Keep Santa Away From Electrocution

It’s a Christmas tale about electrical safety over the holiday period and unseen horrors found in switchboards.

What’s the story behind these photos?

It’s a Christmas tale about electrical safety over the holiday period and unseen horrors found in switchboards.

Please tell me more?

Loose electrical connections like the ones in these photos are a major fire risk. The electricity eventually arcs from the loose cable. This is a fire-starter and can quickly turn into an inferno as flames travel up the wall cavity into the roof space. This could happen when you are away on Christmas holidays.

What causes connections to loosen?

It can happen over years as the cable expands and contracts slightly when it warms up during use and then cools. Sometimes connections haven’t been properly tightened when installed and sometimes the fittings holding the cables wear out and contact is lost.

What can I do?

Check your switchboard for deformed plastics, buzzing sounds or the smell of melting PVC. Another symptom could be flickering lights. If your switchboard is more than 25 years old, get it professionally checked. If you have any doubts, get a Sharpe Group electrician to confirm you have the latest type of circuit breakers, the best safety switches and your wiring is up to standard.

We can supply and install a combination safety-switch/circuit breaker from $165 and our switchboard upgrades start at $680.