Does your appliance or the socket spark when you plug in the wire? Does a particular circuit breaker keep tripping when you turn on a machine? These situations can be scary as they happen at lightning speed.
If you are experiencing an electrical issue in your home, you should call an electrician to avoid further damage. However, there are some minor issues that you can deal with yourself. This guide discusses the steps of electrical troubleshooting, so you know the right way to troubleshoot small electric matters.
Steps of Electrical Troubleshooting
Collecting Information
You can’t conduct a process until you know the details of the faulty component or appliance. Therefore, gathering information is the first step to troubleshooting electrical issues. The best way to learn about the appliance or anything at fault is by referring to the owner’s manual.
Most of us don’t bother reading the owner’s manual unless necessary. However, they have complete and accurate information about the machine and are handy for electrical troubleshooting. If you can’t find the owner’s manual, you can search about it online.
Understanding the Fault
The next step involves understanding where the fault lies. To do this, you must learn how the object works. You should target the problem and see which part of the object is responsible for what operation. Once you have a thorough understanding of the working of the object, you can understand why it is malfunctioning.
Identifying the Problem
Once you completely understand the object and its works, it gets easier to identify the problem, which involves getting to the roots of the problem. Electricians check each component of the object by working its signal, its power output, and input. You can isolate each element until you find the center of the issue by doing this.
Another way to find the root cause and clear any doubts you might have is to replace the part you think is malfunctioning. If it works, Viola! You have a winner.
Repairing the Component
After successfully identifying the problem, you’re a step closer to troubleshooting the problem all by yourself. However, repairing needs to be done with utmost attention and care. Remember, it is electric we are talking about here. Unplugging the appliances is usually enough to eliminate severe safety hazards. But if you are fixing an outlet, you should wear protective gear and turn off the required power systems.
Replace the faulty component or fix the defective wiring to repair the object. Remember to close the thing carefully and exactly how it is supposed to be done.
Verifying the Repair
A final quality check is never a bad idea, especially for electricity. It would help if you verified whether the object is working fine. Keep it running for some time to see if it shows up problems again. If everything seems perfect, you’re good to go. If not, repeat the troubleshooting process and be more thorough in picking out any hidden issues.
How to Troubleshoot Various Electrical Components
Now that you know how to troubleshoot electrical issues in emergencies, here’s how you can fix your home’s everyday requirements.
Flickering Lights
Lights are essential to carry out activities in your home. However, light can flicker due to many reasons. First, try twisting the tubes or the bulbs that are flickering. This should fix them if they are loose or have rust on the metal parts. If it doesn’t work, your bulb might be of the wrong wattage. Simply replace the light with the correct wattage. If it still doesn’t work, the problem probably lies with the cord or wiring of the outlet.
Electrical Outlets
If you notice sparking or discolored outlets, it means the wiring is faulty and needs repairing. Check to see if other switches and outlets are working on the switchboard. It is also possible that the circuit breaker connected to the outlet might have tripped. If everything is in order, the problem lies with the wiring behind the walls. It is best to call an electrician in such cases.
Tripped Circuit Breakers
Circuit breakers are there to cut off the power supply to a particular point in your home in case of a power surge or dip. They usually trip when a heavy appliance is running or turned on. Try turning the breaker back on. If it trips again, you should call an electrician for further inspection.
Ending Note
Electrical troubleshooting will help you fix an appliance or a minor fault in your home’s electrical system. However, you should only use the method in emergencies and small matters. Golden Electrical Services have a team of highly skilled electricians ready to address all your electric needs. Please reach us at goldenelectricalservicellc@gmail.com to have a full electrical inspection of your home to keep your home and family safe.
