Safety Switches

Safety switches play a vital role in preventing electrocution in homes. To understand their significance, it's crucial to be aware of the potential danger of electricity and its impact on the human body. While most home final sub-circuits have current levels ranging between 10-32 amps, it's essential to note that the human heart can enter cardiac arrest at just 0.005 amps. This means that an electric shock from a standard circuit, which can deliver over 10,000 times this amount, can be extremely dangerous.

To prevent such accidents, we have safety switches such as RCDs (Residual Current Devices) and RCBOs (Residual Current Operated Circuit Breaker with Overcurrent Protection). RCDs are designed to constantly monitor the current flowing through active and neutral circuits. If there is a discrepancy of up to 30mA, indicating earth leakage, the switch trips the circuit instantly to prevent damage to human life. Earth leakage can occur due to various reasons, such as a faulty appliance, a rat chewing on the cable, or moisture in the wiring.

While RCDs can protect multiple circuits, they may sometimes cause nuisance tripping, leading to multiple circuits tripping and not resetting due to a fault in one of the circuits. That's where RCBOs come in. RCBOs provide individual protection to each final sub-circuit, making them a safer choice for new or updated switchboards. By installing RCBOs, we can ensure better protection for homes and the people living in them.

In conclusion, safety switches are a crucial component in any electrical installation, and understanding their importance can help prevent accidents and save lives.