"MY SAFETY SWITCH KEEPS TRIPPING"

Part II 

Recently we discussed the possible causes of a safety switch tripping, and listed some suggestions on how to find the problem (but also to engage a qualified Electrician for the solution!)

Interestingly, a tripped safety switch is often the first step most must take to educating themselves as to what’s in their house in terms of electrical safety. Sometimes we find things we don’t want to know, but at the same time are grateful we found it when we did! Although it can be a long process, the learning is critical for your own safety and that of your family.

A part of the learning is differentiating between different devices and understanding their use. A common mistake made is confusing the purposes of circuit breakers, surge diverters and safety switches. Here’s a few points on this to remember next time – and of all of these, please forget the last one!

• Safety switches monitor the flow of electricity through a circuit and detect a problem that may pose a risk to personal safety and turn the power off within 0.03 of a second. 
• Safety switches always have a test button and 30ma printed on them. They are also sometimes labelled with the words "safety switch".
• Surge diverters protect the property from voltage surges such as those resulting from a lightning strike. The surge diverter captures the voltage spikes in the wiring that would otherwise be transferred into the equipment within the property. 
• Circuit breakers provide short-circuit and overcurrent protection such as when a power point is overloaded.
• Surge diverters and circuit breakers do not act as safety switches for personal protection against electric shock.

Courtesy of ESV

Safety switches are not a substitute for common sense!