How to Identify Short Circuit Faults

Introduction of short circuit

A short circuit is an abnormal low-resistance connection between two nodes of an electrical circuit that are meant to be at different voltages. This results in an excessive electric current .The Short Circuit is a more serious reason for a breaker tripping. A short is caused when the supply wire touches another supply wire or touches a neutral wire. And there are other condition’s are may also cause to the short circuit interconnection. It can also be caused if there is a break in a wire in the circuit. Shorts are a bit more difficult to diagnose because they can be caused by the wiring in your home or in something you have plugged into an outlet. Damage from short circuits can be reduced or prevented by employing fuses, circuit breakers, or other overload protection, which disconnect the power in reaction to excessive current.

How to Identify Short Circuit fault

•    Confirm that power is off at the outlet into which your device is plugged.

•    Inspect your power cords for damage or a melted appearance.

•    Check your outlets and plugs for the smell of burning or brown or black discoloration.

•    Check the insulation on the wires to make sure it is not cracked and touching a black and white wire together.

•    If you do not find the problem, repeat the process for all the outlets in the circuit.