Your home’s electrical circuit breaker controls and protects the power system and electrical devices that are connected to it. Sometimes, the circuit breaker may trip when it cannot handle the current load or when too much electricity flows through it. This automatically cuts off the flow of electricity to keep your circuit from causing more damage. While it’s important to call a reliable electric company to repair your circuit breaker, it’s equally important to understand the causes of a tripped circuit breaker. ECS Services NSW discusses more:
- An Overloaded Circuit. This is one of the most common reasons why circuit breakers trip. An overloaded circuit happens when a circuit attempts to draw a greater electrical load than it can carry such as when there are too many appliances or fixtures operating at the same time. The sensing mechanism in the circuit breaker heats up and trips, rendering the circuit inactive. The circuit will remain dead until the breaker level is reset.
When a circuit breaker regularly trips, it can be a sign that you need to move some appliances to a different circuit or that your house is in need of a service upgrade. For professional electrical services, turn to ECS Services NSW. - Short Circuits. More dangerous than overloaded circuits, a short circuit is another common reason why circuit breakers trip. This happens when a hot wire comes in contact with a neutral wire, allowing a large amount of current to flow into the circuit and increase heat. Short circuits can be caused by several reasons including faulty wiring and loose connections. Fortunately, it’s easy to identify a short circuit by the burning smell around the breaker.
- Ground Faults. Ground faults happen when a hot wire comes in contact with metal, wood or a ground wire. These are especially dangerous in areas with high levels of moisture like the kitchen of bathroom so it’s important to deal with these right away.
There are things you can do to prevent a ground fault from occurring. For instance, in areas where there is possible direct contact with the ground or water, the outlets can be protected with ground-fault circuit interrupters or GFCIs.
Ensure that your home’s electrical system is in great shape with ECS Services NSW. We provide quality residential electrical services in Baulkham Hills, Castle Hill, Hills District and surrounding areas. To learn more about the services we offer, get in touch with our team today.
