What Are The Causes of Short Circuits & How To Overcome It?

For hundreds of years, ever since it was first found, electricity has given power to all-electric appliances in every home, and now its existence is a crucial part of supporting our daily lives. Even so, cases of short circuits are known to be extremely fatal, both to the electric appliance and to anyone around it. Fortunately, with the right steps, the dangers of short circuits may be controlled and also minimize any damages it may cause.

To keep you and your loved ones safe, there is no harm in expanding your knowledge by learning more about short circuits, their causes, and how to overcome them.

What Is A Short Circuit?

Short circuits are an abnormal condition on electric circuits where the electric currents flow on the wrong path, shorter than they should. The electrical circuit is provided as a path that aims to safely flow electrical energy throughout the house's panels through a wall outlet. However, when there is a short path with little resistance, electricity will naturally gravitate towards this route because it is considered easier to travel in.

Short circuits may cause injury or even death to those around it. This is due to humans having the least resistance to electricity so when the body comes into contact with a damaged cable, electricity will directly flow through the body and cause electrocution. In addition, because it requires a lot of power, short circuits also tend to cause very high temperatures, making it very possible to melt or burn things around them.

What Causes Short Circuits?

Short circuits may be caused by many things, here are a few of the reasons.

1. Rodents, such as mice or squirrels, nibbling on cables.
2. Water or other liquid substances in contact with electric cables.
3. Loose cables in electric panel boxes.
4. Electric socket, switch, lamp, or any other electric appliances that are damaged.
5. Damages on the cable insulation.
6. Overheating or a jolt in electric currents.

How To Overcome Short Circuits?

If not handled immediately, short circuits may cause fatal injuries caused by electrocution or fires. Therefore, when dealing with damage caused by a short circuit, make sure you follow the following steps.

1. Firstly, identify which circuit is causing the problem and make sure you are only dealing with the correct circuit.
2. After the identification process, shut down all electric currents using a circuit breaker in the electric panel box.
3. Short circuits may be caused by many things. To identify the damage, check all appliances connected to the said circuit. Starting from electric sockets, switches, lamps, electric appliances, cables, etc.
4. Short circuits usually come hand in hand with a charred scent, melted plastic, or burn marks. In addition, you may also check connecting cables on electric appliances by disassembling their components.
5. If the short circuit is not caused by electric appliances, then you may need to check the cable lines that are connected to all parts of your home, including the wiring above the roof.
6. If you have successfully identified the damage, change it with a new component. Once the fixes are done, you may switch the circuit back on through the electric panel box.

For some who may not be familiar with electrical systems, resolving short circuits may be challenging. If you have any doubts, avoid fixing them by yourself for safety reasons. Don’t hesitate to contact technicians or other professional parties to help fix the problem for you.

Other Interesting Information:

1. 3 Steps to Design a Precise and Safe Home Electrical Installation
2. 5 Types Of Cables That Are The Right Choice For Your Home Installations
3. 5 Reasons Why You Should Only Use Electric Cables With SNI
4. Get to Know the Difference between Stereo Audio and Mono
5. Determining the Height of the Outlets and Switches at Home