How much does it cost to fix earth leakage tripping?
There are two separate costs here and the difference matters. Finding out why your power trips is a call-out. Replacing the earth leakage unit, if that turns out to be the problem, is the range below. Often the unit is fine and the fault is on a circuit or an appliance, which is a cheaper fix.
Booked call-outs from R750Emergencies from R2,500
What this costs
| Work | Price |
|---|---|
| Earth leakage unit replacedUnit supplied and fitted in your existing board, then tested. | R1,900 – R3,200 |
These are ranges, not quotes. Where your job falls in the range depends on what we find on site. We are not VAT registered, so there is no VAT to add. The price you are quoted is the price you pay.
Call-out rates
A booked visit goes into the next open slot. An emergency call-out is a separate priority service. Both are paid with a 50% deposit online, and the balance after inspection and your agreement.
| Time | Booked visit | Emergency call-out |
|---|---|---|
| Day07:00 – 18:00 | R750 | R2,500 |
| Night18:00 – 07:00 | R1,200 | R3,500 |
What moves the price
Whether the unit is actually faulty
Earth leakage units do fail with age, but more often they are doing their job and something downstream is leaking. Testing tells us which, and the cheaper answer is the common one.
Single or three phase
A three phase earth leakage unit costs more in parts than a single phase one.
What the board can take
If the board is full, or too old to take a modern unit, the board itself becomes the job.
How long the fault takes to find
A fault that trips every time is quick. One that trips once a week, or only when it rains, takes longer to pin down.
How long it takes
An hour or two to fit and test the unit, once the cause is known.
Included
- The earth leakage unit, supplied and fitted in your existing board
- Testing the unit after fitting
- Confirming the circuits hold with the new unit in
Not included
- Finding the fault in the first place, which is a call-out
- Repairing the circuit or appliance causing the leak
- A new DB board, if the existing one cannot take the unit
Questions
Why is finding the fault priced separately?
Because they are different jobs and bundling them would not be honest. Tracing why a board trips means testing circuit by circuit until it shows itself, and that can take twenty minutes or three hours. Once we know the cause we price the fix before doing it, so you decide with the number in front of you.
My earth leakage trips when it rains. Why?
Usually water getting into an outside light, a pool pump, a geyser element or a borehole. The unit is working correctly, it is telling you there is a leak to earth. Those repairs cost a lot less than a new unit.
Can I just leave it switched off?
No. Leaving earth leakage protection off removes the thing that stops a shock becoming a fatal one. It will also fail a CoC inspection straight away.
How often should it be tested?
Press the test button monthly. It should trip immediately. If it does not, it needs attention.
Is there VAT on top?
No. We are not VAT registered, so the price you are quoted is the price you pay.
Related services
- Earth leakage / trippingPower that trips and won't stay on, traced to the circuit or appliance.
- Fault findingNo power in part of the building, dead circuits or faults nobody can find.
- What a DB board costsWhat a new board costs, and what the number of circuits does to the price.
- Electrical repairsBurnt plugs, dead lights, and geyser and stove connections fixed properly.
We cover Johannesburg, Sandton, Randburg, Roodepoort, Soweto, Midrand, Centurion, Pretoria, East Rand (Ekurhuleni), West Rand. Areas we cover
Need an electrician?
Book a day, night or emergency call-out online, or message us on WhatsApp.