List of Electrical Safety/Protective Devices used in Home

Here, is the list of electrical safety or protective devices used in the home,

1. Fuse
2. MCB(Miniature Circuit Breaker)
3. RCD or RCCB
4. Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter(GFCI)
5. ARC Fault Circuit Breaker
6. Surge Protector
7. Self Closing Power Socket or Outlet
8. Smoke Detector or Fire Alarm System
9. Voltage Stabilizer
10. Tamper Proof Receptacles

Electricity is hazardous and dangerous. There are so many types of faults that may happen in the electrical system that can damage the whole system, connected devices, or operators. Now electricity is a very important and essential part of our daily life. Major of our important work needs electricity. In our homes, there are so many devices from kitchen appliances to luxury appliances all are operated with electricity. As electricity is very dangerous so an electrical protection system is must required. There are various types of electrical protective or safety devices are used in our homes. So, let's talk about them.

Fuse

A fuse is an electrical safety device that provides protection against overcurrent fault that happens due to overload or short circuits. The fuse is constructed with a fusing element(a thin wire) and it is connected in series with the live wire of the system. When an overcurrent fault occurs the fusing element gets melted due to heat produced by the flowing of the overcurrent through it. Once the fusing element is melted it disconnects the circuit. In older days, the fuse is used with the main switch after the energy meter. But nowadays that is replaced by MCB. You will see the fuse is used in other different circuits and appliances used in the home.

MCB(Miniature Circuit Breaker)

MCB is also an electrical protective device that automatically disconnects the circuit when there is any overload or short circuit fault occurs. Over a fuse, MCB has so many advantages such as there is no fusing element that is to be replaced once the fuse is burned. We just need to operate the switch or plunger of the MCB after tripping. Nowadays, MCB is used as the main switch and individual incoming breaker for all distribution boards in the electrical system in our home. Even individual MCBs are used for heavy loads such as air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, water pumps, etc. MCBs are low-voltage protection devices mostly used for domestic applications. You will get MCB from 6A to 125A current ratings.

RCD or RCCB

RCD(Residual Current Device) or RCCB(Residual Current Circuit Breaker) is a protective device that gives protection against residual current or leakage current faults. In our homes, a single-phase power supply is used that has two wires phase and neutral. We can assume in normal conditions, the same amount of current flows through both phase and neutral wires. But when there is any leakage fault occurs, phase and neutral wire carry different currents. This difference in phase and neutral wire produces a residual current. RCD or RCCB works by detecting this residual current. RCCB is used in the home to prevent electrical shock, insulation failure, earth leakage, etc. Generally, the RCCB is placed at the main incoming power supply of the home so it can disconnect the power supply when any leakage fault occurs anywhere in the whole circuit.

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter(GFCI)

GFCI also works almost the same as the RCD means which also compares the neutral current to with phase or live current to detect the fault. Generally, it is used with Receptacles or outlets. It also gives protection against electrical shock, earth leakage, current imbalance, etc. The GFCI outlet is used to protect a particular outlet or device, which is why it is designed to detect a very small difference even as low as 4 milliamperes. Even it works very fast. It can disconnect the circuit within 10 milliseconds.

Surge Protector

A Surge Protector is a protective device that protects electrical circuits and devices from surge voltage, spike voltage happens due to lightning, switching, and other faults. A surge protector is a very sensitive device and it is very useful to protect your costly devices from the power surge. Nowadays, you will get surge protectors inbuilt power sockets, power strips, power cords, etc.

These five were the most important electrical safety devices essential for home use. Other electrical protective devices that can be used in the home for more safety are listed in the first section.

Read Also: 

• What is Thermal Fuse and Thermal Switch? Difference
• Why need overload relay when MCB give overload protection?
• What is Breaker Switch? Uses, Applications
• What is RCBO? Full-Form, Function, Application, Use
• GFCI Outlet Wiring and Connection Diagram

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