How Does A Safety Switch Work? [A Quick Run-Through]

Because electricity is utilised so often in everyday life, its dangers are sometimes underrated. However, it’s easy to recall how unpleasant and terrifying electricity can be if you’ve ever suffered an electric shock. Remember, you only need to come into contact with 2 amps of electricity to get shocked.

Luckily, with a good safety switch, people no longer have to fear using electricity. A safety switch is a device that detects current leakage in a circuit and switches power off promptly. When a person contacts a naked live wire by accident, the safety switch detects it and cuts off the electric current in less than a second.

What’s more, safety switches are so fast that the person will not feel a single jolt from the wire. As such, these devices have the potential to save thousands of lives and are required to ensure the safety of a house or any building.

Good to know: Importance of Safety Switches in your Switchboard

Working Mechanism of Safety Switch

A safety switch simply detects any abnormalities in the electrical system and counters the effect. For example, in the presence of electrical leakage, a short circuit, appliance malfunction, or an electrical overcharge, the safety switch gets to work. It does this by preventing electric currents from reaching the defective system.

Also read: Why Does the Safety Switch Keep Tripping?

Examples of a Safety Switch at Work

Scenario One

Your washing machine or dryer has some metallic parts and as a result, is earthed for safety. However, when a part of the system gets lost, electricity flows to the machine risking an electric shock. However, as soon as this happens, the safety switch is immediately activated, preventing the accident entirely.

Scenario Two

You have small kids in the house who are curious and want to touch everything. Accidentally, they put a fork inside a socket. This makes electricity transfer to the folk causing electric shock to the kid. However, if you have a safety switch installed, it will detect that something is wrong, and it will cut off the power supply on the socket.

Scenario Three

You are having your house renovated. As you cut through a wall with a metallic tool, you accidentally cut a power cable that transfers electricity to you through the metal tool. Luckily, if you have a safety switch installed, you will only get an electric shock for a second before the safety switch is activated to cut off the power supply.

Contact Powerlec for all Your Safety Switch Needs in Busselton

Are you looking for the perfect expert to install or repair a safety switch in your house? At Powerlec, we offer the best safety switch installation services in Busselton, all at an affordable price. Contact us today!

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Craig Woods

Craig Woods

Craig Woods founded Powerlec in 1998, and has since built the full-service electrical company up from humble beginnings to now servicing business and homes across the state and beyond. Powerlec prides itself on its core values of quality, honesty and integrity, keeping up to date with the latest advanced electrical technological changes in their field. Notable clients such as Bunnings, Halliburton Oil and Gas and Harvey Norman trust in Craig’s expertise and knowledge in his profession.