What To Do If Your Heat Pump Trips The Electrics August 29, 2025 If your heat pump suddenly trips the electrics, it can be both inconvenient and worrying, especially when it disrupts your heating and hot water supply. While this is not always a sign of a major fault, it’s important to understand what might be happening and when to call in professional help. Knowing how to respond can save you from repeated breakdowns and ensure your home stays warm and comfortable. Common Causes Of Heat Pump Tripping the Electrics Overloaded Circuits Heat pumps draw a lot of power, particularly at start-up when the compressor kicks in. If your home’s circuit is not designed to handle this sudden demand, it can easily trip the breaker. This is especially common in older properties where the electrical system may not have been updated to cope with modern heating technology. Faulty Wiring And Worn Components Like any system that relies on electricity, heat pumps can be affected by deteriorating wiring or worn internal parts. A loose connection or frayed cable can interrupt the flow of electricity, while failing components such as the compressor or fan motor can cause the unit to draw irregular amounts of power. These issues not only trip the system but also pose safety risks if left unresolved. Blocked Airflow And Dirty Filters Something as simple as a clogged air filter or obstruction around the outdoor unit can cause your heat pump to work harder than it should. Restricted airflow forces the system to draw more electricity, which in turn increases the chance of the breaker tripping. Regular cleaning and maintenance can prevent this problem from building up. Moisture And Water Ingress Since heat pumps are usually installed outdoors, they are exposed to the elements. Heavy rain, flooding, or poor drainage around the unit can allow water to enter areas it shouldn’t, leading to electrical faults. Moisture can also build up over time inside components, increasing the risk of a trip. This is one of the reasons why professional installation and proper siting of your heat pump are so important. Repeated Tripping Risks If your heat pump continues to trip the electrics, avoid simply resetting the breaker and switching the system back on. Repeated tripping without finding the cause can damage sensitive components and shorten the life of your heat pump. It’s always safer to stop using the unit until a qualified engineer has inspected it. Steps You Can Take To Fix It If your heat pump trips the electrics, there are a few safe checks you can carry out before calling in a professional. These simple steps can sometimes highlight minor issues or provide useful information for your heating engineer. Reset The Circuit Breaker The first step is to reset the circuit breaker. If the trip was caused by a temporary surge, this may resolve the issue. Once the breaker is reset, monitor how the heat pump behaves. If it trips again immediately or shortly after, avoid further resets and contact an engineer, as this suggests an underlying fault. Check For Outdoor Blockages Inspect the outdoor unit for any debris such as leaves, dirt, or even snow buildup. A blocked unit can restrict airflow, forcing the system to draw more power and potentially trip the electrics. Keeping the area around the unit clear ensures it can run efficiently without strain. Clean Or Replace Filters Dirty or clogged filters reduce airflow inside the system, making the heat pump work harder than necessary. This increased effort can cause higher power consumption. Cleaning or replacing filters regularly is a simple maintenance task that can prevent unnecessary trips and keep your system performing well. Make A Note Of When Trips Occur If the electrics trip at a specific time, such as when the system first starts up or when switching between heating and cooling, write this down. Providing this detail to your heating engineer can speed up the diagnosis and help them identify whether the problem is electrical, mechanical, or related to usage patterns. Professional Diagnosis And Repair If the trips persist, it’s best to call a local expert. Our professional heating engineers in West Sussex and Hampshire can carry out a full inspection to identify whether the issue lies with the electrics, the heat pump components, or your central heating system as a whole. We’ll also ensure that your system is correctly installed and that the electrical circuits are safely matched to the unit’s requirements.