Short circuit term is used for referring the whole range of electrical issues and malfunctions. House wires manufacturers intended this article to explain and give you best guidelines to trace short circuit at home. A short circuit occurs when a circuit is configured in a way that enables electricity to flow down an unintended path. The unexpected increase of power voltage can result in spark or a blown fuse.
Why short circuit occurs?
Short circuits usually occur when a hot wire contacts any of the other two wires present inside the fuse box. This results in extra current flow through the circuit that trips the circuit breaker or blows the fuse. But this is not the only reason for short circuits to occur. There are other things that initiate short circuit, such as –
- Faulty wiring
- Circuit overload
- Broken insulation
- Defective plugs
- Defective cords
- Defective switches, etc
Sometimes short circuits don’t cause major loss but you should always remember that short circuits can be dangerous. They are hazardous because they can produce very high temperatures due to the high current flow via circuit, which may cause the wire to catch fire.
Tracing of short circuit
Step 1 Power down
If you want to trace the short circuit, you must turn off all the electrical switches. Make sure you have unplugged all the lights and electric appliances. The tripped circuit breaker should be reset. A replacement should be done if there is a fuse instead of a circuit breaker.
Step 2 Check switches or receptacles
Once you reset the breaker, and you find that it trips again often; this means there is a possibility of a short circuit in a receptacle or a switch. When the breaker trips while you turn on the specific switch, this reveals that there is a short circuit in a fixture or receptacle that is controlled or regulated by the switch.
Step 3 Determine the specific electrical appliance
When the circuit breaker doesn’t trip even if you turn on every switch, then it is understood that the original problem was started with an electrical appliance somewhere within your home. Return to the lights and electrical appliances and start plugging them in one by one. As you watch the breaker trips, whichever appliance is plugged in at the moment of tripping can be detected as problematic.
You can find the issue in the plug, cord, or the appliance itself. For more details on wiring and short circuit, visit the official blog of House Wires Manufacturers and read related articles.