In short
First plug in something you know works, and check the power point's own switch is on. If it is still dead, look at the switchboard: a tripped safety switch or circuit breaker often cuts a group of power points while the lights stay on, because lights and power are on separate circuits. If nothing has tripped, or the power point is warm, scorched or crackling, call a licensed electrician.
Quick checks
- Plug in a lamp or phone charger you know works. The fault may be the appliance, not the power point.
- Make sure the power point's own switch is on.
- Try the other outlet on a double power point.
- At the switchboard, look for a safety switch or circuit breaker in the off position and reset it once.
- If it trips again, unplug everything on that circuit and try once more, then plug things back in one at a time.
Power points not working but the lights are
Lights and power points run on separate circuits, and usually through separate safety switches. So a tripped safety switch or breaker on the power circuit can leave several power points dead while every light works. That is the first thing to check.
If nothing has tripped, the likely cause is a loose connection. Power points on a circuit are often wired one to the next, so a failed connection at one outlet can take out the others further along the same run.
Stop using it if you notice
- Brown or black marks around the power point
- Warmth, a burning smell or a crackling sound
- Sparks when you plug something in or pull it out
- A loose socket that plugs fall out of
Why you should not open it
In NSW, replacing or repairing a power point is electrical wiring work, which only a licensed electrician may do. Even with the circuit off at the switchboard, there can be more than one supply to a fitting, and a mistake inside a power point is how house fires start.
If you just need more power points
Relying on power boards and double adaptors because there are not enough outlets is a common reason power points overheat or stop working. Adding power points, and spreading appliances across circuits, is the lasting fix.
Related service: Powerpoints
Ambient Electrical works in Kensington, Randwick, Zetland and across Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, 24 hours a day.
