What your fuse board is telling you

A switch that trips, one that won't go back up, a test button nobody presses: how to read the board, and when to call us.

Your fuse board (or consumer unit) is the first place to look when something goes off. Here’s what it can tell you without opening anything.

One switch has tripped

Something on that circuit had a fault, or too much was plugged in. Unplug everything on the circuit, push the switch back up, then plug things back in one at a time. The one that trips it again is your culprit.

The switch won’t stay up

Leave it down. A switch that trips straight away with nothing plugged in means a fault in the wiring itself, and that’s a job for an electrician.

The test button

RCDs and RCBOs have a small button marked T. Pressing it every six months checks the device still trips. If it doesn’t, call us.

Never

Never tape a switch up, swap a fuse for a bigger one, or work on anything with the board cover off. If you smell burning, switch off at the main switch and ring the 24-hour line.