Electrical FAQs

The Watmar Electrical Contractors team based on the Gold Coast, consists of fully licensed residential, commercial, strata and emergency electricians.  Over the years, our electricians have been asked thousands of electrical questions so we thought we would put together a list of our most frequently asked electrical questions.

Can I do electrical work myself?

No, only a fully licensed electrician can perform electrical work.

Why has my power gone out?

• Electricity bill has not been paid
• A local power outage could have occurred due to storm or accident
• Fuses or circuit boards may have tripped due to power surge, faulty appliance or overloaded circuits
• There could be a fault in the wiring

Where is my switchboard?

Generally found near the front of the house or slightly down one side, the switchboard is generally a metal box that when opened has a one or two electricity meters and will have fuses or circuits mounted in a board.

Why can’t I turn back on a circuit breaker that has been tripped in the switchboard?

If the switch that has tripped can’t be returned to the on position without tripping again, it indicates there may be a short circuit or an overload on the circuit. If too many appliances are plugged into one circuit or one of those appliances becomes faulty, the switch won’t remain on.

Start unplugging appliances to see which one might be the cause and if no result, a licensed electrician from Watmar Electrical Contractors will need to be called to rectify the problem.

What does short circuit mean?

A short circuit is an abnormal connection between two nodes of an electric circuit intended to be at different voltages. The failure of electricity to flow properly in a circuit due to wires or connections being damaged or not connected properly, can potentially cause circuit damage, overheating and fire.

Why does my light bulb keep blowing?

A light bulb will blow due to heat or vibration.  If the bulb is a halogen bulb which generates an amount of heat when producing light and there is a light fitting enclosing the bulb, air cannot flow around the bulb to disperse heat so it overheats.

Why is my stove not working?

There could be a faulty coil or element in the stove that needs replacing. Ovens may require a new thermostat.

Why is my electric hot water system not providing hot water?

• The circuit breaker may have tripped
• High temperature cut off switch may have tripped
• Leaking tank
• Heating element has blown

Why do I need a Residual Current Device (RCD)?

RCD’s save lives. An RCD is a safety switch designed to disconnect the power within seconds if there is a leak detected from faulty wiring, a switch or electrical appliance. To prevent electrocution, RCD’s are required to be installed in all QLD homes.

Can I connect another power board to my existing power board?

No. Overloading power boards leads to circuit boards tripping and potential fires. Only plug in the same amount of plugs as the power board has. Don’t add double adaptors either.

What does test and tag mean?

Test and tagging involves inspecting and testing an appliance or tool to ensure it is functioning properly and safe to use. Once tested, a tag is placed on the cord of the appliance or tool with the test date and a date to renew the test written on it.

I have a rental property, do I need to make sure the electrical systems are safe before I rent it out?

Yes. Legislation states a landlord has a duty of care to a tenant and must ensure that the installation is safe when they enter the property and is maintained throughout their rental agreement.

More questions?

If the question you have has not been answered here, please feel free to contact the friendly and professional team at Watmar Electrical Contractors, Gold Coast. With residential electricians, commercial electricians, strata electricians and emergency electricians on call, we can assist with any issue you may be experiencing with your electricals.