Faulty Electric Box

Regardless of the name you know this box by, it is a very important part of the electrical system in our homes and carries out several jobs in order to keep us, our loved ones, and the electrical system safe in our property.

When you have a FAULTY ELECTRIC BOX there can be a number of electrical situations that cause this and dangers that can arise from this situation. The Lady Sparky is your local, female electrician in Liverpool and is here to explain what to do if you have a faulty electric box.

Ways in which an electric box can go faulty

1. The electrical connections in the box can go bad. As wiring and wiring terminals age, they can become loose through heat, movement and vibration. When electrical connections become loose, they present a greater electrical resistance to electrical current flow and that means an increase in heat. As connections heat up the resistance to current flow increases yet again which creates even more electrical resistance. This vicious cycle is only going to end one way and that is with overheated and burnt connections and the real risk of fire. 
2. The trip switches can wear out. The different types of trip switches in a consumer unit can fail with age, wear and tear or excessive tripping due to faults. When these switches go faulty, there can be no warning and the switch will simply fail. These trip switches are designed to protect the cabling in our homes, protect us from electric shock and in some cases to offer protection against electrical fires. When a switch finally gives up, it can be difficult to find a replacement as manufacturers change their products regularly and this means that certain switches and consumer unit equipment becomes outdated, obsolete, and difficult to obtain quickly or even, AT ALL!
3. The Main Switch can burn out. The main switch in a consumer unit or fuse box is responsible for passing through all the electrical current for the entire electrical installation. This is a fairly large responsibility for a switch and as such they are put under great strain. When this combines with age, a worn mechanism, loose connections and so on, the internals of the switch can fail. Often giving no warning as to the impending failure. 
4. Faults on the electrical circuits in your home. Quite often, electrical problems within your property are misdiagnosed as faults with the electric box. This is a common mistake that people make and without an electrician to come and carry out some testing and inspection on the electrical circuits and equipment in your home, there is no way of knowing the cause of the tripping switches in the consumer unit or blowing fuses in the fuse box. 
5. Faulty appliances. Again, the consumer unit or fuse box can often take the blame for a faulty dishwasher, washing machine or appliance that has failed. A trip switch that will not turn on does not necessarily mean a faulty trip switch or a fault with the electric box but more often can be a faulty electrical item that is plugged into the wall sockets that is causing the problem. 

How can I prevent a faulty electric box? 

1. Have your electrical system independently checked by an electrician and a report produced on its condition. An electrician will usually check the connections in the electrical box as part of their inspection, this will prevent any future damage or electrical burning risk from loose terminations. The electrician will also check for signs of overheating and damage to the circuit breakers or fuse carriers in your electrical box. When circuit breakers have been overheating there is normally some further investigation that needs to be carried out. Overheating can mean that connections are loose, too much power is being used on the circuit or the circuit breaker is undersized for the job. 
2. Press the test button every time the clocks change. That’s right. Most electrical boxes will have devices that are designed to trip and can be checked by pressing the test button. These devices are there to protect you against electric shock so it is important that they operate quickly and correctly. If the test button DOES NOT cause them to trip then the devices need to be changed. Call your electrician to come out and swap them for you, this is important. 
3. If you have switches that trip regularly don’t ignore them. When you have electrical trip switches that are operating regularly, this is an indication of possible electrical faults in your Liverpool home's wiring system. These faults will generally not go away on their own and an electrician should investigate immediately to prevent damage to the electric box and to the homes wiring system. Without quick intervention from an electrician, problems can grow and become more costly and difficult to fix. 

If you suspect that you have a FAULTY ELECTRIC BOX at your Liverpool home then do not delay, have it checked out by a professional. The Lady Sparky is your local, NICEIC registered electrician in Liverpool and I am on hand to help. Contact me today.