The main switch will not reset. Can I force it?

No. A switch that will not stay up is detecting a fault downstream, and forcing it simply repeats the fault at the same damaged point. Every reset makes the damage to that cable or terminal worse.

What is the ICP and why does it trip in summer?

The ICP limits consumption to your contracted power. It trips in summer because air conditioning adds several kilowatts that are absent in winter, and switching on the oven or the water heater as well is enough to cross the limit. If it happens often, the fix is more contracted power, not a different appliance.

Only half the house lost power. Is that the same thing?

No, and it is worth looking at quickly. If half the property goes dark while lamps in the other half burn brighter than usual, that is a loose neutral on the supply. Switch off sensitive appliances and call us the same day: that condition destroys power supplies.

Could it be the meter?

It could, and it is more common with older meters than with current digital ones. It is identified by measuring voltage before and after the unit. If the meter is at fault, replacing it is the distributor's responsibility, not a private installer's.

Should I call the utility or an electrician?

The utility if the outage affects more than your home or if there is no voltage at the supply; an electrician if your neighbours have power and the problem is inside your board. If you are unsure, describe what you can see — which switch fell, and whether neighbours are affected — and we will sort it out on the phone before anyone travels.

No power in the whole house — what to check first

If the board feels warm, you see deformed plastic, or there is a burning smell, do not operate any switch: turn off the main isolator if you can do so without putting your face near the board, leave, and call 112.

Right now

1Look outsideIf the street lights and your neighbours are dark too, it is a distribution outage and there is nothing to repair in your home.
2Look at the switches on the boardWithout removing any cover, see which one is down: the main isolator, the RCD, or one of the small breakers. Which one it is changes the diagnosis completely.
3Check the ICP and the meterIf the power-control breaker has tripped, you drew more than your contracted power. Turn off ovens and air conditioning before resetting it.
4Reset the main switch onceIf it falls straight back down, do not persist. Every reset onto a real fault damages the installation a little more.

On call now · we reply in under 5 min

Request a Quote

Why it happens

A distribution network outage

It affects the whole street or block. An electrician cannot work on the public network — the utility has to be notified. If your neighbours have power, this is not the cause.

The ICP tripping on excess demand

Happens when oven, hob, air conditioning and water heater coincide. It is the most common cause in coastal apartments in summer, when the air conditioning runs all day.

The RCD tripping on an earth fault

It kills the whole property because it protects every circuit downstream. You can tell it apart from the ICP because the device that fell is inside the board, not next to the meter.

A fault in the supply cable or the meter

If the main switch will not reset and nothing inside the board has tripped, the problem is upstream: the service cable, the fuses in the main box, or the meter itself.

A loose neutral on the supply

It has a characteristic symptom: part of the home goes dark while lamps in the other part burn brighter than normal. It damages appliances and needs attention the same day.

What we do on arrival

We measure voltage at the supply, and at the meter input and output, to establish within a minute whether the fault is yours or the utility's.
We torque-check the board terminals: a loose terminal is the most common silent cause of intermittent outages.
We measure neutral-to-earth voltage, which is what exposes a loose neutral before it destroys appliances.
If the fault is on the public network we tell you so and do not charge for a repair that is not ours to make — we tell you who to contact.

Frequently Asked Questions

Check whether the neighbours and the street lights have power. If they do and you do not, the problem is in your installation or your supply. If the whole street is dark it is the distribution network, and all you can do is report it and wait.