ELECTRICAL FAULT & CALLOUT HELP
An appliance keeps tripping the electrics?
Take the safe next step
For fire, smoke or immediate danger, move to safety and call 999. Keep clear of damaged, wet or overheating equipment. Do not wait for a callback.
If using your oven, washing machine, dishwasher or another appliance is followed by a trip at the fuse box, stop using the suspect equipment and arrange an assessment. The appliance, its connection or the electrical installation may be involved.
A trip when an appliance runs does not confirm the cause
The timing is useful information, but it does not prove that the appliance needs replacing. A problem in the appliance or the wiring can cause a protective device to operate. Do not keep resetting the supply, move the appliance to another socket to reproduce the problem, or open its casing. An electrician or suitably qualified appliance repairer needs to establish what is wrong.
Does this sound familiar?
- The power goes off when an appliance starts or part-way through its usual cycle.
- An oven or another fixed appliance is associated with repeated trips.
- A fault affects the sockets as well as the appliance you were using.
Electrician or appliance repair engineer?
Our network arranges electrical callout enquiries. Explain if you need the appliance itself repaired: internal appliance repairs, manufacturer diagnostics and warranty work are not automatically included in an electrical callout. We can discuss the reported problem and check whether a partner has the right scope. If a specialist repairer or the manufacturer is needed, that should be clear before you agree to a visit.
Ovens, showers and other fixed equipment
Tell us if the equipment is permanently connected, rather than plugged into an ordinary socket. Do not pull out an oven, open a shower or disconnect fixed wiring to find a label or investigate. Give the details you already have. Some jobs need a specialist in that equipment; an enquiry does not guarantee that we can repair every make or model.
The power trips even when the appliance is not running
Mention this when you call. It is a different observation from a trip that only occurs during a particular appliance cycle, and the electrician will decide what needs investigating. You do not need to work through sockets or circuits to diagnose it yourself.
Before buying a replacement or agreeing further work
Ask the attending professional to explain whether the findings point to the appliance, its connection or the installation, and what remains uncertain. Confirm any further investigation or repair before it goes ahead. For a recent purchase or equipment under warranty, speak to the retailer or manufacturer about the appropriate repair route.
What to tell us when you call
- Which appliance was in use and its make or model, if already known.
- Whether the trip happened at start-up or later, based on what you have already noticed.
- What else lost power and whether there was any damage, smell or water nearby.
- Your postcode, property type and who can authorise the visit.
We check the availability of independent electrician partners for your postcode. We speak with you to confirm the arrangements before a callout goes ahead. If nobody is available, we’ll tell you.
For evening or weekend enquiries, read our out-of-hours electrician guide. If you manage the property for someone else, see landlord and business callouts.
How our emergency electrician network worksFrom Electrical Emergency 24/7 UK. General guidance to help you explain an enquiry; an electrician must assess the condition of your installation.
Useful answers
Does the appliance need replacing?
Not necessarily. The symptoms need assessment before deciding whether a repair, replacement or work on the electrical installation is appropriate.
Should I try an extension lead or a different socket?
Do not try to work around a repeated trip. Stop using the suspect equipment and get professional advice. Do not use an extension lead to keep a washing machine running.
Can you repair my oven or washing machine?
Tell us the equipment and the problem before booking. A network electrical callout is not automatically a specialist appliance-repair service, and we do not promise manufacturer or warranty support.
The appliance works again. Is it safe?
A fault that comes and goes still needs investigation. Working again does not establish that the equipment is safe. Describe the earlier symptoms when seeking advice.