Benefits of Electrical Safety Switches
Everyone knows that electricity can kill. However, not many people realise that low voltage shocks can be the most deadly of all. A jolt from a faulty appliance running on an ordinary household current of 240 volts can quickly send the heart into ventricular fibrillation. In houses that lack a safety shutoff, it can happen more often than you think.
How Electrical Safety Switches Save Lives
Electrical safety switches possess one critical talent: They can detect the minuscule quantities of current that flow to earth when a live circuit experiences an electrical irregularity. The disturbance could range from a fault in the system to the inadvertent touch of a human being.
Upon the detection of stray current, an electrical safety switch in good working order will shut off the power within 25 to 40 milliseconds. Since a shock can quickly lead to cardiac arrest, this fast response time is critical.
Common Safety Switch Triggers
A number of things can cause electrical aberrations. Old or damaged electrical appliances are frequent culprits and often release enough stray electricity to kick the safety switch into action.
Lightning poses another hazard. Whether it strikes your home directly or hits a power source nearby, the result is often a dangerous power surge. An electrical safety switch will detect it and shut off the power before any damage occurs.
Faulty wiring, perhaps the most deadly threat of all, can cause fluctuations in the flow of current that could easily result in an electrical fire. All wiring can deteriorate over time, and older houses are particularly at risk. A safety switch will sense the uneven flow, cutting off the electricity before the compromised wire can short out or burst into flames.
Testing Your Electrical Safety Switch
Your safety switch can’t protect you if it isn’t working properly. Experts recommend that you test yours every three months. You do this simply by pressing the test button in your switchboard. When all is working correctly, this should immediately trip the switch to the off position. To restore your power, just flip the switch back on.
If the switch does not respond to your test, you need to call an electrician for assistance.
An electrical safety switch will protect not only you and your family but also any friends and workers who visit your home. If your system does not already have one, an electrician can easily perform the installation. Retrofitting is not exorbitantly expensive, and the protection you receive will be worth it at any price.
