Written by bwaradmin on May 9, 2019. Posted in Electrician FAQ

Should I Call a Domestic Electrician for a Tripping Fuse Box?

9 times out of 10, a tripping fuse board is doing its job correctly – protecting you from potentially dangerous electrical faults in your home. Our fully insured expert electricians can inspect your electrics and advise you on what’s causing the fuse board to trip, whether it’s inadequate wiring or a faulty appliance.

What to do when RCDs trips?

First thing to do reset it by turning RCD back on, you may find it trips straight back off again. In this case turn all MCBs (fuses) off, then try to reset RCD by turning it on. If the RCD stays on then one by one turn MCBs on. If there is a fault on one of the circuits, RCD will trips out by one of the MCBs (fuses). In that case leave faulty fuse off then contact an Electrician.

If RCD won’t switch on even when all MCBs (fuses) are off, then go around the house and unplug all plugs from sockets and turn off all switches (light and …) Don’t worry about things you can’t get to them or no access to unplug. Then go back to RCD and turn it on, if it stays on then turn MCBs (fuses) on one by one then go back and plug in, all plugs one by one till one of them trips RCD off. Then you know what is the fault. If you find fault is in lighting circuit by turning light switch on and that trips RCD of then contact electrician.

Faulty Electrical Appliance

Do you find that the problem is triggered every time you plug in or switch on a particular appliance? If so, this is the likely cause. Replacing a kettle or iron may be the solution.

If you are unsure about the cause, head back to the fuse box and see which other switches are off. Go to the room affected and switch off all electrical items at the socket. Put the fuse box switches back to the on position. Now work around the room, switching on the items that you wish to use. Do any cut the electricity supply?

Overloaded Plug Sockets

Can you see that one plug socket is powering too many items? An extension lead charging multiple active devices from one socket could cause a surge of electricity. Spreading the load could resolve the issue.

If you are short on plug sockets, a domestic electrician can install additional ones at convenient points around your home.

Faulty Wiring

If you have a reoccurring issue and the main circuit breaker is the only switch that goes off, it usually suggests an earth fault in the fuse box wiring. This is the point when you need to call out a domestic electrician.

Ask your local electrician to undertake an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). This will cover a test of the circuits to diagnose the issue. They will check that the fuse box is safe to use, look at the general wear and tear and ensure that your circuits meet the IET wiring regulations. Minor issues can usually be resolved during that visit and they will provide you with a copy of the report.

If it no longer complies with current standards, your domestic electrician will need to replace the fuse box. This is non-negotiable, as the priority is your safety.