Electrical Safety: What You Should Know When Power Surges

Electricity powers just about every aspect of our lives and we often take it for granted. It can, however, also pose a significant risk to our safety, if necessary precautions are not taken. We all know about the dangers of bad connections, live wires and electrical fires. But what about a more unexpected, silent danger, like power surges?

A power surge occurs when the standard operating voltage is exceeded. In South Africa, this means that the electricity flow goes above the standard voltage of 220/230 volts and/or the frequency exceeds 50 HZ.

Extreme surges can be caused by lightning strikes or transmission line or transformer malfunctions in your area. More commonly, however, are smaller power surges caused by load shedding. While a single small power surge does not necessarily pose a large safety risk, they become a bigger issue when occurring frequently. And with load shedding now being a regular part of our daily lives, small power surges are wreaking havoc on your electrical appliances.

What damage can a power surge cause if you don’t adhere to electrical safety?

A large power surge can render an electrical appliance, like your television, sound system or fridge, useless by damaging the engine or circuits. Repeated small surges may not cause such damage in one go, but over time they significantly shorten the lifespan of your appliances. What’s more, power surges can even cause data loss on your computer.

How do you ensure the safety of your electrical appliances?

1. Switch off and unplug all appliances during load shedding, and wait for the power to come back on before plugging them back in.
2. Get a UPS for your Internet connection. Not only will this make sure you are connected during load shedding, but it will also provide protection for your modem and/or router.
3. Invest in surge protectors for your DB board as well as plug adaptors. These divert surplus energy away from your appliances during surges.

For more electrical safety tips and to find surge protectors for your home or business, contact Switch Electrical.