People often confuse electrical safety switches and circuit breakers. Both are vital in protecting your Auburn or Montgomery, AL business or commercial building but they do have different purposes. In simple terms, safety switches are designed to primarily protect people. They detect the smallest of fluctuations and shut off the flow of electricity. Circuit breakers are primarily designed to protect the electrical system and appliances. By extension, a tripped circuit breaker can certainly protect a person as well.
Safety Switches
It’s very likely your business has a number of safety switches in various locations serving various needs. For the purposes of this blog we want to deal with switches that trip repeatedly. Let’s examine the top five reasons it happens:
Faulty or Damaged Appliances
This is mostly a problem with older appliances. Over time they can start drawing extra current which is enough to trip the safety switch. If a switch trips repeatedly turn off all appliances on the circuit, reset the switch, and plug the appliances in one at a time.
Damaged Wiring
Over time wiring, especially the insulation, wears out creating power fluctuations. Often, it’s enough to trip the safety switch which immediately cuts off the power. If you have eliminated the possibility an appliance is causing the problem you will need a commercial electrician to determine if your wiring is at fault.
Nuisance Tripping
Okay, we get it. It’s always a nuisance if a safety switch is tripping but this is a category we generally attribute to having too many appliances running at the same time. In that situation, safety switches are always close to tripping and it takes just minor fluctuations in the current to cause them to turn off. Try unplugging appliances and see if it solves the problem.
Rain & Storms
If the switches are tripping during storms it may be just a matter of waiting until the weather improves to reset them. Electrical storms can cause power surges that will trip the switches. It’s all about electricity water safety in this case if rain is causing switches to trip, just wait for everything to dry out and it will likely solve the problem.
Faulty Switches
It’s rare, but sometimes the fault is with the switch itself. The best thing you can do is have regular electrical preventive maintenance (EPM) so the switches can be tested by a commercial electrician.
Commercial Electrical Service
At the end of the day business owners can’t afford the risk of not maintaining electrical systems including safety switches and circuit breakers. One workplace accident can lead to lawsuits, workers comp claims, and even death. Call Dixie Electric, Plumbing & Air keep your Auburn & Montgomery, AL businesses safe by scheduling your electrical maintenance.
