The earth leakage unit in your distribution board (DB board) switches the power off when electricity is leaking to earth, for example through a damaged appliance or wet wiring. It's there to protect people from electric shock, so it's doing its job when it trips. The question is why.
Common causes
- A faulty appliance: kettles, geysers, washing machines and outdoor lights are frequent culprits.
- Moisture: after heavy summer storms, water gets into outdoor plugs, garden lights, gate motors or roof wiring.
- A failing geyser element: a very common cause in older homes.
- Damaged wiring: rodents in the roof, or wiring damaged during renovations.
- An old or faulty earth leakage unit: they do wear out.
A safe way to narrow it down
Only do this if there's no smell of burning, no scorch marks and nothing wet near the DB board.
- Unplug every appliance in the house.
- Switch off all the circuit breakers, then reset the earth leakage switch.
- Switch the breakers back on one at a time. If the earth leakage trips when you switch a particular breaker on, the fault is on that circuit.
- If it doesn't trip with all breakers on, plug the appliances back in one at a time to find the faulty one.
Leave the faulty circuit off and call an electrician. Don't keep resetting it, and never tape a breaker or earth leakage switch in the ON position.
When to call an electrician straight away
- A burning smell, scorch marks or a hot DB board
- The earth leakage won't reset even with every breaker off
- Water near any electrical installation
- Tripping that happens when it rains
What to ask the electrician
Ask about the call-out fee, whether they'll test the earth leakage unit itself, and whether any repairs need a Certificate of Compliance. See emergency electricians in Benoni.