The process to reset a power trip is pretty simple and does not require professional help. In Singapore, power trips are quite common and can be caused due to a variety of issues. The problem might be overheating appliances, faulty breakers, or the wiring itself. Whatever the cause, power trips can leave you in sudden blackouts that can disrupt daily activities. However, with the right approach, the trip doesn’t have to be frustrating as it can be corrected relatively easily.
We are going to discuss the correct methods of resetting a power trip in your house or office. Once you have followed this guide, you can easily do the power trip reset and won’t need the help of electricians. Let’s talk about getting the power back quickly and safely. However, if you are unsure about how to reset a power trip, simply call LS Electrician Services Singapore for their widespread power socket installations, fan repair, and house re-wiring in Singapore.
Causes of Power Trips
Power trips can occur due to many causes. Some common ones include.
- Overloaded Circuits – Circuit overload occurs when too many appliances are running on the same circuit network. The load might exceed the capacity of the circuit, causing it to trip.
- Faulty Appliances—Faulty appliances can short circuit when turned on, causing the circuit breaker to turn the power off to prevent damage.
- Damaged Wiring—Exposed or broken wiring exposes it to the environment. Whenever such unsafe conditions occur, the circuit breaker recognizes an additional load on the wire and turns the power off to prevent any damage.
- Power Surges – Sudden surges in electricity can also cause a shutdown. External factors like lightning and fluctuations from the power grid are common causes of such surges.
- Residual Current Faults—If the residual current circuit breaker recognizes any leakage of current, it shuts the system off to prevent electrocution.
How To Reset A Power Trip
Here are the steps you should follow to reset a power trip in your accommodation
1. Identify The Source
Before you begin resetting power trips, you must know the source of the trip. The trip might be due to the causes we have mentioned, or there can be any other issue with the circuit. Thus, inspect the circuit and the wiring and try to find the source. Fixing the source will offer you a permanent solution, as resetting the circuit might cause the issue to return.
2. Turn Off Electrical Appliances
Before resetting the power, turn off all electric appliances. This will prevent any surges in the power when the electricity is back on. Any unwanted surges can damage the appliances and can aggravate the issue.
3. Locate The Electrical Distribution Box
The electrical distribution box, called the DB box, houses all the circuit breakers in the house. It is usually located in the storeroom or the kitchen, but some houses also have DB boxes near the entrance.
4. Identify The Tripped Circuit Breaker
Once you have located the box, you must find the tripped circuit breaker. Such a breaker will be in the off position or midway between on and off. There are usually two types of circuit breakers in DB boxes.
- Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB) – These breakers control individual circuits for different areas in your house.
- Residual Current Circuit Breaker (RCCB): These breakers are designed to detect current leakages. They detect leakage from malfunctioning appliances and turn the power off to prevent damage.
i. If the MCB is tripped, the power appliance or an overloaded circuit is the issue.
ii. If the RCCB is tripped, it indicates a current leakage or a grounding problem.
5. Reset The Tripped Breaker
- If the MCB is tripped, flip it back into the ON position.
- If the RCCB is tripped, you can also flip it back ON. However, it will keep tripping until you fix the issue with the appliance. Thus, fix the wiring or appliance issue to prevent the breaker from tripping again.
6. Turn Back The Appliances On One By One
You can find the appliance with the issue by turning them on one by one. If the power trips again when a particular appliance is turned on, it is faulty and needs to be fixed.
7. Check Wiring Issues
If the power keeps tripping despite the appliances being turned off, the issue might be with the wiring. To identify such an issue, look for
- Burnt wiring or the smell of burning when the power is turned back on.
- Discolored or charred sockets
- Frequent flickering lights in the house
Conclusion
We have discussed in detail the complete process to reset a power trip. Installing correct appliances and heavy-duty wiring is essential to prevent this issue in your house. You must also ensure that all the appliances are working fine and don’t have any issues. Even if you run into tripping problems, identify the source by inspecting the appliances and the wiring.
Turn the circuit breaker back on and plug the appliances one by one. If the power goes out by plugging in a specific one, there might be an issue. Also, inspect the wiring for any signs of burning or damage. If you can’t fix the problem yourself, you can use electricians’ help to reset a power trip in Singapore.