Few things are as frustrating as flicking the main switch back up, only for it to drop again a minute later. But a tripping switch is not the fault — it is the protection working. Something on that circuit is drawing too much current, or current is leaking somewhere it shouldn’t. The job is finding out which.

Know which switch dropped

Open your distribution board (DB) and look before you touch anything. Most South African homes and small businesses have two kinds of protection:

• Circuit breakers protect a single circuit (lights, plugs, geyser, stove) against overload and short circuits. If one breaker trips, the problem is on that circuit.
• The earth leakage unit (usually with a small “test” button) watches for current escaping to earth — often through water, damaged insulation or a faulty appliance. If it trips, it can take several circuits down with it.

The safe way to narrow it down

1. Unplug everything on the affected circuit, or every appliance in the house if it’s the earth leakage.
2. Reset the switch. If it stays up, the wiring is probably fine and an appliance is to blame.
3. Plug appliances back in one at a time, waiting a minute between each. When the switch drops, you have found your suspect.

Kettles, heaters, old fridges, washing machines and anything that lives outdoors are the usual offenders. Water getting into an outside plug or light fitting after rain is another classic, especially on Cape winter mornings.

What never to do

Don’t hold a breaker up, tape it in place, or swap it for a bigger one “so it stops tripping”. The breaker is sized to protect the cable behind your walls. Oversizing it removes that protection and turns an annoying fault into a fire risk.

If you’ve worked through the steps above and the trip keeps coming back, send us a WhatsApp with a photo of your DB and a note of what’s tripping. We’re available for maintenance callouts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Most electrical fires and failures give off warning signs well in advance. The trouble is that they’re easy to get used to: the light that flickers, the plug you avoid because it’s “a bit loose”. If you recognise any of these, it’s worth getting an electrician to take a look.

1. A burning or hot-plastic smell

Any smell of burning near a plug, switch, light or the DB board is the most urgent sign on this list. Switch that circuit off at the board and call for help.

2. Plugs or switches that are warm or discoloured

A socket should never feel warm, and brown or black marks around the pins mean a connection has been overheating.

3. Lights that flicker or dim

Dimming when the kettle or microwave switches on can mean a circuit is overloaded or a connection is loose somewhere along the line.

4. Buzzing or crackling

Wiring should be silent. Buzzing from a switch, plug or the DB board often points to arcing — electricity jumping across a poor connection.

5. Breakers that trip often

An occasional trip is normal. Regular trips on the same circuit are telling you something. Here’s how to narrow it down.

6. Small shocks or tingles

A tingle when touching an appliance, tap or metal fitting means current is going somewhere it shouldn’t. Don’t ignore this one, especially around water.

7. An old board, or no earth leakage unit

Older installations may have old-style fuses, no earth leakage protection, or years of additions by different hands. Even without symptoms, an older system is worth having inspected — particularly before you add a big load like an inverter, a new stove or aircon.

We do site visits, so we can come and assess the problem in person rather than guessing over the phone.

If you own property in South Africa, sooner or later someone will ask for your electrical Certificate of Compliance, or CoC. It usually comes up during a sale, but it matters any time the electrical installation is changed.

What is a CoC?

A CoC is a certificate confirming that the fixed electrical installation of a property was inspected and tested and meets the national wiring standard, SANS 10142-1. It is required under the Electrical Installation Regulations of 2009, and it can only be issued by an electrician registered with the Department of Employment and Labour.

What it covers — and what it doesn’t

• Covered: the DB board, wiring, plug sockets, light switches, isolators, earthing and bonding, and fixed items such as the geyser and stove connection.
• Not covered: appliances you plug in, such as fridges, kettles and TVs, and the condition of the appliances themselves.

When you need one

• When selling. The seller is responsible for providing a valid CoC before transfer. Many conveyancers and banks will want one issued fairly recently, so check with yours early rather than in the last week before transfer.
• After changes. Additions or alterations to the installation, such as new circuits, a new DB board or moved plug points, need a certificate covering that work.
• For peace of mind. Some insurers ask about compliance after a claim, so knowing your installation is up to standard is worth something on its own.

How to prepare

1. Make sure the DB board, geyser and roof space can be reached.
2. Gather any previous CoCs and paperwork for recent electrical work.
3. Mention any DIY or unfinished electrical projects up front. They will come up during inspection anyway.

WhatsApp us to book a site visit and talk about getting your property inspected.

We like people who fix things themselves. But a good share of our callouts start with “I thought I’d just…”. Electrical mistakes aren’t like a crooked shelf: they can stay hidden in a wall for years before they cause a shock or a fire, and unauthorised changes can cause trouble with a future CoC or an insurance claim.

Generally fine to do yourself

• Changing light bulbs, with the switch off and the bulb cool.
• Resetting a tripped breaker or earth leakage unit once you’ve unplugged the likely cause.
• Pressing the earth leakage test button every few months to check it trips.
• Plugging in appliances and using multi-plugs sensibly — no daisy-chaining adapters.

Leave these to an electrician

• Anything inside the DB board. Adding, swapping or upsizing breakers included.
• New or moved plug points, switches and light points. This is work on the fixed installation.
• Geysers, stoves, ovens and hobs. High-current circuits with no margin for error.
• Inverters, backup power and solar. Connecting these incorrectly can feed power back into lines people think are dead.
• Outdoor lighting, pool pumps and gate motors. Water and electricity need proper protection and cable rated for the job.
• Anything where you’re not sure which wire is which. If you’re guessing, stop.

Our flyer says it best: we’re to the rescue of over-confident do-it-yourselves. We’d rather get the call before the drill comes out, though.

From retail construction to moving an entire plant, the electrical work is usually on the critical path. Lights, tills, machines and cold rooms all wait on it. The projects that finish on budget and on time are the ones where the electrician is involved early, not when the shopfitters are already on site.

Before you commit to a space

• Check the supply. Is there enough capacity for your equipment? Machines, ovens, compressors and aircon may need three-phase power or a supply upgrade, and upgrades take time to arrange.
• Ask for the existing CoC and any drawings of the installation.
• Look at the DB board. Where it is, how old it is, and whether there’s space for new circuits.

While planning the layout

• Make a list of every piece of equipment with its power rating. This load schedule drives cable sizes and board design.
• Mark every till, screen, machine and appliance on the floor plan so plug points land where they’re needed — not on an extension lead across the floor.
• Plan lighting, emergency lighting and signage together.
• Agree who is doing data, CCTV and alarm cabling so trades don’t trip over each other.

For a plant relocation

1. Photograph and label every connection before anything is disconnected.
2. Schedule the shutdown window and agree it with production.
3. Prepare the new site’s supply and isolators before the machines arrive.
4. Reconnect, test and commission machine by machine, with sign-off as you go.

At handover

Make sure you receive a CoC for the new work, a labelled DB board, and a simple record of which circuit feeds what. The next person to work on the installation will thank you.

We can equip your project with the necessary tools, people and experience to get the job done. WhatsApp us to book a site visit.