Electricity is an essential part of our lives, which many of us today could not imagine living without. We all love electricity – it keeps us warm day and night, makes our homes bright, helps us to access all of our entertainment, permits us to eat a warm meal whenever we want and so much more. Electricity has made our lives easy and enjoyable. However, above all of these pleasures we get from electricity it has a risk that we all must be watchful of. Modern technology allowed inventors and scientists to create safety measures and equipment that minimized the risk of injuries and accidents.
The best examples are Residual-current Device (RCD) and the Electronic Fuse. The main difference between a safety switch (or RCD) and a circuit breaker (often referred to as a fuse) is a safety switch+3 protects people from electrical accidents and the circuit breaker protects wiring and electrical systems in your home. The question is, WHICH IS BETTER?
What Does A Circuit Breaker Or Fuse Do?
When a high current fault or overload such as when too many appliances are plugged into a powerpoint a circuit breaker or fuse detects the overload and then melts a fuel wire to provide protection to the house’s electrical circuit. The fuse that has melted creates a break in the circuit that is faulty and stops it from overloading. Fuses have been used as essential safety devices from the early days of electrical engineering.
Today there are thousands of different fuse designs which have specific current and voltage ratings, breaking capacity and response times, depending on the application. If your home uses wire fuses, it does provide your family with some level of safety. Circuit breakers have been around for some time and were first used by electricians and engineers before RCDs were created.
What Does An RCD Or Safety Switch Do?
RCDs monitor the flow of electricity through a circuit and when the current travels through something else like a person which could potentially cause an electric shock an imbalance is then detected and the safety switch instantly activates and breaks an electric circuit to prevent serious harm.
The current of around 30 mA (0.030 amperes) through the human body is potentially sufficient to cause cardiac arrest or serious harm if it persists for more than a small fraction of a second. Installing an RCD prevents this kind of instance and is designed to save lives. In some cases, injury might still occur but this system prevents the worst case possible.
Whether it may be an RCD or a Fuse, each one serves its own purpose, licensed electricians will install one when needed, however, today’s technological innovation suggests that RCDs are more reliable compared to fuses or circuit breakers. It stops the flow of electricity almost instantly.
Ones Safety Is Always A Top Priority
A safety switch must be installed on the power point circuit and the lighting circuit of new homes, however, many older homes are still without the protection of a safety switch or only have coverage on the power point circuit. Homeowners and landlords are suggested by electrical safety regulators to install safety switches on each circuit including lights, air conditioning, oven, hot water system and pool equipment circuits to provide full electrical protection for residents.
Don’t take chances and protect your family, call us at 13 10 91 and we’ll send one of our licensed electricians to check your home’s safety system.
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