The electrical structure of a residence is fundamental in the quality of the entire building. This is because it is through it that we can enjoy lighting, water heating and the use of appliances. But for all this to happen safely, taking preventive care so that there is no short circuit is essential.
Although there are several causes, there are also simple ways to avoid this defect. For everything to happen safely, it is important to have the help of a qualified professional throughout the process. Want to know more about how to fix a short circuit ? Keep following Polyexcel’s blog!
What is a short circuit and how does it happen?
If you are wondering what’s a short circuit, know that it happens through a high passage of electric current, which, depending on the intensity of energy, can be much or little above normal. It is because of this sudden increase in the circuit that the failure happens, causing the devices connected to the outlet to stop working.
But what causes a short circuit? Usually, this happens when the current that passes through the appliance and goes into the socket is larger than the one it is prepared to receive. This excess load is transformed into heat, which ends up melting the wire.
In general, these situations occur due to inattention, lack of information on the subject and maintenance of the electrical network of the house or establishment. Therefore, it is worth noting the amount of appliances connected to the same outlet, bare wires and electrical connections.
It is worth noting the quality of fuses and circuit breakers. Responsible for ensuring the safety of the installation and the appliances connected to it, they help prevent the short circuit from happening. When detecting the short circuit current, they interrupt the circulation of the electric current, aiming at protection against possible problems.
How to identify a short circuit?
Once you find out what is short circuit, the question that remains is how to identify it. The good news is that the power grid gives us signals when something is wrong. This makes it easier to find a possible fault focus on your home’s or your desktop’s electrical network. Check below situations to be asked:
- Smell of burning in the appliances;
- Taken with black and brownish spots;
- Lamps that burn in a short time;
- Power outage for no apparent reason;
- Circuit breaker that disarms frequently,
- Fuses blown.
Then the next step is to check the point that is causing the short circuit. Ideally, this observation should be made at the very first moment in order to avoid a serious accident. For this reason, it is important to know which outlets and installations are in each circuit of the property.
What are the main causes of short circuit?
But when does a short circuit occur? It’s very common to see news related to fires. This is because often, when the accident is not criminal, it is caused by poorly maintained electrical installations. For this reason, simple actions, such as plugging a device into the socket, cause the problem.
Another circumstance conducive to this is the habit of leaving electronic devices close to water. This is because, when this liquid has impurities and minerals, it becomes an excellent electrical conductor. To avoid accidents, the ideal is to avoid the use of electronics in humid environments.
Adapters allow you to plug multiple electronic devices into the same socket. This attitude adds a very high current at one point, increasing the temperature, which can cause the adapter to melt. So it’s always good to look at excesses.
The lack of maintenance of the electricity grid is another point that needs to be taken into account. As the new appliances require a lot of energy to ensure their proper functioning, the home network needs to be able to meet this demand. When this does not happen, the environment is much more conducive to accidents.
How to avoid short circuits?
To prevent the short circuit from happening, the first step is to verify that your facilities are in accordance with all the situations listed above. In addition, having well-sized wires is essential to prevent overheating. Remembering that the switches also need to be of good quality.
Mounting the circuits of the house by grounding helps to decrease excess energy. Still, having the energy phases well distributed balances the intensity. Distributing the sockets of the house or commercial environment is essential to avoid the use of adapters and the accumulation of appliances at the same point.
Learn about Polyexcel solutions!
Having wires and cables that have a coating with high performance polymers is another way to avoid short-circuiting. The good news is that Polyexcel is a benchmark when it comes to quality, increasing the safety of commercial and residential environments. Check out our solutions!
