What should you do when your safety switch starts randomly tripping?

There’s nothing more frustrating than having no internet connection, no running water, and of course, no electricity.

Out of the three however, only the last one has the potential to be dangerous!

The power has gone out – curiously though, when you look around, you’ll see that your house is the only one where there is no power at all.

If that’s the case, odds are that the blackout is the result of a safety switch tripping.

Usually, this isn’t a matter for an emergency electrician in Melbourne – however, if your safety switches are randomly tripping, it might be worth getting in touch, just in case!

How your safety switches keep you safe

Like the name suggests, your safety switches are designed to keep you safe from electrical shocks!

Each of the electrical circuits in your house are designed to safely handle a certain voltage. Going higher than this prescribed voltage can lead to a host of different issues, including electrical fire, melting and shocks.

When the voltage climbs too high, your safety switches automatically trigger, cutting off the current and protecting you from the problems that come with overloading and protecting you and your home. In cases of power surges, they can also protect your appliances from getting fried.

Most of the time, fixing the issue is as simple as removing the appliance that triggered the switch, waiting a minute and then going outside to flip the switch back on again.

Why your safety switch is randomly tripping

Under ideal circumstances, your safety switched will only trigger in response to power surges or accidentally plugging in too many appliances.

Needless to say, if it’s randomly tripping all the time, that’s a sign that something’s wrong!

Here are some of the most common culprits that our emergency electricians deal with…

Faulty safety switches

Sometimes, it really is as simple as that!

Whether the switch is old and in need of replacement or not properly configured, a fault with your safety switches can cause them to go off unnecessarily.

Luckily, these are relatively simple to fix compared to some of the other issues we’re about to walk you through.

Faulty or old wiring

Old and poorly-maintained electrical wiring come with a range of issues – for instance, a lot of them don’t have the same safety features.

And most importantly for today’s topic, they’re also capable of handling lower voltages, and more prone to short circuits

Poor electrical installation and maintenance can often cause faulty electrical wirings. Such a situation happens if electrical wires have been damaged during the renovation or the electrical wires are too old and outdated. It would be best if you also watched out for these red flags that give you an eye to detect that you have faulty electrical wirings such as:

• Smoke
• Burning smell
• Buzzing sound
• Flickering lights
• Sudden heating up of electrical outlets

You can still have your electrical wirings repaired or completely replaced by an expert electrician in Melbourne immediately. 

Faulty electrical appliances

It isn’t just old wiring that can cause your switches to trip – so too can old, damaged, and faulty electrical appliances.

These appliances can often “leak” electrical currents, causing imbalances in the electrical circuit, causing your safety switch to trigger.

What you need to do when this happens is unplug the electrical appliance in question, turn the safety switch on and look at your options for getting the appliance repaired or replaced.

If the issue persists though, there’s probably something else at play – as a result, you might need to contact an emergency electrician in Melbourne to find out what comes next. 

Water damage

Water damage due to storms and hidden pipe leaks can happen anytime. And when they get into your wiring, well, let’s just say you have a problem on your hands!

Electricity plus water is a dangerous combination – that’s why electrical safety switches are designed to trip the moment your electrical wiring comes into contact with water or moisture.

If your switches are constantly tripping, the problem might be moisture-related. Perhaps it’s a pipe leaking directly onto your wiring, or a leaky roof that’s dripping onto your wiring – either way, the result is the same.

Overloading

As we mentioned above, electrical circuits only have a certain amperage that they can handle safely – any higher, and you put yourself at risk of a range of different electrical problems.

This is why we keep railing against unnecessary power board usage. Yes, they’re convenient – however, they also make it very easy to accidentally overload your electrical circuits.

Luckily, the fix here is simple: reduce the amount of appliances plugged in at the same time.

Of course, this is just a short-term solution – for a long-term fix, the only thing you can do is add more sockets and expand your circuit’s capacity.

And for that, you need a professional!

Is your home safe?

Call an emergency electrician in Melbourne the moment electrical problems arise

Safety is king when it comes to your home electrical system. If any part of it is causing repeated trouble, it might be safest to simply call a professional to take a look at it.

And that includes small parts of your electrical system like your safety switches.

Our emergency electricians are ready to respond to electrical problems both big and small, no matter the time or day. After-hours, weekends, public holidays – if you’re experiencing an electrical emergency, you can trust us to send someone over quickly!

On top of fixing the issue with your switches, the team at Briggs can also upgrade your electrical safety by:

• Replacing old switches
• Upgrading your switchboard
• Installing RCD safety switches to protect you, your family, and your property
• Installing GFCIs and safety switches in your outlets

We’re ready to respond to your call – all you need to do is get in touch! Contact Briggs on 1300 300 222 or book a job today.