You only realise just how much your lifestyle requires electricity for it to function normally when a problem arises and the power goes out. This is a particularly common occurrence in older houses that make up much of urban Australia. After all, the big cities have all been around for over a hundred years and some much more than that. Many houses have switchboards and wiring that are older than you! To see just how much switchboard upgrades could save your life, here is a sneak peek into what they do on a day-to-day basis.
Copper Wiring In Fuses Are Dangerous
While copper is still very useful in some electrical applications, it has been discovered that in fuses it is quite dangerous. It has a very low melting point and, because of the higher electrical needs of modern appliances, this means it will constantly trip. Once a fuse with copper wiring trips, it can melt the wiring. The more you trip it (as you will because you can't use less electricity for your electronics), the greater risk of fire. Switchboard upgrades replace all these fuses with modern, safe variants which can take a much bigger load and don't endanger your house when they malfunction.
Ceramic Fuses Can Have A Dangerous Domino Effect
One major problem with older, ceramic fuses is that when they fail, they sometimes do not automatically stop the electrical charge. When ceramic fuses blow, an electrical arc can still escape and affect all other parts of the switchboard. This can be dangerous for your home but also dangerous for you if you try and fix it on your own. Modern fuses (often using glass) have much better built-in safety precautions that smother any high-arc electrical faults. This can genuinely be life-saving because of how even a small electrical shock can be fatal to you or, even worse, your family (in particular children and older relatives).
Constant Problems Are Dangerous By Themselves
While it is obvious to see that switchboard upgrades would make the actual switchboard safer, it also makes your whole house safer because of how much less it will malfunction. No longer will lights go out during precarious situations or when people are walking around. It will also mean you interact with the switchboard itself less, minimising your chance of accidentally hurting yourself by flicking the wrong switch. Electricity is not something you want to take lightly and often people are far too laissez-faire with their switchboard. It cannot be emphasised enough that electricity is exceptionally dangerous when it is uncontrolled, and getting a switchboard upgrade just makes your whole life safer and easier.