Why does my circuit breaker keep tripping?
Overloads, short circuits and faulty appliances are the main causes; repeated tripping needs an electrician.
A breaker trips to protect your wiring. The common causes are too many appliances on one circuit, a short circuit or a faulty appliance.
Never keep resetting a breaker that trips again straight away; it is warning you of a real fault.
Simple checks
Unplug everything on that circuit, reset the breaker, then plug appliances back in one at a time. The one that trips it again is likely faulty.
Common causes
Heaters, kettles and other high-power appliances on one circuit, damaged cords, and damp in sockets or outdoor circuits.
Call a qualified electrician
If it trips with nothing plugged in, smells burnt or feels hot, switch it off and get a professional. Do not open the distribution board yourself.
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