A True Story of Moisture, Mystery, and an Overlooked Socket in a Southampton Home
The Story:
When I got the call, it was from an elderly lady in Southampton—let’s call her Jenny—living in a recently extended property. She was warm, polite, and clearly anxious.
“I’ve lost all power to my sockets,” she told me, “and a friend who’s a builder came to help, but he couldn’t figure it out.”
He’d tested a few sockets but couldn’t find the issue. He did the right thing—advised her to call a qualified electrician.
When I arrived, I found that the main RCD on the consumer unit was tripping as soon as the MCB for the socket circuit was switched on. Classic symptom of an intermittent circuit breaker trip—but this one had gone from occasional to constant.
The Investigation Begins
I began the usual checks—testing all the visible sockets, inspecting connections, trying to isolate the fault. After nearly an hour of fault-finding, I narrowed it down to a section of cable between two sockets. But there was no sign of damage, no burning, and nothing visible that explained the trip.
That’s when I started asking Jenny some deeper questions.
“Was there anything added on the other side of this wall?”
“Are there any extra sockets tucked away that aren’t obvious?”
“Any chance something got wired in during the extension that’s out of sight?”
She paused.
“You know what,” she said, “there’s a little hatch under the sloping roof. I haven’t used it in ages—but there is a socket in there. I plug in a table lamp when I’m getting my Christmas decorations down.”
Bingo.
I grabbed the steps and opened the hatch. Right there, beside the access point, was the culprit: a damp, corroded socket. The screws were rusted and there were clear signs of moisture ingress, likely from condensation or a minor roof leak.
The Fix
I isolated the socket, made the connections safe, and installed a suitable enclosure to prevent future moisture problems. Once done, I tested the circuit again—no more tripping.
Power restored. Safety assured. One very relieved Jenny.
The Takeaway:
This job was a perfect example of how an intermittent circuit breaker trip can be caused by something out of sight and out of mind—especially in extended or altered properties. Over time, parts of a house are forgotten: old sockets, spare fuses, unused wiring. And when ownership changes, new residents often have no idea what’s hidden in lofts, behind cupboards, or under floors.
That’s why it’s vital to keep records of electrical alterations and share them with future occupants. A small note can save hours of diagnostics—and prevent potential danger.
Experiencing unexplained power loss or an intermittent circuit breaker trip?
We’re here to help uncover the cause and make your system safe again.
📞 Call: 023 8181 0636
🌐 Contact form: www.solidelectrics.co.uk/contact
