Possible Causes Of Short Circuit In Power Systems
A short circuit is more than a temporary annoyance. It signals serious trouble with your home’s power system. If ignored or not taken seriously, it can lead to injury, fire, or in the worst-case scenario, death. Several reasons can cause short circuits. This article discusses what causes a short circuit and how you can prevent it to stay safe or you can also choose residential electrical contractors kalamzoo to keep your house safe.
What Is An Electrical Short Circuit?
An electrical short circuit results from a “hot” wire with an electrical current coming into contact with a neutral wire. It can touch it directly or through arcing, which allows the current to transfer to the neutral wire.
This leads to the current flow bypassing the circuit’s wiring and reaching the ground through the shortest route, no matter what is in the way. Short circuits are very dangerous and can cause considerable harm to property or people due to an electrical fire, severe shock, or small explosion.
Types Of Electrical Short Circuit
You should be aware of two main types of short circuits. These are as follows:
Ordinary Short Circuit
As described above, an ordinary short circuit is the contact of a hot wire with a neutral wire causing the resistance to go down. This allows a large current volume to pass through an undefined pathway.
Ground Fault Short Circuit
In a ground fault short circuit, the hot wire comes into contact with a grounded section of the system. This can include a metal wall box on the ground, a grounded part of an appliance, or a bare ground wire.
Possible Causes Of A Short Circuit
There can be several possible reasons for a short circuit. Let’s take a look at these below one by one and then discuss how to prevent an electrical short circuit.
Damaged Wire Connections
If the wire connections in your power system are loose or damaged, it can result in an increase in electrical resistance. This can lead to an increase in the temperature of wiring that can cause an electric shock or fire. One of the things to look out for to spot damaged or loose wiring is the burning out of the light bulbs. If you spot any signs of loose wiring, it’s best to check it quickly.
Faulty Wire Insulations
Electrical wires are normally insulated with PVC or polyethylene, which is a non-conductive material. If this insulation wears out for any reason, melts, or gets damaged, it can lead the “hot” wire to touch the neutral wire, thus causing a short circuit.
Faulty Appliance Wiring
A short circuit can sometimes also be caused by your home appliances. In this case, the problem lies with the appliances’ wiring, plug, or power cord, which can be faulty. If you spot the wiring, or other electrical equipment of your appliances to be melting, frayed or scorched, it is a sign of a fault that can lead to a short circuit.
Abnormal Build up of electrical currents
Another possible cause of a short circuit is an overloaded circuit. This can happen when too many devices or appliances are plugged into a single circuit. This can cause system overload resulting in a short circuit that can damage the power outlet and your appliances or result in fire or damage to property.
Exposure of Wiring to Moisture
If any kind of fluid or water comes into contact with any part of the electrical wiring in your home, it can erupt a short circuit. Water can conduct electricity causing the current to flow into the ground. This will undoubtedly damage the wiring and lead to a fire or other damage.
How To Prevent An Electrical Short Circuit?
To prevent a short circuit, you can do the following:
Monitor Outlets and Appliances
Outlets have many electrical wires connected to them. A loose box connection, faulty wires, or an old outlet can easily lead to a short circuit. You must be vigilant for signs that indicate a faulty outlet. These include sparks, buzzing sounds, or a smell of burnt plastics coming from the outlet.
Along with the outlet, you should also check for faulty wiring in the appliances that can cause a short circuit. If you spot your appliance’s wiring cracking or wearing out, you should repair or replace them as soon as possible.
Limit Electricity Usage During Storms
A lightning strike during storms can cause a short circuit which can be extremely deadly. If there is a storm warning in your area, it is better to limit your electrical usage, which can help lessen the damage if there is a power surge.
Install Devices to Prevent Short Circuit
There are multiple kinds of devices available that help prevents short circuit. You can install fuses or circuit breakers to interrupt the abnormal flow of current. A circuit breaker is a switching device that cuts the flow of current. Similarly, a fuse provides overcurrent protection. A fuse uses a metal wire or strip to melt the amount of current that flows through it, hence interrupting the circuit.
How To Fix A Short Circuit
You can take several actions when you witness an electrical short circuit. However, one must be careful and consult a professional electrical company like HyGrid Electrical LLC Kalamazoo to inspect and fix the problem. Below are some actions you can take.
Repair the Faulty Wire
Once you spot the faulty wire, you should repair or replace it immediately. It can include splicing or adding a new piece of wire.
Add Conduit for Improved Safety
If you have recently conducted repairs on your electrical system, you can add a conduit to prevent a short circuit in the future.
Locate the Short in Line and Switch Off the Circuit Breaker
Another step that can be taken by you is to switch off the circuit breaker and locate the short in the line. Once that is done, you can highlight the wire at the root of the problem.
