A fuse box that keeps tripping indicates that you have a faulty electrical item or faulty wiring somewhere in your home. Working out what is wrong is largely a process of elimination, and you can usually narrow down the problem yourself.
Why does my electricity keep tripping?
Well, RCDs, or Residual Current Devices, look out for abnormal electricity currents and shut off the power supply the moment that they detect any abnormalities. This might seem annoying, but they are a vital safety device and ensure that faulty wiring does not lead to electric shocks. So don’t get too irritated by a tripping RCD – this is likely a sign of a more serious problem and the RCD is doing you a favour by keeping you safe.
Although the following advice could help you resolve the problem and get your electricity supply working again without the help of an electrician, 247 Home Rescue remind you that electricity can kill, and that you should not perform any electrical work if you are not 100% confident in your abilities. We take no responsibility for any injuries people sustain when following the guidance on this page.
Repairing a tripping fuse box
When did the problem start? Think about when the fuse box started tripping. Did you turn on a lightbulb, overload a socket, or plug in a new electrical appliance? Switch off and unplug the appliance or fitting and try again.
If you don’t know what might be causing the fuse box to trip, take a look at the switches and work out which fuse is tripping alongside the RCD. This will allow you to identify the room or circuit the fault is located in. Unplug every appliance and fitting in the room, switch the electricity supply back on, and then methodically go around the room plugging things in until the RCD trips. Bear in mind that one of your electric appliances or fittings is faulty and could be dangerous, and although your RCD should protect you, this is not guaranteed.
If you can’t narrow down the area of the problem, then unfortunately you will have to unplug everything in your house, and then plug everything back in again one at a time.
If you discover that a particular appliance is causing your fuse box to trip, you don’t necessarily have to scrap it; minor problems, such as damp wiring, can lead to this problem. To stay on the safe side, claim on your appliance protection cover and get an expert to come and take a look at the appliance. If you haven’t got appliance or home emergency cover, you can take a look at what we offer here.
Are you overloading your circuits? I remember back from my university days that I had to turn off all the other household electrics whenever I boiled the kettle. If you’re brewing up a cup of coffee, making some cheese toasties, checking your email, charging your phone, running the washing machine and dryer, and watching satellite television simultaneously, you could well be overloading your electricity, particularly if you have a lot of appliances plugged into the same sockets. Don’t overload your sockets – doing so is incredibly dangerous!
Is one of your electric cords shorting out? Perhaps you have moved the cord recently, or maybe it is visibly damaged. This can create an improper connection and cause the RCD to trip your circuits.
Is the main breaker going but individual breakers are fine? This indicates that the fault is within the fuse box itself; perhaps the main breaker is at a lower rating than the breaker for the faulty circuits, or perhaps the main breaker is wired up badly. It is highly inadvisable for you to start fiddling about with the fuse box’s interior if you are not trained in how to do so.
Still having trouble?
Don’t attempt to make any changes to your electricals if you are unsure or not confident. Some electrical work in the home requires compliance with Part P building control and needs to be done in accordance with BS7671 wiring regulations. Don’t forget – electricity is VERY dangerous and can kill you.
Instead, call 24|7 Home Rescue on 0345 3192 247 and we can help. Our technical teams will run through some very simple troubleshooting with you over the phone to see if your problem can be resolved easily and if not, they will book one of our Part P certified and highly knowledgeable engineers to get you back up and running as soon as possible.
247 Home Rescue accepts no liability for any injuries or damages you sustain following the advice on this website. If in doubt, seek professional assistance.
