How to fix a tripped fuse

A fuse box with a single trip switched

Has your fuse box tripped? Don’t be left in the dark any longer.

Whether your mains have tripped, meaning your electricity has gone down, or an individual circuit breaker has gone – in this guide we’re going to talk you through how to fix a tripped fuse switch and find what could be causing it.

In a lot of cases you can fix this by simply going to the fuse box and flicking a switch back to the “on” or “green” position, but it’s important to be safe before you do this yourself.


Table of contents

  1. Electrical safety disclaimer
  2. How to fix a tripped fuse: A step by step guide
  3. What is an RCD?
  4. What if the trip switch on my fuse box won’t stay up?
  5. How to find out what is tripping my electric
  6. Get peace of mind with HomeServe electrics cover

Electrical safety disclaimer

Before we get down to business, it’s important to remember that any electrical work should be carried out by a certified electrician, who has the right level of competence to undertake the work safely.

Please keep in mind that while it’s perfectly safe to touch your fuse box, faulty electrics are very dangerous. So, before you start any work, you should ensure that the right risk assessments are carried out so all work can be completed as safely as possible.

Before you start any work you should consider:

  • Are there signs of scorching?
  • Can you smell burning?
  • Is there any rust around the circuit breaker?

If you answer yes to any of the above, or you’re not feeling confident in your ability to carry this work, please seek the help of a qualified electrician.

How to fix a tripped fuse: A step by step guide

Fixing a tripped fuse (or circuit breaker to use its proper name) can be really straightforward and can be resolved by following these 4 simple steps:

1. Locate your fuse box (consumer unit)

It’s important to know where to find your fuse box, in most cases you’ll find it in a garage or utility room – somewhere accessible so you can find it in an emergency.

A labelled fuse box

2. Check your circuit breakers to see which ones have tripped

When you look at your fuse box you’ll notice that one or more of the switches are down in the “off” position. Usually, each switch will have a label, so you should be able to tell straight away where in your home it’s linked to.

Close up of a fuse box with a single switch tripped

In some cases, these labels may not be accurate. If you think this may be the case it’s best to call a qualified electrician.

3. Flip tripped switches back up

If they are all up, your Residual Current Device (RCD’s) may be down so make sure they’re up too.

A fuse box with a tripped switch being turned back on

4. Power on!

This should mean that your power is now back on – if your switches don’t stay up then please continue to the next section.

Top tip 💡: If none of the switches are down when you inspect your fuse box it may mean you’ve had a power cut. Check with your neighbours or your energy provider – you can also take a look at our guide on what to do in a power cut.

What is an RCD?

An RCD, or Residual Current Device to give it its full title, is an important safety feature for your home.

In short, an RCD keeps you safe against injury and death by electric shock by detecting an imbalance between the outgoing and incoming total electrical current within a given number of circuits.

It works on the understanding that if there’s a difference in the electricity coming in against electricity going out, then the electric must’ve gone somewhere. This is what is known as a ‘residual current’ or ‘earth leakage’.

So if you’re doing some DIY and accidentally cut or drill through a cable, your RCD will kick in so that the electricity stops before it gets to you, meaning the circuit will break and you’ll stay safe.

What if the trip switch on my fuse box won’t stay up?

In most cases, there’ll be a simple explanation as to why your circuit breaker or RCDs keep tripping. Usually, tripped fuses can be tracked to their location within the home and you’re then able to work out what appliance was causing it to trip.

However, if you find that your mains switch keeps tripping then you may discover that the problem is with the fuse box itself. If this is the case, you’ll need to find a qualified electrician to look at this for you.

Which appliances can trip your fuse box?

