Safety switch tripping? Common causes & how to reset — Bright Electrics & Communications

Now that safety switches are mandatory on every electrical circuit in new & old homes, we often get calls from our clients who have a tripped switch that doesn’t want to turn back on. Safety switches, or RCD’s are far more superior to fuse and circuit breaker style switchgear, as they use a Residual current device to detect small amounts of imbalance in the electrical supply, which usually means the frequency in which they trip is a lot higher.

Whilst we are always happy to hear from our clients and provide our electrical services, there are times when you may want to re set your safety switch yourself & have your power restored instantly if it is possible. Here are some common reasons for tripping & simple things you can try to re set it.

Firstly, safety switches come in several different styles and look very similar to circuit breakers. Though they can be differentiated by three things. All safety switches will include either
1. A ‘test’ button, which is not built into circuit breakers or fuses.
2. The acronym ‘RCD’ or ‘RCBO’
3. A green or yellow sticker underneath it indicating that is it a ‘protected’ circuit

A parrot nest, amongst some severely damaged cabling.

Faulty appliances & equipment are a common cause of tripped safety switches & often a good place to start looking for a problem. The first thing to do is to un plug everything that is on the tripped circuit (and we mean everything! often pumps or dishwashers with hidden sockets can be the faulty appliance) then try to reset the switch. If the safety switch turns back on, it is then a matter of plugging every plug back in one by one, until the switch trips again, this will often reveal the faulty appliance. In the past we have seen things like extension cords left out before a rain, pumps that have become old as well as toasters with exposed parts that have become live. All great examples of safety switches keeping us & our families safe.
Heavy rain is often followed with an influx of calls from our clients telling us that they are having problems with safety switches tripping. Rain and moisture in the air can get into poorly installed electrical equipment causing shorts between the wires. If you are having problems after periods of nasty weather, and step one above fails, it is best to get in touch with a qualified electrician straight away.
Pests such as ants, birds & rodents are another major culprit for effecting the integrity of your electrical wiring, and in turn tripping safety switches. Ants are known for congregating around the inside of power points and switchboards, where birds and rodents can severely damage cabling in your ceiling or under your floor. If this is a likely situation it is important to get in touch with a qualified electrician as well as a pest controller!
Safety switch failure is always a possibility & another reason why your device can trip. Testing of a safety switch should be carried out once a year by a qualified electrician with proper testing equipment, as well as monthly by the consumer. All safety switches have a ‘test’ button incorporated into them as mentioned above, and basic testing simply requires pushing this button. This will ensure that the device is operational.