Why Does My Electric Keep Tripping? A Troubleshooting Guide for East London

Hey East London folks, the team at Edwins Electrical Services understands how much of a pain it can be when your electric keeps tripping.  Before you stress about an expensive electrician bill, there are a few things you can safely check on your own to restore power.

Safety Reminders

Water and electricity are a dangerous mix! If you suspect water is involved in the issue, steer clear and call us straight away.

Burning smell? Don’t investigate – call the professionals.

Troubleshooting Your Tripping Electric

1. Not Just You:

Are your neighbours also without power? If so, it might be a local issue that your power company is already fixing.

2. Know Your Breakers:

Your consumer unit (fuse box) is the heart of your electrical system.  Understanding the key components will help you with troubleshooting:

• Main Switch: This controls the overall power supply to your entire home. Turning it off will cut power to everything.
• MCB (Miniature Circuit Breaker): Individual switches protecting specific circuits (lights, sockets, etc.). A tripped one will be in the “off” position. These protect against overloaded circuits.
• RCD (Residual Current Device): These offer protection against electric shocks and usually have a “test” button. In a standard fuse box, they protect half of your circuits. If an RCD trips, the sockets and lights connected to it will also lose power.

• RCBO (Residual Circuit Breaker with Overcurrent Protection): An advanced device combining the functions of an MCB and RCD. A fault on an RCBO-protected circuit will only trip that circuit, not the entire half of your home.
• AFDD (Arc Fault Detection Device): Works like an RCBO but with added sensitivity. They can detect sparks and arcing faults, offering an extra layer of protection against electrical fires.
• SPD (Surge Protection Device): While not technically a breaker, this device plays a crucial role in safeguarding your electrical system from damaging voltage spikes. These spikes, often caused by lightning strikes or power grid issues, can damage sensitive electronics. An SPD acts like a lightning rod for your electrical system, diverting these surges away from your appliances and lights.

3. Resetting with Isolation:

• Turn OFF ALL the MCBs in your fuse box.
• Try flipping the RCD back to “on”. If it stays on, continue to the next step. If it trips immediately, there might be a general fault in the wiring – call a qualified electrician.

4. Unplug & Find the Culprit:

• Work with one MCB at a time. Turn it to “on”.
• Leave the other MCBs off for now.
• If the RCD stays on, repeat with the next MCB.
• If the RCD trips when you turn a specific MCB on, you’ve likely found the circuit with the fault. Leave that MCB off for now.
• Continue turning on the remaining MCBs one by one. This will restore power to the unaffected circuits.

Important Note:  Do not turn the MCB for the faulty circuit back on. Leave it off and call a qualified electrician to diagnose and fix the issue.

PROFESSIONAL ELECTRICAL FAULT FINDING IN EAST LONDON AND SOUTH EAST LONDON

East Londoner Tip: Frequent or random tripping, even with a light load on the circuit, is a sign to call us for a proper diagnosis.

Other Things to Consider

• Surge Protectors: Do you use these to protect your electronics? Surges can trigger trips.
• Recent Changes: Did you just do some DIY work or install new appliances? These can lead to issues.
• Outdoor Troubles: Storms can damage outdoor fixtures, causing a trip.

When Edwins Electrical Can Help

Don’t hesitate to reach out if troubleshooting makes you nervous. We’re always here to help, especially when:

• The problem can’t be isolated
• Water damage is a possibility
• You notice burning, melting, or sparks

Your safety and peace of mind are our priorities at Edwins Electrical Services!

Got a question? Need a reliable East London electrician? Contact us!

FAQs

Q1: Why does my electric keep tripping even when I don’t have many things plugged in?

This could point to a few different issues. There could be a fault within the wiring or an internal problem with one of your appliances, even if it seems to be working fine. It’s best to call an electrician to investigate these kinds of persistent trip problems.

Q2: It usually trips after rain –  could that be the cause?

Absolutely! Water getting into exterior lights, outlets, or any electrical components can cause immediate tripping or lead to issues down the line. Turn off the circuit at the fuse box and call an electrician to inspect and fix the problem safely.

Q3: My RCD tripped, and half of my lights and sockets have gone out. Why?

 This sounds like you have a split load consumer unit.  It’s common for houses to have two RCDs, each protecting half of the circuits. This means lights and sockets are usually split between the two RCDs.

Here’s what could be happening:

• RCD Tripped, Half the Circuits Affected: If the fault is on the lighting circuit and it tripped one of the RCDs, this would affect the lights and some of the sockets connected to that same RCD.

How to troubleshoot further (with caution):

1. Identify Your Fuse Box: Find your consumer unit (fuse box). You’ll likely see two RCDs, sometimes labelled “RCD 1” and “RCD 2”.
2. Check the Tripped RCD: Note which RCD switch is in the “off” position.
3. Look for Matching Sockets: Check the consumer unit diagram (usually on the inside of the door) to see which circuits are protected by the tripped RCD. This might explain why some sockets aren’t working.
4. Isolate the Faulty Circuit (Advanced): If you feel comfortable doing so, here’s a way to try and narrow down the faulty circuit:
   • Turn OFF all the MCBs on the tripped RCD side.
   • Try turning the tripped RCD back to “on“.
   • If the RCD stays on, turn the MCBs back on one by one.
   • If turning a specific MCB on causes the RCD to trip again, the fault likely lies on that circuit. Leave this MCB off.
   • Turn the RCD on again and the rest of the MCBs connected to it.

Important Safety Note:  While these steps help in understanding and potentially isolating the problem, it’s always safest to call a qualified electrician if you’re unsure or if the fault cannot be easily identified.

Q4:  Is it expensive to have an electrician troubleshoot a tripping electric system?

Fault Finding Pricing: How Much You Can Expect

The cost of troubleshooting an electrical fault depends on its complexity. Here’s a breakdown of what you might expect:

• Quick Fixes (90% of Problems):
  • £70.00 for the First Hour – This covers the majority of common electrical issues
  • Plus materials, if needed.
• More Complex Issues:
  • £120.00 for the First 2 Hours – For trickier problems that may require more extensive diagnosis.

In most cases, we’ll be able to find and fix the issue within these timeframes. If further work is needed (like rewiring or replacing major components), we’ll always provide a clear quote before proceeding.

Why It’s a Worthwhile Investment: Even if the issue turns out to be more complex, the cost of troubleshooting and fixing it is a wise investment in the safety of your home and preventing potential damage down the line.

Q5: I’m a bit nervous about tackling this myself. Can Edwins Electrical come out and do it for me?

Definitely! We understand that not everyone feels confident troubleshooting electrical problems. Our electricians are happy to handle the entire process, explain what the issue is, and give you advice to prevent future trips.

For more on fault finding, check out our blog post ELECTRICAL FAULT FINDING

For More on safety:

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Electrical Safety

Primary Areas Served by Edwin’s Electrical Services

STRATFORD, E15 AND E20
BOW, E3
CANARY WHARF, E14
TOWER HAMLETS E1, E2, E3
HACKNEY E8, E9
NEWHAM E13, E12
ROYAL ARSENAL SE18
CANADA WATER SE16