What to do when you lose power a simple diy trick
Here are step-by-step instructions on what to do if your power is off and your safety switch has tripped:
- Locate the switchboard: Typically, it’s in a garage, outside wall, or utility area.
- Identify the tripped safety switch: Safety switches (also known as Residual Current Devices or RCDs) are often grouped together. A tripped switch will usually be in the “off” or middle position, unlike the others that are “on”.
- Reset the tripped switch: Flip the tripped safety switch back to the “on” position.
- Check if the power is restored: If the power comes back on, the problem may have been a temporary surge or fault.
- If the safety switch trips again: If the switch immediately trips again, there’s likely a persistent fault.
- Unplug appliances: Go around your house and unplug appliances, especially those that were in use when the power went out. Focus on potential problem appliances like those that generate heat (oven, heater, toaster, kettle) or have moving parts (washing machine, dryer).
- Try resetting the switch again: After unplugging appliances, return to the switchboard and reset the tripped safety switch.
- Plug in appliances one by one: If the power stays on, plug in one appliance at a time and wait a few minutes before plugging in the next. This will help identify the faulty appliance causing the trip.
- If the switch trips when plugging in a specific appliance: This indicates the last appliance plugged in is likely faulty. Do not use that appliance and have it checked by a professional.
- If the switch trips even with all appliances unplugged: This could indicate a fault in the wiring. In this case, you will need to call a qualified electrician to investigate and repair the issue.
Frequently Asked Question
Essential items include a flashlight with spare batteries, a battery-powered phone charger, candles, matches, bottled water, non-perishable food, a first aid kit, and contact details for your local electrician or power provider.
Install surge protectors, have backup lighting like solar lamps or battery-powered lanterns, and keep your switchboard clearly labelled. Consider investing in a generator for longer outages.
Yes. Sudden outages and surges when power is restored can harm sensitive electronics. Unplug devices during an outage and use surge protectors to help prevent damage.
High winds, fallen trees, or moisture entering power lines or transformers can disrupt supply. Even without visible lightning, storm conditions can cause wide-area electrical faults.
If your neighbours have power but you don’t—and resetting breakers doesn’t work—contact an electrician immediately. For full-street blackouts, wait for power company updates unless you suspect internal damage.
A blackout is a complete loss of power, while a brownout refers to a drop in voltage that can cause lights to dim and appliances to malfunction. Both can harm electronics if frequent.
If your area experiences frequent outages or you rely on power for medical or business reasons, a backup generator can be a smart investment for safety and convenience.
Standard solar systems without battery storage won’t provide power during outages due to safety regulations. However, solar + battery systems can keep essential appliances running.