We’ve all been there: blow drying our hair, vacuuming up, turning on the kitchen blender, only to have the lights go out from an overloaded circuit, and ultimately, a blown fuse. Wires and a variety of devices being plugged in are all a part of our everyday lives, so it’s easy to forget that they can easily overload a home’s circuit breaker until it’s too late. Luckily, the experts at Farryn Electric have three tips that can help shed some light on this topic, so you can keep your circuit breaker happy, your fuses from blowing and your home running smoothly.
Breaker and Wattage Conversion is Key
In order to figure out how many devices you can plug in without blowing a fuse, you must first figure out how many circuits your panel can handle. To figure this out, open your electrical panel to find the information of how many amps each circuit can handle without being overloaded. From here, multiply the amperage rating by 120 volts—this will give you your total wattage capacity. For example, the maximum wattage of a 15-amp circuit (multiplied by 120 volts) is 1,800 watts.
Keep Extension Cord Usage to a Minimum
A tripping circuit breaker can be a pain, so if you want to keep this from happening, you may want to think twice the next time you whip out an extension cord as an easy solution. While extension cords can give your circuit some temporary relief, it’s important to note that they are not a long-term solution. And as with most things in life that come with a user manual, it’s important to read the one that comes with your extension cord and to follow the tips in it provided by the manufacturer.
Wattage Comparison is Crucial for Plugged-In Devices
Between kitchen appliances, grooming tools, entertainment devices, cleaning equipment, and light bulbs, it can be easy to not realize how many things we have plugged in—until a fuse is blown, that is. Here’s a quick list of some devices you may plug in daily (or always have plugged in) to give you an idea of how much your circuit is being utilized:
- Dishwasher (1,200-2,400 watts)
- Blow dryer (600-1,200 watts)
- Television (200-500 watts)
- Speakers (220-1000 watts)
- Vacuum cleaner (250-1,200 watts)
- Light bulb (20-250 watts)
To decrease your chances of blowing a fuse, compare the wattage and amperage rating of each of these devices with the amount of power your circuits can handle. This information should be easy to find on their packaging, rating plates or tags. Once you know these numbers, it will be easy to determine if your circuit is overloaded or not.
If you’re finding that you’re consistently cursing (in the dark) because of a blown fuse, there may be an issue with your circuit’s wiring. The experts at Farryn Electric can help you figure this out. We provide electrical upgrade services, including amp upgrades, knob & tube removal, off-peak metering, and more! Not only do we have the tools and expertise to detect the issue for you, but we’ll easily fix it, so you can blow dry your hair, plug-in those new surround-sound speakers and vacuum the day away without having to worry about blowing a fuse. Please contact us today to learn more!
