Turn off the main switch if you safely can and call 0423 213 815. If there is fire, call 000.
Call immediately if you have any of these
- A burning or fishy smell near a switchboard, outlet or light. Overheating PVC smells like fish. That is a connection arcing inside your wall.
- Scorch marks or discolouration around a socket or switch.
- Sparking when you plug something in or flick a switch.
- A breaker or RCD that trips again immediately. Something is faulted. Stop resetting it.
- Water into a switchboard, ceiling or light fitting.
- A tingle off a tap, appliance or anything metal. That is a live chassis and it can kill.
- Damaged consumer mains — the cable from the street to your house. Stay well clear and call SA Power Networks on 13 13 66 as well.
What to do while you wait
Switch off the affected circuit at the board if you can do it safely, or the main switch if you can't isolate it. Unplug appliances on that circuit. Don't touch anything scorched or anything wet near electrical equipment. Smoke or flame — get everyone out and call 000.
If the whole street is dark it's a network fault, not your wiring. Check the SA Power Networks outage map before calling an electrician and save yourself a callout fee.
How fast
Genuine emergencies are prioritised same-day and the phone is answered around the clock. From most of inner-southern Adelaide we're fifteen minutes away.
What it costs
After-hours and weekend callouts carry a premium over the standard rate — a higher callout fee plus a higher hourly rate, with a minimum charge. You'll be told the number on the phone before anyone leaves.
Old wiring is why this suburb generates so many emergency calls. Aged rubber insulation and loose terminations sit quietly for years and let go the first genuinely hot week of summer, when every reverse-cycle unit on the street comes on at once. If we find brittle cable or a ceramic fuse board we'll tell you honestly whether you're paying for a repair that buys six months or a switchboard upgrade that solves it.
Common questions
What counts as an electrical emergency?
Smoke, burning smells, sparking, scorch marks, a tingle off metalwork, water in electrical equipment, or a breaker that won't stay reset. Total loss of power is urgent but not always dangerous — check whether the street is out first.
How much does an emergency electrician cost after hours?
Expect a higher callout fee and a higher hourly rate than a booked daytime job, with a minimum charge. You'll be quoted the callout on the phone before anyone leaves.
My safety switch keeps tripping. What does that mean?
An RCD trips when current leaks to earth — usually a faulty appliance, water in a circuit, or damaged cable insulation. Unplug everything on that circuit and reset. If it holds, reconnect items one at a time. If it trips with nothing plugged in, the fault is in the fixed wiring.
Do you charge to come out and look?
There's a callout fee covering attendance and diagnosis, and we tell you what it is before we leave.
Related
Serving Unley, Parkside, Goodwood and Malvern. See what electrical work costs in Adelaide.