Where do i start?

[Louiselouie0890]

So the socket fuse is tripping and the main power is tripping it's done it twice tonight in the space of 5-6 hours. The problem is nothing was plugged in everything has stayed the same and it randomly happens. I read I have to figure out which socket it is by unplugging and re plugging every one, one by one to see which trips but it's completely random it never happens when plugging in or out. It's done it in the past for a few nights then stopped for months then starts again. I can't even narrow down if ya up or downstairs as it trips the main so everything goes off. How the heck do I narrow it down lol worried it's a haxard.

Thankyou for any help

[Poshindevon]

You send for a qualified electrician.

[Ifailed]

it randomly happens could be anything, but sounds potentially dangerous, somewhere, somehow your wiring/connections/sockets are faulty. Agree with Poshindevon

[Melony6]

Can it be lights not sockets? What about your boiler/ immersion heater/ central heating pump?

[innagazing]

Don't forget to include electric oven (if you have one) and washing machine too in your checks...
I think qualified electrician is the way to go here.

[Tyrionsbitch]

When that happened to us it was our boiler. It had a small leak that would drip when heating was on and eventually enough water would collect to pool into the electrics for the boiler and would trip everything. It was very random and could be hours or weeks between each trip.

[Battyoldbat]

If everything extra was unplugged when it tripped then it’s likely to be one of the basics like fridge, freezer, dishwasher, washing machine, tumble drier, electric oven or lights.
Assuming everything is wired correctly so you don’t have lights on a socket fuse (we had sockets on a lights fuse when we moved in to our house!), are you sure there’s NOTHING plugged in? Are you living in the house?
Have you done any drilling into any walls? One of our fuses kept tripping when our builder accidentally put a screw in the wall into some socket wiring.
Best thing to do is call an electrician and leave the fuse off until then if you can.

[Phillipa12]

Do you have upstairs sockets on a different trip switch to the downstairs? My mains kept randomly tripping and i eventually narrowed it down to the upstairs lighting, even though they were never on and it was very random when it all tripped! When it next trips turn off all the breakers and just turn on the socket ones, one at a time and that will narrow it down, then you need an electrician. My electrician managed to narrow it down to 2 lights and then he just rewired them as it was cheaper, never actually found out what was causing the problem but no problems since.

[johnd2]

Sounds like an electrician needed, could be a loose connection shorting live to earth.
Are you really sure nothing is plugged in? When the switch for the sockets only is off, go round and check if anything else is off, eg boiler, shower pump, etc.
Also are you sure nothing was plugged in even fridge, washing machine?

[Louiselouie0890]

Sorry I didn't explain very well when I say nothing was plugged in I meant we were asleep so nothing new was plugged in or being used it's all stayed the same so do I have to wait till it trips again unplug everything start one by one. It just seems totally random and a huge job to go searching so wondering if theres any way to narrow it down? Can I unplug everything now and do it one by one or do I have to wait till it trips. Sorry for not explaining very well

[Poshindevon]

Why are you doing this yourself cant you afford an electrician? Who will tell you very quickly what the problem is and how to fix it

[Louiselouie0890]

If it's an appliance they'll tell me to test my appliances. At least of intestinal them first I'm not being charged for them telling me something I already know. Its definitely the sockets that's tripping and I've narrowed it down to downstairs so just testing my appliances.

[Louiselouie0890]

If it's an appliance they'll tell me to test my appliances. At least of intestinal them first I'm not being charged for them telling me something I already know. Its definitely the sockets that's tripping and I've narrowed it down to downstairs so just testing my appliances.

[johnd2]

Ideally get an electrician who will actually do the work rather than telling you to do it, if he tells you to test your appliances then get one who can.
You can try to narrow it down by unplugging everything at all times and only plugging in what you're using but it depends how much time you have and risk you are happy to take. bear in mind an electrical installation with a fault between live and earth could be very dangerous if there's a issue with the earth connection.
In the absolute worse case, everything made of metal that's part of your house or plugged in anywhere could be live. The earth connection is not expected to take current in normal use.

[junebirthdaygirl]

It could be a mouse. No idea how so not much help but heard it happens.

[Gingernaut]

It may not be appliances, the downstairs ring main could be defective. If the wiring is fecked, it will trip with or without an appliance

[Louiselouie0890]

So I was sat downstairs and it tripped again but this time I heard a bang from a socket. When I turned it all back on it banged again and a photo came off the wall. It can't be the nail as I use those tiny tiny 3 pin hooks. There's nothing plugged in and it's not switched on so landlords going to call an electrician thx guys