Our need for electricity is increasing rapidly, and its uses have become so prominent in our lifestyle that it is almost unavoidable. In some cases, when there is a power cut, it becomes so difficult for all of us to do any activity, especially in workspaces and industrial institutes. A short circuit is the most common reason for a power cut. Short circuits are also known for causing hazardous situations that, if not prevented, can create fatal incidents.
If you are facing frequent short circuits and want a solution for your home, industry, or workspace, we have some measures for you.
Let’s first understand what a short circuit is.
A short circuit occurs when two or more wires come in contact creating a separate/accidental pathway of low resistance. A short circuit is very dangerous and can cause severe damage to electrical appliances and even start a hazardous fire. If the wires are of poor quality or entangled, the insulation breaks causing a short circuit. A short circuit doesn’t need to occur only when two or more wires will come in contact with each other. It can also happen if one of the wires comes in contact with an outside conductive material like water or any other metal.
What to do in such situations?
Nowadays, homes, offices and industrial spaces have circuit breakers that trip in case of a short circuit. If this happens frequently, then it is our job to understand where the wires are damaged. The first thing that gets affected are insulators, which is a clear sign that there is a wire burnt or damaged. To avoid further possibilities, one must locate the problem, fix the wire, or get it changed. From a layman’s perspective, it is best to be able to recognize the problem. Fixing such a problem may require expertise and a set of tools that a professional technician can help you with. Hence, doing it yourself may be a tedious job and also threatening if not taken care of.
To be able to recognize, it is important to understand what causes short circuits.
There are many reasons leading to a short circuit but being aware of them will help you stay alert and react quickly. Here are some of the most common reasons:
Broken wires
Most of the time, insulation defects are the reason a short circuit occurs. It is important to make sure that the wires at your property don’t have older or faulty insulation. It is always better to invest in quality wires from the best Indian wire companies that are durable, heat resistant, thoughtfully designed and can prevent themselves from being exposed, which can cause short circuits.
Rats
It is highly important for societies, industries and workspaces to do regular pest control not only for the wires but for overall hygiene and valuables. Most of the time, these pests chew the wires, leaving them exposed in a threatening way causing short circuits.
Humidity
There is a reason why we are asked to keep our appliances and a lot of other things in a cool and dry place. If you want to protect your expensive and valuable appliances, then make sure they are away from heat and moisture.
Modern cable installation
To make our walls and cabins look attractive and aesthetically pleasing, we often hide the cables under a carpet or with the help of modern architecture while forgetting to keep a check on the wear and tear of these cables.
Faulty Appliances
Keeping a check on all your appliances is also very important. If the plugs of these appliances are old, loose or brittle, the chances of a short circuit gets higher. Changing the plugs regularly can be very helpful and be a saviour for sure. It is also important to keep the switches off, that are connected to these appliances when they are not in use. Sometimes, even if you shut down your appliance, some amount of energy is consumed by things like a pilot light which keeps the power running in the wires.
Multi-plug sockets
Using multiple things through just one socket can cause an overload on that particular socket and its internal wires causing a short circuit. We often find extensions and multi-plug connectors very convenient and useful but they can consume too much electricity at the same time resulting in short circuits.
Yearly inspection
Just like our health, it is important to keep a regular check on the overall installed system on your property. Everything has wear and tear and as it gets old it becomes more prone to causing short circuits. Do make sure you consult a professional electrician who can help inspect and guide you on further requirements.
How to prevent it?
Keeping all the measures mentioned above in mind, we also have some ways you can prevent the short circuits from happening and act responsibly if the situation goes bad.
1st step: Check the outlet before using
There are various wires connected behind an outlet and keeping a check on them every day does sound difficult. It is almost impossible to detach the outlet and keep a daily check on what’s happening inside but there are a few signs that you can be aware of to prevent short circuits.
- The outlet is 15-20 years old
- The pop sound coming from the outlet every time you switch it on
- Sparks coming from the outlet
Burning smell or burnt marks coming
2nd step: Check your appliances before using
Old appliances or the ones that require a huge amount of power need more attention and are always more at risk. Hence, before using any appliance, these are the signs you need to check:
- Cracks in the appliance
- Damaged wires or outer layers
- Exposed circuitry
3rd step: Bring home high-quality switchgear
Different switchgear like miniature circuit breakers, isolators, residual circuit breakers (RCCBs) and distribution boards, from the best switch companies can be a real saviour when it comes to short circuits. These circuit breakers are thoughtfully designed for our safety and act differently in different situations. If there is an overload of electricity or thermal, a circuit breaker is better than a fuse as it carries a higher amount of energy and is much more reliable. Circuit breakers like the isolator can also make, break or carry current under short circuit conditions.
It makes a huge difference from where you install your switch systems. If they are not high quality and correctly designed
4th step: Wires & cables
The major cause for short circuits starts from what kind of wire and cables you purchase. Good quality and durable wires can take a good amount of electricity at once. Make sure you install cables and wires from one of the best Indian wire companies.
Wires like flame retardant and heat resistant wires are scientifically designed in such a manner that it prevents fire from spreading in fatal cases. Flame retardant low smoke wires are designed especially for such fatal accidents. In the case of fire, the inhalation of heavy smoke and blurry sight becomes a huge obstacle to escape the space we are stuck in. Flame retardant low smoke (FLRS) wires reduce this smoke to 40% even if they catch fire helping us escape easily. Whereas heat resistant wires don’t consist of lead, an element that harms the environment and carries more heat during electricity supply.
If you are looking to install a system in your house, industrial or workspaces, that can help you be worry-free, you can look up to Elleys. With a wide range of high-quality and durable products, Elleys can help keep you safe and secure.