Odds are, you prefer to live in a household with electricity. That might be a little presumptive, but it’s still an assumption we stand by. That being said, sometimes electricity doesn’t quite play ball in the way we want to. It requires complex circuitry and networking to appropriately work in a household, tied to a power grid that requires constant maintenance and balancing over the course of a day. Right now, the building you’re likely reading this from is connected to the grid and a qualified team is managing the peaks and troughs of demand so everyone has access.
All of this matters little if you find your power circuit constantly tripping. You may be able to switch the power on from your fuse box, but if it only flicks off again, there’s an issue. Your best bet is to call an electrician (never attend to electrical problems if you’re not trained in them). However, there may be a few ways you can define the source. Consider this.
Is It A Single Appliance?
If you can, unplug all your appliances and then plug them back in one by one. If the power trips when you connect a specific device, you’ve likely found the issue. It could be that the appliance has a fault, or perhaps it’s drawing more power than your circuit can handle.
Either way, it’s best to leave that appliance unplugged until you can have it checked by a professional or even just replace it – if you have a very cheap toaster tripping your power it’s probably just best to buy a new one. It’s good to know that even seemingly harmless devices can cause electrical issues if they’re not working properly. These HVAC fuse blown symptoms can help you identify more specifically.
Can You Smell A Fuse Burning?
Our sense of smell can be surprisingly helpful, because if a fuse burns out, it stinks. If you notice that burning smell, especially near your fuse box or power outlets, it’s a clear sign that something’s not right. For example, if you turn on your bathroom fan on but it stinks and then the power trips not too long after, that’s a good sign to switch it off at the fuse box or isolator switch for good until an electrician comes along.
This smell often shows that a fuse has blown or that wiring is overheating. Just
don’t ignore this warning sign – a burning smell is your cue to turn off the main power switch and contact an electrician right away because otherwise a fire could break out. Don’t smell the fumes either, and ventilate your space as much as you can.
Is Your Power Socket Overburdened?
Take a look at your power sockets if you can. Are they too hot to the touch? Do you have multiple power strips daisy-chained together? These are signs that you’re asking too much of your electrical system and it could lead to a fire.
Try spreading your devices across different outlets, or consider having an electrician install additional circuits if you consistently need more power from the mains. Also try to avoid putting too much one one socket – you shouldn’t be using your iron on a plug socket that also has your TV, games consoles, and lamps connected to them.
With this advice, we hope you can more easily avoid the electrical kind of power trip in your home.
