Safety Switches, Surge Diverters & Circuit Breakers

Grant Knowles Articles 0

Safety switches, surge diverters and circuit breakers: too often these phrases are used interchangeably. Certainly, confusion around these three abounds. Knowing the difference will not only give you some one-up convo with the mates at the BBQ on the weekend, but also give you a better understanding of how important each of these devices are.

Safety switches are designed to automatically switch off electrical power within 0.03 of a second when an electrical fault is detected. They monitor the electrical flow through your home or property and detect problems that pose a danger to your personal safety. They’re often labelled with the words “safety switch” and always have a test button with “30ma” printed on them.

Surge diverters protect your property from voltage surges, such as when a lightning strike causes a power surge. It captures the spike in the wiring, preventing the power surge from transferring into the electrical equipment within your home or property. They do not serve as a safety switch against electrical shock.

Circuit breakers provide overcurrent and short-circuit protection when, for example, a power point is overloaded. They also do not act as a safety switch against electrical shock.

All three devices serve a specific purpose and work together to ensure your electrical safety.