Skip to content
Technician

—Checks and maintenance

Checking for damage after a power surge

A surge can damage equipment in a fraction of a second. Some damage is obvious; some shows up later.

Surges can follow supply faults, the switching of large loads, or lightning nearby. Afterwards, some appliances may not turn on, electronics may behave oddly, protective devices may have tripped, or a burning smell may linger. Surge protection devices, if fitted, may show they have operated.

Maintenance guides describe the checks that find problems while they are still small.

Check visibly affected equipment first, then other sensitive devices. If any circuit trips repeatedly, smells hot or shows damage, leave it off and have it checked. Surge protection devices that have operated may need replacing.

01In short

The points that matter most

  • Check electronics

    TVs, routers, computers and appliance controls.

  • Watch for smells

    Burning smells mean switching off.

  • Check surge devices

    Indicators may show they need replacing.

02Detail

What gets checked

  • Protective devices

    Which tripped and whether they reset normally.

  • Surge protection

    Status indicators and condition.

  • Damaged equipment

    Appliances and electronics that failed.

  • Circuits

    Testing where faults or smells appeared.

  • Appliance control boards

    Air conditioners, washing machines and gate motors have electronics that can fail after a surge even when the motor is fine.

03Checklist

After a surge

  • List what failed

    And where it was plugged in.

  • Note the time

    And any storm or outage.

  • Keep damaged items

    For assessment or claims.

04Questions

Questions people ask

Why did only some devices fail?
Surges affect equipment differently depending on sensitivity and path.
Should I add surge protection now?
If equipment has been damaged, it is worth considering.
Can a surge damage wiring?
Wiring is less often damaged than electronics, but testing confirms.
What if the RCD will not reset?
There may be damage on a circuit; have it checked.
Can a surge happen without a storm?
Yes. Switching on the supply network or large equipment can cause surges too.

05Related

Related guides

This guide sits under maintenance. All topics are on the guides page.

—NEXT

Equipment failed after a surge?

Tell us what stopped working and what tripped. We will check the installation.

Send the details+971 56 181 0106WhatsAppMaintenance