In short
First work out whether the outage is yours or the street's. If the neighbours are dark too, it is the network: check Ausgrid's outage map or call Ausgrid on 13 13 88. If only your home is out, look at your switchboard for a tripped safety switch or main switch. If it will not reset, or you see or smell anything burning, call a licensed electrician.
If you would rather have it checked, Ambient Electrical offers electrical fault finding in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs.
Is it just you, or the whole street?
A blackout has two main causes. Either the network supplying your street has a problem, or there is a fault in your own installation, usually at the switchboard.
Look outside. If the streetlights and your neighbours' houses are dark, the problem is on the network. Across Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, the CBD and the Inner West that network is run by Ausgrid, which posts current outages on its website and takes fault reports on 13 13 88. An electrician cannot fix a network outage.
| Problem | Who to call |
|---|---|
| Fire, or someone injured or still in contact with electricity | 000 first |
| Fallen powerlines | Stay at least 8 metres away, then call Ausgrid on 13 13 88 (000 if a life is at risk) |
| The whole street is out, or the neighbours are too | Ausgrid on 13 13 88, 24 hours, or its live outage map |
| An Ausgrid defect notice for the service line, point of attachment or meter panel | The electrical contractor or Accredited Service Provider who did the work, or an Accredited Service Provider (Level 2) |
| Anything from the main switch inward: switchboard, wiring, power points, lights, appliances | A licensed electrician |
Source: Ausgrid: In an emergency; Ausgrid: Safety defects; Ausgrid: Outages and the live outage map.
If only your home is out
- Go to your switchboard with a torch. Look for a safety switch or circuit breaker in the down or off position.
- If a safety switch has tripped, reset it once. If it trips again, follow the steps in the safety switch guide to find the appliance causing it.
- If the main switch is off or will not stay on, leave it off and call an electrician. The main switch can fail from a short circuit on one of the circuits, or simply from age.
- If nothing at the switchboard has tripped and the neighbours have power, the fault may be at your service fuse or service mains, the connection to the network. That is network connection work, which in NSW needs an Accredited Service Provider (Level 2).
Do not open the switchboard, remove covers or try to replace fuses yourself. Call from a mobile: cordless and NBN phones usually stop working in a blackout.
Staying safe while the power is out
- Use a torch or your phone's torch rather than candles
- Switch off heaters, ovens, irons and other appliances so they do not come back on unattended when power returns
- Unplug computers and TVs to protect them from a surge when the supply comes back
- Keep the fridge and freezer doors closed to hold the cold in
- Never touch power points, switches or cords with bare or wet feet
When a blackout becomes an emergency
If the outage came with a bang, sparks, smoke or a burning smell, treat it as an emergency. Turn off the main switch only if it is safe to reach, keep everyone clear, call 000 if there is fire or anyone is hurt, then call an emergency electrician.
Sources
Ambient Electrical is an electrician in Randwick, Coogee and Maroubra, and works across Sydney's Eastern Suburbs.
