Electrical transformers are machines that transfer electricity from one circuit to another with changing voltage level but no frequency change. Today, they are designed to use AC supply, which means that fluctuation in supply voltage is impacted by the fluctuation in the current. So, an increase in current will bring about an increase in the voltage and vice versa.

Transformers help to improve safety and efficiency of power systems by raising and lowering voltage levels where needed. They are used in a wide range of residential and industrial applications, primarily and perhaps most importantly in the distribution and regulation of power across long distances.

An electrical transformer uses Faraday’s electromagnetic induction law to work – “Rate of change of flux linkage with respect to time is directly proportional to the induced EMF in a conductor or coil”.

Although Christmas is now behind us, we are still deep in the midst of winter. The ground is frosty early in the morning, and the temperature throughout the day can easily fall below zero. When traversing through your daily routine this winter, be prepared for the worse and stop accidents in the home before they happen. Here are some winter electrical safety tips that could prevent serious injury and harm:

Keep away from downed power lines – A few weeks ago we discussed power line safety. This is a hot topic during the winter because roads are slippery and car accidents increase. If a car hits a power line and the electrical wiring falls down, keep at least three metres or 10 feet away. Power lines are very powerful and can cause serious electrocution if you are not careful. Keep your family and children educated, as they could come across a downed power line during their daily commute. Always call 911 when you see a power line down.

Place your space heater at a safe distance – Space heaters are a great way to keep specific rooms warm without ramping up monthly heating bills. Because of the high heat output of electrical heaters, it is important to keep them away from flammable material.  Ensure that they are not in contact with any furniture, rugs, and curtains. If you feel surrounding objects becoming hot, move the heater. Fires are easily started if the heater is unattended. Always turn off the heater when it’s not in use.

Ensure your backup generator is ready to go – As we said, dangerous road conditions can cause damage to power lines and in turn results in power outages. For those homes and businesses equipped with standby generators, it is a good time to have regular maintenance and check-ups done. Have a professional inspect the power generator to ensure that oil levels and gas levels are correct, and the connection to the home is safe and secure. If a power outage occurs, you want to be confident that it will power your home/business when it needs to.

Avoid using candles during power outages – Many people use candles to light their rooms during power outages. While this can deliver a nice ambience, it is very dangerous. If the candles are unattended or wax drips and causes build up around the candle, it can result in a fire. Instead, use flashlights or LED candles.

Unplug major appliances during power outages – During an extended power outage, unplug your major appliances (oven, fridge, freezer, television) and turn off light fixtures (You can leave on some lights so you know when the power returns). This can prevent power surges from occurring and damaging the appliances when power returns.

Prepare an emergency safety kit for long outages – To be prepared for extended power outages or even in the event of a serious natural disaster, have an emergency kit ready. The emergency kit should be readily accessible and contain batteries, flashlight, blankets/sleeping bags/warm clothes, non-perishable food, a first aid kit, and sufficient water for your family. This will keep your family warm, fed, and safe during an emergency. Check with your local safety authorities and put together a safety kit.

The winter can bring harsh weather conditions that affect our daily lives. With the proper precautions you can be prepared for the worst situations. If you have questions about your home electrical system during the winter or power generators, contact your local Expert Electric at 604-681-8338.

Most people have experienced a circuit breaker trip at some time or the other; and the first couple of times it happens, it can be quite alarming. However, this is a very important safety component in any electrical circuit. A circuit breaker is essentially an automatic device used to stop the flow of current within a circuit, as a safety measure. It is specifically designed to protect your property, equipment in your home/commercial space and you from overloading the electrical circuit.

The sole reason a circuit breaker trips is to prevent the overheating and overloading of an electrical circuit, beyond the capacity of that circuit. If there is no breaker in place, the electrical units in that circuit can get damaged and potentially lead to a fire.

In case a circuit breaker trips, the very first thing to do is to locate it in your panel box. The switch you are looking for is the one that isn’t completely in an On/Off position. Once you turn the switch into the ‘on’ position, the power will be restored. In case the power doesn’t come on, simply switch it off and then on again.

If the circuit breaker trips even after you have reset it, don’t just try resetting it again. It’s doing what it’s designed to do and telling you that there is something wrong that has to be investigated. There are three different things that can cause a circuit breaker to trip:

This is the commonest cause of a circuit breaker trip. It occurs when the electrical energy that’s flowing through the circuit is much more than what it can handle. The simplest way to solve this problem is to redistribute the power to some other circuits. Very simply put, in case too many heavy appliances are connected to a single circuit, move a couple of them to one that isn’t as loaded.

It’s important that you check whether the circuits aren’t loose. First, switch off the power and look for any loose wires; you can do this by closely inspecting the hot wires and outlets that lead from the service panel to the circuit breaker, and then tighten the connection that’s loose.

If after checking the circuit overload, you find there aren’t any issues in that areas, the problem could be a short circuit. This is caused when any live wire touches another neutral/live wire. At times a short circuit may be caused by a broken wire within the breaker. It’s far more difficult to identify this as it could be just about any part of the wiring system which is connected to that circuit. At times, the culprit could be an appliance that’s plugged into an outlet.

This issue is quite a dangerous and severe one and it’s important that it be diagnosed quickly. It can be quite tedious to look for a short circuit and the outlets, plugs and wiring that are connected to that circuit, but these checks are important. Look for cracks or signs of burning in the insulation and call an electrician without delay.

If it’s neither a short circuit nor a circuit overload that’s caused the circuit breaker to trip, it could be a ground fault issue. This happens when any hot wire touches the metal outlet box or the ground wire.

If a circuit breaker trips in your home or commercial property, keep in mind that it’s a very serious issue and not something that should be ignored. For the best electrical solutions, call Allround Electrical at 1300 169 263. You can also drop us a line via email or contact us through this online form.

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