Guide To Diagnose & Repair A Tripped Safety Switch Breaker
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Key Takeaways
- Reset it once: if the safety switch resets and stays on, just monitor it.
- If it keeps tripping, narrow it down: switch off lights and fans, or unplug appliances, then reset.
- Always unplug first: switch an appliance off at the wall and unplug it before you work on it.
- Repairs need a licensed electrician: wiring and fittings are not a DIY job.
How to Diagnose & Possibly Fix a Tripped Safety Switch
A qualified electrician must repair any major electrical fault in an electrical installation, including wiring and replacing fittings. This guide is only to establish whether the fault is caused by an appliance, and to narrow the fault down to a specific area so you are not left completely without electricity.
That being said, there are some easy tasks that you can attempt yourself to help diagnose a fault, reducing the time an electrician is onsite and therefore saving you money. Before undertaking any task in this guide, any appliance to be worked on should be switched off at the wall and also unplugged to prevent electric shock and possible electrocution.
Safety Switch On But No Power? How to Fix a Tripped Circuit
Locate your switchboard. This is where the power to your premises is isolated. It is good to know the location of your switchboard, and not only for the purpose of this guide.
If the problem you are experiencing is loss of power or lights, open the switchboard. All of the sub-circuits should be labelled. In the rare event they are not, don’t worry. It is still easy to identify the faulty circuit, as the position of the small lever on the particular circuit will be in the ‘off’ position.
If you have fuses installed, it is recommended that these are changed to safety switches to meet current electrical standards and for safety. Our guide to safety switch installation explains what an upgrade involves.
The next step is to try and reset the tripped safety switch. If it resets without an issue nothing more needs to be done, other than monitoring when and what is being used if it trips again at a later date. If it does not reset, please continue reading.
Why Does My Safety Switch Keep Tripping?
If the device is still tripping it could be one of the following problems:
- Faulty wiring
- Faulty appliance(s)
- Faulty fittings (for example a particular light or fan)
At this point the only option is to switch off all lights, fans and exhaust fans if the problem is a light circuit. If it is a power circuit (power points), simply unplug all devices from all power points. Now try resetting the tripped device in the switchboard again. If it resets, you have successfully narrowed down your fault to a particular fitting (light circuit) or a particular appliance (power circuit).
Narrowing Down a Light Circuit Fault
If the problem was the lights, try turning on sets of lights and fans individually until the circuit trips. By doing this you are narrowing down the location of the fault in the circuit. To repair a fault of this nature a qualified electrician is required. However, give yourself a pat on the back, as you have most likely saved yourself hundreds off your bill from the electrician in labour charges.
A Process of Elimination for Power Points
If the problem was the power points, try plugging in all your appliances one at a time until the faulty appliance is identified. You now know the source of your problem! Simply leave the faulty appliance unplugged and have it repaired by a qualified electrician.
If the safety switch will not reset at all, or it trips with everything unplugged, stop there. That points to a wiring fault, which needs a licensed electrician.
When to Call Florance Electrical in Darwin
This is where Florance Electrical Darwin comes in. Simply call us and you can relax knowing the problem is being fixed by qualified professionals. The steps you have already taken will save us lots of time onsite, as the information gained is very useful to us and we can eliminate these steps and move forward with the fault find.
We are generally onsite within one hour of your call. We also offer free fault finding over the phone, and we resolve roughly 70 percent of those calls without needing to attend. After hours, a call out fee and a higher after hours rate apply. Learn more about our electrical fault finding service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my safety switch on but I have no power?
Check the small levers on each sub-circuit in your switchboard. A circuit that has tripped will sit in the off position, even if the main safety switch is on. Reset that circuit, and if it trips again, work through the steps above.
What should I do if my safety switch keeps tripping?
Unplug all appliances, or switch off all lights and fans, then reset. If it holds, add items back one at a time until it trips. The last item you added is the likely fault. If nothing helps, call a licensed electrician.
Can I fix a tripped safety switch myself?
You can reset it and narrow down the cause, but repairs to wiring or fittings must be done by a qualified electrician. Always switch an appliance off at the wall and unplug it before you check it.
Can an electrician help over the phone?
Yes. We offer free fault finding over the phone and resolve roughly 70 percent of those calls without attending. If we do need to come out, we are generally onsite within one hour.
Safety Switch Still Tripping? Call Us
Our licensed electricians will find the fault and fix it. Request a booking or call (08) 8983 3000.
