Emergency & Fault Response
Short to Earth
Last Updated: April 25, 2025Short to Earth: A fault condition where a live conductor makes contact with earth, bypassing the normal load path. Causes immediate tripping of protection devices and requires urgent investigation.
Earth Leakage
Last Updated: April 25, 2025Earth Leakage: The flow of current from a live conductor to earth. Detected by RCDs or ELCBs, and commonly caused by damaged cables, moisture, or faulty appliances. Poses electrocution and fire risks.
Rodent Damage
Last Updated: April 25, 2025Rodent Damage: Electrical faults caused by animals chewing through cables or insulation. Can result in shorts, fire hazards, or nuisance tripping. Detected via visual inspection or insulation resistance testing.
Moisture Ingress
Last Updated: April 25, 2025Moisture Ingress: Water or condensation entering electrical equipment or cables, causing corrosion, shorts, or tripping. IP-rated enclosures, sealing glands, and drainage paths are used to prevent it.
Insulation Breakdown
Last Updated: April 25, 2025Insulation Breakdown: The failure of cable insulation to resist electrical stress, resulting in leakage or short circuits. Common causes include age, heat, UV exposure, and mechanical damage. Tested using a megohmmeter.
Corroded Terminal
Last Updated: April 25, 2025Corroded Terminal: A degraded electrical connection due to moisture, chemical exposure, or age. Leads to increased resistance, overheating, and intermittent faults. Often found in outdoor or coastal installations.
Melted Cable
Last Updated: April 25, 2025Melted Cable: Occurs when insulation or conductors are exposed to excessive heat due to overload, poor terminations, or short circuits. Requires immediate isolation and rewiring to prevent fire or shock.
Switchboard Burnout
Last Updated: April 25, 2025Switchboard Burnout: Severe overheating or electrical arcing in a switchboard, leading to melted components or fire. Often caused by loose connections, poor ventilation, or outdated equipment.
Live Fault Finding
Last Updated: April 25, 2025Live Fault Finding: The practice of diagnosing faults while circuits remain energised. Requires advanced skills, PPE, and safety protocols. Only to be carried out when essential and under strict control measures.
Tripped Breaker
Last Updated: April 25, 2025Tripped Breaker: A circuit breaker that has automatically shut off to protect the circuit from overload or short circuit. Must be reset after confirming the fault is cleared. Frequent trips indicate underlying issues.
Electrical Fire Extinguisher
Last Updated: April 25, 2025Electrical Fire Extinguisher: A non-conductive fire extinguisher (e.g. CO2 or dry chemical) used to put out electrical fires. Essential on job sites and switch rooms. Never use water-based extinguishers on live circuits.
Fire Isolation Switch
Last Updated: April 25, 2025Fire Isolation Switch: A mandatory device for externally shutting down power to rooftop solar or large circuits during a fire. Provides first responders a safe way to isolate power in emergencies.
Emergency Power Off
Last Updated: April 25, 2025Emergency Power Off (EPO): A system or switch that immediately disconnects power to all equipment in an area. Common in data centres, labs, or industrial settings where electrical faults could pose safety risks or trigger fires.
Isolate and Test
Last Updated: April 25, 2025Isolate and Test: A critical safety procedure where circuits are de-energised, locked out, and tested before beginning any electrical work. Ensures there is no voltage present and forms the foundation of safe fault repair.
Nuisance Tripping
Last Updated: April 25, 2025Nuisance Tripping: Frequent or unexplained activation of breakers or RCDs without a clear fault. Often due to accumulated leakage current, faulty appliances, or poor installation practices. Requires systematic fault finding.
Phase Loss
Last Updated: April 25, 2025Phase Loss: A condition in three-phase systems where one phase is lost due to a blown fuse or cable fault. Can damage motors and equipment. Protection devices such as phase-failure relays are used to detect and disconnect loads.
Fault Current
Last Updated: April 25, 2025Fault Current: The excessive current that flows during a short circuit or ground fault. Can be several times higher than normal current and must be safely interrupted by breakers or fuses to avoid damage.
Overload Condition
Last Updated: April 25, 2025Overload Condition: When a circuit draws more current than it’s rated for, often due to too many appliances or undersized wiring. Can cause overheating, tripping, or even fire if left unchecked.
Ground Fault
Last Updated: April 25, 2025Ground Fault: Occurs when electrical current unintentionally flows to ground. Typically caused by damaged insulation or moisture, and triggers RCDs or ELCBs to protect people from shock.
Arc Fault
Last Updated: April 25, 2025Arc Fault: A dangerous discharge of electricity caused by a breakdown in insulation or a loose connection. Produces intense heat and light, and can lead to electrical fires. Detected using specialised Arc Fault Detection Devices (AFDDs).