Posted by In today’s world, electricity is considered as the basic necessity for every household however, it is accompanied by various threats and problems if the standard guidelines are not followed correctly. Are the outlets frequently buzzing? Have you noticed the lights getting dim? If the answer to these questions is yes, then it’s a sign that your electric circuit is overloaded which happens due to the passage of excessive current through your house’s electric wires.
Also, the chances of mishaps would increase if the current exceeds the wire’s capacity. You must pay special heed to these warning signs and should know how to manage the power consumption as such overloads can lead to house fires.
So, in this blog we’ll closely have a look at some of the indicators of a circuit overload and when should you call an electrician in Rowville for specialised supervision.
What does a circuit breaker do?
All the electrical wires, breaker or fuse and the electrical equipment you wish to use such as a hair dryer, lighting and a vacuum are a part of the circuit breaker. A specific amount of electricity is used by such equipment during its operation that adds up to the total load faced by the circuit. The circuit breaker hence, acts as a protective electrical switch for the electrical circuits from overloading and short circuiting.
What is an electrical circuit overload?
Any electrical wires, a breaker or any other appliances that are plugged into an outlet whose power consumption increases the overall load on the circuit breaker can lead to various problems as the circuit can only deal with a limited amount of electricity. This usually takes place when you try to consume more amount of electricity than a circuit breaker can easily handle as there are too many appliances running on a single unit.
Common causes of a circuit overload:
let’s try to have a look at some of the most common reasons why your circuit breaker is getting overloaded:
- When there is a large amount of electrical devices plugged into one single unit.
- If in case a 1500 Watt space heater is plugged into a 15-amp circuit.
- When you try to plug in a newly purchased microwave in a range hood outlet.
- If you are using two or more blow dryers and curling irons at the same time.
- If you turn on an oversized window air conditioner.
- Having Faulty breakers or fuse.
- When faulty equipment or light fixtures try to consume too much of power.
- Generally, in older constructed houses, when only one or two electrical circuits are taking the load of the entire house.
- When you have a deteriorated insulation for the protection of wires.
Signs of an electric circuit overload:
Let’s have a look at some of the most common signs of an overload so that we are fully aware to avoid them:
- Frequent tripping of circuit breakers:
The circuit breakers trip frequently when excessive amount of power is being drawn from the circuit. So, the circuit breaker would trip when you try to plug in a heater if the entire capacity of the circuit is being utilised. Well, in order to counter this excessive current, the circuit breaker would trip for maintaining the safety of the people and avoiding any potential damage to the appliances.
There can however, be other reasons for circuit tripping but overloading is the most common one.
- Hot or de-coloured wall plates:
The wall plates of the circuit breaker tend to get hot when a higher voltage of current that is usually higher than the capacity of the circuit passes through it. This can even make the wall plates decoloured and lead to further damages if this problem remains unattended for a long period of time. So, it is advisable for you to call an electrician and ask for electrical repair immediately in case you see such signs.
- Dimming of lights:
Frequent dimming of light is another one of the most common signs of an electrical circuit overload. Whereas, an electrical interruption from the central grid can be another major reason. But, blinking, flickering and dimming of lights are the real indicators that the load limit has been exceeded.
- Burning smell:
The wires usually tend to get hot when you exceed the load beyond a specific limit. This might cause the receptacles to produce a burning odour. However, you must consult an electrician if you still notice a burning odour even after you have moved the devices to another outlet and then plugged it back in or have removed the devices completely.
- Mild electrical shock:
There are chances that you might receive a slight electrical shock from the attached devices or even from the switch board and receptacles if the circuit has exceeded the optimal voltage limit of the electrical wires.
- Hearing a clicking or a buzzing sound:
Of the other most common reasons of an electrical overload is the continuous flickering and buzzing sound coming from one of the lights or appliances while they are operating. Plug in that device in some other outlet to check whether the sound continues to occur or not. If the sound stops then this means that that particular circuit was overloaded and if it still doesn’t stop then the particular appliance might need to be replaced.
Eventhough, there isn’t any complications involved while checking the overload, however, it is still advisable for you to incorporate proper safety measures before touching an electrical system. You must avoid handling these issues yourself if you don’t possess the required expertise and hire top notch and reliable electricians from Direct Point Electrical to avoid any further loss or chances of damage.