There’s a number of reasons why your fuse box might trip, the most common ones include:

  • An overloaded circuit – if you have too many appliances running off one circuit
  • Too many appliances being used at the same time
  • A faulty or misused appliance
  • Overfilled kettles
  • Unclean toasters
  • Cooker rings worn out or cracked
  • Faulty immersion heaters
  • Faulty connections on leads to appliances e.g. televisions or stereos etc.
  • Light bulbs blowing

How to find out what is tripping my electric

The safest and easiest way to find out what’s tripping your electric is to follow the same steps in the how to fix a tripped fuse section and follow these 3 steps to locate the appliance:

1. Identify the appliances or devices that are connected to the tripped circuit

Once you have located the tripped fuse, you’ll find it much easier to identify which appliances are connected to that circuit.

Hopefully, this means you’ll be able to check labels, head to that area of your home and match them up to the appliance or device in that space. Failing that you may need to trace the wires to the appliances or devices on that circuit.

2. Unplug or turn off the appliances or devices that are connected to the tripped circuit

To determine which appliance or device is causing your electricity to trip, you can unplug each one so you can find which one is causing the problem.

3. Reset the circuit breaker

Once you’ve unplugged all of your appliances you can then switch the fuse box to “on” and individually plug in and switch each appliance back on to troubleshoot which one is causing the fuse to trip.

Get peace of mind with HomeServe electrics cover

If you’ve tried all of the above and your fuse box continues to fail, then you may be interested in our guide on why a fuse box keeps tripping for some further guidance.

It may be that you think your fuse box needs the eye of a specialist either as a one-off repair or making a claim as part of your policy. Or, you may want to look at protecting your fuse box in case of an emergency, in which case you can take a look at our home electrics cover options.

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About the author

After an early and varied career, including serving in the Falklands and also working as an active firefighter, Sam began his journey as an electrician in the 1990s as an apprentice with Bowdens Electrical contractors.

Since becoming qualified in 1995, Sam has worked on a broad range of electrical repairs and installations, including caravan site supplies, wiring of new build houses, and response to out of hours calls. His experience extends to both domestic and commercial projects, including working on electrical installations in large businesses such as shopping centres, residential homes, street infrastructure and many others.

Since joining HomeServe in 2018, his role has changed from being ‘hands on’ to a more knowledge and research based position within the Technical Governance Team, ensuring the business operates in a way that meets, or surpasses, industry regulations and standards.

“I thoroughly enjoy working with HomeServe and almost every day brings a new challenge.”

He loves spending time with his bulldog Bert, sailing his yacht or walking in the countryside.

Institute of Engineering & Technology-technician member, Institute of Engineering & Technology member. Solar PV Systems installation & inspection, City & Guilds 2382, City & Guilds 2330, City & Guilds 2391, City & Guilds 2377, City & Guilds 2377-1, Tetra Working at Height, Tetra Restraint Equipment Inspection, Tetra Electrical Equipment Inspection, LCL Electric Vehicle Charging Systems, I.O.S.H. Management

Years qualified

Since 1995
Read more

Share this post

About the author

After an early and varied career, including serving in the Falklands and also working as an active firefighter, Sam began his journey as an electrician in the 1990s as an apprentice with Bowdens Electrical contractors.

Since becoming qualified in 1995, Sam has worked on a broad range of electrical repairs and installations, including caravan site supplies, wiring of new build houses, and response to out of hours calls. His experience extends to both domestic and commercial projects, including working on electrical installations in large businesses such as shopping centres, residential homes, street infrastructure and many others.

Since joining HomeServe in 2018, his role has changed from being ‘hands on’ to a more knowledge and research based position within the Technical Governance Team, ensuring the business operates in a way that meets, or surpasses, industry regulations and standards.

“I thoroughly enjoy working with HomeServe and almost every day brings a new challenge.”

He loves spending time with his bulldog Bert, sailing his yacht or walking in the countryside.

Institute of Engineering & Technology-technician member, Institute of Engineering & Technology member. Solar PV Systems installation & inspection, City & Guilds 2382, City & Guilds 2330, City & Guilds 2391, City & Guilds 2377, City & Guilds 2377-1, Tetra Working at Height, Tetra Restraint Equipment Inspection, Tetra Electrical Equipment Inspection, LCL Electric Vehicle Charging Systems, I.O.S.H. Management

Years qualified

Since 1995
Read more

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