With the number of home appliances we run, overloading power boards is a real possibility. One of the easiest ways to protect your family from the risk of electric shock is to install a safety switch.

Safety switches work by detecting tiny differences in currents through electrical wiring that indicate that electricity is leaking to earth. The safety switch then shuts of the electricity supply in a fraction of a second preventing any chance of electric shock.

There are many reasons why a safety switch goes off. Here are the top five:

A faulty appliance

A damaged or faulty appliance may start to leak excess electrical current. This excess current will be detected by the safety switch and cause it to trip.

It’s easy to work out if you’ve got a faulty appliance. Simply unplug all electrical appliances at the power point, reset the safety switch and then reconnect the appliances one by one. If the safety switch trips again, you’ll know which one is the culprit.

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Nuisance Tripping

If you’ve got loads of appliances running at the same time, and a small amount of current leaks from each one, the excess current will be substantial.  This means that your safety switch is constantly on the verge of tripping.

Consequently the tiniest change in electrical current from the electricity company will push the switch to its limit, and it will trip. This is especially a problem in homes with old electrical wiring.

You can minimise the danger by limiting the number of appliances plugged in at any one time.

Faulty Wiring

Faulty wiring is very dangerous, posing the greatest fire risk.

All electrical wiring deteriorates over time, so older houses are more at risk of faulty wiring. Fortunately, a safety switch can dramatically reduce the risks. If you’ve got faulty wiring, a safety switch will detect the fluctuations in the electrical current, and will trip, immediately cutting off electricity and stopping the wiring from burning out.

Faulty Safety Switch

Sometimes the cause of a safety switch tripping is the switch itself. It’s important to regularly check that your safety switches are working.

Lightning

Safety switches can trip up during a lightning strike. If lightning strikes your home, power lines or a power station it will cause a power surge. This will cause safety switches to trip. Wait until the storm passes before resetting the switch.

Electricity is incredibly dangerous. Please contact a qualified electrician to ensure that any electrical work is done with appropriate safety measures.

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