—What you are noticing
When several sockets in one room stop together
When a group of sockets fails at the same moment, the problem is rarely the sockets themselves. It is usually the circuit that feeds them.
Sockets are connected in groups, each group fed from one circuit at the distribution board. When several sockets in a room — and sometimes in the next room too — stop together, the usual reason is that their circuit has switched off, either because a breaker or RCD has tripped or because something along the shared cable has failed.
This guide describes what people notice and what is safe to do. It does not diagnose your installation; only someone who has seen it can.
The board is the place to look first. A breaker in the off or middle position, or an RCD that has dropped, explains it straight away. If it resets and holds, unplug the appliances on that circuit and note whether it trips again as they are reconnected. If nothing at the board has moved, or if it trips immediately when reset, the fault is somewhere on the circuit itself and needs testing.
01In short
The points that matter most
Think circuit, not socket
A group of dead sockets almost always shares one circuit.
Check the board first
A tripped breaker or RCD is the most common explanation.
Watch what trips it
Reconnecting appliances one at a time can point to a faulty appliance.
02Detail
Where the fault is looked for
At the board
Which protective device is serving those sockets and whether it is holding.
Along the circuit
Connections at each socket on the circuit, any junction boxes and any socket used to feed others.
At the appliances
An appliance with an earth leakage or short can trip the whole circuit every time it is connected.
03Checklist
Useful to note
Every point that stopped
Sockets in neighbouring rooms and any lights that went off at the same time.
What was plugged in
Particularly anything new, heated or recently moved.
The board after a reset
Whether it held, tripped straight away, or tripped later.
04Questions
Questions people ask
- Why did sockets in two rooms stop together?
- Circuits often run through more than one room, so one tripped circuit can affect both.
- Is it safe to keep resetting it?
- No. If it trips again after one reset, leave it off. The device is protecting something.
- Can one appliance cause it?
- Yes. A faulty appliance can trip a whole circuit, which is why disconnecting them helps narrow it down.
05Related
Related guides
- When the lights flickerAnother thing people notice, with a related check.
- When a light or switch buzzesAnother thing people notice, with a related check.
- Signs an electrical problem is urgentA related safety point or decision.
- When to stop resetting a breakerA related safety point or decision.
This guide sits under troubleshooting. All topics are on the guides page.
—NEXT
A whole room has lost power?
Tell us which points stopped and what the board shows. We will tell you what is worth checking first.