Dealing with a blown fuse when you need electrical support is frustrating. Having no electricity when you need to complete a major project can cause extreme stress.
Why do fuses blow? More importantly, what is the best way to manage them?
How a Fuse Blows
Manufacturers make fuses from different types of metals. Some of these, like tin and alloy, have low melting points. The lower they are, the more likely the fuse is to blow. A fuse is at risk of blowing when the center of it begins to melt and become smaller. It starts to do so when the current that flows through it is more than what it can sustain.
The Top 5 Reasons For A Blown Fuse
So what causes a fuse to blow? You may want to note these reasons when you buy a new appliance.
1. Electrical Wiring and Systems are incompatible
The electrical wiring and systems used in buildings today are a far cry from the ones used many years ago.
Older electrical systems were simpler and required less power. Modern systems, in contrast, need a lot of amperages. They tax your wiring as a result. If your property also relies on old fuses, they may blow often.
2. Appliances Needing More Amperages than Fuses can Sustain
Also, the electricity that flows through the systems in your property does so at a particular strength. Under typical conditions, it should flow through them smoothly.
Large appliances like television sets use more amperages than small ones like electric kettles.
When you run different equipment at once, they block the flow to some degree. The fuses embedded in the circuits can only tolerate a certain level of power. Manufacturers designed them to stop the circuits from overheating. They have fail-safe mechanisms that prevent excess power from going through them.
When a mechanism in an appliance malfunction, it may create more amperage than its fuses will allow. When too much amperage travels through the electrical system, the wires in the fuses will melt. You would call them blown fuses.
3. Electrical Surpluses Occur In Succession
Furthermore, electrical surpluses that occur one after another may weaken filaments and cause fuses to blow.
4. Electric Short Circuits
Circuits that short also cause fuse failure. A short can happen when there is a hot wire to the ground. It may open a fuse and cause it to fail.
5. Natural Causes
Of course, fuses burn out over time. To find out if it is the cause of the blow, replace it. If there is still no power, your device probably malfunctioned.
6. Different kinds of fuses
As mentioned above, some fuses have low melting points and are more fragile than others. A sudden surge of electric current may cause them to come apart.
Diagnosing the Problem
Getting to the root of the problem is a complicated process. You may have to hazard a guess and find out if any appliance you're using has malfunctioned. Examine cords and connections to unveil the problem.
Unfortunately, many of these problems are not so easily solved. If old, hidden wires in the home are causing your fuses to blow, you may need the help of a licensed electrician to get to them.
Contact a Reliable Sydney Electrician
If you are dealing with blown fuses all the time, do not hesitate to call a professional electrician. Contact Fuseman. We are a 24-hour electrical services provider who will replace blown fuses quickly.
