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Fuse Board vs Electricity Meter: Know the Difference
Many people who search for how to "reset" their electricity meter actually need to reset their fuse board (also called the consumer unit or trip switch panel). These are two different things:
- Electricity meter: Located in your meter box (usually outside), this device measures how much electricity you use. It belongs to ESB Networks and you should not attempt to reset or tamper with it.
- Fuse board / consumer unit: Located inside your home, usually near the front door or under the stairs. This contains the trip switches (RCDs and MCBs) that protect your electrical circuits. When a circuit overloads or a fault occurs, a switch trips and cuts power to part or all of your home.
If you have lost power to some or all of your home, the first thing to check is your fuse board. Look for any switches that have moved to the "off" or middle position and flip them back to "on".
How to Reset Your Fuse Board
If a trip switch has been triggered on your fuse board, follow these steps:
- Unplug appliances: Before resetting, unplug any appliances you were using when the power went off. A faulty appliance is often the cause of a trip.
- Find the tripped switch: Open your fuse board and look for any switch that is in the "off" or middle position. It will usually look different from the other switches, which should all be in the "on" (up) position.
- Flip it back on: Push the tripped switch firmly back to the "on" position.
- Test your power: Check whether electricity has been restored. Turn on a light or plug in an appliance to confirm.
- Identify the cause: Plug your appliances back in one at a time. If the switch trips again when you plug in a particular appliance, that appliance may be faulty and should be inspected or replaced.
If the trip switch keeps tripping even with all appliances unplugged, there may be a wiring fault in your home. Contact a qualified electrician (registered with Safe Electric Ireland) to investigate.
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Resetting a PAYG (Prepay) Meter
If you have a pay-as-you-go meter and your electricity has been cut off, the issue is likely that your credit has run out rather than a fault with the meter. To restore power:
- Top up your account: Add credit through your supplier's app, website, top-up card, or at a PayPoint/Payzone outlet.
- Enter the code: Depending on your meter type, you may need to enter a top-up code on the meter keypad to activate the credit.
- Check emergency credit: Some PAYG meters have an emergency credit feature that gives you a small amount of electricity to tide you over until you can top up. Check your meter display or supplier's app for this option.
If your PAYG meter has credit but is still not working, contact your energy supplier for assistance.
When to Contact ESB Networks
You should contact ESB Networks if:
- Your fuse board is fine but you still have no power — this could indicate a network fault or an issue with the meter itself.
- Your meter display is blank, showing an error code, or behaving unusually.
- You smell burning or see physical damage to the meter or meter box.
- You have been notified of a planned power outage but your power has not been restored after the scheduled time.
ESB Networks can be reached at 1800 372 757 for faults and emergencies, available 24 hours a day.