old and Overloaded DB Boxes? In areas like Ampang, many houses were built in the 1960s and 1970s and now it’s 2025. Shockingly, a large number of these homes are still using the original distribution board (DB) boxes that came with the house. Can you imagine how old and outdated they are? Most of these old DBs use plastic enclosures and rely on outdated MCB and ELCB technology. Some MCBs don’t even trip when circuits are overloaded, allowing dangerous currents to keep flowing. This creates a serious fire hazard hiding in plain sight.
We’ve also seen many houses with only one power point per room. To deal with the lack of power points, people often use double extensions with 5-gang sockets, powering up to 10 devices at once. This setup is extremely dangerous. Overloading a single socket can lead to overheating, melted plugs or wiring and in the worst-case scenario, an electrical fire.
What if a fire starts in the middle of the night while you’re sleeping deeply? By the time you realize it, it could already be too late. That’s why upgrading your old DB box isn’t just about compliance with modern electrical standards, it’s about protecting your family when they’re most vulnerable.
What Is a DB Box?
A DB box (Distribution Box), also known as a distribution board, is a key electrical enclosure used to distribute and control power throughout a property. It houses critical safety components such as the Main Switch, SPD (Surge Protection Device), RCCB (Residual Current Circuit Breaker), and MCB (Miniature Circuit Breaker) to ensure safe, efficient, and reliable electrical distribution.
In our installations, we normally use metal enclosures, also commonly referred to as metal clad in Malaysia, due to their durability, heat resistance, and enhanced fire safety. We recommend trusted brands such as EPS, Maxguard, and Hager, known for their high quality, compliance with electrical standards, and long-term reliability.
Key Components Inside a DB Box:
1. MCBs (Miniature Circuit Breakers)
- We use C6 MCBs for lighting and fan circuits, and C16 MCBs for power sockets.
- Function:
Automatically trip to cut off power in the event of an overload or short circuit.
2. RCCB (Residual Current Circuit Breaker)/ ELCBs (Earth Leakage Circuit Breakers)
- ELCB (Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker) is considered obsolete and has been largely replaced by RCCB (Residual Current Circuit Breaker) in modern electrical systems. Today, when people say “ELCB” they usually mean RCCB but technically RCCB is the correct term.
- We use 40A 30mA RCCB for power points and 40A 100mA for lights and fans.
- Function:
Detects imbalance between live and neutral currents.
3. Main Switch
- We use a 63A double pole isolator switch as the main switch to manually cut off power to the entire DB box during maintenance or emergencies.
4. Busbars
- Function:
Distribute electricity from the main supply to individual circuit breakers. - Material:
Usually made of copper.
5. Surge Protection Device (SPD)
- We install this SPD (Surge Protection Device) in conjunction with the earthing system to ensure effective protection against voltage surges and lightning strikes.
- Function:
Protects the electrical system from voltage spikes caused by lightning strikes or power surges, helping to safeguard connected appliances.
6. Enclosure (Plastic DB Box or Metal Clad)
- Function:
The physical casing that houses all internal components. It ensures electrical insulation, protection against dust or water and user safety. - Material:
Typically made from metal (for durability) or high-grade plastic (for insulation).
There are several components from different brands inside a DB box. We typically use EPS, Maxguard, ABB, or Hager, depending on the customer’s budget. However, we don’t accept projects with extremely tight budgets because we won’t compromise on safety and quality.
When you use original, high-quality MCBs and RCCBs, you can expect them to perform reliably for up to 20 years.
We strongly advise not to mix and match low-grade components as it turns your DB box into a “rojak” setup that may look fine but puts your home at serious risk.
Old DB Boxes Can’t Handle Today’s Power Needs
Many families used to have their children sleep with them when they were babies. Now that the kids have grown up, they have their own rooms, each equipped with air conditioners, computers, printer, TV, iPads, iPhones and even sound systems. This shift in lifestyle means more appliances are running simultaneously across multiple rooms, placing a much heavier load on the home’s aging electrical system. If the DB box hasn’t been upgraded to match this new demand, the risk of tripping, overheating, or fire increases significantly.
Working from home has become a common trend since the MCO. Now, many parents are working from home in separate rooms. Imagine a household with two kids, a wife, and a husband, each person in their own room using air conditioners, computers, and devices at the same time. This puts a tremendous load on the home’s electrical system, especially if the DB box hasn’t been upgraded to handle it.
We believe many of these devices are plugged into power extensions, all drawing electricity from the same wall socket. This kind of setup is a major overload risk and can easily lead to overheating, tripping, or even electrical fires if the DB box is outdated.
And let’s not forget the growing number of modern home appliances now found in many households, such as autogate system, air fryers, juicers, cuckoo water purifier, large-capacity washing machines, ovens, and more. These appliances consume significant power and when used together with existing devices, they put even more strain on an already overloaded and outdated DB box.
Common Problems Homeowners Face with Old DB Boxes
We’ve helped many homeowners in Ampang and across the Klang Valley who are experiencing issues with old or overloaded DB boxes. As houses age and electrical demands increase, problems like frequent tripping, unsafe wiring and fire risks become more common.
Below are 12 common signs that your DB box may be outdated and in need of an upgrade:
- House is over 20–50 years old
The DB box is outdated and not designed for today’s power-hungry appliances.
- Power trips during lightning or heavy rain
Your current DB likely lacks proper surge protection or earth leakage protection.
- DB trips when turning on the air conditioner
Often caused by overloaded circuits or weak MCBs.
- Washing machine causes power trips
Older DB boxes may not support high power-draw appliances reliably.
- Kitchen hood, hob or oven trips the DB
This usually happens when kitchen upgrades aren’t matched with proper electrical upgrades.
- Vacuum cleaner trips the power
Sudden surges in load may trigger faulty breakers or imbalanced circuits.
- More appliances added over time
As your family grows, so do your electrical needs—TVs, chargers, air fryers, computers, Cuckoo, etc. Older DBs weren’t built for this.
- Messy or tangled wiring in the DB box
Makes troubleshooting difficult and increases the risk of short circuits or fire.
- No labels or individual MCBs
Without proper labeling and circuit separation, fault isolation is harder and more dangerous.
- No ELCB (Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker)
This greatly increases the risk of electric shock, especially in wet areas like bathrooms or kitchens.
- Multiple Wires in One MCB
Two or more sets of wires are connected to a single MCB, which is not recommended and may cause overheating or poor contact.
- Burning Smell from MCB
This could indicate overheating or a loose connection. When this happens, it’s time to inspect or replace your DB box before it leads to a fire.
Ready to Upgrade Your DB Box or Fix Electrical Issues?
If your DB box keeps tripping, looks outdated, can’t support your appliances, shows any of the issues above or has no space to add more power points, it’s time to take action.
Whether you need a quick DB repair or a complete upgrade, We are in Ampang and ready to get the job done efficiently, safely and professionally.
We also offer a full range of electrical services, including earthing solutions, electrical troubleshooting, new home wiring inspections, autogate wiring, Megger testing, full house wiring and rewiring, Lightning Strike Trap (LST) systems, lightning and surge protection, and earthing system installations.
Call Alex at 012-870 2699 for more information.
