Something's not working. Let's find out why.
We test methodically to find the actual fault, instead of replacing parts and hoping. Find your symptom below.
What's it doing?
The most common faults we're called to, and what usually causes them.
You can smell burning, or see scorch marks
Something is overheating — most often a loose connection at a switchboard, powerpoint or light fitting. Do not wait for a callback. Turn the power off at the main switch and call us.
Turn it off at the board and call 0422 253 379There are sparks, or a powerpoint is hot to touch
Arcing at a connection, or a damaged accessory. Stop using that circuit, turn it off at the board, and call.
Turn it off at the board and call 0422 253 379Half the house has no power
Usually one circuit breaker or RCD has tripped and won't reset, which means there's a genuine fault on that circuit rather than a nuisance trip. Occasionally it's a lost neutral, which is more serious and needs looking at promptly.
Call 0422 253 379The safety switch keeps tripping
An RCD trips on earth leakage. The usual culprits are a faulty appliance, water ingress in an outdoor point or bathroom fitting, or degraded cable insulation. Unplug everything on that circuit and reset — if it holds, it's an appliance. If it trips with nothing plugged in, it's the wiring.
Call 0422 253 379Lights flicker or dim
On one fitting, usually a loose connection or an incompatible dimmer and LED combination. Across the whole house, it can indicate a poor connection in the main supply or neutral — that one is worth acting on rather than living with.
Call 0422 253 379A powerpoint has stopped working
Often the point itself has failed, but it can also be a break further back on the circuit — powerpoints are usually looped, so a bad connection at one affects everything downstream.
Call 0422 253 379The whole house has no power
First check whether the neighbours have power. If they don't, it's a network outage. If they do, it's your main switch, your main fuse, or a fault in your installation.
Call 0422 253 379A breaker trips only when a specific appliance runs
Either the appliance has developed a fault, or that circuit is being asked to carry more than it was designed for. Both are fixable, but they're different fixes.
Call 0422 253 379How we diagnose it
Fault finding is a process of elimination, done with test equipment rather than guesswork. We isolate circuits, measure insulation resistance, check earth continuity and loop impedance, and narrow the fault to a section of cable or a specific accessory.
The reason this matters: swapping out a tripping RCD without finding what's leaking to earth just moves the problem. We'd rather spend the time to find it once.
Most domestic faults are located within the first hour. If yours turns out to be one of the awkward ones — an intermittent fault, or a cable damaged inside a wall — we'll tell you what's involved before going further.
Fault finding questions
How much does fault finding cost?
We charge for the diagnosis, then quote the repair separately once we know what's wrong. That way you're not paying a guessed price for an unknown problem. Call and we'll tell you the diagnosis rate before we book.
My safety switch trips at the same time every day. Why?
Almost always an appliance on a timer — a hot water system, pool pump, or irrigation controller. The timing is the clue, and it usually narrows it down fast.
Can I keep resetting the breaker?
Once, to see if it holds. If it trips straight back, stop. It's doing its job — there's a fault on that circuit, and repeatedly forcing it back on is how you turn an electrical fault into a fire.
Do you do after-hours callouts?
For genuine emergencies — no power, burning smell, exposed live wiring — call and we'll tell you honestly what we can do and when.
Is a burning smell always serious?
Treat it as serious every time. It can be a dust burn-off from a new fitting, but it can also be a connection arcing inside a wall. Turn the circuit off and get it checked.
What customers say
Jason was great! One call and less than an hour later, he was here to save the day. Five stars for the prompt and reliable service.
Jason onsite quickly and completed the work on the spot, giving us a good price and was very polite. Would highly recommend.
He was a very kind and pleasant person. He fixed the internet issue very quickly, and didn't leave any mess behind. He will definitely be the first person I call for any electrical problem.
These are Google reviews for our team at Cync Electrical & Automation — the licensed contractor behind Hills Electrician. 5.0 from 20 reviews. — see the profile
Not sure what you're looking at?
Call 0422 253 379 and describe it. We'll tell you whether it can wait.
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