There are many small electrical issues combined with individual circumstances in electrical installations that can add up to cause BURNT ELECTRICS and we will go through the common causes along with solutions to prevent this from happening.
The most common causes of burnt electrics are:
- Loose Wiring Connections
- Failing Switch Components
- High Resistances
- Excessive Electrical Currents
- Wiring that is Too Thin
1) Loose Wiring Connections
Electrical cables are made of metal, normally copper. During normal electrical system use, these cables tend to warm up when appliances and lighting are used and then cool again once the use of these devices ceases.
Metals expand and contract as they heat and cool and as such, the cables will also expand and contract slightly with heating and cooling.
The connections that receive the cable are made from different metals in order to achieve the compressive forces needed to hold cables securely. Different metals expand and contract at different rates meaning that the copper and brass / steel / aluminium alloys will all expand and contract at different rates to each other.
There is also a slight vibration on the electrical systems cabling due to the alternating nature of the supply current. Around 50-60 times per second the electrical supply alternates between its negative and positive cycles to form alternating current or AC that enters our homes.
What is all this and why are you telling us?
The reason I am telling you this is because when electrical system connections begin to work loose, the resistance of those connections INCREASES. This starts to cause heat build up, oxidation of metals leading to DECREASED electrical conductivity, more resistance and MORE HEAT!
Very quickly the situation turns into BURNT ELECTRICS and becomes a headache for homeowners and electricians alike.
Back to top2) Failing Switch Components
A similar problem occurring inside switches and fuseboard components can lead to increases in resistance and heat. The internals of each switch are made of various metals and a number of things can happen that mean the internal resistances begin to increase in these components.
The installation location of a consumer unit or electrical panel can spell disaster from the start of a wiring system. Electrical panels and consumer units installed into damp basement areas can suffer premature failure through either shorting out and burning out OR by internal corrosion due to damp which then leads to increased internal resistances, excessive heat build up and failure.
Switch components on plug sockets, cooker sockets and fused spur switches can fail through excessive electrical currents, corrosion or loosening of connections. General wear and tear can also affect these components leading to increased contact resistance internally on the moving metal components that disconnect and reconnect the electrical circuits.
Back to top3) High Resistances
Any time there is an excessively high resistance, electrical current will struggle to flow freely. It will still try to flow though and as a result heat will produced through the apparent effort!
High resistances can be as a result of poor design at the outset for example a cable that is too thin, too long or damaged upon installation. Shower circuits are predisposed to high resistances and regularly fail. Let me explain why:
High Powered Circuits
A shower circuit is a high powered circuit that consumes its full load every time it is turned on and for the duration of its use. This can cause wear and tear over and above other circuits such as lighting circuits which hardly use any power during normal use.
Shower Isolator pull cord
The shower pull cord is incorrectly used in SO MANY homes. Many people use this pull cord as an ON / OFF switch for the shower when this is the WORST thing you can do. This pull cord is designed to isolate the electrical supply to the shower NOT to switch a powerful load on and off continually.
When these switches are used in this manner, they tend to wear out very quickly, internal resistances grow across the moving electrical contacts and heat begins to build. There is the possibility of moisture ingress as steam, into the pull cord causing more oxidation than in other areas of the home and further increasing resistance by decreasing conductivity on the connections internally.
When these factors add up, along with the very large demand of the shower circuit, we tend to see many failures and BURNT ELECTRICS.
(A burnt out shower pull cord isolator)
Back to top4) Excessive Electrical Currents
Where too much electrical current flows in a circuit, the components of that circuit are placed under pressure that they were not designed to cope with. Each electrical cable has a maximum safe current rating, each circuit breaker is intended to supply a maximum load and the various electrical accessories installed on the circuit are designed with a maximum rating within which they are safe to operate.
When excessive electrical currents are flowing in a circuit there can be a gradual and sustained overheating effect such that would occur when too many appliances were being used simultaneously.
When Electrical Fault Currents flow in a circuit, there is a massive and highly excessive current flow that should not continue beyond half a second or less. BURNT ELECTRICS can occur when these two types of electrical current are allowed to flow for too long in a circuit resulting in extensive and permanent damage to the wiring system.
Back to top5) Wiring that is Too Thin
When electrical wiring is installed, it is generally designed such that it will be able to cope with the demands placed upon it by the system, the users and the appliances likely to be installed and used for many years.
When poor system design occurs and wiring that is too thin for purpose is installed we see potentially disastrous results. Sudden and drastic overheating can occur resulting in fire, burns, arcing and electrical circuit failure and damage.
Wiring that is too thin is a hazard and as such, electrical wiring, additional works and any other electrical tasks should be left to a qualified electrician to carry out as without their knowledge of the safety wiring regulations, test equipment, systems, cable installation, design, years of experience and training, disaster is only one step away.
Back to top6) What is the Main Photograph?
The Main Photograph shows a job that we attended. When we turned up to inspect this we found that the connections had become so loose that the electrical wiring had burnt along with the main switch. We were able to fix the fault on site within an hour or so due to the sheer volume of spares that we carry on the van with us. It was out of hours and all wholesalers were shut. Within 3 hours of the customers phone call we had turned up and fixed the issue.
This kind of issue can be prevented by calling us today to inspect your homes electrical system. We carry out the most thorough and comprehensive testing we can to ensure your safety. We will advise you honestly and in plain English if any works need to be carried out and provide you with a no obligation quote if you would like one.
The cost of an Electrical Inspection is outweighed by the peace of mind that they can bring, let us test your home for you. Call us today:
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