Why is my fuse box tripping?

A phrase I hear far too often from Loughton homeowners - “Why is my fuse box tripping?"

A tripping fuse box is a rather frustrating thing to deal with, especially so if it keeps happening again and again. In this article, we’ll look at some of the common causes of a tripping fuse box and how we can help you deal with your tripping problem effectively and promptly.

Why does a fuse box trip?

As annoying as it is when you lose power, your fuse box is actually protecting you! When a fuse or breaker “trips,” it’s cutting the power to stop an electrical fault from causing further damage. 

It’s the electrical equivalent of your home saying, “Whoa, something’s not quite right here, I better sit down!” So as frustrating as it may seem in the moment, a trip is actually your fuse box doing exactly what it’s designed to do.

It's important to note, just because the fuse box is doing its job, doesn’t mean you’ve got nothing to worry about. Frequent tripping strongly indicates something within your electrical system is faulty. It could be something as simple as a loose connection or something more complex like a short circuit. Whatever the fault is, the best thing you can do is call your local electrician. Homeowners across Loughton, Essex are very welcome to call us - we’re local sparks with one aim, to bring some trust back to the trade.

Common reasons your fuse box keeps tripping

Here’s a quick look at what might be flipping that switch behind the scenes.

Overloaded Circuit - This is by far the most common reason. Plug in the kettle, the toaster, and the tumble dryer all at once, and you might be asking too much from your electrical system. An over stressed, poorly maintained electrical system will have a limit and exceeding this will only mean one thing, a trip (& not the good kind where the sun’s shining and the beers are flowing!)

Karl’s top tip: For a short term solution try unplugging one or two power hungry appliances if you can. Long term, you may need a few extra sockets or require an additional circuit to safely meet your electrical demands.

Faulty appliance - Sometimes the problem isn’t your wiring, but a particular appliance that’s decided to go rogue - couldn’t wait until after I made a cuppa eh? A sparky hair dryer or a washing machine with water ingress can easily trip the circuit the moment it’s switched on.

Try this: Unplug everything and reset the breaker. Then plug items back in one at a time. If it trips again, you’ve found your culprit!

Short circuit - This occurs when a live wire touches another live wire, causing a massive surge of electricity that immediately trips the breaker. You may have also heard the term ‘power surge’ this is essentially the umbrella term.

Karl’s expert advice: If you think you’ve experienced a power surge of any kind, call a local electrician immediately. Just one surge is often powerful enough to cause some serious damage. A local electrician will be able to double check your system and detect the culprit of the surge.

Fault finding & repairs, Loughton

Electrics are unpredictable and of course pretty darn dangerous, especially to a novice. Karl and the team from Tack Electrical Solutions have been helping Loughton residents and landlords keep their homes safely running for many years. He doesn’t just reset the breakers and calls it a day - he finds out what’s causing the trips and, with your permission, will repair the fault promptly and safely. Here’s what myself and the team will do to get you back up and running, free from future trips!

• Fault-finding & testing - Using professional-grade diagnostic tools, we'll isolate which circuit or appliance is causing the problem.
• Appliance testing - We will test anything suspicious to see if it’s safe to use.
• Inspect wiring - Especially in older Loughton properties, aging or damaged wiring can be a hidden cause.
• Upgrade outdated boxes - If your fuse box has seen better days, our team can replace it with a modern, safer version with full RCD protection (this is known as a consumer unit).
• Increase electrical supply - Installing a new circuit or some additional sockets can increase electrical supply safely whilst maintaining balance. In-depth testing beforehand will be required for this one. The last thing anyone should do is install more sockets or an extra circuit on an already over-stretched electrical system.

It’s a thorough process - but one that ensures the problem is fixed properly, not just temporarily silenced. Fed up with your fuse box continually tripping? Call Tack Electrical Solutions for a prompt response and high quality solutions.