The appliances & devices most likely to trip your property’s electrics
What happened ?!
When it comes to electrical safety & functionality in your home or building, understanding what can cause a circuit overload or trip your electrics is crucial. Certain appliances and devices have a higher likelihood of causing these disruptions, which can be not only inconvenient but also potentially dangerous. In this article, we'll explore the appliances and devices that are most likely to trip your house or building's electrics, helping you prevent electrical issues and ensure the safety of your property.
1. Space Heaters:
Space heaters are notorious for overloading circuits and causing electrical trips. These devices draw a significant amount of power and can easily overload older or improperly maintained electrical systems. To prevent tripping, it's essential to use space heaters on dedicated circuits and avoid plugging in other high-power devices to the same circuit.
2. Hair Dryers and Straighteners:
Hair dryers and straighteners are common culprits for circuit overloads, particularly in bathrooms where electrical outlets may be shared with other devices. These devices draw a high wattage and should be used on circuits designed to handle them safely.
3. Air Conditioners:
Air conditioning units, especially central air conditioning systems, can place a substantial load on electrical circuits. Regular maintenance and ensuring your air conditioning system is adequately sized for your property can help prevent tripped circuits.
4. Microwaves:
Microwaves are known for their high energy consumption when in use. Plugging them into overloaded kitchen circuits or using extension cords that cannot handle the load can lead to circuit overloads.
5. Electric Kettles:
Electric kettles draw a significant amount of power to heat water quickly. Overloading a kitchen circuit with multiple high-power appliances simultaneously can trip the circuit.
6. Electric Ovens and Stovetops:
Electric ovens and stovetops are heavy power users, especially during cooking. Using multiple heating elements or ovens simultaneously on a single circuit can cause a circuit trip.
7. Washing Machines and Dryers:
Washing machines and dryers have electric motors that require high starting currents. Overloading a laundry room circuit with these appliances, especially while other devices are in use, can lead to a circuit overload.
8. Power Tools and Machinery:
When using power tools or heavy machinery, it's crucial to ensure they are connected to circuits with the capacity to handle the equipment's power demands. Running power tools on inadequately sized circuits can lead to tripped electrics and pose a safety risk.
9. Extension Cords and Overloaded Sockets:
While not appliances themselves, the misuse of extension cords and overloaded sockets is a common cause of electrical trips. Overloading a single socket or using extension cords with too many devices plugged in can overwhelm the circuit.
10. Faulty Wiring and Old Electrical Systems:
Outdated or deteriorating electrical systems are more susceptible to circuit overloads and tripping. Faulty wiring, corroded connections, and worn-out components can lead to safety hazards. Regular electrical inspections and maintenance can help identify and rectify such issues.
To prevent circuit overloads and electrical trips, it's important to:
Ensure your electrical system is up to date and properly maintained.
Use dedicated circuits for high-power appliances and devices.
Avoid overloading sockets and using extension cords as a permanent solution.
Periodically inspect your electrical system for signs of wear and tear.
11. Nuiscance Tripping:
In some respects this should be number 1. I’ve saved myself the journey to a customers property, and many people a call out charge on a weekend by asking what the “symptoms” of their fault on their property. if what’s described seems to be the kitchens mains circuit tripping at random times, its commonly been their fridge freezer Nuisance tripping. By asking them to unplug their fridge and seeing if it stops the tripping, or running it off another circuit via an extension you can find the fault via process of elimination.
If you experience frequent circuit trips or suspect issues with your electrical system, it's best to consult with a qualified electrical installation contractor. They can assess your system, perform necessary repairs or upgrades, and ensure your property's electrical safety. By taking these precautions and being aware of the devices most likely to trip your electrics, you can enjoy a safe and hassle-free electrical system in your home or building. For your Electrical needs in the Medway/Maidstone Area get in touch with M&B Electrical and we can help with whatever you need.