Electrical

Electrical fault finding

Tracing why a circuit trips, a socket is dead or a light flickers, and putting it right.

Post a task Electrical fault finding by county

Whether this needs a licence in Ireland

Ireland

Licence required

Registered Electrical Contractor (Safe Electric)

Registered Electrical Contractor (Safe Electric), issued or supervised by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities. Ask for the registration number before the work starts and check it on the public register. Check the register: www.safeelectric.ie

Wording approved by Talqero; not yet reviewed by a solicitor

Commission for Regulation of Utilitieswww.safeelectric.ieChecked 11/10/2026

Electrical fault finding: what the job involves

Tracing why a breaker or RCD trips, a socket or light is dead, lights flicker or something smells hot, and repairing the cause. Fault finding is methodical testing, and the repair that follows is usually certified electrical work.

Also asked for as: trip switch keeps tripping · RCD keeps tripping · emergency electrician · socket not working · lights flickering

How the job is usually done

Ask when it happens: what was switched on, the weather, the time of day, and what has changed recently.
Unplug appliances and switch circuits off one by one to tell an appliance fault from a wiring fault.
Test the affected circuit for insulation resistance, continuity and polarity to locate the fault.
Open up accessories, junction boxes or outside fittings along the circuit to find the damaged point.
Repair or replace the faulty cable, connection or accessory, or isolate it safely if a larger repair is needed.
Retest the circuit and explain what was found, with a certificate for any restricted work.

Electrical fault finding: what is included

Usually included

Diagnosis and testing of the faulty circuit
Small repairs such as a burnt connection, a failed socket or a damp outside fitting
An explanation of the cause in plain words

Usually not included — agree it separately

Larger repairs such as replacing a cable buried in a wall or under a floor, quoted once found
Repairing faulty appliances, which is an appliance engineer’s job
Faults on the supply side of the meter, which belong to ESB Networks

Materials and who supplies them

Small parts such as sockets, switches, connectors and breakers, carried by the electrician
Specific light fittings or appliances, supplied by the customer

How long it takes

Many faults are found and fixed within one to three hours; intermittent faults that only appear in wet weather or under load can take a return visit.

When to book

Faults on outside lights and garden supplies often appear with the first wet weeks of autumn, so it is worth having them checked before winter.

Electrical fault finding: the rules in Ireland

What the official sources say, checked against them on the date shown. A summary, not legal advice — follow the link to read the rule itself.

New circuits, changes to a distribution board (fuse board), work in special locations such as bathrooms and outdoors, and inspection and testing are Restricted Electrical Works: only a Registered Electrical Contractor may carry them out. Like-for-like replacement of a switch or socket is excluded as minor work.
Applies to: the electrician, and the homeowner who engages one
Electricity Regulation Act 1999 and S.I. No. 264 of 2013, run by Safe Electric Ireland for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities · safeelectric.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
A Registered Electrical Contractor must issue a Completion Certificate for all electrical work except minor works, and give the customer the original copy when the job is finished, with the post-connection tests confirmed on it.
Applies to: the electrician
Electricity Regulation Act 1999; Safe Electric Ireland · safeelectric.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
If you have no power at all, or a fault is on the meter or the supply cable, report it to ESB Networks, which operates the network and the meter.
Applies to: the homeowner
ESB Networks · esbnetworks.ie · Checked 9 October 2026

What electrical fault finding costs, and why

What jobs on Talqero came to

Not enough comparable jobs yet to publish a range here. Talqero shows a price range only once at least five comparable jobs, agreed prices or offers exist — a range from fewer would describe a handful of jobs, not the market. Post your job and compare the offers you get.

What affects the price

Whether the fault is constant or intermittent
How many circuits are affected and how accessible the cable runs are
The repair: a connection, an accessory, or a length of cable in a finished wall
Emergency or out-of-hours call-out
Age and condition of the installation
VAT: building work on a home is charged at the reduced rate of 13.5% by a VAT-registered business — unless the materials come to more than two-thirds of the price, when Revenue’s two-thirds rule applies the goods rate to the whole job. Ask whether a quote includes VAT.

Paperwork to ask for at the end

A written note of the fault found and the repair made
A Completion Certificate where the repair is Restricted Electrical Works, such as replacing a circuit or a breaker

Safety

If a socket, switch or the fuse board is scorched, hot or buzzing, switch off the main switch and do not use the circuit until it is checked.
Do not keep resetting a breaker that trips straight away; it is protecting you from something.
Never replace a fuse with a higher-rated one or hold a breaker on.

Electrical fault finding: before you hire

Questions to ask a tradesperson

How do you charge for finding the fault, and is the repair quoted before you start it?
Will you test the whole circuit or just the point that failed?
Will I get a certificate if you replace a breaker or cable?

What you can do yourself

A householder can safely unplug everything, reset the trip and plug appliances back one at a time to see if an appliance is the cause; anything beyond that is for a registered electrician.

What to put in your task

What is happening?
When does it happen?
How much of the house is affected?
Do you need someone today?

Photos that help

The fuse board showing which switch is down
Any scorched socket, switch or fitting
The outside light, socket or garden supply if one is on the circuit

Electrical fault finding by county

Choose your county for electrical fault finding close to home.

Electrical

Need electrical fault finding? Describe the job.

Post it once, free. Professionals near you reply with their own price and when they could start. You choose, and pay them directly.

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Questions about electrical fault finding

Does electrical fault finding need a licence in Ireland?

Yes. Registered Electrical Contractor (Safe Electric), supervised by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities. Source: www.safeelectric.ie. Ask for the registration number and check it on the public register. Wording approved by Talqero; not yet reviewed by a solicitor.

Why does my RCD trip when it rains?

Water getting into an outside light, socket or a cable to the shed is the classic cause. The electrician tests each outdoor circuit and reseals or replaces the fitting.

Could it be an appliance rather than the wiring?

Very often. Kettles, immersion elements, washing machines and fridges with failing elements leak to earth and trip the RCD. Unplugging everything and adding things back one at a time often finds it.

Who do I call if the whole house has no power?

First check the main switch on the fuse board. If it is on and neighbours are also off, it is a power cut for ESB Networks; if only your house is off and the main switch will not reset, call an electrician.

Often booked with electrical fault finding

Electricians