What to do if your circuit breaker trips?

 

Switch off affected lights and appliances

The last thing you need is not only for your circuit breaker to trip, but also for the fuse in your living room TV or other important appliances to blow. Not only will you have no power, but you'll also have a very unhappy household. To avoid this problem, switch off all major electronic appliances before you attend to the circuit breaker. If there is no off switch, unplug the appliance to disconnect the power source before proceeding.

Find your circuit breaker box

Don't know where to find your circuit breaker box? Circuit breakers are usually located in a grey metal box located in a utility area, such as the basement, laundry room or storage room. If the breaker box is located in a finished room, it may not be immediately visible. Check if there are wall cabinets in the room where the box could be located. If you can't find your main breaker box and you own an older home, you may have a fuse box instead. Fuse boxes are similar to breakers, but there is a different process for restoring the circuit if a fuse blows. Once you find the fuse box, open the door and look for breakers arranged in rows.

Look for breakers in the OFF position

Check if the breaker shows a red or orange colour; this means that the breaker is switched off. If no colour is displayed, you can also check whether a lever is in the opposite position to the other levers in the ON position. On most breaker boxes, if the lever is facing the outside of the panel, it is most likely in the OFF position.

Folding back to the ON position

Once you have found the circuit breaker that is switched off, flip it back to the ON position. You should feel a slight resistance when you flip the lever and hear a clicking sound, signalling that the switch has been switched back on. This should restore power, but if not, you may need to flip the switch again.

Switch on the affected lights and appliances

Once you have switched the breaker back on and power is restored, you can switch your appliances back on and plug in any unconnected devices. Once you have checked all sockets and ensured that power is fully restored, you are done.

What if your circuit breaker keeps tripping?

If you continue to have problems with your circuit breaker, you will probably need to call an electrician, as there may be a more complex problem. A tripped circuit breaker can be caused by a short circuit, an overloaded circuit or a ground fault. Before you call an electrician, you can learn more about these common problems, so you can describe the problem to your electrician and get it fixed quickly and efficiently.

Call the Emergency Electrician in Coventry. After your call, we send immediately an electrician to you. We are 24 hours available. Call us now, 02475209918.