Total loss of power is rare. However, believe me, I have attended many callouts to address complete black-out situations.
Total loss of power can be caused by both external and internal electrical faults.
It is beneficial to understand the fuse board or consumer unit components when dealing with any electrical problems. To read more about fuse board or consumer unit components, read Every-day-terms for the components of a fuse board
STEP 1: The first thing to check is the electric meter. Look at your electric meter to see whether it has got a display or an indicator light. (If it is an old meter without one, skip this step.) All modern digital electric meters come with an LCD display [Image 1 & Image 2].
If the display is lighted up or an indicator is illuminated on the meter but you have no power at home, this indicates that you have faulty electrical equipment or faulty wiring somewhere in your home. You have an internal electrical problem. If there is no light on the meter, you likely have an external electrical fault.
STEP 2: Secondly, check your fuse board. It is against the BS7671 Wiring Regulations to have an RCD or an RCCB (residual circuit current breaker – a type of RCD) as the main switch [Image 3 & Image 4]. But, they do exist quite widely in the older installations.
If the main switch is an RCD or RCCB and has tripped off, try lifting it up. If it does not reset or keeps tripping back down straight away, this means there is power up to that point in the system.;’
STEP 3: If you have an old analogue electric meter without a digital display or an illuminating indicator, speak to your neighbours and check if they have got electricity in their homes.
Don’t just look at the street lights and your immediate neighbours, walk a few homes up and down the street and make sure everything is okay there. If some of your neighbours have a similar problem to yours, then it is something to do with the external power. You will need to call your DNO. In London and south east England, it is UK Power Networks. If the power supply in everyone else’s home is fine, call an electrician.
