Safety Switches

What is the Difference Between Safety Switches & Circuit Breakers?

Understanding your equipment is vital when it comes to electronics and electricity! Knowing what safeguards you can put in place for your home will help you avoid damages, injuries and occasionally even fatalities in the event of an emergency. Some people need clarification about electrical systems and the differences between circuit breakers and safety switches. According to an electrician in Northcote, these two gadgets are safety measures to guard against electrical malfunction-related damage to your house.

Circuit Breakers

Circuit breakers or fuses in the main switchboard are installed in many homes to prevent electrical wiring from being overloaded. A circuit breaker guards against short circuits and overcurrents when power points are overlooked. If there are too many appliances plugged into a power outlet, the circuit breaker may go off as soon as it detects an overload or a high-current fault.

Safety Switches

According to the electrician in Richmond, safety switches protect against someone sticking their finger in a socket. They protect users from electrical shocks and electrocutions caused by systemic malfunctions. Any issues that can endanger someone’s safety are identified by a safety switch. It checks how the current moves through the circuit and detects any differences between the live and neutral wires, which occur when the current passes through the circuit. It also detects any differences between the live and neutral wires, which occur when the current passes through an object—a person, for example—that could cause an electrical shock. Safety can turn off the power in less than 0.03 seconds if any issue arises that could endanger your personal safety and cause harm. A safety switch resembles a circuit breaker in appearance, but it also has a test button!

As per an electrician near Northcote, installing a safety switch, also known as a residual current device (RCD), is now required in homes to prevent electrocution or fires caused by electrical malfunctions.

It might be necessary for you to install multiple safety switches in your house. Victorian law mandates that when building a new home, safety switches must be installed on both the lighting and power point circuits. Nevertheless, a lot of older homes lack a safety switch altogether or only have coverage on the power circuit.

Electrical safety regulators now advise homeowners and landlords to install safety switches on all circuits, including those for the oven, air conditioning, lights, hot water system and pool equipment. This is to guarantee that residents are fully protected from the power system.

An electrician near Richmond recommends that it’s important to recognise the differences between circuit breakers and safety switches, as well as common misconceptions about them. The largest issue arising from the confusion between the two is that individuals mistakenly believe they have both installed when, in fact, they do not. To put it briefly, the primary distinction between a circuit breaker and a safety switch is that the latter safeguards your home’s electrical system and wiring. The former prevents an individual from suffering an electrical shock when they come into contact with live wires or appliance parts.

Get in Touch with Aussie Electrical and Solar

Get in touch with the helpful professionals at Aussie Electrical and Solar right now if you’re searching for a qualified electrician who can provide fast, reliable electrical services that cater to your needs! To learn more, contact us at 1300 783 365 or email us at info@aeands.com.au!