Broadway On Call Electricians

Why An Electrical Device Might Not Turn On

We all depend on the electric current that is delivered to us when we plug in one of our electric appliances or flip one of our light switches. We all get upset when, for one reason or the other, the appliance will not work. In the case of a light, the first thing we do is check to see if the light bulb is still usable then, most likely, we check to see if it is plugged in. In the case of a washing machine, we look to see if it is plugged in. If it is, we might look to see if something is jammed. When we have checked all that we think might be the reason why our appliance won't work, we then head to the service panel, the breaker or fuse panel, which is the inlet for the electrical power that goes, by separate wires, to many outlets in our premises.

When you go to turn on an appliance and it does not work, it might not be that the appliance itself is at fault. If the appliance is plugged into a heavily used circuit, the circuit might fail when you turn on a high wattage appliance because the circuit is probably overloaded. If this happens to be the case, move some of the appliances to a less crowded circuit. Do not try to remedy this overload situation by replacing a blown fuse (if you still have a fuse box) with a fuse of a higher amperage rating. This can only cause further trouble later on.

If the circuit fails again immediately after you either replace the fuse or reset the circuit breaker, it is time to see if there is a short circuit. A short occurs when a worn ‘hot' (electrically charged) wire touches a neutral (or another hot wire), and in so doing creates a short-cut for a large, out of control current surge. This means that the electricity is not going in the correct direction and where it is supposed to be. A short circuit is telling you that there is a problem somewhere with the wiring. It might be the wiring of the appliance or it might be wires that lead up to the plug and wire of the appliance. Wherever it is, it needs to be fixed.

The first thing to do when sleuthing out where a short circuit is, is to turn off the main disconnect to the house, unplug all lamps, lights, motors and appliances from the circuit. Look for damaged plugs or cords. Damaged plugs or cords are a very common cause of shorts. You should always repair and/or replace them. With lamps, lights, motors and appliances turned off and unplugged, reset the breaker or replace the fuse. After you do this, turn the main power back on. You do not need to hire an electrician but just replace or fix the device. Of course, if you hire an electrician, make sure that the person or company is licensed and insured.