A tripping safety switch or a dead circuit isn't random - there's always a reason for it, and finding that reason properly is the difference between a fix that lasts and one that trips again next week.
Before I touch anything I want to know what was running when it tripped, whether it's happened before, and whether it's one circuit or the whole board. That tells me where to start looking rather than guessing.
A safety switch protects the whole board, so a fault on one circuit can look like it's affecting everything. I isolate each circuit at the switchboard one at a time until I've narrowed the fault down to where it's actually coming from.
From there it's insulation resistance testing, earth loop impedance and continuity testing with a Fluke - not just switching things back on and hoping it holds. That's how I find an open neutral, a short, or leakage to earth that a reset alone will never fix.
On older boards or anywhere I suspect a loose connection, thermal imaging picks up a hot joint or an overloaded terminal without pulling the whole board apart to find it.
Once I know what's actually wrong, I fix that - not just reset the switch and pack up. If your safety switch keeps tripping, it's doing exactly what it's meant to do: protecting you from a fault that's genuinely there. My job is to find it and put it right.
Adelaide has a lot of housing stock from the 1920s through to the 1980s, and most of the faults I get called out for come straight out of that mix of old wiring and boards that have been added to over the years rather than replaced.
Wattle Park, February 2026 - An intermittent safety-switch trip that had been going on for a while turned out to be rodent damage in the roof space, with cable insulation chewed through near a beam. Traced it back and replaced the damaged run through a proper junction box - hasn't tripped since.
Westbourne Park, September 2026 - A tripping lighting circuit that sounded simple on the phone turned into a proper fault find on site: damage to an outdoor light's supply cable, plus further damage to switch wiring in the roof space with bare conductors exposed. Not an emergency, just a fault that had been quietly getting worse. Fitted junction boxes, replaced the damaged cable, and tested the whole circuit before handing it back.
Prospect, June 2026 - A lighting circuit that only tripped when it rained, traced to water getting into an outdoor light fitting (a bird's nest nearby wasn't helping). Made the fitting safe, added proper safety-switch protection to the circuit, and it's been dry ever since.
A few things that help while you're waiting, and a couple worth avoiding:
Most tripping and intermittent faults aren't dangerous - they're a nuisance that needs proper diagnosis, not a rush job. A few signs mean it genuinely can't wait: burning smells, sparking, a hot switchboard, exposed wiring, or water actually inside the switchboard itself. If that's what you're looking at, head straight to my 24/7 emergency electrician page instead of this one.
And if what a fault find actually turns up is a switchboard that's out of ways, still running old ceramic fuses, or needs a full rebuild rather than a repair, have a look at a switchboard upgrade - a fault find is often exactly where that conversation starts.
Marcus films real jobs with Meta glasses — no actors, no stock footage. A couple of real fault-finding callouts, faults and all.
A safety switch (RCD) trips because it's detected current leaking somewhere it shouldn't - to earth, through water, or through a damaged appliance or cable. It's doing exactly what it's designed to do. Resetting it without finding the actual leak just means it'll trip again, sometimes straight away and sometimes days later.
That's usually a loose or failed connection somewhere in the circuit rather than a leak to earth, which is why the safety switch doesn't react. It could be at the point itself, at a joint in the roof space, or back at the switchboard. I test the circuit to isolate exactly where the break is, rather than pulling out every point along the way.
It depends on the fault. Some are quick - isolate the circuit, find an obvious problem at the point or switch, fix it on the spot. Others take longer, especially anything involving a roof-space search for damaged cable or a fault that only shows up under certain conditions. I'll keep you updated on progress rather than disappearing into the roof space for hours without a word.
Often, yes - a lot of faults are a straightforward repair once they're found. If what I find points to something bigger, like a switchboard that needs replacing or damaged cable needing a proper rewire, I'll explain what I've found and quote the fix before doing any further work.
When you call about a fault, you're talking to me - not a call centre, not a subcontractor. I do the testing, the diagnosis and the repair myself, and I'll explain what I found and why in plain language before doing anything further.
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Tripping switch, dead circuit, or something that comes and goes and you just can't pin down - I'll test it properly and find out what's actually wrong.
Licensed SA Electrician • Owner-Operated
Marcus tests it, finds it, and explains it before fixing anything
Fixed price before work starts • No obligation
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— Marcus, Amped Up Electrical
