When you are trying to determine what your home’s electrical needs are, you will first need to know if you have an electrical panel or a fuse box electrical system. Where the rest of the electrical system is fairly similar, the way fuses and circuit breakers, which are housed in the electrical panel, are very different. When coming down to the electrical problems that you may have in your home, it is important to know the differences of the two. Burley Electrical Services will share the differences between the electrical panels.

Why are Fuses & Breakers Important?

Both a breaker and a fuse box perform the same task. They are the home’s electrical safety system. When a line overheats, either the breaker will trip or the fuse will blow out. When a wiring line overheats, there is a risk of fire occurring in the home. Electrical fires are one of the leading causes of residential fires throughout the world. Without a safety system in place, house fires will become more frequent. It is essential that the circuit breaker and fuse box is inspected and replaced when needed.

What is a Fuse in a Circuit?

Even though both fuses and circuit breakers have the same job, the two work very differently. Fuses come in many different types, shapes and sizes. The fuses are made from a filament which is enclosed by a glass tube, metal or ceramic material. When a circuit or wiring line is overloaded and begins to heat up, the filament inside the fuse will melt. Once the filament melts, the electricity will stop flowing through the circuit. Once the filament melts, the fuse will no longer work. The fuse will need to be replaced once it blows or breaks. Even though replacing a blown out fuse each time may seem inconvenient, fuses still have their perks. Fuses are much faster to stop the flow of electricity when a problem occurs, which enhances the safety even more. Additionally, changing out a fuse isn’t hard and most homeowners with a fuse box electrical system will keep spare fuses on hand for replacing.

How Do Circuit Breakers Work?

Circuit breakers come in either bi-metal strips or are electromagnet, which allows the circuit breakers to pass between the terminal. When a circuit overloads or becomes too strong for the breaker to handle, the electromagnet pulls a small lever inside the breaker which cuts off power. A breaker with a metal strip design will bend when too strong of a power current is occurring. When the metal strip bends the power will shut off. One of the benefits of circuit breakers is that they can be reset and do not require to be replaced each time the circuit trips the breaker. They are considered slower to react to an electrical disturbance. However, they are not that much slower that they can jeopardize the home’s safety.

Electrical Inspections, Audits, Repair Services & More in Pompano Beach, Oakland Park, Plantation, Deerfield Beach, Boca Raton, Davie, Fort Lauderdale & South Florida

It is often easy enough to identify which electrical system you have in your home. It is important to know your home’s electrical system not only to know how to operate your electrical system but know what maintenance is needed. For quality electrical services, contact Burley Electrical Services today. For more information, you can also visit www.burleyelectric.com.