Electrical Safety

Fuse Box Fire Safety - Is your old Fusebox a Hazard? If you still have an old-fashioned fuse box in your home it is time to replace this for a modern consumer unit with circuit breakers, RCD's or ideally RCBOs. Old fuse wire or cylinder fuse boxes can present a significant fire hazard due to their age and likely lack of maintenance. These styles of fuse box have not been installed for at least 40 years (at the time of writing) meaning they are likely to be protecting outdated electrical systems as well.

The big electrical box (Fuse Box, Consumer Unit etc) lurking somewhere in your home has a number of important purposes as well as important safety features. Modern fuse boxes perform a variety of important tasks such as protecting your electrical wiring from overload and damage, preventing electrical shocks, monitoring circuits for electrical arcing and preventing all manner of electrical mishaps.

Outdoor lights: Safe in the Rain? How to protect them When considering whether your new lights or existing lights are safe in the rain it depends on the following: The quality of the installation. The suitability and IP rating of the lights. The position in which they will be installed. Electrical equipment for outdoor use should be suitable for outdoor spaces, possible harsh weather conditions and have a suitably high IP rating to ensure that heavy rain does not cause water damage to the light or electrical system.

My Circuit Breaker Keeps Tripping: 9 Reasons why. A circuit breaker is a small device in your electrical panel, fuse box, consumer unit or trip switch box that protects your electrical installation from overload, electrical faults and serious damage. The circuit breaker should have been carefully selected by the electrician that installed the wiring to adequately protect your electrical installation. When a circuit breaker trips, it does so to protect your wiring, appliances, and your home. The tripping circuit breaker is usually the result of an electrical fault or faulty appliance and only occasionally as a result of a faulty circuit breaker.

Your Electrical Wiring: Hazards and Signs of Danger. Electrical Systems will work in a seemingly normal manner right up until the point of complete failure! Only a qualified electrician can inspect an electrical installation to determine whether it is safe and suitable for continued use. There are some signs of dangers, hazards and electrical problems that you can keep an eye out for. In this article I will go through the most common issues and danger signs that you should be on the lookout for along with advising WHEN to call a professional to assist.

15 Things You Should Not Plug Into an Extension Strip. Power Strips, Extension Leads and Extension Reels are common in every home but did you know these have a maximum safe rating? There are a number of items that should not be plugged into one of these devices in order to avoid electrical hazards and safety risks. This is a list of the 15 most common things that should not be plugged into an extension cord. You can find a list of household appliances, their ratings and use this to determine what can and cannot be plugged in to an extension lead in our article.

We all know that electricity and water do not mix. Electric shocks can occur when water is introduced to electrical equipment but what about outdoor sockets? Are they safe? The answer is generally YES. As long as outdoor outlets are installed correctly, designed for outdoor use and tested by an electrician before being put into service, then they are safe to use.

Open Circuit vs Closed Circuit: What's The Difference - An electrical circuit effectively has just two states; open and closed. An open circuit will not allow electrical current to flow, no lights will turn on, no socket outlets will work, no equipment will function. A closed circuit will enable electrical current to flow around the circuit meaning that equipment, lamps, appliances and other electrical equipment will work. What is a Closed Circuit? A closed circuit provides a complete circuit with a continuous path for electrical current to flow from the power source back to itself. In this normal condition, electrons can move freely through conductors, creating a continuous current flow that powers electrical devices.

As a qualified electrician with decades of experience in the electrical industry and as an electrical tutor, I've seen my fair share of electrical hazards that could have been prevented. The question "Are my electrics safe?" isn't always as straightforward as it seems. While some electrical problems are glaringly obvious, many electrical hazards lurk behind walls, in breaker panels, and within seemingly normal electrical devices, waiting to cause electrical fires, electric shock, or worse.

Extension cord or Power Strip: Are They Safe to Use? Extension leads, also known as power strips or electrical extension cords, are pretty much the unsung heroes of modern life. Whether you’re plugging in your laptop, your phone, or your third coffee machine (no judgment), they give you extra outlets where and when you need them. But—and this is a big one—misuse of these handy devices can lead to some serious consequences, including electrical fire risks and electrical shock dangers. As a qualified electrician and electrical industry instructor, I’ve seen what can go wrong when extension cords are used improperly. We’re talking everything from minor singes to major house fires. So, in this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know to use extension cords safely—whether you’re at home, at work, or somewhere in between.