Dangers Of An Overloaded Circuit

Apr 1, 2023

You may be wondering why the lights in your home are flickering or why your circuit breaker suddenly trips. One good way to find answers is by asking yourself: “how many devices do I usually leave plugged into my power outlet.”

Probably a lot, right? If true, you’ve most likely been overloading your circuit by subjecting it to more electric current than it can handle. While you may have been overlooking this issue, an overloaded circuit can cause serious issues to your home’s electrical system.

In this article, we will discuss the dangers associated with overloading your circuit. We will also discuss some tips to help you avoid overloading your circuit.

What is an overloaded circuit?

Generally, every circuit has a corresponding amount of load it can carry. When a circuit has to carry more than the maximum current it can handle, it becomes overloaded.

So whenever you plug too many devices or appliances into a power outlet, it may result in a circuit overload, especially when the circuit can’t handle that amount of electricity.

Dangers Of An Overloaded Circuit

Below are some of the potential dangers of an overloaded circuit.

  1. Power outages

When a circuit becomes overloaded, the first component that gets affected is the circuit breaker since it is the first line of defense against overloading. It will automatically start tripping off when too many current flows through it.

There may not be a cause for alarm if the circuit breaker trips once or twice. However, you may need to do something about it if it trips continuously.

You can contact a professional electrician to help inspect your connection and fix any problem.

  1. Electrical fires

The amount of strain overloading can put on circuit wires can cause them to begin to overheat and then melt. When too many circuit wires overheat and melt, there’s bound to be a fire outbreak.

Consequently, failure to quickly control the fire can cause it to spread quickly enough to cause significant damage to your home.

  1. Damage to appliances and electronics

Every electrical appliance needs electricity to function. However, you need to properly manage the circuits you use to power them so that they don’t get damaged.

When you plug too many electrical appliances into a circuit, you will overload the circuit. As a result of the circuit overload, the appliances you’ve connected to the circuit can get damaged.

Things That Cause Overloaded Circuits?

  1. High electricity demand

Electrical appliances require certain amounts of electricity to function efficiently, and the specific amount an appliance needs tends to differ. However, one distinguishable factor is that many appliances have a low electricity demand.

Meanwhile, some have high demand. When many high-demand electrical appliances run simultaneously, you can easily overload a circuit without knowing.

  1. Outdated wiring

If your home is old, its wiring is most likely outdated. Unfortunately, an old wiring system may not handle the load of modern electrical appliances and electronics.

Ultimately, this can lead to circuit overload.

  1. Faulty electrical systems

When your home wiring system develops faults, it will likely become overloaded easily.

Signs Of An Overloaded Circuit

  1. Flickering lights

Do you notice that your lights flicker or dim when you turn on certain devices? If you notice something like this, your circuit is probably overloaded.

  1. Circuit breaker tripping

Circuit breakers often trip whenever excessive current flows through them. They are designed this way to act as a way of safeguarding your circuit and the electrical appliances you connect to them.

So if you notice that your circuit breaker constantly trips, this can be a clear sign that you are overloading the circuit.

  1. Burning smell

When circuits get overloaded, the excess electrical pressure tends to cause them to overheat. The overheating will gradually cause the wires to burn, and when wires burn, they give off a burning smell.

You probably have an overloaded circuit if you perceive the smell of burning wires.

How To Prevent An Overloaded Circuit

There are ways through which you can prevent circuit overloads. We discuss some of them below.

  1. Reduce electrical usage

You can reduce the possibility of a circuit overload by reducing your electricity. One of the ways you can reduce your electricity usage is by turning off your electronic appliances when you are not using them.

Another way is by making use of energy-efficient appliances. In addition, you should endeavor to try to use just a few appliances at the same time.

  1. Use better power strips and outlets.

Due to how convenient power strips and outlets are, we tend to overload them quickly. If you know, it will be hard to be conscious about how much load you connect to your power strips; you can get built-in overload protection for them.

Try to avoid resorting to using extension cords all the time.

  1. Upgrade your electrical system.

If the wiring in your home is outdated, consider upgrading it to a newer electrical wiring system. When you use an up-to-date electrical system, you can handle the electrical demands of modern appliances conveniently.

Conclusion

Whenever you notice any electric issue in your home, you should contact a

professional electrician to help you inspect and fix the problem. At CNA Electric, you can get all the help you need for your electrical systems.

Simply contact us today to schedule an appointment.

Back to Blog