Hire electricians in Swansea and never DIY your electrics
Electricity from the voltage at the mains is particularly harmful. There is a significant risk of death by electrocution if the electricity from the mains voltage is allowed to pass through the body. Furthermore, the risk of fire and explosion can arise if electricity is not properly cabled and fused. So precautions must, therefore, be taken when using electricity from the mains, or similar. This is why we think you should never DIY your electrics and just contact electricians in Swansea.
There might be certain things you don't know
For energy, there is a lot that can go wrong with potentially disastrous consequences. Many of these are obvious such as never using your finger to check for a strain on the mains. But some may not be like heat sinks attached to a high-voltage connector. So you should contact our Swansea electrician to do the work.
Low voltage and high voltage
Read this page completely and ensure your next circuit looks at all aspects. When in any doubt seek a professional person’s advice. This section offers guidance on electricity and lower voltages in the domestic mains. Higher voltages are much more dangerous, such as electrical substations and railway gantries. Never touch any high-voltage cables and only use someone with experience as they will know how to disconnect the supply.
How harmful is electrocution
Electrocution by interaction with a live circuit is the most apparent danger from electricity. In this case, an electric current runs through the body, and the heart will stop functioning (cardiac arrest).
What's a risky current?
Yes, it’s the current, rather than the voltage, that is critical. But due to the body’s power, you cannot get a dangerous current without adequate voltage. You can do this yourself using Ohm’s law, but it is important to remember the values of protection. Typically you can work with voltages below 50V fairly free, but anything beyond that may be risky so just call our electricians in Swansea.
You are usually electrically protected on most electronic circuits operating household batteries, including batteries for 12V vehicles. However, batteries at home can be a real risk. Some of these could be the power supply from a UPS to a device or whether you have a home power network, such as solar panels. But if the devices are built to operate below the hazardous electrocution voltage, they also face a risk of burns, fire, or even radiation.
AC and DC
Some people might have heard that the AC is dangerous, or vice versa, the DC. Instead of beginning to debate about one versus the other, both AC and DC can be deadly at high voltages. AC is considered more likely to cause cardiac arrest by stopping electric signals that control the heart. But DC can cause burns and both still kill so it’s pretty good to discuss differences. Just note, if there is enough energy and power, whether it is AC or DC, then electricity will kill.
Stop power supply
The safest approach is to stop using a machine circuit with a fully driven voltage. Most electric circuits are operated by a battery or an external plug-in transformer at low voltages. A power brick (e.g. power adapters normally for laptop computers) or a plug transformer, for instance, those which are used by mobile phones, are the safest way to use the transformer. This transforms the voltage downwards into a stable voltage at which the electronic circuit works, for example, 6v to 12v. And, in the majority of situations, converts the signal from AC to DC (used on most electric circuits as a power socket).
These transformers are typically double-isolated and have no user-accessible high-voltage parts. Make sure the transformer fits the circuit type (e.g. tension and current rating) and is plugged into the power supply. Before plugging something into power, you can also test for any physical harm to the transformer. But if you need high power, it may not be always possible to have an external power supply.
Isolate while working from the mains
If ever, there is a possibility that you will see the devices which state “high-voltage does not delete the cover” or “disconnect the power supply before removing the cover”. But if you remove a cover from a power supply, the cover should be fixed in place. This is before the connection back to the power supply, if possible.
Electrical earthing
If a project uses a power supply voltage, you normally should use a case of metal and earth. This is done by removing a wire and connecting it to an exposed part of the case. But if you are at this stage of a project then it really will be the safest option to contact any local electricians in Swansea to take over.
Often a special connector is installed to bind the ground. Then it can be connected to a metal screw that links the pieces of the case together. A danger of mains voltage is when a live link (e.g. loosened wire) falls into contact with a metal case. So if someone is contacting the case then it provides the potential for current to go through an individual to the wall. You will also do adequate checking to ensure that all metals/parts of the case are fully grounded. If this occurs, any operator of the equipment will be at risk.
If the case is concrete, then the case would have a clear path to the ground and blast the fuse for the device. So if the live wire comes into contact or the fuse keeps burning, then you must test for a short-circuit in the case. If the electricity is put into the case through a mains connector, a 3-pin connector is needed such as an IEC C13 connector. Use the equipment with an adequate fuse (e.g. in the plug) to ensure that the fuse blows if the earth is connected. A fuse may be inside the socket, or a combination connector and fuse element (standard for UK domestic plugs).
An alternative
An alternative is to use a metal case. However, you might want to ensure there are no earthed metal connections, going from the interior to the exterior. This is because they might come in contact with power voltage, then you should use a plastic-insulated case. It involves all buttons, screws, or other connectors used to support the circuit board. This is hard to achieve in DIY ventures, so you should consider using an earthed metal frame. You can often see a double-insulated symbol on commercially made electrical equipment. This is to show that complete insulation is used instead of earthworks.
Conclusion to use our electricians in Swansea
Hopefully, some of this blog post made sense. Even if that sense is just to understand that you shouldn’t try to do your electrics. We have a team of electricians in Swansea who can take care of any problem you may have. Plus they can do it safely!