Why Won’t My Fuse Switch Stay Up?

In every home and business property there will be a little box onsite somewhere known as the consumer unit, where the backbone of the electrical system can be found, containing lots of wires, fuses and trip switches that control and monitor what’s going on to help keep us safe.

Older consumer units used to blow a fuse when an electrical issue manifested itself, which would then either need to be rewired or replaced in order to get the power back on, but in more modern boxes there are trip switches that flick themselves off when a fault is detected. 

This is advantageous because it means you can simply turn the switch back on once they’ve been tripped, rebooting the system without needing to call out an electrician.

However, it becomes more problematic when a trip switch in your fuse box won’t stay up when you try to reset it. In this instance, it means there’s a fault that can’t be resolved - and you’ll likely need to have a professional electrical engineer come out to take a look.

There are many reasons why a breaker switch won’t stay on, whether it’s down to problems with the wiring or a circuit overload, the latter of which is one of the main causes of this particular issue. 

If you have too many appliances running through your circuit, it can overwhelm the system and the power will cut out, so try to avoid using too many appliances all at the same time and see if this makes a difference.

Short circuits can also be triggered by faulty appliances, outlets or switches, as well as rodents potentially nibbling on the wires or accidental damage caused by DIY. 

These can be difficult to identify, so you may find it necessary to get an electrician round if you’re unable to work out what the problem is. They’ll be able to find the short circuit quickly and efficiently, carrying out any necessary wiring repairs, probably on the same day.

It also might sound a little silly but before you get an electrician to come out and take a look, just double check that you’re flicking the right breaker switch. 

It’s very easy to turn the wrong one on and off, and it’s also easy to think you’ve pushed the switch all the way up when in fact you haven’t. So give the switch a good shove into position and see if it stays up before you go to the expense of shelling out for a visit from a sparky.

If you’re worried that you have a serious problem on your hands, look out for signs like sparks, scorch marks and burning smells. If you notice anything like this, it’s generally advisable to err on the side of caution and get the professionals to come out and take a look.