For any new homeowner getting to grips with the electronics in your home can be difficult. Unless you happen to be enthusiastic about physics, there is little of interest to you in your household’s electronics. But every homeowner should have at least a basic grasp of the most important terms in household electrics. We have outlined some of the most essential below.

Unit Of Measurement

Before you start investigating your home’s electrics, it is wise to familiarise yourself with the most important terms and concepts. For example, the volt is one of the most important units in electronics. Volts essentially measure the difference in potential, which is the physical phenomena that leads to a flow of electricity.

You can think of this as being akin to a pipe with water running through it. A volt is like a measure of the degrees by which that pipe tilts. The more the pipe is tilted, the faster the water will flow through it. Similarly, the greater the voltage, the greater the flow of electricity between two terminals.

House Wiring

It is generally inadvisable to touch either your main fuse or your electricity meter. Not only can these present a serious safety hazard, but they are also technically the property of your power company. If they suspect that you are attempting to interfere or fiddle with their infrastructure, they may well prosecute you.

Fuse Box

The fuse box in a property will generally be located in the cellar, hall or storage room. It is a small enclosure that contains the circuit protection devices for all of the electrical equipment for your home. The box stores these devices safely and securely, connecting the power cables from the electrical supply, to your sockets and lights.

To comply with the latest Wiring Regulations, new fuse boxes must be constructed from metal and fitted with an RCD (Residual Circuit Device). Plastic consumer units have been phased out due to being a potential fire hazard. The RCD reacts almost instantly to imbalances within the electrical flow, making it an essential and potentially lifesaving device.

The RCD is used as an incoming device along with a main switch which connects to the circuit breakers via a busbar within the box. The circuit breakers are outgoing devices which protect the individual circuits. Some fuse boxes use RCBOs (Residual Current Circuit Breaker with Overload Protection) instead of a main RCD. An RCBO is a combination of an RCD and circuit breaker in one neat device.

Even though they are still commonly referred to as fuse boxes or fuse boards, most properties now contain miniature circuit breakers (known as MCBs) rather than fuses. If all the lights in a room go out at once, flicking the necessary switches in the fuse box is the most likely remedy for the problem.

If you need a new fuse box, you can find consumer units for sale online cheaper than they cost on the high street. For example, expertelectrical.co.uk sells fuse box consumer units for any property. You can also turn to them for your other essential heating, ventilation, lighting, and security purchases.

Circuit Breakers

Circuit breakers are designed to kick in if your system becomes overloaded. For example, if there is too much load or too many watts are being forced through the system, it can increase the temperature and cause it to heat up. Having a fuse or circuit breaker in place will ensure that this component burns out first, protecting the main circuitry of your house.

Fuses are rated in amps rather than volts. Most households will use 3, 5, and 13-amp fuses. If you ever have cause to replace a fuse, it is essential that you use one that has the same value or a lower value. If you are at all uncertain about what fuse to use, consult with a qualified electrician.

If you have never had to worry about electrics before, this can be one of the more complex aspects of homeownership. However, as long as you keep some simple words of advice like those above in mind, you should have no trouble getting to grips with your household electrics.